However, Apple arbitrarily decided to disable the following features on the older 3G model (which I actually own):

• Multitasking (this is the big one, most awaited feature)
• Wallpaper on home screen (why? so it keeps its “depreciated” looks?)
• Battery percentage (What? Why on earth? — Do note that I haven’t confirmed this one, I was just told it was the case by multiple sources)

This made me cringe. While collections (folders) are actually nice, I don’t need them. But on a lighter note, PwnageTool 4.0 also came out today, and deep within its bowels, if you create a custom image, you have the option of re-enabling those features right back in. So I did.

I am pretty much convinced Apple is not doing this out of concern for performance, but rather, to create an artifical demand for the newer models. Look, I don’t mind if you pump out a new hardware model every 6 months, if it is significantly better than the previous one, people will switch. In fact people will most likely buy anything with an Apple logo on it regardless of its merits. But don’t voluntarily cripple the previous models to force people to upgrade. That’s just fucking greedy. Usually one sells a new product by putting emphasis on its merits, on what it does better — not by preemptively forcing the previous models into obsolescence, even if the new products have very little merit of their own. If that is the case, simply, you know, create a better product.

However, the iPhone 4 is currently getting incredibly good reviews all around. Engadget even goes so far as to call it the cream of the crop:

We’re not going to beat around the bush — in our approximation, the iPhone 4 is the best smartphone on the market right now. The combination of gorgeous new hardware, that amazing display, upgraded cameras, and major improvements to the operating system make this an extremely formidable package.

Granted, Engadget seems to be madly in love with anything Apple, but usually, they are still fair in their reviews and visit both sides of the hyperbole equally, the awesome — and the suck. For them to be so enamored with the new hardware, it must mean it is better, no? That alone should be enough, I think.

Then again, I am probably being incredibly naive. Either way, Apple, I am through with your shanenigans.

You can find the new version here.

This time they are available for both Python 2.4 and 2.5. Enjoy.

I have waited so long for something like this to occur. Especially from Dell.

Apparently they started offering machines without windows. They are called the -n series, the hard drives come unformatted. And they explicitely mention Linux. Great.

In other unrelated news, it seems I’ll have to upgrade wordpress since 2.1 came out. Last major upgrade was nothing short of hairy, let’s hope it goes smooth.

I feel good. Really good.

If you owe a lot to Free Software, you should consider becoming a member too.

120$ USD a year is a little heavy on the wallet, but it would feel right. That would be giving back a little of all the great things I got. I feel like I owe so much to Free Software, most of my passion for Unix was spawned from it…

I still need to think about that… but I think I will. I can probably afford it, even with my student loan which I’m trying to pay back.

One thing is sure, were I to win an obscene amount of money, such as, say, 15 millions, i’d immediately distribute five among my favorite Open Source projects and the FSF.

I mean, what the fuck would I need so much money for? I have no interest in living large. All I ask for is a home, room for my computers, electricty and bandwidth, and a way to pay for all of this. Maybe I’d just build a small datacenter with a phat pipe and lend out rackspace, bandwidth and servers to Free Software projects. I don’t know, anything.

One thing I know for sure is that I’d keep working. I love my job too much.

Well that wasn’t really interesting, was it? I’m tired. I’m off to bed.