Buying albums -physical media or digital download?

Shopping around for some CDs, I came across the following conundrum. Buy the CD for €6.49 or buy the digital download equivalent for €10.49 instead? Hmmm.

I'm probably a tad more proficient with the issue of ripping an audio CD than the average shopper, but why would I consider buying a degraded version of the debatable lossless version at almost twice the price?

Surely the novelty of digital distribution has gone the way of floppy discs by now? I mean, I can't for the life of me imagine that the production costs, printing costs, physical labor and distribution have plummeted to the point that even brand new popular albums from exemplary bad examples of talent (or lack thereof) are available for less than the digital lossy-encoded alternative. (Note that I am not in any way implying that Rex The Dog is anything but good. I love his music beyond modesty -it's just that his album was available at such a depressing ratio that he's made an example of).

This is weird. This is like warping to the late 1980s and being charged more for a cassette than a CD. Granted, people readily had Walkmans, so the format was more convenient for on-the-go music, but nobody in their right mind would pony up more for the cassette than the CD. Not even with a deviant taste in hair styles and music.

So I wonder, who in their right mind would buy a lossy encoded version of an album they might as well archive lossless on their computer?

Disclaimer portion: I am not a wooden-knob audiophile

I won't try to bullshit myself believing I can discern between the original recording and anything encoded on more than 192kpbs, but I sure as hell won't be inclined to transcode a lossy file with the same vigor as with an original CD.

Moreover, I started out with a rip from, say, CNCD's self-titled album ten years ago at 128kpbs ...then upgraded to 192kpbs a while later ...then some -aps VBR version and recently I upgraded my whole music collection to lossless rips.

There was never any quality concern at play here -diskspace was. In 1999, my system had a 8GB harddisk and the idea to have lossless encodings of my collection alongside other data and software installs was, ...hilarious. But I never had to worry about future-proofing my audio purchase, since hey -the source I purchased was lossless after all.

Fact remains: being charged more for what you can churn out from the original source yourself than the original itself is nothing short of ridiculous.

Not about keyboards this time.

Stupidity had better come to either full circle or some hilarious singularity, because the Mac store is full of it.

To recap the previous hilarity: salespeople full of crap, incapable to memorize details of the most restrained line of hardware in the computing industry and pretty much unable to understand the difference between the picture on the website and the keyboard in their hands.

Sadly, I was forced to deal with them once more -courtesy of my own persistence to deal with the reseller before brand. I might as well have put a puppy in a blender for effect, the outcome was just as predictable.

So what happened

To my horror, I noted that the power adapter of my MBP had developed a weird defect - the insulation of the power cord had started to retract from the adapter, giving unconcerned people ample time to handle a bare electrical wire. There were no signs of the typical "frayed magsafe" scenario, but it certainly looked like a warranty case.

Fortunately, the Mac store had other ideas about that.

First glance from a sales clerk gave the expert conclusion that this was a clear-cut case of wear and tear. I reminded him of the fact that the adapter came with a laptop a few months back. I did't add that this kind of "logic" implied that the average life span of power adapters from Apple is a fifth of an iPod's. Nor did I suggest that they were just being their lovable old selves again -namely incompetent. All of that was filed under "must not murder people with some hope of becoming useful".

I was ushered to the service desk, where a perfectly bored copy of Mirage (of Focus and Analogue fame -demoscene reprazent whoot etc) was unable to fix a macbook problem before my turn and then started to drone on about how my problem was a clean cut case of user abuse.

Since I never really took to using the charger as a bolo implement, there ought to have been no reason to suggest this. There was no wear on the cable. There was no fraying. There were no machete marks anywhere. The worst thing was that the thing had, were scratches across the casing. Not a great feat, since the chargers and remotes come in the same kind of plastic and the very light of day scratches those critters. Considering my skepticism, he suggested to ship the thing to head office for a re-check. I was just happy I had already ordered and received a spare power adapter, since this smelled of delays.

A week later, they called. As far as they were concerned, it was a case of user abuse, not covered by warranty. I suggested they might not be up to speed with the whole "oldschool magsafe adapters are fucking weird" policy of Apple. Unable to appreciate any kind of retort, the guy merrily proceeded along the checklist for "dealing with people from outside the store". He was nice enough to drone the Apple Support phone number when I told him I'd take it up with Apple. After I emphasized it was no use, since I had no pen (or one of his colleagues to use as a memo pad). Twice.

Naturally, Apple Support spent far too much time making sure the thing would be replaced as soon as possible. They even have a form option for this kind of defect. God bless the sweet-natured helpdesk girl -they have all the info they're not supposed to tell me.

After sharing the bizarre hilarity of once more dealing with the infamous Mac Store, Andrew pleaded that I'd tell him the name of the store with such a wonderful regard of their goods. Just so he could make sure none of his friends would ever visit "that cesspit" during their stay-overs

Just so the rest of you people know: It's iCentre CS, the authorized Apple Reseller right across Amsterdam Central Station. I'd avoid them like the plague. They've repeatedly proven themselves unfit to deal with anything more than the purchase of an iPod sock. In the future, I'll deal with Apple directly -or Apple resellers worth their salt.

Why would you want to have a US keyboard?

I wish I was joking, but yes... this was asked more often than not at all. Apparently, as somebody who does not live in the United States, I am not allowed to get my hands on the US International layout if I want to type on an Apple keyboard.

I may seemed harsh on Macstore employees previously, so I'll start and elaborate on the last beef I had with the collective retail force of Apple. Maybe this may sound familar.

One of the few reasonable people in a black shirt was the one who ordered my MBP. At that point I already had expressed the preference for a US International keyboard layout. I had noticed that the store only displayed models with a modified Dutch layout that I had no desire for. This had caused all of the employees I spoke with to look at me like I had a tentacle growing where my mouth used to be, right before that oddball question I uttered.

People who wonder what an US International keyboard looks like, I present a promotional shot from the Apple Keyboard. For some minor alterations here and there, it's like any default keyboard you can get from any other computer vendor, even in the Netherlands.

However, Apple won't sell you one. Not without a pantomine of the trivia-challenged, at least.

Buying the Macbook Pro

So yes, the friendly Macstore guy did ask me why I even wanted a US layout on my laptop. I told him why, explained the difference (he didn't know there was any) and he looked up how much time that would take. Turns out it could be anywhere between two to five weeks. I had three (until my holidays in Finland), so I was somewhat taken aback by the rough estimate. He then did a pretty neat thing: he ordered my preferred model in both the Dutch and US layout. The Dutch version would arrive in mere days and could serve as a backup if the US wouldn't arrive in time. He suggested that at a small fee, they could replace the Dutch layout with a spare part US keyboard, making it possible to obtain the right layout -only the manual and box would be dutch, which quite frankly, I couln't care less about. That keyboard, as a spare part, would be arriving in a couple of days. He assured me he'd get rid of either model, or just ship it back. No trouble at all.

Humbled by the good-natured service, I asked what the markup would be for that keyboard swap. He then told me that tech support had shut down for the evening, so a precise estimate would be impossible. He hazarded they'd charge me for the part and 15 minutes of service, but encouraged me to call in the morning to get the right numbers.

The next morning, I called the store. I explained the scenario to the tech guy. He asked why I would want a US layout. I explained that I was used to the US International layout, to which he answered he never had any trouble with the Dutch layout. I told him I was happy he could get along with it, but I had no desire to do so.

He then needed to look up the price for this, which took seven minutes. He didn't have his computer turned on. Why this had to take five minutes was a mystery, but I'm not the one who installed the machines in a Macstore.

After some on-hold moments after the computer was booted up, he told me the part was €150. Okay, that's double the price of what Ebay sellers net for it, but I wanted this to stay in warranty, so I agreed and asked for a time estimate. "At least three weeks, I'm afraid".

I told him I would think about this. I could do this as an after-sales thing if the situation was dire, but I stuck to the hopes that the MBP with the US layout would arrive on time.

A week later a message arrived. The US version had arrived at the store. I was elated and called the store about picking it up. After a confused shuffle of orders I got the news: this was not, in fact, the US version. It was the Dutch version. Again, I got asked why I wanted a US International layout. I guess the tentacle was audible through the phone. After I explained my preference I was assured that the guy I was talking to had no problems with the Dutch version. He only failed to point out I was weird in so many words.

After the weekend I decided I'd just swallow my pride, get the Dutch version and try to get it amended later. At the store, there was minor confusion about the double order (the friendly guy apparently only worked evenings and weekends, so I was SOOL). It should come as no surprise that the guy processing my order had never heard of anybody wanting a US International layout, and he assured me he thought the Dutch layout was perfect. By this time I hoped that if these people ever got banished to Hell for any reason, that the Apple keyboards would all be Dvorak.

So I spent a lot of time using a Logitech UltraX keyboard for my typing duties, until the Apple Keyboard got a delicious, slim overhaul...

Being a switcher

A lot of Mac switchers who drank the Jobs Koolaid tend to have a several-months interval before reflecting on the before-after horseplay. I intended to do it after three months, meaning I'd have to sign on to the Magical Mystery Tour on octboer 10th, but at that point I lacked the spine to blog, plus I was busy.

So it goes: I've been a Switcher for nearly four months now, and the effects are disturbing.

It should go without no introduction that I have never been much of an Apple fanboy. I loathed the machines during my stay at the academy of arts, I stayed around for the funeral around, give or take, 1997 right before Steve jobs took control of the complicated clown car accident that was Apple Computer Inc. at the time. Then I kept a lopsided, skeptical eye at what it has become right now.

I planned to jumped ship after the switch to Intel architecture, which gradually gave us Boot Camp, better bangs per buck and the promise of one hell of a hardware & software combo. I waited a while, since ATI hardware has lost my fancy after tanking 9700 Pro cards (right outside the warranty), weird X1600 performance and the fact that Linux and ATI never really managed to play in a non-volatile way.

Because yes, I went into that Mac store with black-shirted morons for a laptop that had enough GPU horsepower to suit me, and run three different Operating Systems -including Linux. I could get a laptop with a more dinky feel with two out of three for a fraction of the price, but I really wanted the unholy trinity and a laptop that looked like the designers actually gave a damn about how their product would turn out to be.

Take note that I do call the Store employees morons because honestly, when you talk to the regular Macstore employee, it would appear that the most important asset to the job is being able to fit your ham-sized neck through an L-sized Apple shirt. I've never heard such horseshit about such a limited line of hardware. One would think they could memorize at least a few facts about the few types of keyboards, mice and computers in the goddamn store. No such luck. I was baffled at the utter lack of information they could sling at me.

The first knee-jerk reaction was to install the Boot Camp beta and make sure Windows was there. Two weeks later, save for Corel Draw X3, I had all but dropped Windows. Most of the stuff can be done through Parallels and only for demos I tend to drop back to Boot Camp. It's astonishing how much I enjoy the OS X part of my laptop.

A stern object lesson in how much Windows lacks elegance you take for granted in OS X was the switching between being on the road (just the laptop) and returning home. I have a desk with a Dell 24" display and a bunch of devices, including a simple usb hub, mouse and keyboard. OS X just goes on to business and introduces me with the display and the added usb mayhem as if it's yesterday evening. Windows lets me do the "I'm installing stuff" dance again and forces me to spend time to reconfigure my displays to operate properly. Just because I was naive enough to use my laptop on the road. I can think of better things to do when coming home.

A lot of the other stuff pleases me too, but this sticks out like a sore thumb. Linux and OSX have absolutely no trouble with my dynamic setup. The only things that stop me from using Windows are my unholy love for Corel Draw, Picasa not being OSX native yet and the bizarre joy I get from using Jeskola Buzz.

Other than that, this is a platform I thoroughly enjoy handing a kidney, arm and limb for. Let's see if the novelty wears off.