[BUGA] Sell me an Apple!

[Greg 'groggy' Lehey]

On Tuesday, 28 March 2006 at 11:35:08 +1030, Mark Newton wrote:
> Greg 'groggy' Lehey wrote:
>> On Tuesday, 28 March 2006 at 11:16:59 +1030, Mark Newton wrote:
>>> Greg 'groggy' Lehey wrote:
>>>
>>>> So, as one of the pro-Apple people on the list (and also one of the
>>>> people to blame for me even thinking about this :-), what's your take
>>>> on my original questions?
>>> Sounds like you're looking for an appliance, and that a TiVo from
>>> eBay will fit the bill :-)
>>
>> I have a TiVo.  I don't use it.  Appliances need some flexibility.  If
>> you're saying that the Apple is no better than a TiVo, that's valuable
>> information.
>
> I didn't say that.

OK.

> But, to repeat the observations of another commentator who wishes to
> remain anonymous, it seems that you often want the world but aren't
> willing to pay for the complexity associated with that flexibility.

That's one viewpoint.  But what I'm seeing here is not complexity,
it's flakiness.  I've been working almost exclusively with BSD for 15
years now.  In that time, a lot of things have improved, even
installability.  But particularly in the multimedia, "open source"
software seems to be so flaky and so badly integrated as to be just
not worth the trouble.

> You've asked about a customized solution, but you want all the bits
> to come off the shelf in an effort-free package.

Not necessarily effort-free.  But there's no need for things to be as
flaky as they are.

> Except it's not a package, 'cos you're going to buy components and
> stitch them together.

Correct.

> I don't think any vendor can give you that outcome.

It used to be standard in home electronics until computers came on to
the scene.

> Except TiVo, who, funnily enough, specializes in a package deal
> which happens to be an embedded Linux box with a couple of TV
> tuners, some mass storage, and snazzy software that means you can
> spend the time you'd otherwise spend getting it to work on watching
> TV instead.

If TiVo were more flexible, I'd use it.  Possibly they've improved,
but I wouldn't bet on it.

What I'm looking for is something that supplies the basics, but which
isn't as restrictive as a TiVo.  Somebody also mentioned the issue of
ripping DVDs; possibly an Apple *would* be too restrictive.  But
that's what I'm researching.

Greg
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