The Genius Training Student Workbook we received is the company's most up to date, we're told, and runs a bizarre gamut of Apple Dos and Don'ts, down to specific words you're not allowed to use, and lessons on how to identify and capitalize on human emotions. The manual could easily serve as the Humanity 101 textbook for a robot university, but at Apple, it's an exhaustive manual to understanding customers and making them happy. Sales, it turns out, take a backseat to good vibes—almost the entire volume is dedicated to empathizing, consoling, cheering up, and correcting various Genius Bar confrontations. The assumption, it'd seem, is that a happy customer is a customer who will buy things. And no matter how much the Apple Store comes off as some kind of smiling likeminded computer commune, it's still a store above all—just one that puts an enormous amount of effort behind getting inside your head.

http://gizmodo.com/5938323/how-to-be-a-genius-this-is-apples-secret-%20employee-training-manual

I don't know how many DC'ers are fan of ridley scott's alien movie. There is prequel coming up next month. I thought it would be good to post about it in the forum about it.

Trailer looks good to me.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=34cEo0VhfGE&feature=player_embedded

I always thought that steve's minimalistic approach towards UI is going to live forever. Just check out this article from elementary OS team. Now like any other linux distro they're after killing the minimize and maximize button. They assume that one must either maximize the app or kill it and put it under dock. Ubuntu is already making changes on these fronts, same goes for gnome. I know this position of "not needing minimize button" can be argued. But the way these guys are putting up case turns me off from their distro. I mean seriously, "save state" and "maximize or kill"  are their options? People are using linux on low end machines to keep them going. Elementary OS dev team is kinda obsessed with apple, ios and their designs and it reflects in their way of handling the distro.

On windows XP, I am running winamp, 6 file manager windows, word, firefox -3 tabs, Iron chrome 2 tabs in the taskbar. I am working in between these windows. I am happy to see they are minimized. I also have virtual desktop but only use it for NSFW stuff and that's all.

I don't understand how "saving state" and "maximize or kill" type of thinking  makes someone more productive. I thought computers were about being multitasking and not about doing 1 thing at a time until you get bored with the machine and look at your girlfriend.

I like changes, be it HUD from gnome or some design change like some os x is bringing on the table. But assuming all personal computers to be like tablet or mobile phone and restricting users to limited options is not cool.

• Removing global application menu(HUD in ubuntu)- bad idea.
• Removing minimize button - bad idea.
• Not allowing folders on desktop - bad idea.
• Keeping only wallpaper and dock on screen along with always maximized apps - bad idea (not only from casual usage but also from nsfw angle)
• Removing scrollbar vertical from the distro - bad idea.
• Assuming Developers knows best - Priceless, bad idea of the millennium.

Some of the linux developers should rename themselves as priests who do over-the-head generalizations. This is one more reason to have windows or mac as an alternate machine to save your brain from such obsessive madness.