revaaron's comments

revaaron | 12 years ago | on: Nokia Lumia 1020 packs 41-megapixel camera whopper

First, my statement had to do with the 1/1.2" sensor that Nokia is using. Close in size to the RX100 and Nikon 1, but we can't assume that means the same level of image quality- there's a pretty big gap between the RX100 and Nikon 1 IQ scores, for instance.

To your point, I agree. I've seen comparable (and sometimes higher) IQ from my RX100 than I do from various MFT and APS-C DSLR/MILC cams with their kit lenses including the Canon T3i and T4i, GX1, a few NEXes, and Nikon D3000-D3200. The RX100 fares well against those cameras at the wide end of the zoom range when it comes to low light performance and thin DOF as well. Of course, you could spend more and get better lenses for those cameras and beat the RX100 in low light.

I do hope that the new sensor in the 70D provides an actual improvement in ISO score if not IQ and isn't just the older sensor with OSPDAF added.

revaaron | 12 years ago | on: Nokia Lumia 1020 packs 41-megapixel camera whopper

It's also worth noting that this and the 38 MP Nokia 808 phone have a 1/1.2" sensor, larger than all but one fixed lens compact camera, including cellphones. The only compact with a larger sensor is the Sony RX100/RX100 II. Not quite DSLR quality, but higher quality than you'll get out of most compacts.

The high MP counts allows you do downsample/pixel bin for higher quality images and also allows room to crop, providing a digital zoom which doesn't suck.

revaaron | 12 years ago | on: Open Dylan 2013.1 released

It's been a while since I've read the paper, but technical aspects like runtime size of binaries led to a bytecode compiled language like Smalltalk, leading to NewtonScript.

revaaron | 12 years ago | on: Why is nobody using SSL client certificates?

They're used extensively in a lot of industry- just because it isn't used for logging onto Gmail doesn't mean it isn't used elsewhere. I work in utilities and client certificates are used for all or nearly all web clients and APIs.

revaaron | 13 years ago | on: Textmate to VIM

I'm on Windows and Linux, but my reasoning is similar. I also occasionally use the mouse for text selection. On Windows I especially like using GVIM over VIM because of the extremely limited font selection for the Windows terminal.

revaaron | 13 years ago | on: Textmate to VIM

I think if you're happy with what you're using, stick with it.

I switched from pico/emacs/TextMate/Notepad++ to VIM about three years ago. I always hated vi. I love it now, and really wish I would have switched earlier. But the advantages don't become obvious until you make yourself to live with it for a while. The initial learning curve is pretty steep, but once you get over that hump it's pretty easy going.

This is very different from emacs, which was very easy for me to do simple tasks but very hard for me to do anything complicated. It's also different from pico, TextMate, and Notepad++, which are easy to pick up but plateau, sometimes leaving to write a script to do what you need.

Using a vi-like mode for another editor doesn't really cut it, not unlike an emacs-workalike that isn't built atop a powerful scripting language. For me, it's about the way commands stack and compose rather than using hjkl instead of arrow keys.

Good luck and have fun!

revaaron | 13 years ago | on: MVC is dead, it's time to MOVE on

My thoughts exactly.

Having used MVC for many years, and in the environment where it was invented (Smalltalk-80), I couldn't help but wonder why he was reinventing MVC while thinking he was criticizing it.

revaaron | 16 years ago | on: On vim vs emacs

All the really matters is that you use what you like. If you like gedit or notepad++ that's just fine. FYI, emacs also comes with an extensive tutorial.

Personally, I used emacs and clones (mg and JASSPA MicroEmacs) for a long time- though I never really went very deep into the features. Then, I started a job where I'd be doing some sysadmin work on AIX boxes- nothing but vi and ed installed- so I figured I should sharpen my rusty vi/vim skills. I've found myself using more of the features available in VIM, as well as writing plugins myself. After you get past the initial weirdness (for folks coming from emacs and other modeless editors) I've found it easier. Less of a learning/feature curve, far fewer keystrokes, and almost no "Meta-Shift-Control-Z Ctrl-X abc" acrobatics. UI feels more modular in that I'm stringing together simple commands rather than using a command that does something specific.

Not advocating so much as trying to explain where I came from when I started using vim...

revaaron | 16 years ago | on: Tell HN: I quit my job Starting full-time on my startup on Monday.

I don't think anyone disagrees with your fundamental point- they object at your assumption that ryanelkins acted irresponsibly and left behind unmaintable code, or that a developer has written unmaintainble code if users, managers, and/or devs trembling in fear when that particular dev leaves.

It's a two way street- I do my best to leave behind a maintainable code base and a documented data center, but the company being left has to do its due diligence as well.

revaaron | 16 years ago | on: Android-based Smartphones Outpaced Apple's iPhone in Q1 2010

I'd argue that phones are becoming a lot less like computers and more like cars. At least the iPhone as an example, phones are becoming more and more an information appliance, taken for granted to "just work."

They might be able to do a lot of the things that a "real" computer does but you don't have the power to treat them like regular computers. You can't easily put a new OS on them, write software for them without going through a central market place, etc. Apple obviously has this vision, but it's becoming clear that Microsoft shares it, at least for Windows Phone 7.

revaaron | 16 years ago | on: Android-based Smartphones Outpaced Apple's iPhone in Q1 2010

Please elaborate. Even if I concede that my problems with multitasking are imaginary, I'd love to find out how I can enable built-in support for Exchange calendaring, copy from emails, and make the N1's screen readable in bright sunlight... Believe me, I'd love to find out there was just a preference I missed!

I understand how Android's multitasking is supposed to work, but in my experience it isn't up to snuff. From your tone, I imagine you'd ask me to put up with a sluggish phone rather than doing something to deal with it. Maybe it'll get better in 2.2.

revaaron | 16 years ago | on: Android-based Smartphones Outpaced Apple's iPhone in Q1 2010

The reason I have is killing tasks like Camera, which appear to chew away at the battery even as they sit in the background... It wasn't until I started using a task manager that I started getting decent battery life out of my N1.

The first week, I followed the party line- I didn't touch a task manager. And the first week I was seeing 20% of my battery drained by 10 AM in the morning while using it for under 15 minutes since I pulled it off the charger.

revaaron | 16 years ago | on: Android-based Smartphones Outpaced Apple's iPhone in Q1 2010

I'm a proud father of a two year old the long lag of the N1's camera makes it near worthless. Doesn't matter if it's 5 or 10MP as long as it takes over a second to snap a photo.

I was impressed by the iPhone's camera, but that's only because I was coming from an HTC Mogul, which had a horrible 2MP camera.

That I can (mostly) do what I want with my N1 without relying on a jailbreak is what makes the N1 a win, overwhelmingly. That said, it is ironic and frustrating that your warranty is voided when you unlock your bootloader, a part of rooting a N1. It doesn't matter if there is dust under the screen, they see the "unlocked" icon and turn down warranty requests.

At least, they were- I'd love to hear that things have changed... Unless that changes I won't be rooting my N1, and I'm glad I didn't do that first thing- I just had to send my two week old N1 in for a swap to HTC because of dust under the screen. :/

revaaron | 16 years ago | on: Android-based Smartphones Outpaced Apple's iPhone in Q1 2010

I'd have to agree with slyn- both. I think it's most likely I'd be selling apps for Android in the long term, if only because I don't have to live by 3.3.1...

I wouldn't be surprised if a divide not unlike Mac vs PC software developed- traditionally, Mac users were a smaller group but more willing to pay for overall better software.

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