The paradox of DRM

In 2005 I purchased an eBook from Amazon protected with Adobe DRM (Digital Right Management) system. When I opened again today I had the surprise that I could not open anymore because I copied on a different computer.

Adobe Digital Edition tool asks me to contact the vendor of the eBook and download a new copy for the new computer.


I came to Amazon and I discovered that the ebook is no longer in their catalog and I cannot download it:

Digital downloads:

This item has been removed from our catalog and is no longer available for download from Your Media Library. We apologize for the inconvenience.

• 1 of: The Uses of Argument [DOWNLOAD: ADOBE READER]
  Sold by: Amazon.com, LLC

Of course this experience will prevent me to buy DRM-protected items in the future.

I really hope that this insanity (the DRM) will end soon!!

Blogged with Flock

Flock browser...

I'm trying the Flock social browser that includes a blog editor...

It seems very nice and I plan to use it extensively

Blogged with Flock

Waiting for the Google University...

What if Google decides to engage in higher education? I believe that they the power and the capabilities of doing it.

Besides, Google is already performing high-level research and supports education activities such as Google Tech Talks.

After all, Larry and Sergei might want to eventually get their Ph.D. degree and one way could be to bring an entire faculty at their own campus!

Flip3D vs CoverFlow

There is a lot of discussion on the Web about similarities and differences between Vista's Flip3D and Leopard's CoverFlow. Below you can see screenshots of the two interfaces:

Well, the point is: apart from aesthetics, from the user point of view, which one is more useful?

Vista's Flip3D is a substitute of the the ALT-Tab applications switcher. You can now visualize ALL the application windows in the middle of the screen as being "documents" from which select the relevant one.

Leopard offers the same Desktop functionality in a less "obtrusive" way: it's what they call Stacks. Stacks are expandable icons placed in the Dock. You can see below a screenshot of this functionality:

CowerFlow is a new visualization techniques that Apple has bought from SteelSkies. Unlike Flip3D, this technology is not bound to the desktop and can be used in different applications (API). In fact, it is already available in applications such as iTunes, AppleTV, and FrontRow. Enhancing the Finder by CoverFlow allows Mac OS-X user to visually access any type of document by its preview. CoverFlow has been proved to be useful in iTunes because it simply provides user with a better experience.

I did not try Vista's Flip3D, but intuitively I can imagine how much this tool might enhance my user experience with the OS. Switching application should very fast and when I move from an application to another, I don't really care about the preview. I want to switch to the application, that's all. In contrast, is when I browsing the content of my hard-drive that I need to preview the content of the documents.

So what? I believe that, as usual, Microsoft policy is about being impressive but not effective. Vista designers don't care about users, they just wanted to show how good they are at programming 3D interfaces. Maybe, Mac OS-X user interface is less impressive than Vista's one, but certainly more fluid and usable. Special effect are used with parsimony and when they can be of real help in providing a better user experience.

Once again, I am proud of Being a Mac and not a PC!