obfuscated.org

This fun little tidbit over on Daring Fireball absolutely floored me.

What’s interesting about this is that the single-computer license isn’t enforced in code by the operating system. (Or at least that’s been the case with Mac OS X 10.0 through 10.4.) And, I suspect, most DF readers are aware of this. Which means many readers are doing the right thing simply because they’re honest. I have no idea if this breakdown is representative of the Mac user base as a whole, but if it’s even close, these family packs are a huge success for Apple.

This simply isn’t how things work with for-pay software. Let’s take, for example, my recent experience with Windows. I run XP in a virtual machine for work. I reinstall the VM fairly regularly. If I try to install with a license that I’ve used before, the install gets all fussy and tells me that the license is already running on another computer and I’ll have to call India to get it up and running. (Amusingly, re-activating my XP license is the only time I’ve ever actually been connected to an off-shored call center, or at least the only time I’ve been aware of it.) It’s an amazing pain in the ass, and the only thing that’s saved me is the big stack of XP licenses I traded beer for a few years ago. (Thanks, Pat!) I’m not quite sure what I’m going to do once they run out. (Probably beg IT to install a VPN that works with OS X.)

We have three computers at home, so I had planned on buying a family pack, anyway. (Can you even get multiple retail copies of Windows for less than the same multiple of the single license price?) Knowing that I don’t have to makes me feel a lot better about doing that.

(For all you Canadians out there: Yes, I’m aware that Linux is still free. Thanks.)

Happy Anniversary, Stephanie. I love you!

It’s about time for the NBA season to start, and you all know what that means: mindless homer predictions that will never come true.

Individual Awards

MVP

Kevin Garnett

For the last few years the MVP has gone to the best player on the best regular-season team. The “best team” part of the whole thing knocks Kobe and LBJ out of the running, even though they’re arguably better individual players. I think the East is just so weak that the Celtics will roll through everybody, pile up more wins than they know what to do with, and make KG look like he did in 2004.

Other possibilities: Tim Duncan, Steve Nash

Rookie of the Year

Corey Brewer

He’s a rookie who can actually play defense and score and he’s playing for an awful team so he’ll be starting. Kevin Durant is too one-dimensional to do more than just pile up points. If that was the criteria, Carmello Anthony would have won when he was a rookie.

Other possibilities: Marco Belinelli, Al Thornton

Most Improved Player

Andrew Bynum

Yes, this is a homer pick. Cram it.

Look, the kid played really well last year before he crashed. He’s the only semi-competent center on a team that will get a lot of national TV coverage. Also, I’d love to see him make Kobe eat his words.

Other possibilities: Al Jefferson

Coach of the Year

Gregg Poppovich

Maybe this is more a should happen than a will happen. As far as I’m concerned, Pop should win this one every year. He’s the only coach in the league able to make a collection of truly big name players play as a team. Oh, and he’s won four rings since ‘99.

Other possibilities: Scott Skiles

Executive of the Year

Chris Mullen

The last two years’ winners were the guys who built teams of lovable losers who managed to do pretty well. The Warriors are without question the NBA’s most lovable losers. I think they’ll make the playoffs again after this off season’s moves.

Other possibilities: Mitch Kupchak if he’s able to trade Kobe for Luol Deng, Ben Gordon, Tyrus Thomas and Joakim Noah.

Western Conference

Pacific Division

1st: Suns Worst: Clippers

Phoenix is the only team in the division that can legitimately contend for anything. The Lakers and Warriors will fill out the 7th and 8th spots in the playoffs. Due to injury, the Clips will be lucky to win 35 games.

Northwest Division

1st: Nuggets Worst: T-Wolves

Perhaps my most bold prediction: This is the year that ‘Melo pulls his head out of his ass and plays solid basketball. With that, AI, and a healthy Marcus Camby the Nuggets should edge out the Jazz by a couple of games. (Although not much more than that.)

The ‘Wolves need a few years to figure out what they’re all about after the whole Garnett thing. Oh, and they also need to fire McHale.

Southwest Division

1st: Mavs Worst: Hornets

The Southwest is by far the best division in the league, hosting two of maybe five teams that could potentially contend for a title. The Mavs, however, definitely have an edge over the Spurs in regular season games that don’t really count for much.

Eastern Conference

Atlantic Division

1st: Celtics Worst: Everybody else. Especially the Nets.

Remember last year when Toronto was the darling of the worst division in the game? That was cute. Good for them. The Celtics might lose three or four games in their division this year, but that’s about it.

Central Division

1st: Bulls Worst: Pacers

The Bulls are one marquee player (or maybe two or three more years with their current group) from being a powerhouse team. They’re everything the Pistons were three years ago, only more fun to watch. Given that Detroit is the only other competent team in the division (Last year’s results aside, LeBron can’t do it all by himself), Chicago should have an easy time of things.

Indiana was really good a few years ago. Time sure does fly.

Southeast Division

1st: Wizards Worst: Bobcats

I think both the Wizards and the Magic will outdo the Heat this year. Washington has a small edge in experience over Orlando.

Finals

Spurs over the Celtics in six games. Duncan is the finals MVP.

Taking the “A” out of “AJAX.”

 function get(url) {
  var ajax = new XMLHttpRequest();
  ajax.open('GET', url, false);
  ajax.send(null);
  return ajax.responseText;
}

Of course this will be different for IE….

Save those cans, folks.

There are many reason to go to the LA County Fair. I present you with one of the best:

No, this photo has not been digitally altered. The food stand really was selling:

• Totally Fried Frog Legs
• Totally Fried Peanut Butter and Banana Sandwiches
• Deep Fried Veggies
• Totally Friend Smores
• Krispy Kreme Chicken Sandwich
• Deep Fried Avocados
• Deep Fried Coke
• Deep Fried Twinkies

If that’s not majesty, I don’t know what is. And for the curious, Stephanie and I did, in fact, imbibe in all that the fair had to offer. (There was another stand selling — wait for it — Deep Friend Snickers.)

All,

There is a new best website ever. Enjoy!

Dear Gentle Reader,

Many of the following pages have graphic and clear images of the masculine mustache in all its forms, both sublime and grotesque. My intent is not to shock or titillate, but merely to inform on the subject. The Nineteenth Century gave us many things, but above all it was a hotbed of facial hair experimentation and this is but a poor sampling of those many lost forms.

Available now at discerning news stands everywhere: The September/October issue of Pilot Getaways magazine. This was Stephanie’s first issue with PG. She’s had a grand time working with the whole team there.