Minimal Universe

Minimal Universe collect posts from our favorite minimal-related blogs listed on the right.
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  • "Simple things should be simple and complex things should be possible."

    “Simple things should be simple and complex things should be possible.”

    - Alan Kay

  • Windoze 7 phone, welcome to your next nightmare. In the picture...



    Windoze 7 phone, welcome to your next nightmare.

    In the picture the LG Quantum Open.

    Windows Phone 7 also just doesn’t seem to be designed for phones with landscape-format, sliding keyboards yet. Too many of the Windows Phone 7 screens don’t rotate, leaving you craning your neck to try to operate the phone at a 90-degree angle.

    Oh… And here we go. What’s the point of having a keyboard in landscape if your OS doesn’t support landscape? The answer is: Microsoft!

    For $199.99? No thanks.

    via The LG Quantum could be a quantum of trouble on PCMag

    Edit: @deanacus: the problem is Microsoft because they should have checked before letting the hardware vendor release the phone. The phone is being marketed as a Windows 7 phone, not an LG phone. The bad press will go to m$.

    Besides, who created an OS for a touchscreen phone that doesn’t support landscape? That also shows you that Microsoft is living in the past. They try to fit windows, a pc OS designed for a big screen with a mouse, into everything. Even when this version is not the classic windows, they simply do not have the experience, view or even the right mind to design an OS for a phone. The windows platform on mobile phones is a failure. It’s been a failure for ever and will continue to be a failure. Why is Microsoft insisting. Give it up already and move onto a complete re- write of your main product, your beloved windoze. Unless you re-write from scratch it will continue being a security liability and a piece of cluttered crap.



  • A Printing Recommendation

    I’m often asked for decent, yet affordable, printer recommendations. I have a fair amount of experience in this area. The challenge is not only thinking about upfront costs but being mindful of the real, long term, costs of printing, which is paper and ink.

    As I’ve said before, those who sell printers are really in the business of selling ink and paper. Hence, printers, in comparison, are relatively inexpensive. This is especially true of inkjets and slightly less so of laser printers. I therefore, always recommend the following checklist:

    • Have two printers on hand if possible. A laser for all black and white printing. An inkjet with reasonably sane ink prices for color. This will end up being the least cost for ink and toner in the long term. Most of your text only printing averages only about 5% total coverage on the page. A decent laser cartridge should last you for many months if not years in some cases.

    • The laser should ideally be duplex capable (two sided printing) and even better if both are. This will save on paper as it will use two sides of a page. Plus, it looks more professional.

    • Built in wireless so you can place them anywhere with a signal. This provides tremendous flexibility.

    • Good Mac admin tools, drivers, and support. Because it is what we believe in.

    Here are the two printers I’ve been recommending to clients and others that fit this bill:

    Kodak ESP 7 All-in-One Printer

    Brother HL-5370DW Laser Printer with Wireless Networking and Duplex

    The key about the Kodak is that they are differentiating themselves by taking the whole ink cost equation and turning it upside down. One pays a bit more for the printer and comparatively much less for ink then other manufacturers. The Brother is just a great, no-nosence personal laser printer. The Kodak also delivers copy and scanning (both also wireless) as well.

    They take up relatively little space and look great. But the main point here is that for only a bit over $300.00, you can have a printing solution that won’t kill you on the back end with consumable costs.

    I’ve set up a half dozen of this combo so far. They are both wonderful and just plain work.

  • environminimalist: Key / Key Ring Combination The beauty is in...



    environminimalist:

    Key / Key Ring Combination

    The beauty is in it’s simplicity: combine the key and keyring into one object - Designed an patented by Scott Amron, the Split Key Ring both opens your doors and holds your other keys. It comes as a key blank that fits standard KW1 and SC1 keyways and can be cut in any key cutter.

    environminimal: carry less and be lighter, even little things make a difference



  • My desk at home. Nothing too fancy. iMac 24”, 1Tb backup...



    My desk at home. Nothing too fancy.

    iMac 24”, 1Tb backup drive. Simple desk. The board is used by my wife and the diploma is mine.



  • As I grow *much* older I want things to be simpler

    In As I grow older I want things to be simpler I ranted about the current state of the OS’s. I just want to add something to that.

    A friend of mine bought a USB printer that, according to the vendor’s website and the box the printer came packed in, it was Built for Windows 7. Guess what happened when he plugged it in?

    BLUE SCREEN OF DEATH!

    So he called me. I brought my trusty Macbook 13”, 1st generation. I plugged the printer and printed a test page. The printer was not Built for Mac, yet it printed with no problems. Still, in Windows, an OS that is supposedly supported, it kept on barfing a BSOD.

    I hate that. I hate that things that are supposed to be simple end up being uber complicated. I hate the hardware vendors playing with people, knowing that the poor people are stuck with Windoze.

    So, I check my friend’s new laptop with Windoze 7, a plain and simple install with some security patches on it. Nothing weird on the OS… WHY do we get a BSOD? Go figure it out. I tried with the vendor’s drivers instead of M$ drivers, I tried without any driver. I could connect it to my Mac and set my Mac as a printer server and print from windoze to it, but the minute I connected the printer to the PC… Poof! BSOD.

    My friend returned the printer and now it’s seriously considering returning the laptop as well since he is scared of plugging any USB device.

    As I grow older I want things to work.

    Sadly, this is not the case with the PC world, and I, as the geek in my family, have to suffer because of this.

    (another one about printers can be found here)

  • Minimal wallpaper. You gotta love the blue screen of...



    Minimal wallpaper. You gotta love the blue screen of death.

    (via this)

    (how do people live with Windoze….? and I don’t mean from the minimalist side of things…)

    EDIT: since several people answered and sent me emails saying that the blue screen is not frequent or doesn’t happens. Well, let me tell you a bit about myself. I’ve been coding system level code (drivers and kernel modules) since before you were using computers. I’ve found vulnerabilities in more OS’s and applications than I can remember and I can write assembly code better than most people can write in their own languages. So DON’T tell me it doesn’t happen. I’ve seen it happen on almost daily basis, even with your your life, simplified windoze 7. You chose to stick with your horrendous OS, at least have the decency of buying quality hardware to avoid a blue screen happening to you.

    And while we are on the topic of hardware, good, quality hardware IS expensive. Yes Apple is expensive. It is so because it is quality hardware. Get the same components on a PC and you’ll see that it becomes expensive as well. So, you buy a cheap PC, you get crappy hardware. Simple.

    Oh, and the minimalist side of things? Someone mentioned that windoze is quite minimal after installing. It might be. The problem is that it doesn’t stay that way for more than a few hours because, unless you want to get pwned, you have to install a personal firewall, an antivirus, an anti spyware, etc, etc… Every install adds more to the soup of crap of hellish DLLs and files. So, no. Windoze is NOT intended as a minimal, clutter free experience.



  • Minimalism by example… or not… You can read the...



    Minimalism by example… or not…

    You can read the actual article here. Yes, they are serious. FUCKING HATE ADS….



  • "Simple and light equals freedom, agility and mobility."

    “Simple and light equals freedom, agility and mobility.”

    - (via packlite)

  • Edito - iPad's missing Markdown text editor

    Edito - iPad’s missing Markdown text editor:

    For those of us who spend most of their time in Markdown, this tool allows to simply type a document using the Markdown syntax, and visualize its HTML equivalent immediately in a web-powered window, without leaving the app. In other words, it does the Markdown to HTML conversion in a breeze, and lets you email the resulting files. Use it in conjunction with your text editor on your workstation, or just email directly to your blog.

    I’ve been testing this for a little while now and, if you are like me, this is a good way to get your Markdown on with the iPad. Even if you use another tool to do the writing, this is great for seeing a preview of your final product. 

  • Myoshin



    Myoshin



  • Minimalism for moms | Becoming Minimalist

    Minimalism for moms | Becoming Minimalist:

    Can minimalism really be applied to a family with kids? Sometimes we jump to conclusions that talk us out of starting.

  • everydaycarry: MacGyver’s EDC submitted by...



    everydaycarry:

    MacGyver’s EDC submitted by idroolinmysleep

    Editor’s Note: I wonder how many lumens he can get out of that rubber band?

    Related: MacGyver Multitool @ EDC

    All the tools you’ll ever need…



  • RSS Feed Sponsorships Now Available

    RSS Feed Sponsorships Now Available:

    In keeping with the minimal theme, I only have one advertisement, powered by the fine folks at Fusion Ads, on Minimal Mac. I love Fusion Ads because I click on them and often find myself buying the products and services offered. This was true long before I was invited and remains so today.

    That said, there are a lot of developers, freelancers, and service providers who don’t have the resources to advertise in such ways, yet still have a relevant and compelling product to promote to a smart, quality focused, and design conscious audience of Mac fans (that’s you).

    There is now a way for these folks, with such a product or service, to get some of my readers valuable time and attention –sponsor Minimal Mac’s RSS feed for a week.

    For less than a half-cent per eyeball, you can get primary placement, twice, directly implanted into the subconscious of my dedicated and trusting audience.

    But wait! That’s not all!

    Act now and you can get in at the current 2010 rate… Because, I plan to raise it in the future. Because I plan to double those subscriber numbers through a secret formula known only to the most elite online content providers (hint: it involves quality writing). That is my goal anyway.

    Now, a special note to my readers – Your trust, time, and attention maters greatly to me. It’s worth way more to me than any sponsor. I know you trust me not to squander it. If I feel a product or service is not a good fit for my readers, I will gently tell the sponsor so. I welcome your constructive feedback on anything you see here on Minimal Mac.

Sponsor

via Ad Packs

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