Hypercritical

John Siracusa and Dan Benjamin discuss the puzzling UI of iPhoto for IOS, the magnetic polarity of iPad Smart Covers, the Apple TV's ability to work with any remote, the iPad's lack of a number in its name (again), automotive platform awareness in Germany, video signal value ranges, DVRs in the UK, statistical significance, the Apple TV remote (again), and finally, Mike Daisey, Apple, and China. Links for this episode:The Great Instruction Manual Adventure - Dov FrankeliPad 3 Smart Cover Sleep/Wake Feature Not Working - Mark BoothAn Example of Photography on the Retina Display - Duncan DavidsonThis American Life's retraction of its original Mike Daisey episodeThis American Life episode about Mr. Daisey and Apple factoriesRGB High/Low on the Apple TV - Christopher G. HerbertHypercritical #49: Pinching the HarmonicaHypercritical #50: Maximum Deflection in All DirectionsDaring Fireball on Mike Daisey: Separating the Baby From the Bath WaterThis episode is sponsored by Gitbox, Freshbooks - painless billing,

John Siracusa and Dan Benjamin follow up on John's TiVo and smoke detector woes and the angst about the lack of a number after the name of the new iPad. John reviews his new Apple TV. Finally, the videos showing Chris Pirillo’s dad exploring Windows 8 and Mac OS X for the first time are mined for insights about computing in 2012 and beyond. Links for this episode:ZFS TimeMachine - GitHubDisabling the IR sensor on John's smoke detector - Matthew CopseyiPhoto's Mystery Meat Gestures - Lukas MathisTVonics Store - A UK digital video recorderHUMAX - A UK digital video recorderApple TV - Apple.comAwake, Season 1 - iTunesYCbCr - WikipediaChris Pirillo’s dad using Windows 8 for the first time - YouTubeChris Pirillo’s dad using Mac OS X for the first time - YouTubeWhat is a Browser? Google asks people on the street - YouTubeWhat is a browser? Google explains (and promotes Chrome) - YouTubeTog on Interface quote in John's Mac OS X 10.7 Lion review - Ars TechnicaChris Pirillo - WikipediaTen's Comp

John Siracusa and Dan Benjamin do some brief follow up on file systems, then dive into this week's Apple press event: the new Apple TV, the new iPad, specs vs. product names vs. Apple PR vs. sanity, and how we all still miss Steve Jobs. Plus, John reviews his new TiVo Premiere Elite and, of all things, his new smoke detector. Links for this episode:Time Slider - Automating ZFS Snapshots in Solaris 11I Can't Believe This is Butter! A tour of btrfs: Avi Miller - YouTubeHammer file system - DragonFly BSDThe new iPad - AppleTiVo Premiere Elite - TiVoHypercritical #2: Backup VortexAnandTech's analysis of the new Apple iPadSuperDuper!BackblazeCrashPlanApple Keynotes (HD) video podcast feedApple Special Event March 2012iPhoto for the iPad and iPhoneTiVo remote shortcutsJohn's smoke detector (PDF manual)Sponsored by Harvest -- use code 5BY5 for 50% off your first month, and by Rackspace.

John Siracusa and Dan Benjamin talk more about file systems: the origins of Btrfs, how file systems might change in the new age of SSDs, the possibility of a Grand Unification of storage and memory subsystems, and why snapshots, clones, block-level diffs, and deduplication are awesome features of ZFS that would make Time Machine a lot better than it is today. The show ends with John's predictions for the new iPad, which we all assume will be announced at the Apple press event next week. Links for this episode:NetApp and Oracle Agree to Dismiss Lawsuits - NetApp.comA short history of btrfs - LWN.netIntegrityChecker - diglloydToolsClusters: Seamless File CompressionHFS+ file compression in Mac OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard - Ars TechnicaFlash memory: Block erasure - WikipediaFSEvents in Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard - Ars TechnicaZFS Deduplication - Jeff BonwickZFS: Snapshots and clones - WikipediaA Conversation with Jeff Bonwick and Bill Moore - ACM QueueZFS - The Last Word in FilesystemsThe SSD Anthology: Understanding SSD

John Siracusa and Dan Benjamin talk about file systems: what they do, what makes a good one, and who needs a new one, badly. (Spoiler: it's Apple.) File systems discussed: Microsoft's ReFS, ZFS, and HFS+. Links for this episode:Apple Purchases Land In Oregon For Another Large Data CenterThe state of the filesystem, from John's Mac OS X 10.7 Lion reviewmaczfs - Support and ongoing development for the Mac port of ZFS ZEVO - Ten's ComplementBuilding the next generation file system for Windows: ReFS - MSDNVirtualizing storage for scale, resiliency, and efficiency - MSDNRAID-Z - Jeff BonwickA useless analysis of OS X release dates - RobservatoryUrban Dictionary: fsckRampant layering syndrome - FatBitsRampant Layering Violation? - Jeff BonwickSponsored by AppsFire and MailChimp.

John Siracusa and Dan Benjamin discuss this week's announcement of OS X Mountain Lion: what it means for John's reviews, how the new release schedule might influence adoption and reliability, and how features like GateKeeper will affect Mac users and developers. Links for this episode:The 'Undue Weight' of Truth on Wikipedia - The Chronicle of Higher EducationReal Security in Mac OS X Requires Apple-Signed Certificates - Wil ShipleyXcode, GCC, and HomebrewGatekeeper's Dialog - Dustin CurtisOS X Mountain Lion - AppleMountain Lion - Daring FireballApple officially renames Mac OS X to OS X, drops the 'Mac' - The VergeJohn Siracusa's Tumblr blog (also called Hypercritical, but it existed before the podcast)Sponsored by Rackspace, Squarespace, and Hover (promo code DANSENTME for 10% off).

There's no Hypercritical this week, so we put together something special for you instead. Links for this episode:Kindacritical, a special episode with Dan Benjamin, Merlin Mann, and Marco ArmentSponsored by Sponsor 5by5.

John Siracusa and Dan Benjamin revisit gamification in education, talk briefly about the Nest thermostat, then engage in an ever-so-slightly more considered discussion of Wikipedia, attempting to address the mountain of feedback on the topic. No Wikipedians were harmed in the making of this episode. Links for this episode:No-One Cares About the College Bookstore - Kieran HealyBig Study Links Good Teachers to Lasting Gain - NYTimes.comVerifiability and Truth: What John Siracusa Doesn’t Get About Wikipedia - The WikipedianIgnore all rules - WikipediaGame theory - WikipediaGamification - WikipediaBuild and Analyze #62: Frustrated by the Invisible PersonNest - The Learning ThermostatSelf-Improvement podcast, episode 1: Hypercritical & Dr Karl's BlogcastSponsored by FreshBooks and MailChimp.

John Siracusa and Dan Benjamin talk more about iBooks Author, Apple's real and stated motivations for entering the textbook market, and what really matters in education. This is followed by a long, ill-considered rant about Wikipedia. (Warning: original research, no neutral point of view.) Links for this episode:Apple sued by Toronto lawyer over stolen MacBook, iPhone - thestar.comMaslow's hierarchy of needs - WikipediaApple's textbook plan feels like a blast from the past - MacworldHolding out for an ePub hero - MacworldWishing on an ePub: Five hopes for Apple's rumored e-publishing software - MacworldGlazman Responds to My Response - Daring FireballThe iBooks 2.0 built-in widgets – Baldur BjarnasonHigh Schools Are Step One Of Two - McKay ThomasApple's wager - Ars TechnicaCitogenesis - xkcdNo original research - WikipediaWhat counts as a reliable source? - WikipediaUsing Game Design to Improve My Classroom - YouTubeThe Curse of Cow Clicker: How a Cheeky Satire Became a Videogame Hit - W

John Siracusa and Dan Benjamin briefly recap the iPhone ringer/silent switch controversy, then discuss the new iBooks Author application, Apple's ebook ambitions and prospects, and the role of technology in education. Links for this episode:The Difference between the United Kingdom, Great Britain and England Explained - YouTubeAmazon Kindle supported file formats - WikipediaEPUB - WikipediaOn the Behavior of the iPhone Mute Switch - Daring FireballDaring Fireball: On the Behavior of the iPhone Mute Switch – Andy IhnatkoDesigning “Mute” – Marco.orgMute Means Mute - hivelogic.comThe United Kingdom Venn Diagram - Grey's BlogComments from Jacob Refstrup on 2011-03-09 on www-style@w3.orgThe iBooks 2.0 textbook format – Baldur Bjarnason5by5 at the Movies #1: GoodfellasiBooks Author - AppleKindle Format 8 OverviewPush Pop Press - Al Gore's Our ChoiceSponsored by Vidmeup and Stripe.

John Siracusa and Dan Benjamin revisit the world of console controllers, addressing the flood of listener feedback by expanding the discussion to include aftermarket and third-party controllers, and attempting to address the objections of PlayStation fans. A few comments about CES and how to deliver a truly Apple-like keynote presentation round out the episode. Links for this episode:Mad Catz's Major League Gaming Pro Circuit Controller For Xbox 360Mad Catz's MLG Pro Circuit game controller hands-on pictures - The VergeLook Around You Module 1: Maths - YouTubeAnd I Had Such High Hopes for the Naxa NID-7001 - Daring FireballSega Genesis controller - WikipediaSega Genesis controller (6-button) - WikipediaPlayStation Dual Analog controller - WikipediaPlayStation Analog Joystick - WikipediaNES Max controller - WikipediaNES Advantage controller - WikipediaVideo game consoles - WikipediaIt's as Simple as One, Two, Three… (PDF) - Feynman and brain usageN-Control Video Game ControllerN-Control Avenger

John Siracusa and Dan Benjamin discuss iPad use by three-year-olds, why non-gamers might consider the "Xbox" name a proxy for all of console gaming, the Wii generational hardware conundrum, and finally, an extremely long and obsessively detailed walk through the history of console game controllers, culminating in a rant about something that almost all other gamers love unconditionally. Links for this episode:Super Nintendo Entertainment System controller - WikipediaGameCube controller - WikipediaPlayStation 2 DualShock 2 controller - WikipediaPlayStation 3 DualShock 3 controller - WikipediaPlayStation 3 Sixaxis controller - WikipediaNintendo 64 controller - WikipediaPlayStation DualShock controller - WikipediaXbox controller - WikipediaXbox Controller S - WikipediaXbox 360 controller - WikipediaBlue Ocean Strategy - WikipediaAccidental Empires, by Robert X. Cringely - Amazon.comEdge Magazine - January 2011 Issue #E236Arcade emulator iMAME punted out of App Store - TUAWBack to Work #27: Danny, Hold the License

John Siracusa and Dan Benjamin briefly indulge in more grammar questions, then revisit the consequences of HyperCard's demise, why we're all still talking about the Kindle Fire, using music and movies to split humanity into two groups, the pros and cons of different working environments, and finally, a brief history of Nintendo and a not-so-brief consideration of why they should or should not continue to make their own hardware. Links for this episode:Nintendo pioneer Shigeru Miyamoto says he'll retire from current position - The VergeNintendo posts first half loss in earnings report, slashes forecast yet again - EngadgetAlan Kay & Nintendo - Guy EnglishGame Over Press Start To Continue, by David Sheff - Amazon.comNintendo - WikipediaSatoru Iwata - WikipediaHiroshi Yamauchi - WikipediaNintendo E3 2011 Analyst Q & A SessionFriendly's - WikipediaLEGO vs. LEGOs - English Language and Usage Stack ExchangeFriendly’s - Where Ice Cream Makes the MealIt Takes a Village - Amazon.comIt Takes a Village

John Siracusa and Dan Benjamin talk about low-stakes grammar issues, the continuing debate about partisanship in tech writing, more theories about an Apple TV product, the origins and fate of "friendly" programming environments like HyperCard, plus a little about Lego Star Wars and holiday toys for children. Links for this episode:Why Hypercard Had to Die - Loper OSLego Star Wars: The Complete Saga - Amazon.com5by5 Illustrated's picture for Hypercritical #45Sayre's law - WikipediaEats, Shoots & Leaves: The Zero Tolerance Approach to Punctuation - Amazon.comThe Chicago Manual of Style, 16th Edition - Amazon.comThe Elements of Style (4th Edition) - Amazon.comThe Associated Press Stylebook and Briefing on Media Law 2011 - Amazon.comiMame for iOSChicago Style Q&A: Possessives and AttributivesThe Elements of Style on possessivesApostrophe Catastrophe - Grammar GirlWikipedia Manual of Style debate on possessivesArcade emulator iMAME punted out of App Store - TUAWSponsored by Tapfolio, TinyLetter,

John Siracusa and Dan Benjamin revisit complaints about Siri's apparent biases, reconsider the fake-book chrome in iBooks, explore an interesting new conception of an Apple TV set, and use John Gruber's appearance on The Verge as a jumping off point for examining partisanship in technology writing. Plus a bonus epilogue about the evolution of Twitter. Links for this episode:How I’d Build an Apple Television Set - Guy EnglishSiri, Sexism, and Silicon Valley - The American ProspectHorseshit - Joshua Topolsky in The Verge ForumsIsaacson: Jobs biography could expand - FortuneOn The Verge, Episode 002: John GruberIs Innovation Valuable? - AsymcoThe once and future e-book: on reading in the digital age - Ars TechnicaSponsored by Harvest and MailChimp.

John Siracusa and Dan Benjamin follow up on a host of topics: what ails Microsoft, the (slow, partial) democratization of corporate IT, the people vs. George Lucas, perpetual copyright, applications as art, Siri backlash, and the evils of Blu-ray. Links for this episode:In Defense of Microsoft (or, You Cannot Have Your Cake and Eat It Too) - Michael AndersonLet’s Stop with the Siri Baiting - TidBITSGeorge Lucas's 1988 Speech About Preserving Films, and Maybe Not Adding a Bunch of CGI Shit to Them - I Watch StuffDo As I Say, Not As I Do: George Lucas Quotes on Film Preservation - Save Star WarsTV isn't broken, so why fix it? - CNN.comSiri Is Apple's Broken Promise - GizmodoRidley Scott: The Only Way to See a FilmNational Film Registry - WikipediaMore Details On Pete Docter Movie That ‘Takes You Inside The Mind’John Lasseter on Charlie RoseGiga - WikipediaA "Jon" that's not short for Jonathan - TwitterWhy Siri had to start in beta - Benoit MaisonSponsored by Squarespace and Smile.

John Siracusa and Dan Benjamin talk about what ails Microsoft. What could the former titan of the technology world have done differently in the past two decades that would have prevented its decline? Links for this episode:Peggy Noonan On Steve Jobs And Why Big Companies Die - ForbesSponsored by United Pixelworkers and MailChimp.

John Siracusa and Dan Benjamin continue their discussion of Walter Isaacson's authorized biography of Steve Jobs, starting with listeners' reactions to the last episode, then (finally) talking about content from the book and the man himself. Less fire and more introspection than last week. Links for this episode:Hypercritical #42: The Wrong GuyRobert A. Caro - WikipediaRobert Moses - WikipediaThe Power Broker, by Robert A. Caro - Amazon.comThe Scorpion and the Frog - WikipediaOne on One: Walter Isaacson - NYTimes.comA Letter from David Mamet to the Writers of The Unit - SlashFilmRonco Spray-On Usability - Daring FireballSponsored by Shopify and Squarespace.

John Siracusa and Dan Benjamin discuss Walter Isaacson's authorized biography of Steve Jobs. Topics include Isaacson's failings as an author and biographer, the technical cluelessness on display in the book, and Steve Jobs, Enemy of Progress. Links for this episode:Steve Jobs, by Walter Isaacson - Amazon.comTriumph of the Nerds: The Transcripts, Part IIIDesign by contract - WikipediaTriumph of the Nerds - PBS.orgInfinite Loop, by Michael S. Malone - Amazon.comApple Confidential 2.0, by Owen Linzmayer - Amazon.comInsanely Great, by Steven Levy - Amazon.comRevolution in The Valley, by Andy Hertzfeld - Amazon.comThe Second Coming of Steve Jobs, by Alan Deutschman - Amazon.comSponsored by Raven and Reinvigorate.

John Siracusa and Dan Benjamin are joined by special guest Jeff Atwood, cofounder of the Stack Exchange Q&A network and creator of the popular programming blog codinghorror.com. John and Jeff try to rekindle the old Mac vs. PC flames and end up talking about the light and dark sides of Apple as a platform owner. Links for this episode:Serving at the Pleasure of the King - Coding HorrorServing at the Pleasure of the King – Marco.orgiPhone Development: Long Live the King - Jeff LaMarcheReal Security in Mac OS X Requires Apple-Signed Certificates - Wil ShipleyThe Pipeline #38: Jeff Atwood - 5by5Watson - WikipediaMobile First - Luke WroblewskiThe Homer - Simpsons WikiMac OS X Server 10.0 to 10.3: System RequirementsSteve Jobs at D8: ‘PCs are going to be like trucks’ - The Microsoft BlogStack OverflowStack Exchange - Free, Community-Powered Q&AApple - Stack ExchangeNo Movie for Old Men - Reactions to children in perilTILT: The Battle to Save PinballAmazon.com: Revolution in The Valley [Paperback]: The Ins