Arranged Delirium

Whenever a new operating system comes out, it creates issues for preexisting software. Since I am a particularly big Phoptoshop user, I’m always most concerned about Adobe applications. Adobe has published a convenient list of known issues with OS X 10.7 which I find very useful - especially given the breakdown by application. You should note that this is a revised version of the list, as Adobe has redacted their earlier commentary regarding hardware acceleration of Flash. (BTW, you can ignote the commentary on this page - I believe more and more commenters on the web are incapable of writing.)

The only real issues here are actually driven by Apple’s hiding of the Library directory and forcing users to install JRE manually. Older versions of Adobe software will have greater problems, but it seems like most things should work if you are running versions 5 or 5.5 - with the exception of some certain features.

This week Apple released OS X 10.7 codenamed Lion. What makes this particularly interesting it that it bring a lot from iOS (the mobile operating system for iPhones, etc.) to the desktop. Walt Mossberg has a very accessible review at AllThingsD if you’re interested int he basics, and ArsTechnica has a particularly thorough guide available for those that want in-depth knowledge.

Initial feedback is more positive than usual for a new operating system, but I think thats because it brings a number of features that we like from our mobile devices to the desktop. I’d suggest this convergence is only going to continue. In fact, I see the new MacBook Air as a nice little bridge between laptop and iPad. And, it’s a lot of technology for $999. It’s hard to imagine how this device wouldn’t serve the needs of a majority of users. It will be interesting to watch how this convergence continues.

iMovie continues to improve, which is a considerable relief to me. I use the application extensively when first teaching students about making digital films, so its imperrative that the tool work effectively. Otherwise I have to change software. This happens frequently enough in my classes, and I’ve had to move to FCE in the past to avoid issues that iMovie has created. But since the debacle of ‘08 the software has continued to improve. Now, I am extremely pleased to say that the Timeline is back! Without the timeline, it’s been more difficult to use the software - especially for novice users. Audio editing is also improved and a minimal storyboarding feature is “meh” but I’ll likely incorporate it in class because I still struggle to incorporate effective storyboards into the class projects. There’s also a much touted trailer feature, but I don’t see the value until I can think f an effective way to incorporate it into the class projects.

Overall though - its nice to have a strong update to the software that has been such a valuable tool for teaching neophytes about digital film editing. Here’s a link to the MacWorld review with more details.

I’ve been watching with interest the introduction of the new Apple Macbook Air. Primarily because I’m interested in the iPad and what it means for the future of computing, but also because I’m struggling to figure out how (or why) to use my laptop now. I like the idea of an integrated keyboard, but I think I’d prefer the mobility of the iPad itself. But I could see how the Air would be a nice option for some. Regardless - we can see how the iPad and its corresponding Android contemporaries are going to shape the future of what our computers will be like.

Here’s a link to Walt Mossberg’s review which I think is pretty good. For myself, I’m still planning on migrating away from my laptop and working with the iPad to day-to-day stuff and my desktop (with a huge screen) for imagery, film, web development, and programming work. But, I could do a lot with a little laptop like this. If I had the money and inclination to replace my laptop, I’d do it with this one and would recommend it to others as long as they aren’t doing development work.

Now that school is over, I’m embarking on my annual quest to find something other than Quicken for managing my finances. Quicken for Macintosh has been notoriously ignored for years, and even there new offering is so limited on features that it’s unusable for anything other than simple tasks - and all the other available applications can do the same simple things for much less money.

At one point, I got so desperate, I actually purchased a copy of Quicken Essentials to see if it would work as a quick solution - even without the features I was looking for. It crashed repeatedly. My machine has only crashed twice in three years - I couldn’t even get Quicken to run on it. I got a refund - Intuit’s software (for Macs) simply isn’t worth buying.

So, what I am looking for is a software application that will let my track expenditures, manage loans, run reports, construct and maintain a budget, handle all my accounts with direct online connections (I don’t want to deal with paper receipts), and also let me track my minimal portfolio (including buys and sells). In the end, there were several possibilities and I’ll cover them here in brief detail:

MoneyWell - This application is quite good and I thought we had a winner right out of the gate! But, unfortunately it doesn’t have all the field needed to track my investments; although that is planned for the next version. Sadness. Thats a deal-breaker for me; but if I wasn’t keeping track of a portfolio, this would be my pick.

OK, I’ve decided I can live w/o portfolio tracking, since I do that online anyway. But, MoneyWell doesn’t handle my loans very effectively (by not calculating ongoing interest/principal, etc.) so it’s a no go.

Money - This is a nice collection of apps (also having iPhone and iPad versions). Truthfully, it works very well, although with some interface and terminology quirks. Reading the quick-start guide addressed all these. The biggest problem for me was also importing investment transactions within the app - I don’t want to have to go through the extra step of logging into a web site and downloading, then importing, a statement.

I really want to work with this because of the convenience of syncing with my tablet or iPod, but I really need direct downloads of bank data.

YNAB - Stands for You Need a Budget. It looks very promising, and seems to handle basic account structures well.

This app requires the Adobe Air platform to run. I’m not going there. I appreciate the capabilities that certain tools (like MS Silverlight and Adobe Air) provide for running apps over the Internet. But, please - I want a program to work with my finances on my own computer.

MyMoney - It’s a fine piece of software. And truthfully, it seems to do everything that I want it to do. However, the interface is problematic for me. I can do everything I want to do with the software, but not easily or quickly. I had to hunt too much to find how to perform common actions. This is natural with new software, but this program would force me to invest too much time in getting setup, and too much recurrent time in maintaining my finances.

I tried it again, but I just can’t get by the interface. This is likely my issue though - so I think it’s worth giving it a try if you are looking for something new.

Moneydance - this application has been updated since I tested it last with notable performance improvements. It does everything that I need it to do. There’s not a lot of eye-candy here, but then again there isn’t any in Quicken 2007 either. For $39 it seems to do all that Quicken does, more reliably and with regular updates. I’ll be working with this one for a bit…

iBank - This seems to be the favorite among most Mac users. It syncs with your iPhone, which is handy. I also like the ease of scheduling transactions, even if the interface leaves a bit to be desired. It’s a tie with Moneydance in terms of features and ease of use. Both require some learning, but neither would be huge time-sinks.

My recommendations come down to Moneydance and iBank. Your final choice would likely be a matter of personal preference - iBank is more Mac-like, and Moneydance has a more traditional feel. If you have a simpler financial life and can live without the investment-tracking, I think MoneyWell might be the way to go though. (BTW, this list isn’t exhaustive - there are other options, particularly at the low-end of functionality - but these we’re the most full-featured in my research.)

We have a winner! I’m going with Moneydance. A full-featured demo let me get everything set up and, with the exception of some challenging investment tracking, it does everything I want to do. I also appreciated the ability to customize the home screen to make it quite easy to get the immediate information I need. Nice. It’s also only $39, and well worth paying for. The documentation is excruciatingly basic, but the forums are well monitored and you can find the information you need to get set up right there.