Here is issue #12 of the Numeric Citizen Introspection Newsletter. This is issue marks the first anniversary of this newsletter—time flies🥳. I still love putting these newsletters together each month. I hope you do like getting them. I’m proud of being able to keep this newsletter alive and free.

Let’s start with a few highlights of published posts during July from Micro.blog. As we’re right in the middle of summer, I think it is a good idea to take some time for other things, as explained here. Publishing on my blogs is slower during summer, but there is a reason for that, as explained here.

Post highlights from my microblog

• What if the side-loading of apps was a possible thing on the iPhone? I don’t want that to happen anytime soon. Yet, I’m trying to look forward, and I’m guessing what would happen.

• Apple is in a weak position. I don’t know how they will get out of this.

• A few thoughts on cleaning up my Twitter accounts following list.

• Time to drop Skylum apps. Here is why.

• PC in the cloud is the new hot thing from Microsoft. I’m excited about what comes to the iPad because of this.

• I’m having a big time deciding which apps I should use in any sphere of my digital life. I made a decision regarding my go-to app for podcasts consumption: Pocket Cast, being acquired by Automattic.

• Surprisingly, 2013 MacBook Air > 2019 Chromebook. My thoughts.

Apple tidbits worth my attention

1️⃣ What’s the difference between theme parks and public parks? Why do we love one better than the other? Why do some people prefer public parks? What’s the link with Apple’s platforms? I’m the kind of person who likes them all, but for different reasons. I enjoy theme parks when I visit one. They offer a great controlled and secure experience. I love to wander in public parks because of the seeming freedom they enable. Lastly, when accessible, private parks can contain rare gems that are unique and merit our respect, care and protection. John Gruber on the subject.

2️⃣ I love to read those previously untold stories of personalities like Steve Jobs. I found something very telling in this one is that Jobs didn’t always have a plan to visit Japan and instead delegated his personal chauffeur the task of deciding which place to visit. In a way, that’s probably the best way as he was the one to know better what were the best places. 🇯🇵

3️⃣ Recent court trials revealed many untold stories of behind-the-scenes play by big companies like Apple and Microsoft. That one related to the launch of the iTunes Music Store back in April of 2003 is also very telling about how Microsoft was trailing in that market and was caught off-guard by Apple. 🎶

4️⃣ Rumours are rampant about the Apple Watch getting new health condition-related sensors. This rumour could be a massive breakthrough, a game-changer for diabetics if it ever comes reality. I don’t expect Apple to be ready this year, though. It’s fascinating how new tech these days depends on things we use to see in old sci-fi movies. Back then, nobody had a clue if lasers or fake sensors using light made any possible sense in the future… and yet, here we are, look at the back of your Apple Watch. The future is now. ⌚️

5️⃣ I have so much respect for Steve. I don’t care what many pundits think of him. He’s right about winning arguments in his remarks, as recently shared on Twitter. When you are right, then you are right! It is not about who’s winning; it is about who is right and why you are there in the first place.

One more thing: Apple is (not) doomed. The latest financial results (for Q3FY21) are simply mind-blowing. 🤯😳🤑 (MacStories summary, great graphical visualization). Apple is printing money. Everything is up, Y-to-Y. Disclaimer: I own 60 shares of Apple, Inc. 😊

Must see photography stuff

Here are the iPhone Photography 2021 photographers winners. Surprisingly, iPhone models used by photographers vary quite a lot and generally aren’t the latest models. Tech doesn’t make a great photo by itself. Opportunism, creativity are a few of the main ingredients.

Do I get photography slumps? You bet. I would say that I’m currently into one since the beginning of the pandemic. Without any significant trips since I visited Cuba for new year’s eve of 2020, that year is probably the one where I took the least photos. I expect this year to be about the same as I don’t have any trips planned soon. Yet, there are some more great moments when I took this photo walk which proved quite productive.

Apple Marina Bay store is quite impressive. These photos give one of the best shots at this place. I love this place, so this explains why I include so many references in my newsletters.

I like the idea of creating stories around a bunch of images. I’m doing it here on Substack; it’s called the Photo Legend Series. These types of visual stories are demanding to put together, though. That being said, there are a few web services that are targeted to those who want to express themselves this way. One of them is named “Exposure.” It looks like a great place to be, but it is not free, from what I’m seeing. A great example of a visual story about empty restaurants during COVID-19 confinement in Hungary.

When I started photography as an amateur photographer, I was using a Minolta SRT-200. It was before the digital photography era. So I have accumulated quite a few negatives during that period. One thing I’d like to do is to digitize them and bring them back to life. One plugin for Lightroom CC, Negative Lab Pro, looks very impressive to do just that, provided that the negatives were scanned with some scanner which can be a very time-consuming process. Let’s say that this could be a project for when I’m retiring.

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Climate change issues

Part of the current climate crisis problem is perfectly illustrated in a picture of two generations of BMWs.

Great photos by Om Malik, troubling facts about climate change effects on Yellowstone state park. Never been there yet. I find it troubling to see such a great place to be affected this way.

As reported by The Independent, Antarctica hits record-high 18.3C temperature, UN confirms. The southern polar region is one of the fastest-warming places on the planet. I always thought of Antarctica as a strange and very hostile place on earth. Now, it is becoming less and less hostile, I guess.

What should we do with closing golf courses? Build houses or stores? Leave them as is? Make great parks? Are operating golf courses a luxury society can no longer sustain or afford? The debate is open.

All the right words on climate have already been said:

Let’s give the article she was starting to maybe think about asking me to write that I was wondering if I could write the absolute biggest benefit of the doubt and imagine that people read it and said, “Wow this is exactly how I feel, thanks for putting it into words.” What then? What would happen then? Would people be “more aware” about climate change? It’s 109 degrees in Portland right now. It’s been over 130 degrees in Baghdad several times. What kind of awareness quotient are we looking for? What more about climate change does anyone need to know? What else is there to say? — Sarah Miller on Substack

Privacy stuff we should care about

Make your passwords hard to guess. Mine would take 5 years to crack, according to the following table. 😎

Quotes to remember

the iPod blazed the trail for the iPhone. Culturally, it created a taste for miniaturized devices; technically, it drove the Supply Chain Management discipline and connections that would become essential for the success of the iPhone. — Jean-Louis Gassée

What’s next? I’m glad you asked!

I’ll be getting an old 2013 MacBook Air for one of my sons to replace an ageing Chromebook that I bought about two years ago. Think about it. This eight years old MacBook Air is faster, has a timeless design, much better screen quality, more memory and will be able to run macOS Big Sur and all other apps like iWorks et al. I find this incredible that we can read and hear people saying Apple gear is expansive and that is under Apple’s obsolescence programming spell. I call this bullshit.

I’m mostly done with my migration of applications from my Intel-based 2017 iMac to my M1 Mac mini. The last application to be migrated was Adobe Lightroom, not an overly complicated task if it is well planned. Now, I’m wondering if I’ll keep this Intel Mac for some special work-related projects like this one or if I’ll put it for sale1.

Looking forward to August as Glass, a photo-sharing service built by photographers for photographers, is launching:

Leftovers

1️⃣ Here is one way to back up your iCloud Photo Library using the “Export” method. I do something different in my case: I log in to a special account where the iCloud Photo Library Setting is to keep originals local. Then, I copy the file to my NAS. It is big, it takes time, but it is worth it. 🎞

2️⃣ Canada’s mobile data prices aren’t cheap. See this study (PDF) covering the year 2020, page 16. I’m Canadian. 😳

3️⃣ You like or love playing with Legos? I do. Suppose you have a bunch of pieces sitting on a table and would like to know what you can build out of them. There is an app for that: BrickIt. Very clever. 👾

4️⃣ I love treehouses. When I was a kid, I dearly wanted one. It never came to be. As an adult going to Norway, I could rent this one, I guess. I love its design and the view, oh my! 😍

5️⃣ I’m planning a few visual and content changes for the next issues of the newsletter. I’m trying something like this header to mark each section. It’s probably nice visually but adds up quickly on the newsletter digital weight. Your thoughts?

This concludes the Numeric Citizen Introspection Newsletter #12 for July of 2021. I would love to get your feedback and read your comments. Thanks for being a subscriber. Thanks for reading! 🙏🏻

1

Because I will need the money to finance a new 2021 12.9” iPad Pro.