It's in the photograph of love

Microsoft has launched a new commercial campaign, should be called "So Simple a Child Could Do It!" featuring cute kids connecting a camera to a Windows Vista computer, loading photos into Windows Live Photo Gallery, then emailing them to folks.

Wow. How special. I understand you can even get the Internets™ through phone lines now.

Why the snark? Why is this a legendary FAIL? Windows Photo Gallery, the previous version of this app, was launched in 2007. Meanwhile, Apple has been shipping iPhoto, which does all the same stuff, since 2002.

You do the math. Microsoft, bringing you yesterday's products today.

Here's the Wiki on iPhoto.

Oh yeah, title lyric is Weezer-Photograph:

Well can't you just let it ring a little longer

Anyone who has known me for any length of time knows my computer love is reserved for all things Mac. I've been using Macs since 1985, owned my first in 1990, and am typing one one now. I do use PCs when I have to, but using a Mac is like wearing my own comfortable clothes.

Apple has long been considered a progressive company, not only technologically, but socially. Heck, they even donated $100,000 to the recent No on Pro. 8 campaign here in CA. But this really makes me sad, and is hardly progressive:

Walmart has started to sell the iPhone 3G at nearly 2,500 Walmart stores beginning Sunday, December 28, 2008. The retailer is offering the black 8 GB iPhone 3G model with the price of $197 and the 16 GB black or white model for $297, with a new two-year service agreement from AT&T or qualified upgrade.

Damn. Hardly surprising, I guess. Profit transcends ideology for most companies. And for some other allegedly progressive folks too, who felt a need 2 years ago to get in bed with awful Walmart:

Don Henley is famous for his green causes and bad temper. Wal-Mart is famous for hyper capitalism and exploitation of its workers. What do these two parties have in common? Well they are now in business together, probably for the rest of Henley’s life.

An announcement on October 18 claimed that The Eagles are giving Wal-Mart an exclusive on their upcoming recordings that will be made and released sans major label.

Bastards. All of them.

Baby you're the one that I love

Another reason I love my Mac:

No on Prop 8

October 24, 2008

Apple is publicly opposing Proposition 8 and making a donation of $100,000 to the No on 8 campaign. Apple was among the first California companies to offer equal rights and benefits to our employees’ same-sex partners, and we strongly believe that a person’s fundamental rights — including the right to marry — should not be affected by their sexual orientation. Apple views this as a civil rights issue, rather than just a political issue, and is therefore speaking out publicly against Proposition 8.

Indeed.