Insanity Part 2.0

While trying out a new Microsoft keyboard (before settling on my Logitech), I noticed something rather interesting in the drivers:

An option to switch your Caps Lock button with the Control button! Sounds like there’s some old school Unix people working on the OS X keyboard drivers at Microsoft I’ve no idea if this is also present in the Windows drivers though.

In an attempt to both clean up my desk and alleviate the ergonomic nightmare that is my desk, I recently just bought an external keyboard/mouse set for my Mac – the Logitech S-530. You can see their PR spiel on it here: Manufacturer Product Link. I thought I’d share my experiences with it, partially because I want to get used to typing on it too

It may look familiar, but that’s because the product itself is basically the exact same thing as the S-510 keyboard set with the exception that it has been Mac-customized and bundled with a much better mouse (MX600 laser as opposed to some optical mouse). Unfortunately for Mac consumers, both Microsoft and Logitech consider a regular PC keyboard that’s been dressed up with more typical Mac stylings to be a good enough effort, and that’s no different here. Fortunately, you only notice this in a few areas.

Setup is pretty simple, as with most things USB. You unpack the kit, remove the cellophane and plastic wrappers, insert the batteries, and plug in the USB stick. It comes with a dongle USB extension if you want to bring out the receiver to somewhere more accessible (useful for Mac Pro or iMacs with crowded USB ports in the back), but it’s optional. It’s important to note that the USB receiver is not of the newer 2.4GHz or Bluetooth variety that other keyboard sets from Logitech have. This might not be super important, but if you’re looking to use it over tens of feet this could be a problem.

The mouse is great. It’s got a laser sensor, which works about as well as all their other laser mouse (read: it does well). It’s hard to tell from the press photos, but the body is actually silver plastic with white plastic on the sides. I guess they were trying to hedge their bets when it came to iMac/MacBook consumers vs. Mac/MacBook Pro consumers. Mouse tracking is okay, but a little sluggish. Definitely a step down in smoothness compared to my old wired MX510, and maybe the 2.4GHz wireless VX200 too. I’m going to blame the wireless receiver again.

Now for the big reason I bought this set: the keyboard. The keys aren’t completely like laptop-style flat keys, but more like typical keycaps with a bit of depth to them. As some Amazon reviewers noted, not all the shortcut buttons on the side are perfectly aligned; my Mail shortcut key is tiled at about a -20º angle. In all honesty, it’s not a big deal.

Here’s where the fact that this is a restyled PC keyboard comes in: the command key is simply a Windows-style Alt key with a different label on it. Ditto for the option key – it’s a relabeled Windows key. You can sort of see this in the press photos for the S510. Why is this important? The left command key is a little harder to get at because it’s not as close to your left thumb and smaller than on an Apple-branded keyboard. To see what I mean, look any Apple Keyboard – notice that the Command key extends from the interior edge of Z all the way to the edge of X. By contrast, a Windows key/Logitech Command key stops somewhere in the middle of the X key. That being said, I can deal with the command key being shorter – it’ll just take getting a little used to. Here’s to hoping that Logitech or Microsoft produce a keyboard for Mac users that has its own subtly different keyboard layout, but I wouldn’t expect it because of the cost.

Even so, the effort is still pretty good. A lot of the usual Mac keyboard features are nicely placed on here. There’s special Eject and Brightness keys, in addition to the other keys on the side. The application keys work as promised, though the iPhoto icon doesn’t really look like iPhoto.

The keys aren’t super quiet – they have a bit of clackiness to them. They feel pretty good though, and aren’t too mushy.

Back to harping about the wireless: this keyboard has a bit of lag to it. It’s not too bad, but it is noticeable. I type at about a 70-80 wpm on average and I can notice it.

Overall, I’d give this keyboard and mouse a 6.5 out of 10. Not perfect at all, but definitely has its advantages and still quite useful. I plan on keeping it as the cordless function is highly desirable for me, and I don’t feel like paying the $80 for the new Apple Bluetooth Keyboard and/or $30 for a different Logitech cordless mouse. I got it shipped from Amazon for $56, and at that price it’s still a good deal (think of it as $28 for the keyboard and mouse each).

I just got a new phone today, the Verizon LG Chocolate VX-8550, or the newest revision of one. This version fixes some pretty awful deficiences from the original version. This includes things like adding a speakerphone (!), removing the End button from the right spine (!), and making the front wheel an actual scroll wheel (does Apple Legal know about this?). All in all, it’s a pretty good phone as far as phones go, as far as I can tell from the first 24 hours of use. Here’s some random thoughts:

• This phone came with what amounts to 3, count ‘em, three quick start guides. The little glossy quick start guide, another thicker “Tips, Hints, and Tricks about your Phone and Service” guide for Verizon, and then the manual, which revealed absolutely nothing useful about the phone at all. No wonder Apple tends to get points for their unboxing procedure.
• Why is the menu option to “Erase All Contacts” only three ticks away? E.g., closer than most other phone settings on the phone? I assume there’s a confirmation box, but still, this option should be buried far, far away from anywhere convenient. What’s better is that two of the clicks are the same touch-sensitive (e.g. easy to activate under the right circumstances)button.
• The wheel feels like it will break sometime, likely prematurely.
• The phone actually does pretty well as far as Verizon logo-itis. There’s only one visible logo on the front bezel, and none on the back (save for the requisite Qualcomm logos). The interface itself is clearly a Verizon one, but it just has the discreet network banner on the main screen and not much else. The Verizon logo on startup/shutdown is to be expected but fine. I’m excluding carrier-specific garbage like Get it All and such.
• The screen is awesome. It’s pretty high-res in a fairly large-ish screen. It’s no iPhone, but it’s a hell of a lot better than a bunch of the other phones out there.

After some perusal of facebook and recalling a conversation with some kids at a Morrison lunch, it’s occurred to me that NCSSM has probably changed quite significantly since I left. Well, I’ve now graduated college, and it’s been 4 years since I’ve had anything to do with the school, so I thought it might be nice to chronicle a couple of random tidbits that popped up in my head such that they may preserved for generations to come. After all, with a 2-year program, institutional memory at NCSSM is rather short.

These have been selected randomly by my head – there is no order. Also, I take no responsibility for the accuracy of the below. I’m pretty sure it’s all right, but I think I added uncertainty in context where appropriate.

• I believe 2001 was the first year of NCSSM’s wireless installation. They were some Cisco AiroNet model, and all ran 802.11b back then. Hunt Hall was/is apparently a bitch to cover with good signal reception.
• We had Internet access 24/7, as far as policy was concerned. It was nice. (psst, current students – don’t like that new rule? organize together and bitch at the administration as a collective. you’re young adults, you should be able to learn how to handle the internet)
• Hunt Hall was completely open – one could walk from one hall to another with impunity. Blocking off of halls with doors didn’t start until 2002-2003. It was nice. (psst, current students – don’t like this? ditto. btw, don’t vandalize the doors, or a level 3 might be waiting for you).
• There were hidden cameras mounted inside smoke detectors inside the “common area” in between halls near the stairwell in Hunt Hall. They’re probably still there. Ever ask yourself why there appear to be 2 or 3 smoke detectors in an enclosed area of 30 sq ft? Yeah.
• Hunt Classroom didn’t exist until late 2001. I’ve no idea if they’ve actually started using it yet – it seemed like it was built without a purpose. It used to be a cool common area, but that was before my time.
• There were no males living in Bryan at any point during my tenure. I think this was a 2003-2004 thing? Sucks for them.
• Living arrangements became so tight in Hunt Hall that in 2001 students actually had to live in converted storage closets for the whole year. These rooms are tiny. You know something’s wrong when your introduction to your housing arrangements include the statement “meets all relevant local, state, and federal codes” or something along those lines. I unfortunately had to endure one of these for junior year. I hear at this point that the storage closets are now a permanent fixture in student housing at NCSSM.
• Oh yeah – RFID ID cards didn’t exist until 2002-2003. Prior to that they were dinky laminated pieces of paper.
• I’m pretty sure there’s always been a rivalry between Hunt and Hill. Hunt was totally better.
• 2nd Hill somehow earned the reputation of being the “gay hall” prior to my arrival and during my first year there. I’m not exactly sure how this happened, aside from the obvious.
1. Fun aside – apparently 2nd hill has become the preppy hall and 1st hill has become the gayer hall? This is secondhand from some…05s? I don’t know.
2. Fun fact – I know there were 3 gays on 3W during 2001-2003. Whether this made 3W one of the gayer halls, I don’t know.
3. Even funner aside – apparently there was some really sketchy incident in Hill a few ears after I left, involving 2 guys getting it on and a small crowd watching. As if that wasn’t bad enough, an SLI walked in. I have no idea if this is true – I heard this from Morrison, so take that as you will. Anyone got any details? The gossipy side of me wants to know.
4. Note to paranoid parents from Google: No, NCSSM is not a bastion of homosexuality, despite what you might have heard otherwise or read in the above paragraph. Your son will not turn gay if he somehow happens to live in Hill – it doesn’t work that way.
• Wyche House, excuse me, Royall Center (pffft), was a dump while we were there. Clearly, no one lived there.
• Happy Half occurred between 10-10:24pm in between Hill and Watts.
• Bryan lobby was nowhere near as ritzy as it is now. It was old and mildly dumpy, which had a certain charm to it, as opposed to the hygienic sheen that it’s got now. It did, however, have a chronic heating problem. As in too much of it.
• There used to be a Unix lab, I swear! I and a few friends were responsible for maintaining it! It used to be located near the entryway to ground Beall in a very cramped and poorly maintained room. After 2003 the lab was evicted to make way for a water heater. I hear this never actually happened.
• American Tobacco dining room. I hope that phrase still means something.
• PFM. I hope that still means something too. To a lesser extent, how much Chartwell’s sucks.
• I think Cosmic Cantina shall forever be a permanent fixture in NCSSM student life.
• Long live the flaming diaper! This cupola business is boring.
• Fuck you Boarman.

IMSA might get all the press, but NCSSM rocked. First of the S&M schools too

OK, it’s late, and I’ve run out of things that I remember. I invite any fellow S&Mers to join me in reminiscing and to write their own blog entry – just give me a link or pingback in the comments so I know where to look. If you’re seeing this on facebook and don’t have a blog, would you mind leaving an entry in the comments on the original blog post instead of facebook’s note? I want this to be google searchable.