Tag Archive for ‘Windows’

I’ve been toying around with Windows XP on an old iMac, which I plan to use as a retro gaming system. I have physical copies of a bunch of old PC games that I’ll play on it — Halo, Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3, and Crazy Taxi, to name a few.

But I needed a way to get around Windows XP’s activation countdown. This tool did the trick for me.

When you go through the activation process in XP, choose the telephone option and enter the ID it gives you into this tool. It will output the activation key you can enter into the Windows XP activation screen.

➝ Source: maniek86.xyz

Matt Birchler, on the idea of no longer recommending Macs because you can’t install Windows on Apple Silicon:

Ah yes, the large group of people who buy a Mac, decide they don’t actually like macOS, and then install Windows instead of getting a new laptop. There are literally dozens of them!

I don’t think it’s particularly common for people to actually buy a Mac, decide they dislike macOS, and then install Windows. But I never would have purchased my first Mac in 2006 if that wasn’t possible. In the sixteen years since then, I’ve never installed Windows using Boot Camp, but I think it’s silly to dismiss the notion entirely.

Imagine you’re someone who has been using Windows for your entire life. Aside from your smartphone and maybe a tablet, it’s the only operating system you’ve ever used. Now imagine giving that person two options — a Mac that uses an Intel chip and a Mac that uses Apple Silicon. Even with the increased performance of Apple Silicon, I’m sure there are plenty of people that would be hesitant to choose that model simply because there’s no option to go back to Windows if they find themselves disliking macOS.

Again, I’m sure it’s incredibly rare for that to actually happen, but when it comes to purchasing decisions, I can completely see that being a factor because I’ve experienced it personally.

On a related note, some of you may remember that I upgraded my home server last year — opting for a 2018 Intel-based Mac Mini rather than an M1 Mac Mini. There were a number of reasons I made that decision, but among them was the reassurance that I’ll be able to use the Mac Mini for many years to come — even if Apple drops support for it, I know I’ll be able to install Linux. If I got an M1 Mac Mini though, the jury’s still out as to whether Linux will ever fully support the hardware.

➝ Source: birchtree.me

Parker Ortolani, writing for 9 to 5 Mac:

Today, Microsoft unveiled a new service called Windows 365, and it makes it possible for users to run a full version of Windows in a web browser on any device. The new service is only available for businesses at first, but given Microsoft’s emphasis on cloud platforms, it is highly likely that it will become available for consumers at some point in the future. Microsoft is offering Windows 365 for businesses of all sizes, whether you are a one-person show or a giant organization. The best part? You can run Windows 365 on an iPad in addition to a Mac.

Because of Apple’s stranglehold on native applications on iOS, I have a feeling the browser is going to become a lot more important over the next few years. I’ll be curious to see how resistant Apple will be to some much needed improvements to web app support and how much developers start really clamoring for them — the lack of support for notifications immediately comes to mind.

➝ Source: 9to5mac.com

Apple:

Starting May 25, Apple will introduce security changes that prevent older Windows PCs from using the iTunes Store. If you have Windows XP or Vista PC, your computer is no longer supported by Microsoft, and you’re not able to use the latest version of iTunes.

You can continue to use previous versions of iTunes on your Windows PC without support from Apple. However, you won’t be able to make new purchases from the iTunes Store or redownload previous purchases on that computer. […]

Also beginning May 25, security changes will prevent Apple TV (1st generation) from using the iTunes Store. This device is an obsolete Apple product and will not be updated to support these security changes.

I have Snow Leopard installed on an external hard drive that I’ve connected to an old iMac. The version of iTunes on that drive is still compatible with Requiem, which let’s me remove the DRM from movies and TV shows purchased from the iTunes Store. From there, I can transfer the DRM-free video files into Plex — my preferred media playback app.

But I suspect this will no longer be possible when Apple flips the switch on May 25. And once again, I’ll be stuck watching newly purchased iTunes content in Apple’s apps.

(Via The Loop.)

This is the best windows laptop I’ve ever seen. But unfortunately, it’s in a form factor I’m no longer interested in and runs an operating system that I don’t want to use. In recent years I’ve realized that there’s only room for two categories of non-pocketable machines in my life — a high-powered desktop with a large screen, a role that will likely be filled by an iMac in the near future, and an iPad. I don’t even want a laptop anymore.

As for the operating system, I switched from Windows to macOS in 2006 and never looked back. Without some drastic changes to the third-party software ecosystem and user interface, I don’t think I’d consider using it unless I was given no other option.

John Gruber:

I tried out a Surface Studio in Microsoft’s San Francisco store (in the Westfield Mall) yesterday evening. It’s an interesting machine, as well-built as promised. And I do think it might prove useful and very popular with people who draw professionally. Most people don’t draw professionally, though. And using a pen or fingers on a mouse pointer-based OS remains as clunky as ever. Also, for what it’s worth, drawing latency on the Studio is OK, but not as good as on an iPad Pro with Apple Pencil. And there’s noticeable parallax between the glass surface and the actual pixels of the display.

I don’t draw professionally.

If I had $3,000 burning a hole in my pocket, I think I’d buy a 27-inch iMac with a 256GB SSD, a 12.9-inch iPad Pro with 128GB of storage, and an Apple Pencil.

Ben Brooks, regarding the Surface Studio’s biggest flaw:

When I was talking about the Surface Studio on Twitter, someone responded “have you guys even used Windows lately”. I chuckled, because I have, and it’s shit. Anyone who thinks the Surface Studio makes up for that, is going to be really fucking sad.

No good Markdown writing apps, no robust note taking app market (hope you love OneNote), or good apps period. The apps look like apps out of 2003, and don’t even hold a candle to many of the free apps on Mac or iOS.

I originally switched to the Mac in 2006 because I fell in love with Apple’s hardware designs. After purchasing an iPod nano and fifth-generation iPod, I wanted that experience to extend behind my music listening.

I bought the base model white plastic MacBook and upgraded the RAM and hard drive myself, shortly after taking it home. What followed was serval weeks (or months) of discovery. There were all of these incredible third-party developers making some of the most well-designed applications I’ve ever seen.

I may have switched to the Mac because of the hardware, but I’ve stayed on Apple’s platforms because of the software. Nothing on Windows compares to the fit and finish of apps like Transmit, Alfred, Ulysses, and countless more. I haven’t dipped my toes in the other pond as recently as Ben — it’s been a few years since I’ve used a Windows machine for any meaningful length of time — but the impression that I get is that very little has changed on this front.

From the Instagram weblog:

In April, we brought Instagram to Windows 10 Mobile. Now, Instagram for Windows 10 tablets includes all of your favorite features, including Instagram Stories, Direct and Explore. And you’ll be able to capture, edit and share directly from your Windows 10 tablet device.

It’s astonishing that Instagram released a tablet app on Windows before an iPad app. This has to be some kind of joke, right?