DivisionTwo Mailbag
©1999-2005 Divisiontwo Magazine


From:       tom.davie.gmail.com
Subject:     Your article
Date:     February 3, 2005 1:30:51 PM PST
To:       jorge.divisiontwo.com

Hi Jorge,
  I just read your article about the Mac mini (/articles/MacMini2.html), and while I as a computer geek recognise it for a parody I would suggest to you that the average person looking for a review of a computer is not going to recognize it as such.  Because of this I felt that your article was a little irresponsible (if very very funny :))

Bob


From:       mlamorte.mac.com
Subject:     RE: Mac Mini: The Emperor's New Computer
Date:     February 3, 2005 1:19:24 PM PST
To:       jorge.divisiontwo.com


Dear Clueless "Reporter":

You're either a biased Microsoft Shill or a Blooming Idiot. After laughing my ass off at your ridiculous "article", allow me to enlighten you:

While the hardware is about roughly equivalent to a Windows PC circa 1995,

Um, no. A Windows PC cira 1995 typically had a 250MB or smaller hard drive, a CD-ROM (no burner, no DVD), 16 megs of ram (if you were lucky) and if you were rich you had a Pentium 133MHz, otherwise you had a 486-66.

Were you paying attention in 1995?

If you believe Apple’s marketing department, the new Mini is “smaller than most packs of gum” and weighs “less than four quarters”.

You have the iPod Shuffle confused with the Mac mini. Both were released on the same day, so I can understand how dealing with more than one thing at a time could confuse your five brain cells.

 As for the style of the unit, it’s alright.  It reminds me of a ShuttlePC.  But since its sleek look comes at the expense of the parallel port, serial ports, the PS/2 ports and the drive bays, potential Mac mini buyers should ask themselves just how much utility they’re willing to sacrifice for style.

Um, howabout none? It's got two USB ports and a FireWire port. You can plug in RAID arrays, printers, scanners, joysticks, or any other standard Firewire or USB device, of which there's lots.

Oh, did I forget to mention that the Mini has no PCI slots either?

How many people do you know that buy a $500 stripped-down PC and actually use even one of the PCI slots? I know lots of people that buy el cheap-o PCs and when they need an upgrade two years later, they buy a whole new machine. And in those two years they haven't so much as put in more ram, let alone a PCI card of any flavor.

Show me a user that needs a device that can't be connected to a Firewire or USB port, and I'll show you someone who needs more than a $500 Dell in the first place.

And no floppy disk drive?

Ye gads, man. Macs haven't shipped with a floppy drive since 1997. Floppies are slow, unreliable, and can't hold dick for information. Spend $20 and buy yourself a USB flash drive already.

When I built a Shuttle PC to run BSD I didn't even bother to buy a floppy drive. I just set the BIOS to boot from CD.

...I could get a Mac mini computer for $499 and have no keyboard or mouse,

Do you know how many bundled keyboards and mice I have in my closet, brand new and unused since Day 1? Or how many I've thrown away?

no serial ports,

Say it with me: U-S-B.

no way to connect a printer,

Say it again: U-S-B

no PS/2 ports,

Once more, for clarity: U-S-B

no floppy drive,

Let's take what we learned in the last lesson and add two words. I know it's hard but try to keep up: U-S-B Flash drive

no 5.25" bays, no PCI slots,

One more word to learn: Firewire

no speakers, and no Windows XP...

No Windows? THANK GOD!

Although, if you're a glutton for punishment, you can buy a copy of Virtual PC (from Microsoft, who bought the software from Connectix) and throw whatever flavor of Windows on your Mac, and run the two OSs concurrently, although I don't know why you'd want to bother running Windows unless you're forced to at gunpoint.

Back in the lab, we were able to borrow a USB keyboard and mouse from a Tangerine iMac collecting dust in the closet and get the darn Mini booted up at last.  This is where the first noticeable problem with Apple design arises.  While there is a Mac-style “donnnnggggg” when the Mini is first turned on, during normal operation the unit makes no sound whatsoever.

So the Mac mini is quiet.... this is a bad thing?

This could make it very difficult for a novice user to know whether or not the computer is on.

There is a little light on the front that comes on when the power is on. I knew you were an idiot after reading your article, but I didn't know you were blind too.

In fact, it took our techs about fifteen minutes before we realized the unit itself was operating normally and it was the monitor that was not plugged in properly.

So you're admitting you're all idiots? Well, admitting you have a problem is the first step in correcting it.

It turns out the Mini uses a weird kind of display connector on the back that requires a special adapter if you want to plug it into a PC monitor.  We used a 15” Compaq VGA display.

Weird? You haven't seen an industry-standard DVI connector for connecting a flat-panel display? What broom closet have you been locked in for the past 3 years?

 The Mini boots up into a stripped-down operating system which Apple calls OS X, similar to the stripped-down WindowsCE OS found on many handhelds.

Stripped down? STRIPPED DOWN?! You need to lay off the crack pipe. I could spend the next three days detailing, point-by-point all of the advanced features of OS X -- like the BSD underpinnings, advanced PDF-based on-screen rendering, built-in Apache web server, advanced networking, and compatibility with every major application on the market -- but it would be lost on someone like you who has been trapped in the Microsoft Universe since conception.

The mini OS is going to be a significant hurdle for many buyers who are used to Windows or have favorite Windows software packages they need to use.  Think of it more as a first computer for your daughter or niece than as a machine to get any serious work done and you’ll get the point of the Mini and its target market.  It might also be the perfect computer for grandmothers or autistic children, for example.

The Mini has got some built-in software for basic computer functions, but it can’t do many common things as well as its grown-up brothers in the Windows world can.

Name one thing. Just one. I beg you.

The little things can add up to big frustration for someone who might accidentally buy a Mini expecting it to be just like Windows.  For example, there is no Outlook Express for email, but Apple includes a program called Mail, which is like a stripped-down email client

Far from being stripped down, Mail can handle HTML emails, inline multimedia attachments, advanced junk mail filtering, in-application PGP encryption and decryption, in-application PGP signature authentication, and can be expanded endlessly by 3rd parties through an open API set.

that can’t execute scripts or open attachments without user intervention.

Gee, so it can't spread worms and viruses? And this is a BAD thing? You really are clueless.

And by the way, I have written several scripts that I have added into the program for advanced mail sorting and automation. And yes, these scripts run without any intervention because *I* added them. If someone sends me a script, the software is smart enough to ask permission to execute because THAT'S HOW WORMS ARE SPREAD.

Secondly and possibly even more glaringly, there is no antivirus program shipped with the Mac.

That's because there's no worms or viruses for the Mac.

In today’s climate of non-stop worms, trojans and viruses,

...for Windows machines...

releasing a computer with no virus removal software is irresponsible on the part of

...Microsoft.

Yes, please point me to the built-in virus scanner that ships with Windows XP? Oh, many hardware vendors will bundle something in, but if you go out to CompUSA and buy Windows XP Professional, there is no built-in virus checking. Nada. None.

Apple.  The OS X comes with some system maintenance utilities, but essentials such as a defragmenter or a or registry cleaner are notably absent.

Um, the UFS and HFS+ filesystems used by OS X don't need regular defragmentation, unlike NTFS and FAT32.

And the Mac has no registry, so why would it need a registry cleaner?

I would expect a Mini to get really slow and unstable within a couple months if you can’t perform any routine maintenance tasks on it.

Actually, there are built-in standard Unix filesystem cleanup scripts that execute at automatic intervals, so the user doesn't have to maintain the OS.

Automatic maintenance. What a novel idea. Expect Microsoft to get with the program by 2012, and I'm sure you'll herald it as the best to to happen to operating systems "since Bill Gates invented the mouse" or some other bullshit concocted by you and the rest of the Microsoft Shills.

 To see how much industry support the Mac platform has these days, I did a google to see if there were Mac versions of any of my favorite applications; unfortunately I ended up disappointed every time.

So your favorite programs aren't made by Adobe, Macromedia, Microsoft, Quark, Roxio, or Intuit?

And you used GOOGLE to looke for Mac versions of your favorite programs? Why not just go to the manufacturer's web site?

Or better yet, try www.versiontracker.com. Learn it, live it, love it.

There are very few first-person shooters for OSX.

This is about the only point that is legitimate. But then again, if Halo, Doom 3, Unreal Tournament, Splinter Cell, etc... aren't enough, then maybe you should have a PlayStation instead of a computer.

There is no Mac version of WeatherBug to check the temperature anywhere in the world.

A quick search for "weather" on Version tracker netted me 35 OS X applications that can check the weather anywhere in the world. Is that enough?

Nor is there a Mac version of helpful web and email enhancers like Hotbar.

But there are plenty of "web and email enhancers" with other names.

Geesh.

You really are living in a microcosm.

Or any equivalent of the DealHelper software I use to keep track of my passwords.

Um, it's called "Keychain Access", and it's built into the OS. Don't like that one? There's over a dozen others available from 3rd parties.

My Office 2003 CD would not install, despite claims I had heard from Mac fanboys that OS X is compatible with Office.

You have a college degree? REALLY? And you REALLY have an MCSE certification? Because your inability to realize the difference between "compatible with Office" and "compatible with Windows" borders on the computer illiterate.

Let me make it really, really easy for you: Your copy of Office runs on Windows. If you want Microsoft Office to run on your Mac, you need to buy the version of Office that runs on OS X. Go to www.mactopia.com, which is Microsoft's official Mac software site. Read. Learn.

Heck, the Internet Explorer icon isn’t even out on the taskbar by default,

That's because IE sucks. It's not even W3C compliant. And to top it off, Microsoft stopped development of IE for Mac about two years ago when Apple released their own browser, which is much faster and has many more advanced features -- like tabs and popup blocking -- which IE for Windows still doesn't have.

it’s buried in the c:\applications folder.

#1: There is no "C" drive. There are no drives "A", "B", or "D", either. Someone had the bright idea over 20 years ago that drives could have actual names, rather than letters that change depending on how many devices are connected.

#2: OS X is based upon Unix, so your path is wrong. The correct path is:

/Applications

or:

/Volumes/Macintosh\ HD/Applications

Poor standards compliance: Apple's Safari web browser often fails to render MSN properly.

Um, MSN is the one with poor standards compliance, since their website frequently uses tags that are not W3C compliant, but are specific to IE for Windows, which isn't W3C compliant either.

By using cheap Asian child labor to assemble the units, costs have been reduced even further.

Oh, that's *real* classy.

And that eMachines box you quoted earlier was made.... where?

I would like to see them continue this trend, possibly strike a deal with China to use inmates to assemble the Mini for even less, like Lenovo does.  Think about it, a Mac mini for $299.  Now that would be an easier price to swallow given the system’s limitations.  $499 sounds like a decent price at first, but consumers need to be aware that once they add on the basics like a keyboard, monitor and mouse, plus shell out for some antivirus software, the Mac mini price is scraping the ceiling of $1600, hardly a “computer for the rest of us.”

Where are you shopping?

Geeze, man, I can pick up a 17" CRT, USB keyboard, and USB mouse all for under $100 total, after the now-ubiquitous rebates. If you *really* are paranoid and want the warm-fuzzy of antivirus software, you're up to $150. And the last time I checked $150 + $499 does not equal $1600.

So is the mini a maxi value?  For me, clearly, no.  When I consider that a good deal of my time is spent running applications like Disk Defragmenter, Scandisk, Norton AV, Windows Update and Ad-Aware--none of which are available for the Mac platform--

...nor are they even necessary, but I digress.



Dude... you really need to get your head out of Microsoft's ass and wake up to the really-real world.

---
Michael A. LaMorte

From:       than0702.brockport.edu
Subject:     Where to begin?
Date:     February 7, 2005 1:31:18 PM PST
To:       jorge.divisiontwo.com

I was reading your article about the Mac Mini, and found numerous erroneous statements. First, I would like to point out the truth that Apple can way over hype their stuff, and that you had a good observation that this is, more or less, a G4 cube with a new package. However when the cube came out the G4 was actually cutting edge, as opposed to now it's the less capable, but cheeper (so perfect for the consumer) PowerPC processor.
    Second I the technology is not that of a 1995 PC, in 1995 you were lucky to have a Pentium 2 running at more than five or six hundred MHz, this runs at 1.25 or 1.42 GHz on a processor far superior to a Pentium 2. Next you notice the lack of, or slimming down of as Apple likes to see it, of the available pots. Being that apple never has PS/2 ports that's not really something to be missed, also no mac since the original iMac has had a built in floppy drive, that's what USB is for. Also you claim that there is "no way to connect a printer" which is simply wrong. Again, that's what the USB is for, and since USB can be split via a hub or two or fifty, you can connect many floppy drives, printers, and just about every type of peripheral device imaginable , even adapters for 8 and 9 pin serial, parallel, and PS/2 ports. And nobody used 5 1/4 drives anymore, and no Macintosh has shipped with one... ever.
     Next, have fun with that eMachines that runs Windows XP. I have a less capable iBook G4 1 GHz and I run windows XP faster than a friend of mine who has XP that is so powerfully bad it can't scroll through a standard web page smoothly. Using virtual PC (sure it costs money, but you said Macs can't run XP, and that's just not true) I am able to run any windows program I want even some games (but a serious gamer knows that there are more games for PC and would not buy a Mac as a gaming rig, and especially not the lowest end mac offered).
    I also enjoyed your complaint about how the mini doesn't make any sound when on, this is a GOOD thing. I don't want to compute on a vacuum, I want a nice silent computer. And that funny little plug for the monitor that requires an adapter to work with monitors is called a DVI slot, a digital or analog slot it can be found on both Mac and PC and is an industry standard. Why waste room having both VGA and DVI when just one works?
    Then you compare OS X (one of the most capable OSes on the planet) to WinCE. OS X is supremely customizable and famously stable with a sleek easy to use interface. The fact you recommend it for old people (I will leave out the daughter or niece comment because of its blatant sexism) or autistic children should show how simple Apple has made computing.
    You then complain about the software available, like weather bug, you are correct that there is no mac version, but that does not mean there is no Mac equivalent, and it's even open source and has no advertisements.
    I won't really get into the poor standards compliance thing you bash Safari about, because it is the flaws permitted by Internet Explorer that allow MSN to render properly in IE, and the incredibly strict compliance which causes problems in browsers based on Mozilla, such as Safari and Firefox. And your office 2003 would not install because it was the windows version, there is a mac version of office, or you could just open the .doc files in the free TextEdit that comes with the system.
    Then you say that most of your time with your PC is spent using "Disk Defragmenter, Scandisk, Norton AV, Windows Update and Ad-Aware". There is no defragmenter program because the HFS+ filesystem does not need to be deframgented. Scandisk is called Disk Utility and comes with the OS, Norton Antivirus is available for Mac, you're wrong, there is a Mac OS updater that runs automatically, or can be run manually from System Preferences, or from the apple menu, and Ad-Aware is not made for the mac because there is no reason. There are NO OS X native viruses and NO OS X native spyware.
    I do not intend this a personal attack on you, but rather an attack on fallacious reporting. Please do not rant about things you know little to nothing about. I could have made this longer and explained all of the untruths better, but since you probably won't read this to completion I didn't. If you did complete this letter, I thank you for your time and hope that in the future you will do a little more research before you bad mouth a product.

-Tom Hanagan

From:       truth911.mac.com
Subject:     Mac Mini
Date:     February 4, 2005 10:58:47 AM PST
To:       jorge.divisiontwo.com

Classic!

Really funny, I suppose by now you've realized that you were mixing the iPod Shuffle and the mini in the size and weight comparison - easy mistake for a tech expert such as yourself. In case you haven't grasped it yet - one's a music player and ones a computer! Can you believe that?

"during normal operation the unit makes no sound whatsoever"

that had me rolling, seriously! I think most people find that a good thing. Novice users could still look  at the attached screen to work out if it were switched on or not I would reckon.


"stripped-down operating system "

Yep, that's Unix alright!! Can't do nothing with it.....

(you are a gem!)


"Think of it more as a first computer for your daughter or niece than as a machine to get any serious work done"

It's been a while since I've seen such overt sexism! And of course, as we both know, what can you do with Unix OSes anyway?



"For example, there is no Outlook Express for email, but Apple includes a program called Mail, which is like a stripped-down email client that can?t execute scripts or open attachments without user intervention"

And that's why viruses and security issues are never a problem in OSX. Double-clicking a file hardly takes any time a gives the user the important choice. It's one of the real flaws in Windows that kind of behaviour I'm surprised you don't know this.

" I would expect a Mini to get really slow and unstable within a couple months if you can?t perform any routine maintenance tasks on it."

Arrrrrh, precious. But only if you judged it by your own Windows standards where this does happen as you say. A good OS doesn't actually needing nursing and cleaning everyday! Only Windows has this 'feature'.


" When I consider that a good deal of my time is spent running applications like Disk Defragmenter, Scandisk, Norton AV, Windows Update and Ad-Aware"

YOU'RE trolling aren't you - you little tinker!

Oh well, took me in for 15 minutes . . .


Hope it pays



Truth.

From:       killmoms.jmu.edu
Subject:     Great article
Date:     February 3, 2005 9:30:14 AM PST
To:       jorge.divisiontwo.com

Your Mac mini article was hilarious, but only by the end... really, I think you have to be more over the top, man. I've actually heard people make arguments like this, seriously! For the whole first part of the article all I could think was "He must be joking, but I'm just not sure," (then I hit the "autistic children" line). Kind of frightening.

Also, I apologize for all the less-than-perceptive Mac users who are going to flame you into oblivion because they missed the joke. They mean well, man, they just get really riled up about stuff like this, because THEY'VE heard arguments like this presented seriously. Try to forgive them.

--Matt

From:       theoldbailey.sbcglobal.net
Subject:     Mac Mini review -- how many mistakes can you make?
Date:     February 3, 2005 9:42:11 AM PST
To:       jorge.divisiontwo.com



Just read your review of the Mac Mini. Let me point out your many mistakes...


    1.      “...the hardware is roughly equivalent to a Windows PC circa 1995...” There’s no basis in fact for this claim. Even if you compare processor frequency number-for-number (which isn’t a fair comparison because the technologies between Pentium and PowerPC processors are completely different), the numbers don’t even jive. Of all the PCs that I manage right now, the oldest one I have in-stock still is a Pentium-2 333MHz and that was bought in 1999. The low-end Mac Mini comes with a 1.25GHz processor. The word “gigahertz” wasn’t even being used for processors in 1995.
    2.       “...the new Mini is ‘smaller than most packs of gum’ and weighs ‘less than four quarters’.” That’s the marketing quote for the iPod Shuffle, not the Mini. Check your facts before you publish.
    3.       “...comes at the expense of the parallel port, serial ports, the PS/2 ports...” Macs have never had parallel ports or PS/2 ports. They’ve never need them. They abandoned serial ports back in like 1998. With USB, you don’t need these ports. Well, unless you’re still using Windows. Same goes for the floppy drive, although even Dell has started to abandon selling those by default because they’re worthless in comparison to modern storage systems.
    4.       I’ll give you that it doesn’t come with a keyboard or mouse. I’m not fond of Apple’s keyboard or mouse anyway, and much prefer the Microsoft-branded keyboards and mice. So I’m not a complete Mac-head either. The fact that they don’t tack on the extra cost of a keyboard or mouse is a boon, not a shortcoming.
    5.       Your price comparison between the Mac Mini and eMachines is very deceptive. Did you forget to include, say, a year-long subscription to Norton Antivirus? The “added value” of having Windows XP isn’t even a valid consideration, considering that’s the operating system. The Mac Mini comes with Mac OS X. Do you even check your facts? And eMachines is a cut-rate brand, not know for quality hardware or even good tech support.
    6.       The fact that the Mac Mini makes no real noise while in use is a flaw to you?
    7.       “...stripped-down operating system which Apple calls OS X...” It is a fully-fledged, fully-functional operating system, running on top of a UNIX base. Again, check your facts.
    8.       “...grandmothers and autistic children...” Yes, it is a great choice for people who don’t want to fuss with problems, because the Mac runs with so little maintenance as to be problem-free.
    9.       The fact that Apple Mail does not execute scripts is a bonus. It prevents the large vulnerability that is Outlook and Outlook Express for Windows. And if you really do need to send scripts, well, Microsoft does make Entourage for Mac OS X. Even they realize the Mac operating system is worth writing for.
    10.       “...there is no antivirus program shipped with the Mac...” There is no antivirus program shipped with Windows, either, although many computer resellers bundle a package with a computer — usually with a 90-day subscription limitation. And, fact is, there hasn’t been a serious Mac virus since 1998 — which is why antivirus software for Macs is really purely optional. Mostly, I recommend it so that if a person gets an email with a virus from an infected PC, they can at least inform the PC user that they need to upgrade their antivirus software. The “non-stop worms, trojans and viruses” you refer to are a part of the Windows environment, not the Mac.
    11.       “...there is no Mac version of WeatherBug...” Uh, hate to tell you this, but WeatherBug is classified as spyware. Ad-Aware may not identify it as such, but SpyBot Search & Destroy does. It’s free, so you might want to try that on your computer.
    12.       “...my Office 2003 CD would not install...” Of course not. That program is written for Windows. Would you expect to be able to run a Linux program on Windows? I wouldn’t. Yes, Microsoft does make Office 2004 for Mac OS X. It’s just a different piece of software.
    13.       Microsoft has abandoned development of Internet Explorer for Mac because the vast majority of people use either Safari, Netscape or Firefox on the Mac. They never did write a solid version of Explorer for Mac anyway, so it’s probably just as well.
    14.       “...scraping the ceiling of $1,600...” No basis in fact for this claim. I just configured a Mac Mini at the Apple online store with a keyboard, mouse and 17” monitor for $716. Norton Antivirus for Mac (yes, it really does exist) adds $70 to the price, if you’d even want it, for a total of $786. Check your numbers, man!
    15.       “When I consider that a good deal of my time is spent running applications like Disk Defragmenter, Scandisk, Norton AV, Windows Update and Ad-Aware — none of which are available for the Mac...” Uh, okay, first off Norton Antivirus is available for the Mac. True, Norton Antivirus for Windows will not run on the Mac, but that’s because it’s a different program. We don’t need Ad-Aware; spyware is, again, a Windows-only issue. ScanDisk is also a Windows-maintenance program; the Mac has Disk Utility, so it’s in there. The Mac-equivalent of Windows Update is Software Update, and it’s built into the system (automatically checks for updates when an Internet connection is present and prompts you to install them). The only thing I can give you is Disk Defragmenter, for which there is no built-in equivalent. There are third-party utilities such as MicroMat TechTool Pro ($100) to do this, but it’s hardly necessary — in fact, defragmentation is not recommended for Mac OS X because it tends to work fine without it. The biggest value in the Mac in that it requires so little maintenance. The fact that we don’t have to run these programs routinely is a good thing.


 God man, check your facts before you publish. Your article is so full of holes that it looks like Swiss cheese.


 --
 Charles "Chris" Bailey
 Benton Harbor, Michigan



From:       alan.ramos.mccann.com
Subject:     /articles/MacMini2.html
Date:     February 3, 2005 9:42:12 AM PST
To:       jorge.divisiontwo.com

Jorge,

   Thank you for your interesting article at: /articles/MacMini2.html.

 I will from this day forward NEVER consider hiring a person with credentials such as yours coming from DeVry if you are an indication of their ability to instruct or train/place technology workers.  I am left open jawed as you completely fail to see the Mac for what it is- instead you approach it as a typical level one PC tech trying to support a Macintosh.  (not very bright)  Anyway again thank you - for being brave and sticking your neck out by showing such short sighted and ill prepared views.  I needed a good laugh.  :)  CHEERS!

 ___
 Alan Ramos



From:       zentec.hotmail.com
Subject:     Damned funny
Date:     February 3, 2005 9:51:13 AM PST
To:       jorge.divisiontwo.com


Aside from being sucked-in when reading this last night, reading it again made me snort Pepsi on my monitor.

Nice job, Jorge.


From:       danielprieto.nerdshack.com
Subject:    
Date:     February 4, 2005 9:13:58 AM PST
To:       michael.eagan.divisiontwo.com

Hello, Sir.

Respectfully, I would like to state a few points about your latest column.

1. I'm not a terrorist, I don't hate freedom, but I don't agree with G.W. Bush's administration foreign policies.

2. In the other hand, the 'liberal' term would require a little revision:

The word "Liberal", comes from "liberty" which is a synonim with "freedom". The diference between two words is that both have different origin: 'Liberty' comes from the latin (French: 'Liberté', Spanish: 'Libertad') and 'Freedom' has a german origin ('Freiheit').

Classic liberalism is the 'laissez faire, lassez passer' (let do, let pass) docrine that was the core of the late 18th century revolutions like the American and French Revolutions. That was 'freedom' for your founding fathers (and mine also, living in a country product of a similar anti-monarchic revolution).

Claiming that some unique opinion should fill the entire media is a huge step backwards towards absolutism, where there are no individual rights and the ruler's (emperor, king) oppinion is the only valid.

What would happen there is, that if you were the one that thinks different you would be prosecuted, your e-mails read and your house watched....

You would be claiming for 'speech freedom'.

I invite you to use the term 'liberal' with more care when you refer to the people that is different that you, if you claim to love the freedom.

Daniel Prieto


From:       thuner.spray.se
Subject:     Comments & questions.
Date:     February 3, 2005 4:54:29 AM PST
To:       michael.eagan.divisiontwo.com

Hello Michael,

I read your article about liberal media and their obsession with torture (I found it here: divisiontwo.com/articles/nospin1.html).

Some questions came to me.

You wrote:
"Maybe, if Tom Brokaw and Peter Jennings cared more about journalism than promoting their liberal agenda, they could have mentioned to the viewers that the "upsetting" photos they were witnessing were just part of a prison cheerleading show, one of many activities US troops organized to keep the prisoners from getting bored."

The thing is, if there was a cheerleading competition, is it really a good idea to host that kind of activity in a prison? My experience from working as a prison guard is that you do want to have a strictly professional relationship with the prisoners. You do not want to friends with them, especially if you are about to interrogate them. I'm a journalist, aswell as you are, and I would like to make a parallell from my daily work at the newspaper. The hardest part of beeing a journalist at a small paper in a small town is that you get to know the people you're interviewing on a personal level. When I interview the CEO of the largest industy in town I tend to get his personal unofficial opinion rather than his professional official opinion (The CEO I'm talking about is a friend of mine as we share the same hobby, racing radiocontrolled cars). The question that is still to be answered is: wy would US soldiers host a cheerleading competition with prisoners as competitors?


The second question I have is about this:
"The photo on the left shows another distorted misrepresentation by left-wing propagandists.  While Tom Brokaw was quick to call this an incident of "abuse", he could have also balanced it by pointing out L/Cpl Darren Larkin may have simply been utilizing a technique used by chiropractors for centuries to adjust an inmate's posture.  My wife goes to the chiropractor several times a year for spinal adjustments, and I don't mind telling you, American chiropractors charge top dollar for what Larkin is giving away for free here."

I went to a chiropractor some years ago to do some spinal adjustments. I underwent a similar treatment as shown on the picture of L/Cpl Darren Larkin. But my chiropractor didn't have shoes on, she was bare foot. And she also explained to me that this is a very delicate exercise, not to be executed by anyone without the proper training, she specifically used the frase "Don't try this at home kids". My question is: Is L/Cpl Darren Larkin a skilled chiropractor? I haven't seen any comment on whether he is. Because if he ins't a skilled chiropractor I would say that what he is doing in the picture is not a good idea.

My last question is a more persnoal one. You state at the bottom of the page where I found you're article that you are "a premier member of The Promise Keepers": My question is: what is The Promise Keepers? I searched the internet with Google, but the homepage I found wasn't working.

Last but not least I would like to tell you a bit about myself. My name is Gustav Ohlsson. I'm a 24 year old single man born and raised in Sweden. I'm urrently residing in Lund a small town in the south of Sweden where I work at the local newspaper as a journalist and photographer. I stumbled upon your article when my friend sent me the link to Jorge Lopez article about the new Mac mini. I found your article fascinating and I wrote you this mail asking these questions. Now I'm just hoping for an answer from you. I hope you understand what I've written, I know that since english isn't my first language I tend to write it with a touch of swedish.


Regards

/Gustav


From:       rich_wicks.yahoo.com
Subject:     /articles/linuxbeat3.htm
Date:     February 4, 2005 2:08:34 PM PST
To:       bleek.divisiontwo.com

In reference to your article, and in particular to the desktop you setup for
your grandmother shown here:

http://images.mandrakesoft.com/img/screenshots/mdk91-scr2-s.jpg

I would like to know out of curiosity if your grandmother is a goth or a
vampire.

Thank you,

-Rich

From:       UHanna.Entertainment.com
Subject:     is divisiontwo.com real?
Date:     February 5, 2005 3:47:59 PM PST
To:       ty.bennett.divisiontwo.com

I just have to ask, is this website supposed to be serious/genuine news and reporst and opinions ? or is it a site that makes up news articles for humors sake?


This is a serious question.

Thanks
Sam

From:       cechavar.wisc.edu
Subject:     so....
Date:     February 3, 2005 8:35:19 PM PST
To:       bleek.divisiontwo.com

Honestly, I got mad while reading the mini article but gave you another opportunity and read the grandma Linux system.

You're funny just keep them coming.

From:       todd.infoasis.com
Subject:     oil's well that ends well
Date:     February 5, 2005 2:53:41 PM PST
To:       maureen.divisiontwo.com

Maureen,

Very ironic article. Thanks, that's funny and tragic in one article.

/articles/blessoursons.html

Todd


From:       alyce13j.yahoo.com
Subject:     gay baby article
Date:     February 7, 2005 10:08:32 AM PST
To:       maureen.divisiontwo.com

you know... there are people out there who are taking this seriously.
/articles/gaybaby.htm
 good grief. I had to tell you though.  :)
 
Have you received a lot of email on it?  Wondering how many people have been thrown into a state of panic.
 
Was an entertaining piece by the way.
 
~Alyce

From:       jpmcw.comcast.net
Subject:     Great stuff!
Date:     February 4, 2005 10:05:18 AM PST
To:       ty.bennett.divisiontwo.com
   

/articles/appleweek1.html

I found the above site via an unlearned discussion in comp.sys.mac.sys NG, and your writing is terrific!

Each of the three sendoffs has enough subtlety for my tastes, and apparently sends others over the edge of sanity.

Keep up the good work!

How often do you write, and is there an E-mail updater in place?

Best wishes,

John McWilliams

From:       dub.modestdesign.com
Subject:     What is wrong with Division Two?
Date:     February 3, 2005 11:01:18 PM PST
To:       ty.bennett.divisiontwo.com

Ok, Seriously, are you guys a joke site?  If not I must say your article on the G5 powerbook prototype was equally if not MORE retarded and uneducated as Jeorge's article on the Mac Mini.

If its a joke site, funny. If not, you guys need to check yourselves into a program for the mentally retarded.


From:       olliewagner.mac.com
Subject:     Tech columns are lame, go back to a christian point of view!
Date:     February 3, 2005 4:16:44 PM PST
To:       ty.bennett.divisiontwo.com

I miss those good ol' piffanies, Mrs. Ferguson's impervious logic, and Brad's combo of bashing fags' skulls in/giving Dave rimjobs. Please bring back those characters!

Thanks,
Ollie

From:       bsgore.mac.com
Subject:     funny
Date:     February 3, 2005 3:24:04 PM PST
To:       ty.bennett.divisiontwo.com

Dear Ty,

After responding negatively to Jorge's article I should say that i thought your's quite funny. Especially the Fiona stuff.

Keep up the good work,

bill gore

a mac user with a sense of humor.

From:       dbeales.comcast.net
Subject:     My worst fears are realized.
Date:     February 7, 2005 3:47:57 PM PST
To:       maureen.divisiontwo.com

As a person who as driven compact cars all my life ( my current vehicle is a Honda Civic) my worse fear are realized.  Dodging those behemoths of vehicles you called S.U.V. for many years,  it sometimes occurs to me tha humans really do occupy those things.    
 
 
YOU ARE A GREAT WRITER KEEP IT UP.

From:       bimmer98.gol.com
Subject:     Reply
Date:     February 8, 2005 5:49:57 PM PST
To:       maureen.divisiontwo.com

You shouldn't be on the road. A phone in one hand, a coffee in the other and a computer on your lap.
You should put yourself in jail. How in the world can a person drive when your mind should be on the
road ahead 100% of the time. Had you had both hands on the wheel and your eyes on the road, you
would not have done what you did. You should be ashamed to call yourself a 'driver'.


From:       dmcconn1.cpinternet.com
Subject:     The Emperor's New Computer
Date:     February 8, 2005 11:29:55 AM PST
To:       jorge.divisiontwo.com
 

Is your Technology Insider article “Mac Mini: The Emperor's New Computer”
satire, or do you suffer from led poisoning?  I really can’t tell.


From:       tw.xlteam.com
Subject:     mac mini review
Date:     February 8, 2005 10:53:01 AM PST
To:       jorge.divisiontwo.com

Hello,
 
I have read your article/review about the Mac mini, and I must say you got me revved up, at first I believed you were really stupid, but now I realize you are a brilliant comic genius.  Good job, and keep up the good work, I haven't read something that funny in quite a while, and with all the microsoft slams you hid while making it look like you really didn't like the Apple product, you are a great satirical writer...
 
~trey


From:       chris.bryden.gmail.com
Subject:     Re: Mac Mini: The Emperor's New Computer
Date:     February 8, 2005 7:06:50 AM PST
To:       jorge.divisiontwo.com
  

Please take note for all future Mac Evangelizing:

A significant number (a minority none-the-less) of people will
understand your article; however, you must remember, for future
articles, that some (a insignificant majority?) of the people who will
read your articles are Windows XP users on Celeron  processors who
absolutely lack any sense of humor, let alone a conceptual
understanding of the fundamental literary devices used in the The
Emperors New Clothes.


From:       dhayes2.mac.com
Subject:     Mac Mini review
Date:     February 7, 2005 10:42:51 PM PST
To:       jorge.divisiontwo.com
 

Mac Mini Review               Jorge Lopez           Feb. 2005

I found your review quite interesting and thought I should pass along my comments about your review ....

“ Steve Jobs, is well known throughout the industry for possessing a “ reality distortion field “ which makes people cave Apple computers and one-button mice despite their exorbitant price and in the face of all rational logic.”
Steve Jobs is known throughout American industry as be a visionary and his decisions in the last few years indicate that fact. While the music industry scrambled to prevent illegal downloads of music, Jobs created the iTunes website where music fans could legally purchase high quality music for just 99 cents a song. With over 250 million downloads since it’s inception no one can argue with it’ success, not even you.


“ the new mini is “smaller than most packs of gum” and weighs “less than four quarters “.”
This quote from your review shows that you are an idiot. The description you quoted was for Apple’s new iPod Shuffle, a flash based MP3 player that is in fact smaller than a pack of gum and weighs less than an ounce. The mini was never described as you quoted. You owe Apple an apology for your inaccurate quote. Let’s see if you have enough integrity to do so.

“ As for the style of the unit, it’s alright.”
Obviously from your comments you wouldn’t know style if it popped up and bit you in the behind. As far as the lack of parallel ports, serial pots and PS/2 ports,
Apple has NEVER shipped a computer with parallel ports and the USB standard has taken over the industry as the communications standard for peripherals. Maybe you missed the news on that.

“ and no floppy drives “
I guess you also missed the memo on the demise of the floppy drive. Even our friends at Dell have proclaimed that the floppy drive. With the advent of CD burners, USB flash drives and external drives files can be backed up and transferred to other computers without the limited use of a floppy drive. I would have thought that a self proclaimed “technology insider “ would know this. I guess not.

“ No keyboard or mouse either “
Yes ... as Steve Jobs announced at the keynote ( maybe you stepped away to get coffee ) introduced the product so that Windows users switching to Mac could use their existing USB mouse and keyboard and displays and not have to purchase new ones. By the way, was Kayla’s Daddy stupid enough to think that a keyboard could fit in a box the size of a Min Mac ? Or was her Daddy too stupid to read the side of the packaging ?

“ with the added benefit of running Windows XP “
If you truly believe this is a benefit than the jury is back .... you are an idiot .
What exactly is the benefit ? Perhaps the 40,000 or so worms and viruses ? Is that the benefit ? Or is it the constant crashing of Windows ? Is that it ?

“ during normal operation the unit makes no sound whatsoever “
Earth to Mr. Lopez .... computers don’t have to make noises when they are running. In fact, except for maybe you, most people don’t want their machines to make noises, they just want them to work. There are some applications, like studio recording, where no noise is REQUIRED.

“ uses a weird kind of display connector on the back that requires a special adaptor if you want to plug it into a PC monitor. “
That “weird kind of display connector “ is called a DVI connector. The DVi connector was designed by the VESA working group. VESA stand s for the Video Electronics Standards Association. The members of VESA include all the computer manufacturers and display manufacturers. DVi is a standard in the industry, even though you obviously don’t know that fact. By the way, that special adaptor comes with every Mac Mini.

“ a stripped down operating system “
Once again, you show your ignorance.

“ frustration for someone who might accidentally buy a Mini expecting it to be just like Windows “
Only an idiot would purchase the Mac Mini with that expectation. Actually people are buying because they know it’s not Windows. Was this your expectation ?
By the way, Apple Mail opens attachments without user intervetion. What the hell are you talking about ?

“ to keep track of my passwords “
I guess you didn’t take the time to open KeyChain, which is the built in application in the OSX operating system to help users keep track of their passwords.

“ My Office 2003 would not install “
That’s right Einstein, Office 2003, which was written for Windows won’t load onto the Mini or any other Mac. It was written for the Windows operating system and not for the Mac OSX. Memo to Einstein .... buy Microsoft Office for the Mac which is written by Microsoft and it will run “ Office “.

“ it’s buried in the C:applications folder “
There is no such thing as a “C” drive in Macintosh. Never was. Internet Explorer is found in the following location :  
        Macintosh HD/ Applications X folder/ Internet Explorer.

“ by using cheap Asian child labor “
Do you know this as a fact ? Or are you just making this bullshit up?


I’m not even going to comment on the rest of your bullshit. I have sent a copy of this to Apple’s Legal Department. They can take whatever legal action they may choose.

It’s obvious to me that you are making up this nonsense to raise the hackles of Mac users or perhaps you are just a fucking idiot. Let the reader decide.

One thing I can conclude ... you don’t know jack shit about technology and certainly even less about computers.

The web has enough crap on it already without you introducing more crap to the web.

From:       mikescafide.fastermac.net
Subject:     Great Piece of Satire
Date:     February 7, 2005 7:28:26 PM PST
To:       jorge.divisiontwo.com

Your Mac mini review was a great read. I was baffled for a while reading it before coming to the conclusion that it was satirical in nature. Such glaringly ignorant remarks I am sure will fire up the less keen Zealots, and I am sure you will receive some very hilarious mail! However, if I am incorrect and you truly are that computer illiterate, maybe you should go to China and build PC's for Dell, cause that's where EVERYONE has their PC's built now a days... (Excluding Apple's huge factory in IRELAND)


From:       skimully.bresnan.net
Subject:    
Date:     February 7, 2005 7:17:38 PM PST
To:       maureen.divisiontwo.com

Dear Maureen,
Right on toots!  Your attitude is what makes America the greatest God Damned country in a world of pipsqueaks!
Maybe we could just ship all these ungodly, mini car drivers off to some Gulag and be done with it......."The Final Solution."
Clean up those lefty, elitist, pointy headed denizens of the blue states so the right kind of people won't be inconvenienced
 anymore!
Good luck on your crusade!
Wally Ballou


From:       chimchimliverlips.yahoo.com
Subject:     I think you need help..... really.
Date:     February 7, 2005 7:14:12 PM PST
To:       maureen.divisiontwo.com

The reason you drove over that little focus, is because you were on the phone, drinking your latte, AND writing in your palm pilot, paying NO attention to what SHOULD be your number one concern, Driving. YOU are the hazard out there,  thinking that you own the road, and that everyone should mold to you. I've had a Durango, I know the benefits of a bigger vehicle, but god, how arrogant of you. Knowing you have a child and you say, "we don't even need seat belts", if I was your child, even at 6-7 years old, I would be smart enough to RUN LIKE HELL if you ever suggest I get in a vehicle with you. One day, probably soon, you will be talking on your phone, writing in your palm pilot, eating your lunch, drinking your coffee and probably kill an entire family, all because you are an absolute bastard of a person. Please for the sake of all beings with a license, write where you  live on your little site, so we all know to avoid it at all costs. You act as though you are some injured party when the accident was completely your own fault, and you drove away from it, leaving another human being probably injured, confused, and wronged. I have a label for you, BITCH.
Disgusted,
K. Allison
Davison, Mi.


From:       rik_gibson.hotmail.com
Subject:     Mac Mini review
Date:     February 7, 2005 4:45:47 PM PST
To:       jorge.divisiontwo.com

Funniest thing I've read in ages.

An American with a grasp of irony is like a dog that sings - very rare indeed.

Nice one.


From:       mlancer.mac.com
Subject:     Your review of the Mac Mini
Date:     February 7, 2005 9:03:47 AM PST
To:       jorge.divisiontwo.com

I just read your review of the Mac Mini and have one question... are you always this narrow minded? Your review is so PC biased it is unbearable.

1. No parallel port? Are you still living in the Dark Ages and not heard of USB?
2. No serial ports? Again USB is now commonplace.
3. "Weird kind of display connector"? Have you heard of DVI?
4. "Stripped down operating system"? Have you ever heard of Unix?
5. "Secondly and possibly even more glaringly, there is no antivirus program shipped with the Mac. " This is true but I might remind you of the 600,000 viruses that you on your WinXP system have to contend with and not the less than 500 viruses that Mac users have to face.
6. "There is no Mac version of WeatherBug" I'm glad there isn't, the program is spyware.
7. "Nor is there a Mac version of helpful web and email enhancers like Hotbar." Again, more spyware.
8. "My Office 2003 CD would not install." Did you read the system requirements on the box? I guess you expect a Ford part to fit in a Chevy vehicle as well.
9. "By using cheap Asian child labor to assemble the units." Now you're just being stupid.
10. "$499 sounds like a decent price at first, but consumers need to be aware that once they add on the basics like a keyboard, monitor and mouse, plus shell out for some antivirus software, the Mac mini price is scraping the ceiling of $1600" Where do you get your computer equipment from? the Government?

Sir, I hope this review was a joke. Someone that is a DeVry graduate and has a MSCE certification I would assume has a higher IQ than what you display in this review. If this review was an honest review on your part, then I suggest you do more research and have an open mind when it comes to doing another review.

Ariel Garza
Mac/Windows/Linux user


From:       peter.harris.mac.com
Subject:     Your reviews
Date:     February 7, 2005 2:07:41 AM PST
To:       jorge.divisiontwo.com
Cc:       d2mailbag.divisiontwo.com

Dear Jorge,

I really liked your "review" of the Mac Mini. What a riot! It was a perfect parody! The character you created--  the MS tech who can't tell an MP3 player from a computer-- is absolutely hysterically funny! He is the perfect Windows idiot, right down to the fact that he thinks the Mac OS is a MIcroSoft product. I really got a laugh when he complained that he couldn't install WIndows service packs on the Mac!! What a hoot!!! I mean, this character is absolutely perfect! Did you base him on someone whom you know personally, or is he a pastiche of various sub-moronic geek types you have known?

Keep up the good work-- you've got 'em rolling in the aisles.


Peter Harris


From:       eric.olsson.gmail.com
Subject:     Mac mini article
Date:     February 7, 2005 2:00:24 AM PST
To:       jorge.divisiontwo.com

Hi Jorge,

Had to read it three times before I got it - best laugh I've had in a while. Well done!

Eric
--

****************
Eric Olsson


From:       nglusty.arcor.de
Subject:     God Bless Our Brave Sons
Date:     February 7, 2005 1:00:39 AM PST
To:       maureen.divisiontwo.com

Dear Mrs Jambor,

I was sorry to hear about the Daniel´s death. It is fortunately an experience that my family has not had to experience since the Second World War.  Many of out British soldiers have also lost their lives although, thank God, they have an easier area of Iraq to patrol than your compatriots. 

I too (unlike the majority of my country) have supported my government´s stance in the war, and I still believe as strongly as you do that if we put in the necessary resources, we can make a lasting peace that will be of benefit to the Iraqi people.

However I think your point about low gas prices and large vehicles is misdirected. Do we really want our children to suffer in a world where we have destroyed the planet through our excessive production of greenhouse gasses? Is it responsible to keep on poluting the atmosphere just to show that we won´t "give in to foreign tyranny"? Is this not to cut off our noses to spite our face? I respect President Bush´s honesty in not revoking the Kyoto Protocol - Only a handful of countries that have signed will come anywhere near meeting their obligations and at least your President is honest about this. But that is not to say that we should not try. We, as mature democratic nations, have a responsibility to try a little to make the world as a whole, and not just those parts where we have economic interests, a better place.

Yours sincerely

Nicholas Lusty
British Citizen living in Germany


From:       mwillson.pcinetworks.net
Subject:     Regarding your idiotic Review on the mac mini...
Date:     February 5, 2005 8:47:13 PM PST
To:       jorge.divisiontwo.com


/articles/MacMini2.html

Hello,

I’d just like to comment on the rather stupid review you did on the new mini Mac..

While I myself am not a Mac man, your review is utter garbage and it makes you sound like you are a 7th grader fresh off irc..


First off

“...I could get a Mac mini computer for $499 and have no keyboard or mouse, no serial ports, no way to connect a printer, no PS/2 ports, no floppy drive, no

 5.25" bays, no PCI slots, no speakers, and no Windows XP...”
 

You would not buy a god damn Macintosh to use windows xp on it…so that statement is trash. “No way to connect to a printer” is wrong, that’s what USB ports are for slick…It’s replacing parallel ports as we know it… And of Course Mac’s don’t have goddamn PS/2 ports, that’s PC terms. USB is standardized for keyboard/mice. And since were on the subject of USB, I bet you’re going to say “well there’s only X amount of ports. Each USB controller can support up to 127 devices…but you should know that being an MCSE and all..
 

“It turns out the Mini uses a weird kind of display connector on the back that requires a special adapter if you want to plug it into a PC monitor.  We used a 15” Compaq VGA display.”
 

It’s called a DVI input port, all MACS, SUN systems, and others will be only using this in the future…
 

“The Mini boots up into a stripped-down operating system which Apple calls OS X, similar to the stripped-down WindowsCE OS”

You  gotta be shitting me on that statement man. OS X is based of BSD kernel and architecture, no way relating to homofied WINDOWS CE
 

“.  For example, there is no Outlook Express for email, but Apple includes a program called Mail, which is like a stripped-down email client that can’t execute scripts or open attachments without user intervention.”

AHAHAH, you god damn retard, that is a great security feature.
 

“  Secondly and possibly even more glaringly, there is no antivirus program shipped with the Mac””

once again…the structure of the OS is much more secure than windows will ever be, and the viruses will never damage as many Macs as windows does..


“but essentials such as a defragmenter or a registry cleaner are notably absent.  I would expect a Mini to get really slow and unstable within a couple months if you can’t perform any routine maintenance tasks on it.” When I consider that a good deal of my time is spent running applications like Disk Defragmenter, Scandisk, Norton AV, Windows Update and Ad-Aware--none of which are available for the Mac platform”

My favorite part of your whole newbie review.

 First off, MAC OS X  doesn’t have a retarded ‘registry’ like M$ windows does, nor does it have a ‘defragmenter’  its called FSCK … based off of UNIX application of filesystem cleaner…

 By the way, if you spend most of your time running “disk defagmenter”. Scandisk, ad-aware , which is garbage compared to spybot-sd, and system resource hog NORTON AV, you ever stop and consider you wasted your money? I’m quite sure MCSE’s have better things to do than the average user is capable of doing…

Next time you want to write a review, stick to your homofied windows environment, with all of its retarded programs, its non compliant outdated browser, and wonderful target for viruses, worms, Trojans, and retards such as yourself.

 

Matt Willson

A+

 PCI Networks Admin / FreeBSD / Win2k/XP/ Mac OS X Administrator


From:       mack520.mac.com
Subject:     mac mini review
Date:     February 5, 2005 8:24:46 PM PST
To:       jorge.divisiontwo.com
Cc:       mack520.mac.com

    I thought this was a real tour de force.


From:       clodhopper06.comcast.net
Subject:     Mac Mini article
Date:     February 5, 2005 8:09:55 PM PST
To:       jorge.divisiontwo.com

I have just read your article about the new Mac Mini from Apple and had a few comments regarding it.

 

First, “Smaller than a pack of gum” is an advertising campaign for the new iPod Shuffle, not the Mac Mini. The iPod Shuffle is smaller than a pack of gum and it also weighs less than four quarters.

 

Second, parallel ports have been obsolete for years. You can’t find a printer that connects via parallel port nowadays-they are all USB. Same with serial ports-what are they even used for now? Everything is USB. PCI slots are completely useless for the target audience for this computer. Anything that would be needed to be added via PCI is already available in the Mac Mini including Bluetooth, wireless connectivity, and Ethernet.

 

Third, the reason why Apple does not include a keyboard, monitor, or mouse is because they figure that people buying the Mini already have these components from their previous PC. Also, Emachines are low quality, bottom of the line PCs while Apple manufactures high-quality, top of the line machines.

 

Fourth, I do not see why the Mac Mini being quiet is such an issue. Quiet is good! Who wants a loud computer?

 

Fifth, OSX is hardly a “Stripped down OS.” The Mac Mini includes iLife-a suite of programs meant to include programs to do everything that was possible on a windows pc.

 

Regarding the Mail program-it is sufficient. If you don’t like it, download another email client. Who uses Outlook express anyway…it is full of holes and vulnerabilities.

 

Also, Macs are not vulnerable to viruses, Trojans, spyware, etc. No one develops such malicious programs for the Mac. There have only been a handful of viruses created for the Mac in the past, all of which were completely unsuccessful. Thus, there is no need to include antivirus and antispyware programs…..Windows XP doesn’t even ship with these programs….and it is the most vulnerable OS. Also, Macs do not have a registry….so there is nothing to ‘scan.’

 

Also, everyone knows that Mac is not a gaming OS. Clearly you have to keep a windows machine around to do gaming. No big deal. Weatherbug type features can be accessed through small programs called widgets in Mac OSX. These have all of the info you will ever need like weather, stock quotes, movie times, calendar, etc. Also, Hotbar and DealHelper are both spyware-plagued pieces of software that are useless and fraudulent. They are the cause of your spyware and spam emails. Also, you are dumb to try and use your Office disk to install Microsoft Office onto OSX. Microsoft made a version for OSX….but you have to BUY IT!

 

Overall, you probably should have done some longer-term testing and research before you wrote such a narrow-minded and ignorant article. I would suggest you pull it from your website, as it contains misinformation.

From:       dan.danvine.com
Subject:     This is the emperor speaking.
Date:     February 5, 2005 7:53:41 PM PST
To:       jorge.divisiontwo.com

>>
If you believe Apple’s marketing department, the new Mini is “smaller than most packs of gum” and weighs “less than four quarters”.
<<

This is clearly apple discussing the iPod shuffle. Not the mac mini, both were unveiled the same day.

>>
But since its sleek look comes at the expense of the parallel port, serial ports, the PS/2 ports and the drive bays, potential Mac mini buyers should ask themselves just how much utility they’re willing to sacrifice for style.
<<

Parallel, PS/2 are old technology. What modern device can you think of that relies on these? Now how many of them have a USB version?

>>
 And no floppy disk drive?
<<

What? Who on earth needs a floppy drive? Dell doesn't even ship their machines with them by default!

>>
no way to connect a printer, no PS/2 ports, no floppy drive, no 5.25" bays, no PCI slots, no speakers, and no Windows XP...
<<

USB printers work wonders, USB keyboards and mice work fine. PCI slots? For what? Windows XP.. ok, you have a point. But did I mention that it doesn't ship with MASSIVE security holes?

>>
during normal operation the unit makes no sound whatsoever.
<<

I love being drowned out by the whir of PC computer parts and fans, the white noise is just so tranquil.

>>
In fact, it took our techs about fifteen minutes before we realized the unit itself was operating normally and it was the monitor that was not plugged in properly.
<<

Hate to say it, but get some more thorough techs.

>>
 It turns out the Mini uses a weird kind of display connector on the back that requires a special adapter if you want to plug it into a PC monitor.
<<

By "weird", you must mean DVI. Which is the new standard for most any high end video device.

>>
 The Mini boots up into a stripped-down operating system which Apple calls OS X
>>

You must have meant "not bloated"

>>
Apple includes a program called Mail, which is like a stripped-down email client that can’t execute scripts or open attachments without user intervention.
<<

I'd venture to say that the majority of scripts executed from within outlook express were unwelcome. For instance, the "iloveyou" virus?

>>
Secondly and possibly even more glaringly, there is no antivirus program shipped with the Mac.  In today’s climate of non-stop worms, trojans and viruses, releasing a computer with no virus removal software is irresponsible on the part of Apple.
<<

Does Microsoft ship virus removal and antivirus software with their OS?

>>
The OS X comes with some system maintenance utilities, but essentials such as a defragmenter or a registry cleaner are notably absent.
<<

A) It defragments its self.
B) OSX DOES NOT RELY ON A REGISTRY!

>>
There is no Mac version of WeatherBug to check the temperature anywhere in the world.
<<

Try weather.com and not a resource hog of a near adware product.

>>
Nor is there a Mac version of helpful web and email enhancers like Hotbar.
<<

You seriously use hotbar?

>>
Or any equivalent of the DealHelper software I use to keep track of my passwords.
<<

It is called "keychain" and it ships with OSX.

>>
My Office 2003 CD would not install, despite claims I had heard from Mac fanboys that OS X is compatible with Office.
<<

http://www.microsoft.com/mac/

>>
Poor standards compliance: Apple's Safari web browser often fails to render MSN properly.
<<

Who's standards? Microsofts? Are you surprised that Microsoft's page loads properly in IE? What about the rest of the web?

>>
When I consider that a good deal of my time is spent running applications like Disk Defragmenter, Scandisk, Norton AV, Windows Update and Ad-Aware--none of which are available for the Mac platform--it doesn't make sense for me to "switch" to a Mac at this time.
<<

Are you serious? OSX is entirely independent of WindowsXP. You don't need to defrag your disks, it is done on the fly. Disk Utilities is the OSX alternative to Scandisk, Norton AV has an equivalent for OSX but I haven't found a need for it in the past  4 years. Windows Update? Seriously? Ad-Aware. I have never, in all my life seen an adware application on any of my macs. Heck, www.danvine.com/icapture/, I have loaded 1.2Million+ URLS submitted by random users from all over the world. I have never had to rebuild a single one of the machines running  that site.

Next time you write a "review" take some time and learn about what you are reviewing.

Daniel Vine


From:       vermithraax.yahoo.com
Subject:     mac mini
Date:     February 5, 2005 7:09:34 PM PST
To:       jorge.divisiontwo.com

That was hilarious. Sarcasm must definately be your
strong point. Your like the journalist of the year.
Don't stop writing man, unless it's on a pc. Then you
might have to stop and reinstall Windows. lol. your good.


From:       epaulsen.mac.com
Subject:     Is This a Joke?
Date:     February 5, 2005 7:06:10 PM PST
To:       jorge.divisiontwo.com

Please tell me "Mac Mini: The Emperor's New Computer" was a tongue and cheek review and that you're not just a complete ass. YOU DON'T NEED Disk Defragmenter, Scandisk, Norton AV, Windows Update and Ad-Aware--on the Mac platform. It just works without it. Rather than have a Windows computer use you, you might actually get to use the Mac to do something useful.


From:       zealgroup.wgn.net
Subject:     Mac Mini: The Emperor's New Computer
Date:     February 5, 2005 6:48:06 PM PST
To:       d2mailbag.divisiontwo.com

I do hope your article on the Mac mini was intended to be a joke. The sheer number of mistakes made in the article in so many areas shows a tremendous lack of knowledge about the product being reviewed and computers in general. I'm lead to believe this article could not be anything other than a joke, I hope.

Example No virus protection included with the Mac Mini.  There are no known viruses or worms that  effective Mac OS X (no need to include protection at this point).  There is no need to spend 15 or 20 minutes a day fighting viruses or worms.

My office 2003 CD would not work with the Mac Mini, it is unbelievable this  is your top reviewer, attempting to install a windows CD on the Mac.

The Mac uses office 2004, which is fully compatible.

I have included a link  http://www.anandtech.com/mac/  to a three part serious review on the Mac comparing it to Windows, it is in depth and thorough, maybe you can learn something.


Dwight James


From:       helios.maniac66.idps.co.uk
Subject:     please, can you get your facts right?
Date:     February 5, 2005 6:12:35 PM PST
To:       jorge.divisiontwo.com

So much of your article on the Mac Mini is false.

Please take the time to read what I have to say, I spent my time to read your article, its seems some how fair.

"a stripped down operating system which Apples calls OSX"?

I think you'll find its a fully featured operating system and is no different to any other Mac system. Apple only make 2 operating system, OSX and OSX Server.
And the various point versions, 10.1, 10.2, 10.3 and soon 10.4
They are released about every year and each huge improvements between them, not just fixes.

You seem fixated on disk de-fragmentation, yet you don't understand how unimportant that is on a HFS+ Extended file system is, nor that the OS routinely de-fragments often accessed files under a certain size and moves them to the 'HOT' area of the disk that spins faster.
Nor that the rate at which disks spin now coupled with the file system means fragmentation is a non issue, and that the system intelligently allocates files to begin with oposed to the first come first server basis that windows file systems use causing huge fragmentation from day 1.

I almost died when you said it doesn't have: "Scandisk, Norton AV, Windows Update and Ad-Aware"
It does not have these programs because it would never ever need them?
OSX repairs the disk  on boot if it was improperly restarted, it does not prompt you about it.
It  can also be ran manually, though disk errors happen so rarely, if ever.
Ad-Aware, macs cannot get infected my ad-ware spyware or viruses PERIOD. I think its very important you understand this is because of the systems security and sensibility, the closest thing to a virus on OSX was marketing crap blown out of proportion my a anti-virus company, it wasn't a virus and relied on a gullible user and was no more a virus than making an app and changing its name and icon to trick a user to opening it... and, no cases were reported of this ever existing in the wild, let alone causing harm.
Don't you think its absurd you spend so much time using these fixing applications?

Windows Update? your just being silly, of course you cant run Windows update on a MAC, as it does not run Windows for reasons obviously passing your understanding. And you often spend time updating Windows do you... I can see now, you just want a computer to de-frag it and run Windows Updates... Apple are missing a big market I fear.

Mail is bad? because it doesn't automatically open things like 'viruses' and run scripts like 'erase your HD' .... yes, I wish Mail did those things. Personally, opening an attachment by clicking it never troubled me.

No Floppy Drive? the last time I needed a floppy disk was a decade ago, everyone is using memory sticks, dvd-rw's cd-rw's and the internet to move files now.

No app called 'WeatherBug' have you thought perhaps these programs all exist but are made by different companies and under different names?
There are apps of all the ones you mention on mac, and often built in to the system.

Your Office CD didn't work, because you have a PC copy of Office, you buy a program and only under very rare conditions would that include a license for both Mac and PC.

Where does child labor all of a sudden come into it?, do you have any factual evidence on this? or are you trying to score points relying on the fact that most of your readers are gullible idiots who believe everything they read?

If you just said it was too expensive, that it couldn't run ALL the same games as PC and that it couldn't read floppies, then I would have nothing to complain, but too much of your article is complete bullshit and misinformation.

Yes a bag of chips with an eMachine, loudly humming in the corner of the room really does seem like the better deal doesn't it? if you were a complete tramp maybe.


From:       man.monsterfreecity.com
Subject:     you had me fooled
Date:     February 5, 2005 4:39:18 PM PST
To:       jorge.divisiontwo.com

i almost believed someone could be so dim-witted as to not be able to distinguish between the Mac Mini and the iPod Shuffle! trident! guffaw!

man, i love satire where the author makes himself out to be such an unwitting jackass. so thanks!

cheers,
thom

ps, the devry thing was a hilarious add-on. the sexless losers who actually went there are gonna flame ya, buddy! but you knew that.


From:       ryan.parks.gmail.com
Subject:     Your Mac Mini Review
Date:     February 5, 2005 2:09:42 PM PST
To:       jorge.divisiontwo.com


/articles/MacMini2.html

Was absolutely the most biased piece of garbage I have ever seen; you
leave all of your claims completely unjustified.

How did you determine the Mac Mini was exactly the same as a ten
year-old computer? Did you even have a computer that long ago? It
doesn't sound like it.

And where exactly, since I can't find it anywhere on Apple's website,
does it say  the Mac Mini is "smaller than most packs of gum" and
weighs "less than four quarters"? What I found was "Just 6.5 inches
square and 2 inches tall" and "weighs just 2.9 pounds". Right on the
Mac Mini page (http://www.apple.com/macmini/)! Wow, can you not read?

Apple clearly shows that you must purchase your own keyboard, mouse,
and monitor separately, but once again you take a cheap shot at Apple
rather than paying attention.
Oh, and are you complaining about the Mac Mini's silent operation? I
couldn't tell if I want my computer to sound like a fucking jet taking
off, or if I just want it to run quietly. And the "weird kind of
display connector" the Mac Mini uses: a DVI connector for LCD
monitors; and they also include a VGA adapter. Did it really take you
and your "techs" fifteen minutes to figure this out? Have you not
plugged a monitor in for a while?

How exactly is OS X "stripped down"? It does more out of the box than
Windows XP. Is that it? And OS X can't run "a machine to get any
serious work done"? Really? So I guess that's why the US government
now recommends OS X to all its agencies over Windows; or why WETA
Digital (who did the special effects for Lord of the Rings) or Pixar
use thousands of Macs, not only for design, but for rendering farms
too. Silly me.

And what about Mail, "which is like a stripped-down email client that
can't execute scripts or open attachments without user intervention."
So let me get this straight, the user has to authorize a script to run
anything, or decide to open an attachment? Is this why Macs don't have
over 2000 active viruses currently circulating purely by e-mail?
Amazing! "...releasing a computer with no virus removal software is
irresponsible on the part of Apple." I looked through Windows XP
Home's page (http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/home/default.mspx) and
oddly enough found no mention of any anti-virus program that ships
with it. "...essentials such as a defragmenter or a registry cleaner
are notably absent." Hold on, OS X doesn't need a defragmenter, it's
file system automatically prevents file fragmentation; and OS X
doesn't even have a registry. That's not how it works.

"My Office 2003 CD would not install, despite claims I had heard from
Mac fanboys that OS X is compatible with Office." Yes obviously your
Windows-only Office software wouldn't run on a Mac. The programs
compile differently. Hold on, once again right on Apple's website I
found it and you didn't:
(http://www.apple.com/macosx/applications/office/) And Internet
Explorer is "buried" because Microsoft stopped IE development on the
Mac back in 5.2 (that means version 5.2, I'm not sure you would get
that; we're on 6.0.29 SP2 right now). And what about Safari's "Poor
standards compliance"? It's actually MSN's page that isn't standards
compliant.

How about: "add on the basics like a keyboard, monitor and mouse, plus
shell out for some antivirus software, the Mac mini price is scraping
the ceiling of $1600." Let's see, I have a keyboard and a monitor
sitting out in the garage, so I guess I can go buy a $25 mouse at
CompUSA and I'd be set. So $499 + $25...not quite $1600, right?

Finally, why exactly is "a good deal of [your] time...spent running
applications like Disk Defragmenter, Scandisk, Norton AV, Windows
Update and Ad-Aware"? Is it because Windows inefficiently stores
files, and furthermore unreliably stores them, is susceptible to
viruses, is constantly exposed to new viruses, and then gets more
spyware than you can take off yourself?

But wait you're a DeVry graduate with an MCSE certification! Well,
DeVry, I can't compete with that; I guess a graduate student at MIT is
just a clueless Apple fanboy, right? I probably know more about
Windows, Linus, *NIX, and OS X than you'll ever know, so do me a favor
and don't publish this trash as a "review" ever again.   


From:       dlvl.pacbell.net
Subject:     Mac mini Review
Date:     February 5, 2005 1:08:52 PM PST
To:       jorge.divisiontwo.com

I have used PCs and Apple computers since the 1980s and your review of the Mac Mini left me speechless by its obvious lack of any real research into a computer system you so obviously know nothing about.

You may be MCSE certified and a real techno wizard with PC computers, but you you just showed an appalling lack of of knowledge in the most basic concepts of different operating systems in your review of the Mac Mini. Before tearing down a product that you clearly have taken no time to learn anything about why don't you get a clue and ask someone who knows something about how to use a Mac computer.

You clearly don't know one thing about Apple's OS X and how it works or you wouldn't have said some of the clueless things you did, such as this gem of stupidity;

"When I consider that a good deal of my time is spent running applications like Disk Defragmenter, Scandisk, Norton AV, Windows Update and Ad-Aware--none of which are available for the Mac platform"

The above statement is exactly why I use a Mac and not Microsoft's OS, I want to actually use a computer for its intended purpose not spend all my time maintaining a very flawed OS. Mac users don't need to waste their time with such utility programs that aren't needed with with its operating system.

Don't even get me started on Internet Explorer. Mac users use "Safari" a much better browser than Internet Explorer. 

D Lauritzen

From:       visualecho.mac.com
Subject:     You are the worlds DUMBEST person alive...
Date:     February 5, 2005 11:42:40 AM PST
To:       jorge.divisiontwo.com

Are you a complete moron? I am no MacAddict, but PLEASE get your facts straight before you write such an article.
"If you believe Apple’s marketing department, the new Mini is “smaller than most packs of gum” and weighs “less than four quarters”". This quote is for THE iPOD SHUFFLE!!!
Check it out:
http://www.apple.com/ipodshuffle/

"Oh, did I forget to mention that the Mini has no PCI slots either?  And no floppy disk drive?"  -

Macs have not used floppy drives since 1998. They are a DEAD medium. Use a thumb drive, or an iPod Shuffle. Welcome to 2005.

"during normal operation the unit makes no sound whatsoever.  This could make it very difficult for a novice user to know whether or not the computer is on.  In fact, it took our techs about fifteen minutes before we realized the unit itself was operating normally and it was the monitor that was not plugged in properly.  It turns out the Mini uses a weird kind of display connector on the back that requires a special adapter if you want to plug it into a PC monitor.  We used a 15” Compaq VGA display."

Are you serious? that "wierd" display connector is called DVI, Digital Video Interface. Again, welcome to 2005. And about the mini not making any noise, that's the point. It's not supposed to. It's called quiet. That's how most macs run, quiet.

Another thing, there is nothing called a PC monitor. It's either VGA or DVI, Macs and PCs BOTH use these interfaces.

"The Mini boots up into a stripped-down operating system which Apple calls OS X, similar to the stripped-down WindowsCE OS found on many handhelds.  The mini OS is going to be a significant hurdle for many buyers who are used to Windows or have favorite Windows software packages they need to use.  Think of it more as a first computer for your daughter or niece than as a machine to get any serious work done and you’ll get the point of the Mini and its target market.  It might also be the perfect computer for grandmothers or autistic children, for example."

????? Stripped down OS? What can Windows do that OS X can't, besides get riddled with viruses, ad-ware, and spy-ware?

If it's OS is so weak, then why are Macs still the prefered platform in Hollywood and the music industry? They are the standard in these industries.

OS X is very intuitive, making it easier to use by everyone. It's not bloat-ware. And how does Safari improperly render MSN?

To see how much industry support the Mac platform has these days, I did a google to see if there were Mac versions of any of my favorite applications; unfortunately I ended up disappointed every time.  There are very few first-person shooters for OSX. 

There are several first-person shooters for the Mac. In fact, Halo started out as a Mac ONLY first-person shooter until Microsoft bought Bungie.

"There is no Mac version of WeatherBug to check the temperature anywhere in the world.  Nor is there a Mac version of helpful web and email enhancers like Hotbar. Or any equivalent of the DealHelper software I use to keep track of my passwords."
 
There are also SEVERAL weather programs for OS X. Weatherbug is spy-ware, and is not needed on the Mac. Ditto for Hotbar and Dealhelper.
 
"My Office 2003 CD would not install, despite claims I had heard from Mac fanboys that OS X is compatible with Office. "

Office 2003 will not run on a Mac. Office 2004 DOES!!!! Office 2003 is A WINDOWS PROGRAM. Office 2004  IS A MAC PROGRAM.

"Heck, the Internet Explorer icon isn’t even out on the taskbar by default, it’s buried in the c:\applications folder."

First of all it's called the Dock, NOT taskbar. And Internet Explorer has not been updated by Microsoft in over two years. Thus, all security holes and bugs have not been, and will not be fixed by our buddies in Redmond. It also runs much slower that Safari.

"So is the mini a maxi value?  For me, clearly, no.  When I consider that a good deal of my time is spent running applications like Disk Defragmenter, Scandisk, Norton AV, Windows Update and Ad-Aware--none of which are available for the Mac platform--it doesn't make sense for me to "switch" to a Mac at this time."

Who WANTS to run these "applications"? These are things that are not needed on the Mac platform. There is NO VIRUSES, AD-WARE, OR SPY-WARE. Plus defragmenting your hard drive is very bad for it. It also decreases the life-span of it as well. The way Unix & OS X work, they don't ever need the hard drives to be defragmented. Again, getting more life out of your computer.

I can run OS X on a 300mhz G3 processor, let's see you run XP on a Pentium 3 500mhz processor.

Next time, check your facts before you decide to write another article. On second thought, find a new hobby. Because you suck at this one.

Joe Burkel
Macintosh Administrator / Graphics Communications / Computer Art /
Video Productions Instructor / Production & Printing


From:       rogermercer.mac.com
Subject:     Wonderful review
Date:     February 5, 2005 11:01:04 AM PST
To:       jorge.divisiontwo.com

Dear Jorge,

Your review of the Mac mini was wonderful, hilarious and awesome.  I couldn't stop laughing. I admit I was half way through before I caught on, but the kicker about Adware at the bottom just sent me into uncontrolled hilarity.


Roger Mercer


From:       machelpdesk.comcast.net
Subject:     RE: Mac Mini: The Emperor's New Computer
Date:     February 5, 2005 10:20:13 AM PST
To:       jorge.divisiontwo.com


How I love a good spoof like this one. But you really should have footnoted that it was a spoof, for those out there with the IQ of a plant.


--
Dru Richman
CEO, CTO, Mac Help Desk, Inc.

From:       jda.his.com
Subject:     Terrific article
Date:     February 5, 2005 9:53:21 AM PST
To:       jorge.divisiontwo.com

Hi,

When I started to read the Mac Mini review I thought it was just another moronic Windows-user review of the Mac. Then I began to get it. By the end I thought it was the funniest send-up of this type of review (far too common in the shallow end of the journalistic pool) I've read.

Jon




From:       shawn.yourmaclife.com

Subject:     Mac Mini:  The Emperor's New Computer
Date:     February 5, 2005 9:46:41 AM PST
To:       jorge.divisiontwo.com

LMAO Freaking brilliant.

My name is Shawn King and I am the Host and Executive Producer of the most
popular Macintosh-focused Broadcast on the Internet.

It's called Your Mac Life and our web site is http://www.yourmaclife.com
where you can listen to archives of past shows. The show is live on
Wednesday evenings at 5:30pm Pacific, 8:30pm Eastern.

Can we interview "Jorge Lopez" about the "review"? We can do it straight or
tell folks the truth. :)

I can be reached at this email address or by phone at [deleted] if you'd
like to discuss it. I look forward to hearing from you at your convenience.

--
Shawn King


From:       havard.houen.broadpark.no
Subject:     Macmini review.
Date:     February 5, 2005 8:42:34 AM PST
To:       jorge.divisiontwo.com

Damm, you nearly got my!
I went directly from macsurfer to your page, and I was halfway into a rather long email taking the review apart. But language was sober, I promise...

I must admit that it took a while before I realised it was a joke. Its kind of embarrassing, really.
Great piece!

Håvard Houen
Norway


From:       rishig.mac.com
Subject:     Linux System for Grandma
Date:     February 4, 2005 10:10:53 PM PST
To:       bleek.divisiontwo.com

Funniest thing I've ever read.  People in the next apartment must be wondering why the hell I'm laughing out loud at 1 in the morning.


From:       stonerjoe.gmail.com
Subject:     worst review I've ever seen... no wait...
Date:     February 4, 2005 12:23:47 PM PST
To:       jorge.divisiontwo.com


I just had to select all and delete my email. After listening to an
actual MCSE this morning, I wasn't able to figure out how subtle you
were being and I just thought you were an idiot in your Mac Mini
review.

Congratulations. It's a talent and an art to make yourself look like
that much of an idiot. Your article is a lot funnier after I realized
your game.

-Joe

From:       wineguy.bandc.com
Subject:     Mac Mini: The Emperor's New Computer
Date:     February 4, 2005 10:40:04 AM PST
To:       jorge.divisiontwo.com, d2mailbag.divisiontwo.com


Mr. Lopez,

I wanted to congratulate you on your recent article about the Mac Mini. It was a priceless lampoon in the spirit of all great satire.

From the very first line you set the tone of the ubiquitous hack. By eschewing any facts and relying on  ad hominem attacks, you paint an exquisitely precise portrait of a journalist school drop out. Your attention to detail includes the uproarious epitome of poor fact finding "If you believe Apple's marketing department, the new Mini is "smaller than most packs of gum" and weighs "less than four quarters." For a moment you had me actually believing someone could mistake the Mac Mini for the iPod Shuffle.

I had to love the next touch, where you demonstrate the irony of the antiquated I/O options on the PC vs. the high tech Firewire and USB 2 on the Mac Mini. Punctuating this with the comparison of the old style analog VGA port with the latest digital DVI was a nice touch.

The subtlety of displaying the list of utilities that the Mac doesn't have to worry about, including referring to the time it took on a daily basis to maintain the PC (with the tacit implication that since the Mac is immune to all of these flaws, it is a more productive platform) really shows your genius. I have to admit that harping on the unnecessary anti-virus software for the Mac was a bit much, but then I guess not every one knows that the Mac OS, being Unix based, is all but immune to the spyware/virus/trojan horse problems of Windows. But then, not everyone graduated from DeVry with an MCSE certification.

I could go on and on (the bit about the unplugged monitor had me in stitches) as there is hardly a line that doesn't deserve comment; but, I will just finish with a few of my favorites. Trying to install the Windows version of Office instead of the Mac version, as if you didn't know what a software platform was; suggesting that Apple have their computers made by slave labor, or the all time best, pointing out that the Mac is less vulnerable from attack because it doesn't automatically run scripts imbedded in email. These are all timeless examples of ways to ridicule while seeming utterly guileless.


--
Stephen Reiss, Ph.D., Certified Wine Educator, Owner

From:       ccarter.royalbfp.com
Subject:     Your article re: Mac mini
Date:     February 4, 2005 8:58:50 AM PST
To:       jorge.divisiontwo.com

Awesome parody. A lot of us “Mac fanboys” are truly enjoying watching the n00bs who actually believe someone could give such an inept review. Keep up the good work!
----------------------------------------------------
Chris Carter


From:       jpmayberry.yahoo.com
Subject:     Re: Mac Mini: The Emperor's New Computer
Date:     February 4, 2005 8:34:27 AM PST
To:       jorge.divisiontwo.com, d2mailbag.divisiontwo.com

D.mn! I was so caught.

I saw the review from a Macworld link and was left
totally incredulous. That could not be a real review .
. . yet nothing I haven't heard before.

So I looked at another article on the site about Abu
Ghraib, and was left yet again at the same place.
Could not be fore real, and yet . . .

Finally at the third article, I exhaled breath of
relief and vowed to watch more John Stewart cause I'm
obviously taking life way too serious!

From:       mark.multicam.com
Subject:     Mac Mini: The Emperor's New Computer
Date:     February 4, 2005 7:52:56 AM PST
To:       jorge.divisiontwo.com

Great subtle satire!!

Hopefully the Mac zealots aren't taking you too seriously. Being a Mac zealot myself, sometimes the "faithful" can be a little too eager to slam such articles without stepping back and using a bit of logical thinking.

"..I could get a Mac mini computer for $499 and have no keyboard or mouse, no serial ports, no way to connect a printer, no PS/2 ports, no floppy drive, no 5.25" bays, no PCI slots, no speakers, and no Windows XP..."

How many real PC trolls have I heard this from already on Cnet and Slashdot? Plenty, they are soooo clueless. Most of the hardcore Wintel kool-aid drinkers actually think like this. Hilarious!

"When I consider that a good deal of my time is spent running applications like Disk Defragmenter, Scandisk, Norton AV, Windows Update and Ad-Aware--none of which are available for the Mac platform--it doesn't make sense for me to "switch" to a Mac at this time."

This line is the best argument to buy a Mac I have read. Really funny stuff!

Keep up the good work!


Mark Allen
Marketing Director

From:       tzentil.mac.com
Subject:     Your 1 February 2005 Article "Mac Mini:  The Emperor's New Computer"
Date:     February 4, 2005 6:34:52 AM PST
To:       jorge.divisiontwo.com

Jorge:

Regarding the above-referenced article by you that is now enjoying widespread exposure to interest users, I just wanted to correct you on one of your claims.  Recent advertisements from Apple about one of its new products being "smaller than most packs of gum" and weighing "less than four quarters" are references to the new iPod Shuffle, NOT the new iMac Mini.  This would have been apparent to you if you had bothered to view and hold an actual iPod Shuffle, or if you had done your research, or if you were an Apple advocate.

Think Different,
Tino Zentil


From:       jamie.montanimedia.com
Subject:     re: mac mini
Date:     February 4, 2005 6:19:38 AM PST
To:       jorge.divisiontwo.com

You got a LOT of things wrong in your article, "Mac Mini: The Emperor's New Computer," creating your own biased "reality distortion field."

1. You complain of no floppy drive. What is it needed? I know very few people that even use one.

2. The ports on the Mac Mini are plenty: USB, FireWire and monitor (even one for digital monitors). In an age where nearly every peripheral requires USB or FireWire, why would you need any other port? Especially a PS/2 port.

3. OS X a stripped-down operating system? Do your homework. This is the exact same OS that Microsoft's trying to copy in Longhorn, still 2 years down the road.

4. Outlook Express is available for Mac OS 9. Also, Microsoft's Entourage is available for OS X.

5. I have used a Mac since 1984 and have yet to have a virus, even without a virus checker. The OS is so solid that the average user does not need one. As of this writing, the are ZERO viruses for OS X.

6. On a Mac, there are no "registerys," defragmenting is automatic during software installation, and maintenance routines are performed automatically, but there is also Disk Utility (applications>utilities) that can perform those by the user at any time.

7. Right now, I have over 50 first-person shooter games. There are WeatherBug-like apps, and the included Keychain can store all of your passwords.

8. Office IS Mac-compatible.

9. Mac users don't use the things like: c:\applications folder. So there is no need to use paths, such as C: in the OS, making the Mac much more user-friendly than any version of Windoze.

10. Norton AV IS available for the Mac.

Clearly you have not done your homework before writing this biased "review." Please recheck your information and do a better job of reviewing in the future.


---------------------
Jamie Saunders

From:       philch69.yahoo.com
Subject:     Your article about Mac Mini
Date:     February 4, 2005 6:12:14 AM PST
To:       jorge.divisiontwo.com

Dear Jorge,

Thank you for your article about the mac Mini. I
really appreciated your sense of humor and I am still
wiping the tears out of my eyes. I passed your article
to several friends and they all laughed very much,
especially when you complain not to find any antivirus
or disk defrag bundled with the Mac. Or trying to
install Win Office on it !

Thanks again,

Phil

From:       paul_g.rdslink.ro
Subject:     Feedback on 'Are Small Cars a Threat to SUV Drivers'
Date:     February 3, 2005 10:11:48 PM PST
To:       maureen.divisiontwo.com

Hello Mrs. Jambor

My name is Paul Andrei Giucoane. I'm 25, I'm married and my wife and I we have
a 20 month old little boy. Now let's talk about the feedback.

You've got to be kidding me. I mean...I just read your 2 year old article, but
still...you've got to be joking! You simply cannot think and do like that!
I'm not an English native speaker so I may not have understood exactly the
actual tone of the article. But still...SUVs...hate them. I drive a Fiat
Stilo (VW Golf size car). I never had close encounters with SUVs on the
European highways  (we live in the city of Timisoara, Romania, Europe) and I
pray to God I will never have any.

I think that the actual tone of the article was in fact one that would sound
and alarm regarding the dangers SUVs pose to the other cars. Theire shere
size makes them difficult to control. Still, people buy them 'cause they
think it will make them feel important. I know. I have a friend whose dream
car is a Nissan Patrol (Ford Explorer size car) with front end bull bar
bumper bar. I rest my case.

I hope people will come to their senses and SUVs will soon take the path of
the 1960s muscle cars -> right down into the history books.

Best regards Ma'am
and drive safely

Paul Giucoane



From:       alexbalix88.yahoo.com
Subject:     A complaint.
Date:     February 3, 2005 3:45:40 PM PST
To:       jorge.divisiontwo.com

I thought I would correct your mistakes being a
neutral party. I use mac and PC.

Your first mistake witch was very annoying to read was
"if you believe Apple’s marketing department, the new
Mini is “smaller than most packs of gum” and weighs
“less than four quarters”." This marketing statement
is for the iPod shuffle not the mac mini. If you where
to do ANY research you would have found this out.

The mac mini was not meant to be anyones first
computer. Apple planed a no keyboard monitor or mouse
for that reason. Why have 2 keyboards when your
throwing away your old rotten PC and have the keyboard
left over.

"during normal operation the unit makes no sound
whatsoever.  This could make it very difficult for a
novice user to know whether or not the computer is on.
 " I'm sorry that the computer is quiet i mean i would
totally rather have a noisy computer but at least i
could tell it was on! p.s next time look at the little
led on the front.

"Apple includes a program called Mail, which is like a
stripped-down email client that can’t execute scripts
or open attachments without user intervention"
Ahem! why do you think outlook is a mager security
breach for viruses?

"there is no antivirus program shipped with the Mac."
Its does not need it for Mac os X is 200% more secure!


"in today’s climate of non-stop worms, trojans and
viruses, releasing a computer with no virus removal
software is irresponsible on the part of Apple" Only
in the PC world!! Apple does this for they don't need
that stuff.

"When I consider that a good deal of my time is spent
running applications like Disk Defragmenter, Scandisk,
Norton AV, Windows Update and Ad-Aware--none of which
are available for the Mac platform"
So wait you spend most of your time on your PC running
mantainents on it? How does this not surprise me. Not
necessary for the mac.

I am sorry for wasting your time but you wasted mine.

#2

P.s I wrote this on a PC.



From:       david.davidrodgers.com
Subject:     did you forget to read anything?
Date:     February 3, 2005 3:29:00 PM PST
To:       jorge.divisiontwo.com

I just read your review of the mac mini and I must say it looks to me like you didn't do any prep work for this whatsoever. Not only was your article inaccurate it was so brutally inaccurate that I feel that you owe everyone that read it a big apology.

Here are some facts.

1. There is no way this is a circa 1995 windows PC ... in windows on a 1.2-1.4 ghz athlon or P4 you cannot comfortable run unreal tournament 2004 ... it just isn't going to happen
it will run but not well enough to suit playability ... the mac mini runs it very well indeed with full opengl 3d rendering .... I'm not saying it's like having a machine with a 64-128 nvidia card in it but it is very playable.

2. Almost every printer on the market today connects via USB and this unit has 2 usb ports as well as firewire.

3. usb keyboards are a dime a dozen and if you feel you must use your ps2 there is a $19 2 ps2 to usb adapter made by belkin

4. The bargain emachine you talked about shares system memory instead of having dedicated video ram ... slower video and robs system memory

5.if the mini is turned on there is a white LED lit up on the front

6. it includes MORE software than a windows PC includes when you receive it including an office suite, a couple of full release games, email, web browsing and instant messaging software as well as a full software development suite including java, C and C++ IDE and compilers, a built in web server, firewall .. you name it ... what software were you looking for I mean really .... and BTW ... this IS the full OS X not a stripped down release! I own 7 PCs and 4 macs running everything from freebsd, linux, OSX and yes even windows

7.you cannot touch a PC of this quality for this price.

8. Weatherbug is crap software ... look out the window

9 Unreal Tournament?


From:       amnon.zoe.co.nz
Subject:     Mac Mini Review
Date:     February 3, 2005 2:58:18 PM PST
To:       jorge.divisiontwo.com

>  If you believe Apple’s marketing department, the new Mini is “smaller than most packs of gum” and weighs “less than
> four quarters”.
 
You have got the Mac Mini confused with the iPod Shuffle, for which this particular marketing phrase was used. I hope this has settled your confusion.
 
 
>  While the hardware is about roughly equivalent to a Windows PC circa 1995, what got me interested were Apple’s
> claims about its size, weight and footprint.
 
The fastest PC made in 1995 shipped with a Pentium Pro clocked at 200MHz with a 66MHz FSB, around 64MB of RAM and a video card with no more than 4MB of RAM. It certainly would not have had a combo drive. If you wish to apply the phrase "roughly equivalent" to the Mac Mini hardware, I would certainly suggest you go back for a further education in your field.
 
 
> Hold a Mini in one hand and four quarters in the other and tell me which one feels heavier.  You could perform this
> experiment yourself at an Apple store.
 
Again, you find yourself confused with the marketing jargon for the iPod Shuffle. You may clear this confusion yourself by visiting an Apple Store and familiarising yourself with the products, before writing about them. You can also visit the Apple website and verify that this marketing applies to the iPod Shuffle and not the Mac Mini. www.apple.com/ipodshuffle
 
 
> But since its sleek look comes at the expense of the parallel port, serial ports, the PS/2 ports and the drive bays,
> potential Mac mini buyers should ask themselves just how much utility they’re willing to sacrifice for style.  Oh, did I
> forget to mention that the Mini has no PCI slots either?  And no floppy disk drive?  Well, no wonder they got the unit
> to be so small. 
 
Are you the only one still actually using a circa-1995 PC? A parallel port? A serial port? Don't forget about the 5.25" floppy drive, Jorgie!
 
 
> During normal operation the unit makes no sound whatsoever.  This could make it very difficult for a novice user to
> know whether or not the computer is on.  In fact, it took our techs about fifteen minutes before we realized the unit
> itself was operating normally and it was the monitor that was not plugged in properly.
 
Are you suggesting the engineers should have strived for more background noise on the unit to counter your own stupidity? This is the first time I have heard an argument made for louder fans on a computer.
 
 
> The Mini boots up into a stripped-down operating system which Apple calls OS X, similar to the stripped-down
> WindowsCE OS found on many handhelds.
 
Apparently, the acclaimed institution that is DeVry didn't do such a good job with you. As 4yr honours computer science and engineering graduate from a real university, Jorge, I can tell you that, technically and functionally, OS X differs greatly from Windows CE. I am not here to attempt to give you a technical lesson. Please enroll in some respected operating system architecture courses at your nearest tertiary education provider.
 
> The OS X comes with some system maintenance utilities, but essentials such as a defragmenter or a or registry
>  cleaner are notably absent.  I would expect a Mini to get really slow and unstable within a couple months if you can’t > perform any routine maintenance tasks on it.
 
Again, your ignorance in the field is frustratingly glaring. Mac OS X does not have a registry, and therefore there is no registry to clean. You may be used to Windows becoming slow and unstable within months because maintenance tasks like these need to be performed. OS X is designed much differently, including the filesystem, which does not require deftragmenting, as it actively optimises itself. I stress again that you need to take an even basic course in operating system design, or even a simple technical manual to OS X and NeXT will do, because statements like these are an embarrassment to yourself and your colleagues.
 
 
> When I consider that a good deal of my time is spent running applications like Disk Defragmenter, Scandisk, Norton
> AV, Windows Update and Ad-Aware
 
We already debunked your fragmenting myth. Scandisk or an equivalent utility is not needed as OS X runs on a journaled filesystem. Please educate yourself on this feature. Norton AV, counter to your misstatement, is available for OS X. A Mac Update utility is built-in, and takes the functionality of Windows Update. It's on the main menu if you had bothered to look. It can also download updates automatically like Windows Update. Ad-aware is not needed as there are currently no Mac-based spyware or adware programs to worry about.
 
You should look at this statement particularily carefully, as you just admitted that you spend a good deal of your time using utilities that are actually counter to your productivity. These utilities serve no purpose other than keeping your computer in shape. They are not used for any other reason. Therefore, if use of these utilities is not needed on a Mac, this time is now freed up for you to use your computer to do the tasks it is actually meant for. Unless you like staying at home on a Saturday night running Scandisk.
 
 
> So is the mini a maxi value?  For me, clearly, no.
 
This is the only statement of truth contained in your article. Of course, after your pathetically inaccurate review and your apparent lack of education and knowledge of fact, who would respect your opinion?
 
DeVry is clearly spending the majority of their budget on TV and radio advertising, as the quality of their graduates truly leaves something to be desired. This is not to do with your pro/anti Mac stance, as I have read many intelligent articles criticising Apple hardware or software. This review is bad because it shows a profound lack of understand on your part. Arguments rife with this many logic errors, ignorance, and just plain stupidity, I would expect from a 12 year old.
 
Cheers,
Amnon Ben-Or - PC/Windows User, Mac User.
 



From:       croyer.zoicstudios.com
Subject:     you're an idiot
Date:     February 3, 2005 2:34:37 PM PST
To:       jorge.divisiontwo.com

  "But since its sleek look comes at the expense of the parallel port, serial ports, the PS/2 ports and the drive bays, potential Mac mini buyers should ask themselves just how much utility they’re willing to sacrifice for style.  Oh, did I forget to mention that the Mini has no PCI slots either?  And no floppy disk drive?"

Do you really still use that stuff?  You're mad because your new computer won't support your 10 year old parallel printer?  c'mon... and when was the last time you actually used a floppy?  over five years for me...  sounds like you're the one with the "circa 1995" hardware problem... Even on my PC (yes, I have multiples of both, and I develop software) I haven't used the parallel, serial, or ps/2 ports since USB became the status quo, and the only time I needed a floppy drive was when I wanted to install linux on my old pc that didn't have a cd drive...
 
 "no serial ports, no way to connect a printer, no PS/2 ports, no floppy drive, no 5.25" bays, no PCI slots, no speakers, and no Windows XP..."

Again, all good things if you live in the present... USB is pretty cool, you should check it out...
 
 "It turns out the Mini uses a weird kind of display connector on the back that requires a special adapter if you want to plug it into a PC monitor.  We used a 15” Compaq VGA display."

That "weird" display connector is called a DVI port, and is common on most modern PC's.  the only reason you needed an adaptor was because you were using, again, an OLD vga display... and what did that adapter cost, anyway, like $15?
 
 "there is no antivirus program shipped with the Mac.  In today’s climate of non-stop worms, trojans and viruses, releasing a computer with no virus removal software is irresponsible on the part of Apple.  The OS X comes with some system maintenance utilities, but essentials such as a defragmenter or a or registry cleaner are notably absent.  I would expect a Mini to get really slow and unstable within a couple months if you can’t perform any routine maintenance tasks on it."

I challenge you to find a SINGLE virus written for OSX... also, .mac membership gives you Virex for free.  You don't need a defragmenter any more because OSX uses journaling and advanced disk management (ie, it's smart enough to not corrupt itself, unlike your windows machine) and there is no registry to clean.
 
 "There is no Mac version of WeatherBug to check the temperature anywhere in the world.  Nor is there a Mac version of helpful web and email enhancers like Hotbar. Or any equivalent of the DealHelper software I use to keep track of my passwords.  My Office 2003 CD would not install, despite claims I had heard from Mac fanboys that OS X is compatible with Office.  Heck, the Internet Explorer icon isn’t even out on the taskbar by default, it’s buried in the c:\applications folder."
 
Seriously, dude... there are plenty of apps to do all of those things, tho they're not likely to have been developed by the same people who made your favorite windows software.  I'd give you a list if I thought you were really interested.  The OSX version of Office installs just fine on OSX and will provide you with documents and spreadsheets that are fully compatible with Office PC stuff...
 
There is no "c:\" on any mac.  They use a form of Unix.
 
You speak very much like other tech-school graduates with MCSE certs.  If it's not windows you don't get it, and likely never will, and so you feel you have to make public your outdated opinions.
 
Obviously, the mac mini is not designed for/targeted to MCSE technician-type people.  It's a cheaper solution for students, families, etc. but really, the whole point is that all of your arguments in this article are pretty much bunk, and it makes you look VERY STUPID.  I'm not even gonna get into the fact that you read the wrong advertisments about being the size of a pack of gum... that's the shuffle, which is actually close to the size of a pack of gum and about the same weight as a few quarters in real life.  Do some fucking research before you blab a bunch of crap to the whole world next time.


From:       mfrench.direcway.com
Subject:     re: mac mini 'review'
Date:     February 3, 2005 2:15:19 PM PST
To:       jorge.divisiontwo.com

you are a joke.
 
let me see, where to take this first? let's try this:
 
"While the hardware is about roughly equivalent to a Windows PC circa 1995,
 what got me interested were Apple’s claims about its size, weight and footprint.
 
If you believe Apple’s marketing department, the new Mini is “smaller than most packs of gum” and weighs “less than four quarters”.  Well, we received our test unit from Apple yesterday, and let me say right off the bat that those claims are a wee bit of an exaggeration.  Far from being Trident-sized, the Mini actually measures about 6.5”x6.5”x2”, about the size of two wonderbread cheese sandwiches stacked on top of each other, or about 50 packs of Bubble Yum.  As for the weight, it feels about three pounds.  Hold a Mini in one hand and four quarters in the other and tell me which one feels heavier.  You could perform this experiment yourself at an Apple store."
 
This is a mistake on your part. They were talking about the iPod shuffle, you dolt.


I hardly think USB 2.0 and Firewire are circa 1995. Later on your bemoan:
 
"But since its sleek look comes at the expense of the parallel port, serial ports, the PS/2 ports and the drive bays, potential Mac mini buyers should ask themselves just how much utility they’re willing to sacrifice for style.  Oh, did I forget to mention that the Mini has no PCI slots either?  And no floppy disk drive?  Well, no wonder they got the unit to be so small.  No keyboard or mouse either."
 
PS/2, floppy drives, serial and parallel ports are circa 1995. It's obvious to anyone the machine doesn't ship with a floppy drive, but then you act surprised. Parallel and serial ports have been REPLACED by the ease of use of USB and Firewire.


"The Mini boots up into a stripped-down operating system which Apple calls OS X, similar to the stripped-down WindowsCE OS found on many handhelds."
 
Yeah. You're intelligent. It's obvious.
 
Yeah, your PC version of Microsoft Office won't run on a Macintosh which uses an entirely different operating system. But you can buy a Macintosh version of Microsoft Office. But you are so stupid you would sit there stumped because you couldn't put the CD in the nonexistant floppy drive.
 
EVERYTHING you wrote was either entirely wrong, or extremely misleading. Stay on the PC, friend, and run your spyware riddled programs like HotBar and WeatherBug on your PeeCee.
 
And if you think I'm another Mac fanatic, I've had PCs and Macs for about 20 years.
 
You are such a joke.



From:       almonde.gmail.com
Subject:     THANK YOU! Mac Mini review
Date:     February 3, 2005 1:50:16 PM PST
To:       jorge.divisiontwo.com


Dear Jorge,

thank you so much for the huge laughter and big grin you put on my face!!!
You switch the iPod Shuffle measurements for the Mac mini and, to go
telling ppl that Mac sacrificied size for the parallel and serial port
etc! Hilarious!

Then a comparison between a pc and the mac mini! Boy, that mini
outruns that pc 10 to 1 on anything i bett! Still cool you keep up
that serious tone in there!

Test Setup! Yeah, lets forget to plugin the monitor and blame apple for :)

Stripped down operating system : Max OS X!!! Bill Gates would love to
have the stability, speed etc etc from the system. For now he has only
been able to badly steal the GUI from Apple.... Have you ever worked
with the MAC OS???????????

Quote
When I consider that a good deal of my time is spent running
applications like Disk Defragmenter, Scandisk, Norton AV, Windows
Update and Ad-Aware--none of which are available for the Mac
platform--it doesn't make sense for me to "switch"

This one made my collega's call in an ambulance, cause i was rolling
over the floor, red face, hysteric laughter when i read this!!!
Stop writing this shit and get on stage!!! Mac ppl will pay dear money
to hear this spoken out loud with a serious face that shows that you
really think you know your bussiness...but actually no jack
shit.......

woooohaaaaaaaa LOVE IT!! KEEP THEM COMING!!!!



get the hint? you article was really really sad....

Sincerely,

Rene Knigge

pc user & Mac user



From:       benghis2000.yahoo.com
Subject:     mac mini review
Date:     February 3, 2005 1:53:34 PM PST
To:       jorge.divisiontwo.com

Wow. That has to be one of the least-informed reviews
I've ever seen. I'm sure by now that a number of
people have pointed out its shortcomings, but here are
a few of them, for record:

The iPod Shuffle was advertised as "smaller than most
packs of gum," not the Mac mini.

OS X is not stripped-down. It's fully functional. More
functional in fact than Windows, since it almost NEVER
crashes. Seriously. I haven't turned off my computer
for weeks now.

Macs are immune to many of the problems that plague
Windows-based machines, thus the lack of:
spyware/adwatching software, defragmenters, registry
utilities, etc. Imagine your world where you wouldn't
need tto spend "a good deal of [your] time...running
applications like Disk Defragmenter, Scandisk, Norton
AV, Windows Update and Ad-Aware." You don't need this
crap on a Mac.

Microsoft Office X works on mac, not office for
windows.

Outlook is available for Mac.

Safari is Apple's propietary browser, so its not
surprising that Explorer isn't in the Dock by default.
Its easy to add to the Dock if you like (drag and drop
the icon), but Safari is better (tabbed browsing.)

Go to weather.com for worldwide weather.

I've been using Macs in a professional environment for
almost a decade now. While I have an abiding
resentment towards computers of all stripes, I hate
Macs much, much less, having found Windows to be
glitchy, unreliable and, of course, extrememly
vulnerable to attack by viruses and spyware. Please do
your homework before publishing a partisan attack on a
rival platform. You only make yourself look foolish to
those who know, and misinform those who don't.

Sincerely,

Ben Moran






From:       diovoce.gmail.com
Subject:     Division 2
Date:     February 3, 2005 1:28:26 PM PST
To:       jorge.divisiontwo.com


My god you are quite the obtuse one, aren't you?

-- no one uses PS/2, Parallel ports - they use USB. and no one, and I
mean NO ONE uses floppy disks.

-- MS Office is available for the Mac, and included Entourage (the Mac
version of (shudder) outlook.

-- there are NO VIRUSES IN THE WORLD that run on OSX.  NONE.  AT ALL.
so all of your pedantic ramblings about no A/V, anti-spyware, etc
ultities are moot and laughable, at best

-- OSX comparable to CE?  my god dude you have me rolling.

Dude, what's your *paying* job?





From:       Cassandra
Subject:     Mac Mini: The Emperor's New Computer
Date:     February 3, 2005 1:03:16 PM PST
To:       jorge.divisiontwo.com


Jorge,
    Your article on the Mac Mini was quite possibly the most ignorant piece of writing I have ever seen.
    You start off by showing your ignorance of the difference between RISC and CISC in implying that the specs are similar to 1995 standards. Do your homework a little bit. To get the PC equivalent of Mac processor speeds, you double them.
    The fact that you claim Apple said " the new Mini is “smaller than most packs of gum” and weighs “less than four quarters” " simply amazes me. Those statements are about the iPod Shuffle, and are quite accurate. Maybe stepping foot into an Apple store would show you that, or actually watching the entire MacWorld Keynote.
    And come on man! Parallel and serial ports! The entire computing world is moving over to USB and Firewire ports. And, as an employee of Hewlett Packard for the past 5 years, I haven't sold a computer with a floppy drive on it in a good long time.
    Claiming OSX is a stripped down version of Windows XP is one of the funniest things I think I've ever heard. Windows XP was created in response to OSX. And do your research a little more.....Windows was based on MacOS. You also appear to be too stupid to see that their is a Mac version of Office, OSX defrags on the fly, and my god.....ask any web designer. Internet Explorer sucks, most would prefer to program for Safari. And those programs that you spend most of your time running....aren't needed on a Mac!
    If you're going to be writing public articles, you should really learn to get your facts straight. Or next time you might say something that gets you slammed with a lawsuit.

Cassandra




From:       gralem.yahoo.com
Subject:     stick to software reviews
Date:     February 3, 2005 12:11:36 PM PST
To:       jorge.divisiontwo.com

I was completely shocked by your review "The Emperor's New
Computer" at /articles/MacMini2.html.
I'm sure you're already flooded with emails telling you that you
confused the IPOD SHUFFLE specs the MAC MINI in your review.
That is just the beginning. 

The hardware is nothing from 1995.  The processors in 1995 were
Pentiums I's operating at around 90Mhz (not 1.25 Ghz).  Few PCs
at all had CD drives.  NONE had DVD/CD-RW combo drives (with the
option to upgrade to a SuperDrive).  Memory started at about
1-2MB and maxed out at about 64 MB, no one had 256 MB (the base
memory in the mac mini). 

Identify a single model of printer designed in the 21st century
that has a parallel port on it.

I could go on and on.  It appears that you haven't even seen a
mac mini and you're just making stuff up for some strange
reason.  I presume you're hoping that someone at Microsoft will
read your horrible article and somehow agree with you and (I'm
still guessing here) offer you a job or something.  I'm just
trying to guess why such a horrible poorly researched article
could be written. 

---gralem





From:       Jonathan_Waage.brown.edu
Subject:     What a great Laugh
Date:     February 3, 2005 11:47:20 AM PST
To:       jorge.divisiontwo.com

I have passed your article around to so many of my PC  and Mac friends
today. That was the most wonderful tongue in cheek support of an Apple
product I have ever read.

Interestingly, of the PC colleagues, only the IT people got the the fact it
was a "joke".

Thanks for the laugh,

Jonathan
--
Jonathan Waage





From:       billmanning.yahoo.com
Subject:     Are you guys serious, Jorge Lopez needs a real education!
Date:     February 3, 2005 11:42:45 AM PST
To:       d2mailbag.divisiontwo.com
Cc:       jorge.divisiontwo.com

I can not believe that you have the nerve to call your
self a magazine.  I mean especially if you have the
balls to publish articles on technology by someone who
is obviously clueless.  I can tell just by his picture
that he doesn't have a clue. His review of the Mac
Mini has to be a joke.  His comments on Apple in
general seem to be written by someone with his head up
his ass.  Do any of you "journalist" do any research?
Or is it just make it up and hope it sounds good?  I
have never laughed so hard in my life.  I mean this
has to be a joke and then I saw this "Jorge Lopez is a
DeVry graduate with an MCSE certification and is
currently the Chief Software Reviewer at
Divisiontwo.com's Technology Insider." and I laughed
harder.  How can some review something they have never
researched?  Then I looked at your previous
article(Windows vs. Linux on the Server and the
Desktop) and now I know that he is a moron.  Please
stop him now, he is stupid, stupid, stupid and makes
your "magazine" look like more of joke.  Tell him to
take some more classes and learn computing. Oh yeah,
nice "wife beater", it makes you look so professional.
 I guess you are the "MSCE" at the county jail.

=====
Regards,
William Manning (http://www.bcmanning.com)
"Forgive your enemies, but never forget their names."
-John F. Kennedy (1917-1963)
"Whenever you find that you are on the side of the majority, it is time to reform."
Mark Twain (1835-1910)
"God is a comedian playing to an audience too afraid to laugh." - Voltaire (1694-1778)


       
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Yahoo! Mail - Easier than ever with enhanced search. Learn more.
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From:       jan-anders.ohrankammen.atosorigin.com
Subject:     Hmmmmmmmmmmm
Date:     February 3, 2005 8:37:57 AM PST
To:       michael.eagan.divisiontwo.com

You are a bad Christian.
 The most fierst warriors of the holy country in 1100 century was the Temple Knights, and there code was:
 Don't think of who you will kill, but of who you will speare.
 
 
And i suppose you like S&M, fucking the boys in the shower.
 
 
I took a glims on your other article and reliced that you are just plain stuipd.
You don't hit children for a simple question. I knew what sex was when i was 3 years old.
 
 
I just get angry when reading your colum, but i don't want it censured. It must be online for the world to be free(And to show how stupid you are).
 
 
 
Regards
Janne



From:       boardin_1.hotmail.com
Subject:     RE: Mac Mini: The Emperor's New Computer
Date:     February 3, 2005 8:01:06 AM PST
To:       jorge.divisiontwo.com

Jorge,
    In regards to your "article" Mac Mini: The Emperor's New Computer, I really think you need to get your facts straight before you write an article like this. We'll do this in the order that you wrote it:

1. While the hardware is about roughly equivalent to a Windows PC circa 1995
AMD & Intel didn't break the 1GHz barrier until 1999. So, even for your exaggerations this is way out of line. To top that off, the PPC processor family isn't as reliant on the "MegaHertz Myth" as Intel is, so a 1.25 or 1.42GHz G4 is the equivalent of something in the mid-2 GHz range.

2. Apple’s marketing department, the new Mini is “smaller than most packs of gum” and weighs “less than four quarters”
That claim was made about the iPod Shuffle NOT the Mini. To make that claim about something that is 6.5x6.5x2 is ridiculous.

3.  ...no serial ports, no way to connect a printer, no PS/2 ports, no floppy drive, no 5.25" bays, no PCI slots, no speakers, and no Windows XP
I have to look at this "problem" in parts:
    A. Apple hasn't had a serial port of any kind in a long time.
    B. It has USB ports, doesn't it? Every printer that I have looked at in the last 5 years is USB. Now days, I can't even find a Serial Printer without looking very hard for it.
    C. Apple has never had PS/2 ports. They used to use ADB, Apple Desktop Bus, which looked similar to a PS/2 connector, but wasn't. Now they use USB for keyboard and mouse.
    D. Apple hasn't had a FDD in a computer in 5 years. The last to have one, standard, was the Beige G3. Do I miss them? Occasionally. Do I need one? No.
    E. Do you really need to add a PCI device to a machine that has everything a computer needs?
    F. It doesn't come with speakers, but you do have speaker outputs on-board. Do PC's come with speakers these days? Usually, you need to order them separately, too.
    G. No XP??!!??!! IT"S A MAC!!!! Why would it come with XP?

4. In fact, it took our techs about fifteen minutes before we realized the unit itself was operating normally and it was the monitor that was not plugged in properly.
Are all of you guys MCSE's? Microsoft should revoke your certifications. That is just sad, you couldn't tell if a computer was turned on? Troubleshooting 101, check your connections to verify that they are set correctly.

5.It turns out the Mini uses a weird kind of display connector on the back that requires a special adapter if you want to plug it into a PC monitor.
Yeah, and it comes with that adapter.

5.  The Mini boots up into a stripped-down operating system which Apple calls OS X, similar to the stripped-down WindowsCE OS found on many handhelds.
The OS is a GUI on top of BSD Unix. Last I checked BSD was a pretty full-featured OS. To even mention WinCE in the same breath as OS X is sacrilege. CE is designed to run on handhelds, X is a full feature OS for desktops & servers.

6.Think of it more as a first computer for your daughter or niece than as a machine to get any serious work done and you’ll get the point of the Mini and its target market.  It might also be the perfect computer for grandmothers or autistic children, for example.
Comments like this just show your bias. But the honest fact is, you got it half right. This is the perfect computer for your daughter, niece, grandmother, autistic children, and anyone else that just wants to use their computer, not fight with it. Give one to your daughter or niece and they will never switch to a Windows-based PC. They will learn to love the interface, the programs, the lack of viruses, even that silly "booonnnnngggg" when the computer boots up.

7. I'll combine the next two as they go together.
    A.For example, there is no Outlook Express for email, but Apple includes a program called Mail, which is like a stripped-down email client that can’t execute scripts or open attachments without user intervention.
     B.Secondly and possibly even more glaringly, there is no antivirus program shipped with the Mac.  In today’s climate of non-stop worms, trojans and viruses, releasing a computer with no virus removal software is irresponsible on the part of Apple.

Does Microsoft make and Anti-Virus Program yet? No? If Microsoft didn't allow Outlook & Outlook Express to execute scripts or open attachments, 80% of Viruses wouldn't exist. It is because of these abilities that ILOVEYOU and NIMDA and Melissa, just to name a few, were able to spread as rapidly as they did. As far as I know, there has only been 1 new type of virus for MacOS in the last year. It was stopped by an update to the OS to fix the exploit. But if you really need an Anti-Virus program, there are many to choose from on the Mac platform.

8. The OS X comes with some system maintenance utilities, but essentials such as a defragmenter or a or registry cleaner are notably absent.  I would expect a Mini to get really slow and unstable within a couple months if you can’t perform any routine maintenance tasks on it.

UNIX repairs and defragments itself every time you boot it. You don't need to live with the problems you have on the PC-side. They are the result of failings in the File System. NTFS just isn't as able to do the same things that HFS+ can do.

9.  I did a google to see if there were Mac versions of any of my favorite applications; unfortunately I ended up disappointed every time.
What are they? I can run MS Office, all of the Adobe apps, Quark XPress, Quicken, TurboTax, the list goes on. You probably mean that you can't play the games. Then why didn't you say that you can't play your games on the computer?

10.  There is no Mac version of WeatherBug to check the temperature anywhere in the world.  Nor is there a Mac version of helpful web and email enhancers like Hotbar. Or any equivalent of the DealHelper software I use to keep track of my passwords.

You are worried about viruses on your computer and you are installing SpyWare? Every app you listed is a blight on computers. If you are using DealHelper to store your passwords, you are a fool, and I won't even go into why. You are an MCSE, figure it out yourself.

11. My Office 2003 CD would not install, despite claims I had heard from Mac fanboys that OS X is compatible with Office.
Again, are you really and MCSE? You have never been able to run .exe files on a Mac. You need to buy a Macintosh version of Office. In fact, you need Mac compatible versions of all your apps.

12. Heck, the Internet Explorer icon isn’t even out on the taskbar by default, it’s buried in the c:\applications folder. 
Try Safari or Opera or Firefox or iCab or anything but IE. It was junk when it was the only browser worth using on Mac, it is still junk.

13. Poor standards compliance: Apple's Safari web browser often fails to render MSN properly.
Actually, Safari has much better standards compliance than IE. It is just that MSN.com is designed to work best on IE. Think about it MicroSoft Network and MicroSoft Internet Explorer. I wonder why MSN would look good on IE.

13. When I consider that a good deal of my time is spent running applications like Disk Defragmenter, Scandisk, Norton AV, Windows Update and Ad-Aware
Well, then you really have a problem. If you spend most of your time on your computer fixing your computer, I think you should look at what you are doing and shy you are doing it. If you spent most of your time changing spark plugs, draining the transmission fluid, replacing tires and pistons; don't you thing you'd get a new car? I would. But you're and MCSE and must be smarter than me.

14. As for you second to last paragraph, which I won't even copy here, you better hope that Apple legal doesn't see that. You are slandering a company by alluding that they are using child labor to make their computers. Do you have proof to that fact? Just going on the fact that many of Apple's computer are assembled in Taiwan? Does that mean that they are put together by children? If someone lives in West Virginia, does that also mean that they are a 2-toothed inbred, like that kid from Deliverance?


Get your facts straight before you publish another article smashing the Mac. At least Rob Enderle gets some facts correct in his articles.

Sincerely,
Jonathan Schreiner
MCSE #1767882 & Mac user for 20 years


From: nelson nunez <elsuperspic.yahoo.com>
To: maureen.divisiontwo.com
Date: Wed, 29 Oct 2003 22:10:19 -0800 (PST) 
Subject: Are Idiotic people that drive with their hands full a threat to other drivers?

Dear Mrs. Jambor,

I recently read you letter on your website stating That small cars were a threat to SUV's. I really can't see the discrepancy between you being serious or if you were only trying to humor people like me that like go out for a drive with out the fear of having a 2 ton black Hummer H2 with big swamp tires running over their automobile. I can see you have serious problems, don't worry its nothing that a shrink or a sex counselor can't fix.

I don't know whether your a really big blond or if your just another idiot driver. But really 
I quote "a Venti latte in my left hand, a cell phone in my right hand, and my palm pilot in my lap." Why? really how multi tasked do you think you are?? Women in general suck at driving if you haven't realized. What makes you think you can handle such a big SUV, drink a latte, talk on the phone and operate your palm pilot? From your article, I am assured its a bit drastic when you state ...."Then suddenly, out of nowhere, I look up and there's this tiny Ford Focus in front of me, or should I say, going underneath me as my front tires rolled right up onto its trunk and onto its tiny roof. but luckily I was able to back up off the Focus. I made it out of there before the police came thanks to four wheel drive and off-road tires." You exagerated too much on that part but any how I feel you need a serious phyciatric evaluation along with your fruity homosexual son. 

How can you possibly determine that your little boy is gay after he likes playing with EZ bake oven, putting outfits together and making a rave club in the basements. You determined this when he was 1 year old? Did he ever suck another kids cock? Did he ever take it in the ass from another kid? Does he like jiggling other little kids? How can you base your opinion on this...I mean Women like men that can cook, they like men with a sense of style also they like men know how to dance. If he is gay its all your fault cause you didn't get him any whores for him dance with in your basement. Damn you! May god help you and your son. 

My biggest regards
Little Billy.
Please Check out the post we have on your peices of writing at celica.net. Feel free to post


From: justin gill <modyfyit.yahoo.com>
To: maureen.divisiontwo.com
Date: Wed, 29 Oct 2003 21:27:23 -0800 (PST)
Subject: Are Small Cars a Threat to SUV Drivers?

 
No. SUV Drivers are a threat to small cars. People
that drive SUV's have this false sense of security
that well since they are so high and above everybody
they dont have to wear there seat belts or even hold
the steering wheel for that matter. "a Venti latte in
my left hand, a cell phone in my right hand, and my
palm pilot in my lap." And for your statement about
parents putting there kids into small cars because
they are unsafe, maybe they don't want to take there
kids outta private school so they can drive a better
car. And maybe they don't like to spend 60+ dollars at
the gas station every week. This article made some
serious claims that you obviously haven't thought
thoroughly about. I hope this was just a joke and the
Focus didn't really get hit. It would be sad. Justin
modyfyit.yahoo.com

PS: For your information some of the smallest cars are
the safest. Porsche-90% of there line has full airbags
and the best brakes on the market. Volvo- Is known for
their safety standards. Mercades Benz - Built like a
Tank. Just a few to think of. 


From: bobafett <bobafett.earth.he.net>
To: maureen.divisiontwo.com
Date: Wed, 29 Oct 2003 20:06:16 -0800 (PST) 
Subject: Small Cars article


Highly amusing, very tongue in cheek. Not sure if this address is real.

--Dan


From: Secoh . <secoh.hotmail.com>
To: maureen.divisiontwo.com
Subject: Division Two SUV article: An invitation
Date: Thu, 30 Oct 2003 12:22:19 +1100 

Hi Maureen,
I'm a moderator over at www.performanceforums.com and had been emailed a 
link to your SUV article. As a result of reading that, I posted a link you 
your website. The response has been very positive, with a number of members 
requesting you be invited to participate in the discussions there. Mind 
you, more than one requested you attend only after seeing your picture, but 
I guess that's the curse of automotive forums in general!

Performanceforums is an Australian site open to the world, and its members 
enjoy the diversity it brings in.

There is the link to the thread where your article was referenced. I hope 
you enjoy the responses!


http://board.performanceforums.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&postid=686956#post686956

Jim.


From: Cawthorne, Aaron <Aaron.Cawthorne.det.nsw.edu.au>
To: maureen.divisiontwo.com
Date: Thu, 30 Oct 2003 11:48:58 +1100 


You are one dumb chick….I hate small cars but you are the danger on the road you stupid femme fatale



From: Peter Weatherall <netvtise.tpg.com.au>
To: mailbag.divisiontwo.com
Subject: /articles/kellysworld.htm
Date: Thu, 30 Oct 2003 08:37:57 +0800 


I'll give you a hint bud bestiality aint funny . Showing the efforts of 
some drug addled broken down human being is not funny . Having the FBI 
on your sorry ass would be funny . Pity you don't live in Perth , 
Western AUstralia I could come over and kill you with my bare hands 
myself .


From: Lord Porn <porn_lord71.yahoo.com>
To: maureen.divisiontwo.com
Date: Wed, 29 Oct 2003 15:11:23 -0800 (PST)
 

Subject: RE: Your "Are Small Cars a Threat to SUV Drivers?" article

This has to be a hoax....

I do believe I have fallen for the joke! Nice one :)
Well written from the "rich bitch" stand point too! 
Keep up the good work!


From: Lord Porn <porn_lord71.yahoo.com>
To: maureen.divisiontwo.com
Date: Wed, 29 Oct 2003 14:32:28 -0800 (PST) 
Subject: Your "Are Small Cars a Threat to SUV Drivers?" article



Well let me start off with saying you have a LOT of
nerve really, writing a ridiculous article on top of
admitting you do things that are DANGEROUS and
ILLEGAL! This article was very pompous, and you really
need to analyze your life if your "tank" you own is
more important than your son's education. I'm willing
to bet your a "God fearing" woman, anyone with common
sense is NOT a "God fearing" person and from the looks
of this article... Well you a little shot on the stick
when it comes to wits. 

I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but "small" cars
have been around FAR longer than SUVs have, not to
mention SUVs are in large DANGEROUS, cumbersome, too
big and bad for the environment. I mean really, come
on, going on my calculations of average gas prices
(about 2 bucks a gallon), you are getting 40 gallons
of gas every 3 or 4 DAYS! My "little" Mitsubishi
Eclipse can go WEEKS on a 20 gallons, and to top it
off it looks better :) 

Statements like:
"I made it out of there before the police came thanks
to four wheel drive and off-road tires"

"you can drive over a foot-tall curb and not even feel
it"

"a Venti latte in my left hand, a cell phone in my
right hand, and my palm pilot in my lap"

"Nobody has to bother even putting on their seatbelts"

I have to ask are you fucking retarded? What if you
ran over a kid instead of a car, should we ask the
parts of children to get rid of them since they
aren';'t large enough to see from the goddamn tank you
drive??

Well I'm done screwing with your stupidity, all I can
suggest is wake up and live, don't become a part of
society that can't see the forest for the trees. Open
you mind more, your mouth less and free what you have
left of a brain... Jesus Christ your annoying

GOD I hope this is a hoax... if it is, then you did an
EXCELLENT job in the article of pissing me off...


From: bigmac12.cox.net
To: maureen.divisiontwo.com
Date: Wed, 29 Oct 2003 12:41:36 -0800 
Subject: SUV's


How about an Abrams M1A1!

Cheers, 
Bob and his Miata


From: Kathy Bryce <katbryce.earthlink.net>
To: maureen.divisiontwo.com
Date: Wed, 29 Oct 2003 12:42:26 -0500 
Subject: Enjoyed your articles

I have really enjoyed reading your articles posted at www.divisiontwo.com re
small car's and gay babies. You are too funny.

Do you have any others?

Kat


From: Steve Trace <clawz90.hotmail.com>
To: maureen.divisiontwo.com
Date: Wed, 29 Oct 2003 16:31:47 +1100 
Subject: Great Article

That was a excellent article you wrote, I am pretty sure you got lots of 
hate mail from people with small cars that actually thought you were serious 
about it.
I dont drive a what your call SUV 4wd type but I sympathise with you lols, 
lol. And I'm sure they make a great foot step from your beast of a machine.
The article was posted in our car club forum and one of the quotes was that 
if the article was published in Japan or Europe there would have been an 
uproar. Don't think he picked up the sarcasm in it.

Anyway very funny!!
Steve


From: Philip Ryrie <PhilipR.Miric.com.au>
To: maureen.divisiontwo.com
Subject: Hello
Date: Wed, 29 Oct 2003 15:02:22 +1100 


Well, I have to say you are a very beautiful lady..... It must be hard to work all day with your tongue in your cheek like that, I just read your article on the Hummer H2... 


Philip Ryrie
Commercial Manager
Miric Industries


From: Alexandra Champion <zebidee8.bigpond.net.au>
To: maureen.divisiontwo.com
Subject: hehehehehehe
Date: Wed, 29 Oct 2003 10:07:15 +1100 


Very interesting and amusing read first thing in the morning for this Aussie Miata (MX5) driver. 

I find the explosion in the number of 4wd vehicles on our urban streets quite frightening. Having already been rear ended by an average sized car, I'd hate to think what might happen if my little vehicle came to blows one of these oversized monsters.

I can't be too critical though, my partner owns an old Land Cruiser Troop Carrier. But then we mainly use that for going out of the city to explore the countryside and go camping, and he doesn't use it to commute, so I guess we're absolved?

Thanks again and keep up the good work.

Alex Champion


From: Cristian <judas_iscariote.mailchile.com>
Reply-To: about.gawab.com, the.gawab.com, msce.gawab.com, article.gawab.com
To: mailbag.divisiontwo.com
Subject: No Subject
Date: Tue, 28 Oct 2003 20:03:50 GMT 


hi:
I just want to say,this article:
/articles/mcse2.htm
is PURE bullshit.
example:
"Windows versus Linux - Applications and Utilities 

Why doesn't Linux come with any defragmenting tools or virus
scanners or Active Backdoor Update like you get with Windows?"

1.the linux filesystem dont need defragmenting tools,this a
basic fact.
2.on redhat a simple $up2date -U will download the latest
patches.

"where is Microsoft Office for Linux, Windows Media Player for
Linux and Outlook Express for Linux?"

MSOFIICE for linux..=OpenOficce (and free)
WMP for linux = Mplayer
Oulook express = Ximian(and without stupid security)

And please tell Lopez why he dont compare:
Windows versus Linux - Licensing and Pricing
Windows versus Linux - Security
please man,I know,microsoft feeds you..but try to be honest.
regards.


From: jcmunoz.chile.com
To: mailbag.divisiontwo.com
Subject: ---News article ---
Date: Tue, 28 Oct 2003 13:56:38 -0300 (CLST) 

This is my opinion of your news article.

1. - Windows is not stable
2. - Microsoft=Virus
3. - IIS = is not safe
4. - Proxy server = Problem of Security
5. - Office = Of high Price.
6. - Windows=Bugs
7. - Windows = Fix all the days.

Result =
Windows XP to RedHat 9.0 changes my network of 250.
Change IIS by Apache.
Change Windows 2003 by RedHat Advanced Server 2,1 with LDAP.

Now I am very happy because I can sleep and I do not have to work until
late by cultured of an Operating system.

In Chile it does not exist but the monopoly of Microsoft, OpenSource this
in 75% of the companies and all the Internet Services Provider works with
Linux.

An Advice. He rejects the Certificate of Microsoft and Trabaja with Linux

Greetings
Juan Carlos Muñoz
Network Administrator
ISC Chile


From: Jamie Davies <j_a_davies.hotmail.com>
To: bleek.divisiontwo.com
Subject: computer for grandma
Date: Tue, 28 Oct 2003 09:07:07 +0000 

FYI: http://justlinux.com/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=115279


From: Stevens <fstevens.quik.com>
To: bleek.divisiontwo.com
Date: Mon, 27 Oct 2003 10:29:36 -0600 
Subject: re: Grandma's puter

I am sure that you have already received tons of mail about your article, but 
please allow me to add my two cents' worth.

I also am to build up a system for my mom, who is 79 and is further along with 
her computer skills than your g'ma. Her first was an I-opener that I hacked 
and added Win98. Her next was a Dell running Win2K, I believe. Now she wants 
something for her 'Oklahoma house' and I am leaning toward Linux.

HOWEVER, I also realize the limits that I am dealing with. If it gets too 
confusing, she won't be comfortable with it and it won't get used. I 
installed a dual-boot Windows/Linux system on my daughter's puter and it took 
her about 6 months to get the system down to the point that I wasn't 
constantly bothered with support calls.

My mom, as with most elderly users, has problems with eyesight and perception, 
so a 19" monitor is the minimum. Machine speed is not relevant when we are 
speaking of office apps, email and web browsing, as evidenced by the fact 
that I am running Linux Mandrake 9.0 on a P2-450 system and it works just 
fine. I doubt seriously that she would ever burn a cd but since cd-r/w are 
cheap she will get one. A dvd player is out. If she wants to watch a movie, 
she can go watch it in the living room on the big screen tv. Her hearing is 
probably less than digital quality, so why go with a fancy sound card and 
speaker system? On board sound and $7.95 speakers from a local discounter, 
followed by a comparable keyboard and wheel mouse. Not a 5 button internet 
mouse either. She has trouble figuring out 2 buttons, so why confuse her? She 
might learn to like Linux editing features over Windows, but she might not 
even use it at all. Fancy hardware that is not used is just a waste of money.

The point of this letter is to illustrate the vast difference between the 
needs - or wants - of techno-geeks like you and me and the realities of 
computer operations by the elderly. My mom still, after many sessions of my 
drawing pictures and explaining to the best of my ability, cannot grasp the 
basic concepts of the differences between the computer, the web browser, mail 
client software and web-based email. Any system that I create for her that 
deviates from the Windows norm will run the risk of being 'inferior' in her 
eyes, simply because it is outside her experience and she - and others in her 
generation - no longer wish to climb the steep learning curve that accompany 
this kind of change.

Fred Stevens


From: Michele Della Guardia <micheledellaguardia.yahoo.it>
To: mailbag.divisiontwo.com
Date: Sun, 26 Oct 2003 01:50:16 +0200 
Subject: Unbelievable

*Hi,
In the article "Windows vs. Linux on the Server and the Desktop"*by 
Jorge Lopez, October 3, 2003, I read a so ugly list of deliberately 
misleading comments on Windows and Linux that I still can not believe it !
How is it possible to write a so inaccurate commentary on Linux compared 
to Windows ? That page should be removed because it seems written by 
someone who just tried to install Linux, maybe, and never learn more on it.
Just a word for the narrow-minded author...continue using Windows. 
That's really what you need.
Regards


Michele Della Guardia


From: Brad Annis <brad.annis.sympatico.ca>
To: maureen.divisiontwo.com
Subject: Small cars are a threat
Date: Sat, 25 Oct 2003 09:37:03 -0400 


Funny stuff, assuming you’re not serious.


How many people took that article seriously?


bRAD


From: Ivan Martinez <imr.oersted.dtu.dk>
Date: Monday, October 20, 2003 4:14 AM
To: mailbag.divisiontwo.com
Subject: YOU MADE A FOOL OF THE SPANISH #1 PAPER!

Spain's most sold paper, "El Pais", swallowed and reproduced your news about
the Linux for Barbie. This is a link to an Internet newspaper,
"periodistadigital.com", telling the story. Hope you have someone to
translate spanish, maybe Jorge Lopez?.
http://www.periodistadigital.com/textos/boletin.php#1
Congratulations,
Ivan Martinez


From: Soechtig, Stephanie <Stephanie.Soechtig.FOXNEWS.COM>
Date: Friday, October 17, 2003 10:40 AM
To: maureen.divisiontwo.com
Subject: o'reilly factor


I came across an old column of yours about preparing a gay toddler for
public school and I was curious to know if other parents wrote in with their
stories as you requested at the bottom. I didn't know that you could tell a
toddler was gay - I was thinking of pitching it to Bill for our show.


From: Marcin Tustin <mt500.ecs.soton.ac.uk>
Date: Friday, October 17, 2003 10:35 AM
To: maureen.divisiontwo.com
Subject: Small cars: The British Perspective

Here in britain, we have been concerned with this problem for some 
time, and now a certain kind of political compromise has been reached: 
While small cars are not banned, at least 50% of the body-area of cars 
under 2 tonnes must be taken up by warnings such as "Small cars crush 
easily" and "Women don't fancy men with small cars". While this move may 
placate the less deeply-thinking members of the middle classes, those of 
us who care about our kids still want these cars banned; meanwhile many 
so-called "poor people" complain that these policies will reduce their 
ability to function in society, as by reducing their ability to travel to 
their jobs; this is of course non-sense, as all poor people here lounge 
around all day subsisting on benefits payments.

-- 
Thuribles: A whole new paradigm.


From: Terry Rowland <tbrowlan.uncg.edu>
To: mailbag.divisiontwo.com
Subject: Windows vs. Linux on the Server and the Desktop
Date: Thu, 16 Oct 2003 21:49:19 -0400 (EDT)

Jorge:

I sincerely hope your article was supposed to be a spoof, but if not
please read on.

Were you trying to even be objective when comparing Linux and Windows? 
Your argument for why Linux wouldn't be a first choice as a server
platform is pretty weak. For starters Linux provides open source
solutions for just about all the streaming formats mentioned in your
article. Second, Linux has been able to easily rip, burn and mix cds for
quite some time now. Third the uptime on my Linux machine,
which functions as a router, web server, dns server, samba server (yes it
functions as PDC), and an ftp server is well over 150 days. If that's not
stable I don't know what is.

I'll go ahead and grant you that WinXP is better suited for the home user.
After all, Joe User is the dumbest of all animals on the face of the earth.
However with regard to your argument on utilities and applications you
obviously have no idea what you're talking about. You want to know why
Linux doesn't come with a defrag utility? It's called a journalized file
system i.e. ReiserFS or ext3 don't require the time wasted on 
defragmentation, thus the term "journalized". Your applications argument
is even weaker. Have you ever hard of F-prot (an antivirus 
program for Linux), OpenOffice.org, Evolution (a mail client that
can replace Outlook AND works Exchange servers), Gnumeric or Abiword?
Linux users might be "freeloaders" but at least we've got sense enough to
form a solid argument before pointing fingers and making an ass of
ourselves.

With regard to "calling home" and "Preference Tracking", ummmm you want to
be tagged like a wild animal? Whatever floats your boat. And finally,
Intelectual Property and the Law. What proof do you have that Linus
Torvalds 'stole' SCO's source code to develop the Linux kernel? What the
hell do you mean 'Linux filesystem'? As if there's only one? No way for
stolen code to get into M$'s propritary products? Can you you say Xerox,
because you can thank them for the pretty GUI you're using right now. As
I stated previously, if this article was a joke.... it's pretty funny.
Otherwise you obviously don't know half as much about Linux as you think
you do.

Sincerely

Terry Rowland


From: Baracoodah.aol.com
To: mailbag.divisiontwo.com
Subject: Halloween
Date: Thu, 16 Oct 2003 20:33:00 EDT 


In Anne Ferguson's article, you said you totally agree with what she says:

<<Know this: The media can work on your side. All we as Christians need to do is create an issue. Family First suggests placing several small pins in tootsie rolls and then phoning the local news station. If enough of us do it, it could be enough to start a media "crisis," and Halloween will gradually die out from fear. Another notable suggestion is to just give those special tootsie rolls to the Druid children who show up at your door. In that way, you'd be killing two birds with one stone.>>

You think we should really be doing this?

Thank you for your time and please respond.


Sara


From: Michael Higgins <higgins0.indigo.ie>
Reply-To: mhiggins.pobox.com
To: mailbag.divisiontwo.com
Date: Thu, 16 Oct 2003 21:21:30 +0100 

How does a moron like this get web time ? 

I've read better stuff from the side of at pop-tart box. 

Average windows up-time before fatal failure: 31 days
Average unix up-time before fatal failure: 461 data and still counting.

Get a life.


-------------------------------
Michael Higgins
mhiggins.pobox.com


From: Kevin Patrick Crowley <anothergeek.crowleyenterprises.com>
To: mailbag.divisiontwo.com
Subject: Jorge
Date: Thu, 16 Oct 2003 08:20:08 -0500 


Jorge,
Possibly your pager wouldn't go off so often if you actually had ever 
used Linux or a *nix.
Well I don't expect any better from a Devry graduate with an MCSE. That 
and a $1.50 will get you a cup of coffee.

Only an HR department or an IS department constructed by HR would hire 
you. No real IS shop will want you until you actually understand the 
issues and not be a poster child for Microsoft.
You know how pathetic poster children are.

Cordially,

Kevin


From: Alexander Siegfried <a.siegfried.feisar.de>
To: maureen.divisiontwo.com
Subject: SUVs
Date: Wed, 15 Oct 2003 09:54:37 +0200 


Hello Maureen,

just noticing your web page (/articles/parttimemom1.htm), I say I fully agree. Take a look at my SUV that I just bought:

http://feisar.de/stuff/dodge.jpg

But since then, everybody keeps laughing at me. Can you give me an advice?

Many greetings,


Alexander


From: LARRY020.aol.com
Date: Friday, October 10, 2003 1:48 PM
To: maureen.divisiontwo.com
Subject: Are Small Cars a Threat to SUV Drivers?

Hi

I wholeheartedly agree with your words. I currently own a Honda Civic since I am single with no kids. I have saved up enough money for a down payment on an H2. I could take that $10,000 and buy a Hyundai (sp?) and pay cash for the whole car, but I would rather take on a five year loan.

I am about to give up my former 38 mpg on the highway, so I can spur on the economy. Since many H2's get 13 mpg (or better) on the highway I will have to buy 3 times as much fuel. This will put 3 times as much money into the economy. The Honda was built in Japan. The H2 is made of mostly US made parts (except for the electronics and other such stuff) built in a US plant. When the H2 breaks down (all vehicles breakdown sometime, even my Honda) it will need more US made parts. The Honda requires more imported parts that further harms our trade deficit.

I've never been in an accident, which is no small statement after driving over 400,000 miles. Yet, I know the odds are getting better and better everyday that when that accident happens I will most likely be hitting or getting hit by something big, maybe your H2. I would like to be in another H2 when that time comes. I tell my friends I am a good luck charm because none of them have been in an accident whenever I travel with them. I should start talking them into buying H2's also. Thankfully almost all of them already have SUV's. They pick on me for lagging behind.

The sad part of this whole story is that it is all true.

Larry

PS Tell me what you think about this idea. Should I buy a Denali instead of an H2? Since the Denali gets less mileage than an H2 I will have to buy more gas helping the economy even more. 


From: Robert Sturman <robert.robertsturmanstudio.com>
To: guysview.divisiontwo.com
Date:
Friday, October 10, 2003 11:27 AM

you are a true romantic. I think you will be suffering much very soon.


From: bas.jmcgroup <jmcgroup.ptd.net>
To: maureen.divisiontwo.com <maureen.divisiontwo.com>
Date:
Friday, October 10, 2003 11:06 AM
Subject: Small Cars

Love your way of thinkin' !!

Bruce


Bruce A. Stein
President

Linden Fuel Corporation
PO Box 352
Tannersville, PA 18372


From: drbaylor <drbaylor.sbcglobal.net>
To: maureen.divisiontwo.com <maureen.divisiontwo.com>
Date: Friday, October 10, 2003 8:00 AM

I think that there are too many small cars and stupid drivers on the road today for anyone to venture out, that is without small arms fire, surface to air missles (made to target compact cars) and body armor..

People have no clue how to drive, they think that the H2 and all other SUVS will stop on a dime for them and they can do whatever they want... I totally agree that smaller cars do not make for safer roads...

Best of luck, 
Trey

P.S. Nice Hummer, mine is black too, and you are a very attractive woman... Have a nice day...


From: Cas194.aol.com
To: mailbag.divisiontwo.com
Subject: Windows vs. Linux
Date: Thu, 9 Oct 2003 15:13:32 EDT


Nice spoof, Jorge!

Just for a moment, I thought you were being SERIOUS! However, as the factual errors built up, I realised that you were just having a laugh.....

CAS


From: Ihirthnu.aol.com
To: maureen.divisiontwo.com
Subject: Small cars??!!! What about motorcycles??!!!
Date: Thu, 9 Oct 2003 13:46:48 EDT


Dear Mauron Jambor!!!

You idiot!!! Don't you realize that there are things smaller than cars on the road? They have these things called "motorcycles" and "scooters" that only have 2 wheels... and they are allowed on the same roads as our SUV's!!!

Worst of all, oftentimes these "motorcyclists" will actually risk inflicting substantial damage on our SUV's by wearing hard plastic helmets that are actually hard enough to nick the paint on an SUV's bumper!!! Needless to say, even a little nick can cost hundreds of dollars over our already sky-high monthly payments!

Think about that, yo!

--Grandmaster B


From: Chris Mayka <cmayka.direct-com.com>
Reply-To: Chris Mayka <cmayka.direct-com.com>
To: maureen.divisiontwo.com
Subject: SUV Article
Date: Thu, 9 Oct 2003 10:48:21 -0400


Thank you. I'm a true believer that some issues are so unwholesome that they can only be handled effectively, and safely, with humor.

This article on HUGE SUV's needed to be put in perspective, and your column did it. By the way, I live in rural Vermont, on a dead-end dirt road and use to own an SUV. Thought I needed it. Last fall I bought a Mini Cooper, put snow tires on the little sucker, had no problem driving through one of our worse winters in recent memory. I already have over 24,000 miles on the Mini, it's safe, extremely comfortable, a blast to drive, and I get 40 miles a gallon on the expressway!

Thanks

Chris Mayka
Vice President
Direct Communications

P.S. One of the reasons I have 24,000 miles on my Mini is I drive to Cleveland, OH from Vermont to visit my client Funny Times. A very good political and humor magazine (www.funnytimes.com). Actually I liked the client so well I fell in love with the editor and visit every other weekend. I'm going to submit your article for publication it's that good.


From: Ian Gregory <yahoo.zenatode.org.uk>
To: maureen.divisiontwo.com
Subject: Re: Are Small Cars a Threat to SUV Drivers?
Date: Thu, 9 Oct 2003 11:25:59 +0100


Hi Maureen,

I understand your natural concern but I think you over estimate
the protection you Hummer provides. For example, what if you were
driving along the freeway and a rogue Mac truck fully loaded
with SUV spare parts came barreling towards you on the wrong
side of the central reservation? You and your precious cargo
would be squashed like bugs!

Much better to strap your kid to the back of a really hot Ducati.
Then you could get out of any potential trouble just like Trinity
did in Matrix Reloaded.

Ian
http://www.zenatode.org.uk/ian/


From: Gaston Strauven <g.strauven.pi.be>
To: mailbag.divisiontwo.com
Subject: Who pays you for this?
Date: Thu, 09 Oct 2003 11:36:03 +0200


You must be happy with all the shit that soon will infect your "monster"
thanks to the "holes" in your spendid XP.....


From: Tanya Cumpston <Tanya.Cumpston.motorola.com>
To: mailbag.divisiontwo.com
Subject: RE: A Linux Distro for Barbie?
Date: Thu, 09 Oct 2003 15:34:46 +0930


Enough, already.

I have been a software engineer for 25 years, working on real time
embedded systems in both civilian and defence roles.
I am also a woman. Therefore, I do not appreciate comments like:

"Most girls up through adult women become frightened and confused, often
hysterical when presented with a traditional command prompt," Cesterino
explained, "therefore the console program available through the B-Menu
in BarbieOS features pink text on a flowered background so as to not
intimidate or threaten females, and all windows are circular instead of
the usual square, since most females unconsciously associate a circular
shape with inclusiveness and the womb."

"This kind of attention to detail and thorough understanding of female
limitations also shows in the step by step Barbie Wizards that guide
girls through the process of partitioning their disks, formatting
volumes, mounting Samba shares, and installing packages. During the
installation, girls are allowed to play a fashion-plate game or view a
slideshow of rainbows, kittens, and Mattel products. "

Female limitations? What female limitations? I was writing device
drivers when you were wearing diapers.

Kind regards,
Tanya Cumpston


From: <orlov.avdis.ru>
To: mailbag.divisiontwo.com
Date: Thu, 9 Oct 2003 09:53:06 +0400

Thanks for such site, a lot of fun.
You rule, dude!


From: Allison Weigang <aweigang.drew.edu>
To: mailbag.divisiontwo.com
Date: Wed, 08 Oct 2003 16:25:34 -0400
Subject: RE: A Linux Distro for Barbie?



I usually can laugh at myself and at ambiguities in our society, but I'm
at a loss here. Unless this article was supposed to satirically comment
on the male-dominated target audience in the tech industry, it crossed
the line.

Yes, girls are generally less tech-savvy than boys, but is that because
girls have a "limitation" when it comes to computers? No, it means that
the technology industry, already predominantly male, is intimidating to
girls and so it sets a precedent for females to refrain from joining
"the club."

If technology-related products would begin to seriously attempt to pull
females into the market, besides using pink, frilly, dumbed-down
interfaces and having Barbie's face on it, maybe we could change
something about that. But in the meantime, I'm one of only three
females my age that is a Computer Science major at my university, and
I'm reminded of it often. So maybe you should stop fueling the fire and
start thinking of a way to, you know, NOT be a sexist? Just a thought.


From: Patricia Nava <pnava.ece.utep.edu>
To: mailbag.divisiontwo.com
Subject: RE: A Linux Distro for Barbie?
Date: Wed, 08 Oct 2003 12:16:33 -0600


I found this "article" offensive, not funny. I can see where
the humor could've been done nicely, but really!!! How,
as a technical female with a PhD in Computer Engineering,
can I *not* be offended by these wonderful pearls:

"Most girls up through adult women become frightened and confused, often
hysterical when presented with a traditional command prompt"

"This kind of attention to detail and thorough understanding of female
limitations also shows in the step by step Barbie Wizards"

Wake up ... you don't have to put down one sector of
the technical world to be humorous. I can think of a
multitude of ways this could've been funny without those
disparaging remarks.


From: Pau Rul·lan <paurullan.telefonica.net>
To: mailbag.divisiontwo.com
Subject: Linux opinion
Date: Wed, 08 Oct 2003 14:54:41 +0200


Dear Jorge:
Has anybody paid you to write this shit?
Realy, this is nothing personal, but I am afraid you are a compelte
ignorant about GNU/Linux and you DID NOT investigate on it before
wrintting the text.
See you:
Pau Rul·lan Ferragut


From: Lynn <newnuzed.epix.net>
To: maureen.divisiontwo.com
Subject: Your son
Date: Tue, 7 Oct 2003 02:31:51 -0400


My mouth is so far on the floor I'm scraping my bottom lip off of the carpet. Your teaching a CHILD about SEX !! Homosexual no less !! Children are not sexual !! For Gods sake....you cannot classify a 5 yr old as gay !! Where the hell is your MIND ?? You have LOST IT. Your a major psycho lady and your son should be taken away from you , this is blatant CHILD ABUSE. I feel SO sorry for your son I could cry. I shudder to think of what this boy is going to turn out like. Your brain cells are misfiring is some way...please get yourself some help before you mess up your son any further.


From: Luc Bégault <lbegault.tiscali.fr>
To: mailbag.divisiontwo.com
Subject: You're article
Date: Mon, 06 Oct 2003 15:45:32 +0200


I just read it,
Have you ever used a linux box ? I'am not sure, You say there is no
Office suite under linux, and OpenOffice ? No media player ... and
mplayer, noatun, kbooble, xmms and so on ? No outlook express ... and
mozilla-mail, kmail, pine etc ??
After that you say that windows update work well... good, what do you
thing about "buster" MS have publicated a security annonce 3 weeks
before and they have wait the virus to make an update, (I've got MS
admin friends that can speak a long time about this)
After that in exploitation, do you lnow what append after an arp-flood
to windows box ? I'am going to tell you: they must reboot And the cost
of Win 2003 advanced server with a good anti-virus a MS-Office licence
for multiple users and so one ...
It seems like you just copy an MS advertissment.


From: Marius Pana <marius.pana.mdp.ro>
To: mailbag.divisiontwo.com
Subject: Linux vs Windows
Date: 06 Oct 2003 08:25:44 +0300


Hello,
I couldnt stand to read the whole article seeing as to how you lack even
the most remote knowledge of Linux, probably even windows. I did read
the part as to where "Why doesn't Linux come with any defragmenting
tools or virus scanners or Active Backdoor Update like you get with
Windows?"....Let me answer this. First Linux (UNIX) do no need
defragmenting because they are 'smart' and dont let fragments occur.
Second there are plentty of update programs for linux but THERE ARE NO
VIRUSES IN UNIX. Sorry to burst your bubble buddy. I suggest you brush
up on your Unix (Linux) skills and soon because windows just doesnt do
it!

--
Marius Pana <marius.pana.mdp.ro


From: Alexandru N. Barloiu
Reply-To: axl.dale.ro
To: mailbag.divisiontwo.com
Subject: i was just wondering Date: Mon, 06 Oct 2003 04:37:42 +0300


about this link: /articles/mcse2.htm just out of curiosity is it meant as a joke? -- Alexandru N. Barloiu Dale Media


From: Anders Aadal Jensen <aadal.stofanet.dk>
To: mailbag.divisiontwo.com
Subject: Windows vs. Linux on the Server
Date: Sun, 5 Oct 2003 13:37:50 +0200

att: Jorge Lopez

What a load of crap!
Your arguments suck dude.
I wonder if you ever installed Linux.
Try to be abit more obective the next time you use the "vs." !!!

-------------------
Anders Aadal Jensen
aadal.stofanet.dk
-------------------


From: berindei adrian <berindei_adrian.yahoo.com>
To: mailbag.divisiontwo.com
Subject: /articles/mcse2.htm
Date: Sat, 4 Oct 2003 10:35:07 -0700 (PDT)


Is that a joke ? Is the most stupid thing I
have ever read. Linux doesn't need defragmenting, it
doesn't have virii and it doesn't need stupid patches.
So what you can do with your computer is needless.
Mplayer is the best video player in the world and Open
Office is a grat office suite. Have you ever hear
about it ? I don't think so.


From: Venusdimilo123.aol.com
To: mailbag.divisiontwo.com
Subject: (no subject)
Date: Tue, 30 Sep 2003 21:16:11 EDT


Scurvy....you are sick sick sick!


From: Dwane Brittain <dwane_ginny.charter.net>
To: maureen.divisiontwo.com
Subject: Hello :)
Date: Fri, 8 Aug 2003 22:41:06 -0700


This is an advisment to Maureen Jambor.
You might find writing a parody about gay children to be amusing, and maybe I am reading into this incorrectly. Maybe you are making fun of parents who freak out when they think their children are gay from an that it would in reality be impossible to tell, but none the less you seem instead to be trying to make the point that youth can't know thar they're homosexual and simply taking the age to an extreme or for that matter making the argument that homosexuality is merely a state of mind. Who knows, maybe I'm just dense to your being some huge lesbian advocate for civil rights and your making fun of homophobic parents but it seems more likely that you are some self-deluding overly zealous member of some homophobic religion and you're making fun of people who support gay and lesbian children. And while I didn't know I was queer till I was 11 and I think its very difficult to know any time before then I will tell you this I did enjoy kissing my best friends when I was a small child. If you would please explain to me your position I would very much like to hear it so I can understand where you are coming from in this article other wise be advised I will make your article available to a certain web surfer that once linked there will be brought to every registered GLBT organization on the web and I am sure that it would not take me much longer than one to two weeks to have protesters camped on your drive way. My email where you can send your reply or rebutal is Running_Stallion.excite.com
Sincerly,
Jim B
(aka the poet known as "Briar Rose")


From: cindy <clsbaxley.mchsi.com>
To: maureen.divisiontwo.com
Subject: Gay toddler article
Date: Wed, 30 Jul 2003 08:59:48 -0400


Although I am acutely aware that this is satire, albeit SICK satire In my opinion, unfortunately some do not. I post regularly on a Public Board Forum, and this article has been linked there. Some people are taking your article seriously, somehow failing to see all the stereotypical humor (?) you have lavishly sprinkled within. Homosexuality is a hot topic these days for some reason. I'm thinking you should possibly put a disclaimer at the end, for those who don't get the fact that it is satire.

Sincerely,
Cindy


From: Broozermd.aol.com
To: maureen.divisiontwo.com
Subject: gay toddlers?
Date: Tue, 29 Jul 2003 17:01:07 EDT


hey,
this has got to be the most ridiculous thing I've ever read. thanks for the laugh today.

BA


From: Cris Valderas <cris.dvdpowertools.com>
To: maureen.divisiontwo.com
Subject: The world's worst parent---YOU!
Date: Tue, 29 Jul 2003 11:35:46 -0500


Raising a gay baby???? I’ve met many feminine men that weren’t gay, they just didn’t have high levels of testosterone, which is a good thing most of the times. You are making the baby gay yourself. Aside from all that??? Giving a baby beer and cigars, exposing him to a rave, buying cock shaped pacifiers is just bad parenting. Would anyone buy their heterosexual baby girl a cock shaped pacifer so she feel comfortable with a dick in her mouth? Please!


From: Joni Mariee <jonimariee.yahoo.com>
To: maureen.divisiontwo.com
Subject: Disbelief
Date: Mon, 28 Jul 2003 20:11:46 -0700 (PDT)

OMG

I have read alot of things while online but this, your article takes the cake. Why not try being a FULL-TIME MOTHER/ parents instead of being away for 21 days out of the month, and deal with that poor baby boy who is only 5, five years old. Every boy likes EZ bake ovens, in fact because of that they now make, Creepy Bake Ovens, buy one of them, your so well to do. Let him play house, allow him to build a houses if he chooses. Painting them pink however does not mean the poor child is gay. Teach him that LOVE, and not lube, is what holds any family together. Don't limit him to only one friend, bring in other playmates. Most of all remember, you are the parents, you are his teachers, not his nanny.
In closing, I think if I were away from my 9 year old for 21 days a month, she could turn into anything or anyone who is around her on a daily basis, mainly because she is being ALLOWED to do so. Check the nanny, but mostly, check yourself first. Being a parent means being there for the child and not passing him off to someone else to raise.
Whats more important, your job???

Signed,
My head is shaking in disbelief...
p.s. 5 years old, pleaseee..somethings wrong there, and it's not with that baby boy..


From: Victor <victorfabian.compuserve.com>
To: maureen.divisiontwo.com
Subject: Gay toddler Article
Date: Fri, 11 Jul 2003 14:55:28 -0700
Hi Maureen!


I just read an article that you wrote June 6, 2000 about gay toddler and I
really want to congratulate you and your husband on the acceptance and
guidance that you are giving your son. I do however have a few questions.
¿How do you really determine that a toddler is gay? I'm not gay and I can
tell you that I don't follow sports, I don't drink, don't smoke, I'm a good
listener, I know how to clean a house a well or better than most women and
that doesn't make me gay. I was like that even as a kid.

My sister was the biggest tomboy ever. She didn't like playing with the
girls; she didn't even like dressing like one. She's not gay. Some things
are just a phase or just part of the personality. I'm concerned that maybe
your son will end up being gay because you are treating him that way not
because he was born that way. I mean, I know you know better since you are
the mother, but I'm just curious what makes a toddler gay or how you can
tell for sure that the baby is gay.


Either way, good luck and excuse my questions; I didn't want to disrespect
or disturb you.

Be well!


From: James E Crooks <kf4mgz.juno.com>
To: maureen.divisiontwo.com
Subject: Are you for real?
Date: Tue, 24 Jun 2003 05:59:47 -0400


I read your two pieces on gay babies, and I really have to wonder. Maybe
I'm on a very subtle humor page here, but you might be the worst parent
I've ever heard of! Sensitive boys often are not gay, they are just
perhaps more artistically inclined. Crying in public? What kid doesn't?
Look, I've got no problem with gay people, and I'm all for gay rights,
etc., but I don't understand you appearing to be pushing your very young
son into something that I don't think he even understands yet. Sexuality
is something that most children don't really discover until they are
older than your child is, in most cases. Orientation can be something
that takes years and in many cases decades to understand. Your child's
self esteem is foremost in your list of priorities, but you don't care
that his teacher has a history of drug and self control problems. You
say you are a part-time mom, or so it says at the bottom of the page.
Hmmmm.... maybe your son needs full time parents, instead of what he has.


From: Mike Weiland <fordguy.180com.net>
To: maureen.divisiontwo.com
Subject: Wow, I thought I was reading a joke,
Date: Wed, 18 Jun 2003 12:32:36 -0700 (Pacific Standard Time)


Is that whole bunch of bunk real? Gay toddler? Do you have scientific evidence that being gay is genetic? If you do, you have become the world's first!

Mike


From: ScufftyHA.aol.com
To: maureen.divisiontwo.com
Subject: Please tell me that your 2 gay tottlers stories are a joke
Date: Thu, 12 Jun 2003 03:48:07 EDT


It is very late and I am very tired and very little surprises me anymore. Sincerely yours, Ron Frank


From: ScufftyHA.aol.com
To: maureen.divisiontwo.com
Subject: Never mind I see them listed with other spoof articles...
Date: Thu, 12 Jun 2003 03:51:16 EDT


Whew! I thought I was going to have to move farther back into the woods from our sick society...Thanks again , Ron Frank


From: BARESNA.aol.com
To: maureen.divisiontwo.com
Subject: SOMEBODY I KNOW....
Date: Thu, 22 May 2003 19:47:25 EDT


DEAR MAUREEN,
I HAVE A FRIEND WHO HAS A TWO AND A HALF YEARS OLD GRANDCHILD, AND I AM SUSPECTING HE IS GOING TO BE GAY.
I CAN NOTICE THAT BECAUSE I AM A LESBIAN MYSELF AND KNOW THE INSTINCTS OF GAY AND LESBIAN PEOPLE WHATEVER THE AGE.
THIS LITTLE CREATURE'S BEHAVIOR IS NOT THE ONE OF A REAL MALE-BOY.
MY QUESTIONS ARE:
1) DO YOU THINK I SHOULD ALERT HER ABOUT THIS MATTER OR SHOULD I LET HER AND THE WHOLE FAMILY DISCOVER IT BY THEMSELVES? (I KNOW SHE WOULD ACCEPT ANY COMMENT FROM ME SINCE SHE RESPECTS ME VERY MUCH EVEN KNOWING THAT I AM A LESBIAN).
2) SHOULD THEY "GO WITH THE FLOW" AND WAIT AND SEE FOR THEMSELVES, OR SHOULD THEY BEGIN TO PREPARE FOR THE WHOLE OUTCOME?
I ASK YOU BECAUSE FOR SURE YOU SHOULD BE MUCH MORE PREPARED THAN ME REGARDING TODDLERS.
PLEASE, LET ME KNOW YOUR OPINION BECAUSE I CAN SEE AND SMELL "TRAUMA" IN THE HORIZON!!!!!!!!


From: Laura Harkey <lr.harkey.verizon.net>
To: mailbag.divisiontwo.com
Subject: 'being the dad' article
Date: Wed, 6 Aug 2003 21:17:03 -0700


This is nothing about being a dad its about being an alcoholic that's what
its about. you need some serious help with your problem and I know just the
people to help you but anyways.... well, I was reading your articles and I'm
rather shocked, it seems to me
that you go a little far with the discipline. I understand I'm only 13, but
I still think you were way out of line, I mean throwing your own child down
the stairs?? I could understand spankings, the belt, and wooden spoons
because that was my form of punishment too and I think I turned out alright.
but there comes an age where you don't pull down their pants anymore because
they are beginning to mature and that's not right. you need to keep your
hands off when you are drunk because as far as I see it, that is abuse.
please write back with your comments.
Laura


From: Tom R <JoePaFan76.aol.com>
To: mailbag.divisiontwo.com
Subject: Excellent Role Model foe sXe
Date: Tue, 1 Jul 2003 15:57:16 -0500


Folks!
Doin some research into the what and where of sXe lifestyle. Bumped into Nathan Joinick's articles on my journey. You have got to be shitting me. He first appears w/ a smoke in his dumb ass mug. Can you say " moron ?" Unless I missed something the "life" excludes tobacco. Nice and if I was trying to educate the world I sure as hell would skip this tool as my spokesperson. He advocates random violence and vigilantism towards others who don't tow the sXe line. Judge, jury and executioner.
True story - I was advocating for a sXe duue to take a position at my work. We try and unscrew formally abused and neglected kids in Chicago. Thought the dude might bring a genuine and positive thought shift for a change. Well, the hiring party got a hold of Joinick's rantings and guess what. Now you can blame society OR you can take a look at how you want to be recieved and how you represent yourselves.
Dude is to out there to be representing what appears to be a favorable choice situation for a lot of people. Drop the bunghole spokesperson. He can find plenty of forums to vent his radicalism and feed his ego.
Jes me spoutin off. Tom
P.S. Pls don't share my e-mail address w/ that hammerhead. He'll come and kick my ass cause I disagree w/ him!


From: David Rosales <rosanto.medtelecom.net>
Reply-To: rosanto.medtelecom.net
To: mailbag.divisiontwo.com
Subject: A converted atheist Oh dear Anne.
Date: Sat, 7 Jun 2003 13:09:20 +0200


I was searching the net for interesting articles, and came across an article by Anne Ferguson. I was almost ready to pay attention when she came across the classic Christian Right line: “Get those liberals out..” This was very upsetting and let me explain what I believe is achieved with that kind of rhetoric:

1) I do not consider myself a non-believer in the sense that I am totally mystified by creation and know something is out there, ergo God. I tried atheism, but it didn’t work for me.

2) The image and person of Jesus Christ has never been particularly inviting nor uninviting to me. A good prophet, stuck on himself being the only way to salvation. It never made sense.

3) I hold a variety of opinions concerning our daily lives as citizens in our communities and the world, and the conclusions fall neatly between conservative and liberal theories. The basis of my ideas come from my desire for justice, integrity and the pursuit of happiness not only for myself, but for others.

4) Though I personally did not consider a great president at the time, James Earl Carter professes to be a born again Christian man of God and spreads His Gospel at every chance he gets. He is not exactly a card carrying Republican, is he?

5) Mixing God and country cancels what I have heard to be Jesus’ message. The USA and its life style is not the beginning nor the end of what all people should aspire to. It is simply a nation, with good and bad, having its moment in history. The billions of people around the world are not all (many yes) fighting to get in, as many believe. Millions upon millions go to and from a number of countries around the world, not just the USA. The belief that God is a conservative Republican makes my insides turn. A deity, master, almighty of the world cannot be personified in such a narrow minded manner.

6) The Bible, as we know, has been translated and changed through the centuries by one group and another. There are so many out there claiming to be the holders of the one and only truth…because “God, or Jesus, or the Holy Spirit, etc…” told them so.

7) I have attended meetings from LDS, to Jehovah Witness, Four-Square, Baptist, Catholic, etc. and came to one very poignant conclusion. Sincere honest people will believe in whatever the mind will allow them to. Some will be fervently convinced and expound their faith, and other will simply talk the talk.

8) I have no disdain for believers. I love good honest people, who want the best for their fellow human beings. I share my philosophy on an equal basis with those belonging to whatever group may approach me. I have a right to believe what I believe, and I won’t condemn another for having his or her belief. I also have the right to be left alone, if I so chose.

9) Science is not the only answer, because life is truly mystical as I have said. But having to dedicate myself to honoring and praising a person whom I have never met (JS) and to whom I owe nothing, and who owes me nothing, is simplistic and unsatisfying. I want to believe in something, but I haven’t found out what that is yet. I am still searching, and take what good I can from my fellow searchers.

10) The bottom line is this: If there is a God, He is eternal and all-knowing. He knows me and what I’m all about. He won’t condemn for being a good person. Also, mixing a diatribe against atheist and mixing them in with all liberals simply defeats the task to bring in sincere new believers. I don’t always agree with the liberal sector of our society, but I cannot deny that the intentions for the most part are good and progressive to make life a better place for all. Liberal examples: Equal rights: Or do God fearing people believe people should be discriminated for the color of their skin, gender or creed? The environment: Or is it better to let companies do what ever they want for profit, without regard for the planet and our future? I am not a tree-hugger, but I do like to fish and I thank those liberal tree huggers for saving our lakes and streams. Free speech: yes, that thing that allows you to post ideas contrary to mine without persecution. If I don’t agree, I simple turn you off or change the channel. My truly liberal friends would laugh at my defending them, because there are many points where we don’t agree on the solutions, but I never question their motives and their motives have more to do with godliness than what I see from so many self righteous born-again ultra-conservatives. By the way, most of my truly liberal friends happen to be Baptists.

Thank you.

Dave R.


From: thecoolhumans <thecoolhumans.chartermi.net>
To: mailbag.divisiontwo.com
Subject: evilution
Date: Fri, 6 Jun 2003 17:04:21 -0400


I don't know how old the article I just came across
is (Evilution, Kenneth Riven), but it was one of the
stupidest things I've ever read. That is, if it is meant
to be serious. It kind of works as a joke but it's still
so pompous that it makes a person want to puke. Is
it a serious article? Is it a joke? Just curious. Could
someone let me know? God, if it is serious, then no
telling the five year that he speaks of is so stupid. It's
probably hereditary.


From: Ken Gratz <ken.ignitionusa.com>
To: mailbag.divisiontwo.com
Subject: Excellente'
Date: Tue, 3 Jun 2003 15:01:17 -0500


I was so confused when I first glanced at the site. Upon further reading, I nearly pissed my pants in laughter. Your satirical views of life are hilarious, especially when feeding off of peoples ignorances. I can't help but feel sorry for those that take the articles seriously...naw...hahaha. Brilliant! Keep up the good work!

ken


From: daniel.graham.student.tsc.nsw.edu.au
To: amanda.divisiontwo.com
Subject: In response to your articles
Date: Mon, 01 Sep 2003 04:50:11 +1000


Disclaimer: I sincerely hope that, being the, uh, good open-minded Christian that you are, you read this in its entirety. And don't be afraid to answer back; that is, if I don't completely discard your deluded facade and show your evil religion for what it really is: a pile of horse shit. I proved that Judaism was an evil religion in 6 pages; I can do it again with Christianity.

First off, let me say that if you want to be taken seriously, then you must spell your words properly. Come on; use a spell check for god's sake. And I'm not ashamed to use that noun, not a proper noun, just a good old noun, in "vain" because I'm an atheist. Now, as this website was started in 1999, I'll assume that you're, at most, 15 now. My age.

Anyway, I could spell at 11; I could spell at 3. Does that make me intelligent? Does my exclusive scholarship to the school from which I'm sending this make me intelligent? Does the fact that I can see through all the lies, propaganda and absolute bullshit that is thrown at me every single day by conservative, self-righteous, hypocritical, misinformed, right-wing, fundamentalist, fascist, Christian, would-be oppressors make me intelligent. Yes to all three.

Now, so as not to be wasting my precious time, I'm only going to go through one of your articles, and I use the word loosely here, and point out all the wrongs of it. Then I'll ask you a few questions. Let's go with "Is Atheism a Disease of the Mind?"

I want to know what God's (and just for this I'll say that God, ugh, exists) purpose was for you breaking a several hundred, even thousand, dollar computer, an act which made more than one person unhappy, except of course for the people at Circuit City who got food on their tables that night. What was the meaning of this punishment? That's what it is right: Punishment? If your parents are good parents, as you so obnoxiously pointed out in another article, why did they punish you; judge you? That makes as much sense as God's workings. I thought it was only God's place to Judge Mankind. Well, I guess Mommy and Daddy will be rotting in Hell for all eternity, for trying to play God. Tough break, kid. Score - 1

So tell me why is it that Christianity urges you to say that everything is God's work? Even when you have a "pifany," which, by the way, isn't a real word, you say God gave it to you, rather than crediting you own intelligence. After all, didn't God give us all gifts for us to use, like Paul said in Ephesians? Why do you reject God by rejecting His gifts to you, you Atheist? Score - 2

ADA? Mental Illness? Homosexuality? Atheism? There are six things ADA can mean, and I think the one you are looking for is the Americans with Disabilities Act. (I think I'll be the better man and cite a source. Score -3. It is "The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition" through www.dictionary.com. But of course you're too good to look words up.) I cannot find anything in here about homosexuality or Atheism, per se, as the Act is on _disabilities._ Homosexuality and Atheism aren't mental illnesses, they are LIFESTYLE CHOICES, whether I agree with them or not. Come to think about it, haemorrhoids and chlorosis aren't mental illnesses either. Haemorrhoids, quoting again the same source, are "an itching or painful mass of dilated veins in swollen anal tissue," and chlorosis is iron-deficiency anaemia, primarily of young women, characterized by a greenish-yellow discoloration of the skin." Wow, heaps of connection with mental illness, you dipshit. Do your research before disseminati

So pudding is made out of cinema film is it? Because that's exactly what celluloid is. Could've fooled me. I thought it was made out of different ingredients like flour, milk, eggs, fruit and sugar. Like a good Christian community, each person using their individual skills for the betterment of the whole. Flour tastes pretty disgusting eh? Oh, wait, I'm giving you ideas. Pfft, as if you'd be intelligent enough to use it. Wait, that means you are going to steal my idea and plagiarize it. Oh well, at least I can say I'm a published author. And then you go onto say that my heart has cinema film in it, as opposed to blood. Then you change your word to say that I have the outer cell wall substance of plants clogging my heart. Believe me, if anything's clogging my heart its cholesterol. Once again, do your research. I think the word you're looking for is cellulite. Idiot. Pseudo-Intellect. And then you go on to ramble about Preparation-H, gays, penis enlarging pumps, and some other incomprehensible crap. However,

First of all Eve with an l on the end is Evel not Evil. You have it entirely wrong you sick, twisted, evil fuck. I bet you're pro-life. And it's not your soul that bleeds it's your uterus. And your uterus hasn't bled because you're only 11, and you haven't started puberty yet you poor naive child. Girls aren't born having periods; they get them when they reach child-bearing age. And when they are past it, they go into menopause, where they don't have periods no more. Sucked in if by the time you get this you are having your periods, because I laugh myself to sleep every night knowing that I never will have to. Whoever told you that shit is the one with the mental problem, but it was probably your dad so he's burning in Hell anyway, right? Let's get double punishment. Score - 6.

On the topic of "Accepting God," what was it that he ever did for me anyway. Isn't he holding me hostage to being good? And if He's omnipotent, then why doesn't he just destroy Satan and be done with it? If we're forgiven anyway, why bother with the alternative? Why do we need to accept God? If you read the Old Testament, and I have read the Old Testament, not The Old Testament Jazzed Up For Kids, but the Real Deal, you can see that God kills tribe after tribe after tribe of people. Now, forgive me if I'm wrong, but isn't one of the commandments YOU SHALL NOT FUCKING KILL?! He sends his little Jew toys to wipe out other tribes that think they're doing the right thing because He hasn't visited them! Unless the Jews were the evil ones and were blindly following the words of the Priest-Kings who tricked them into believing that God had spoken to them. Think about it. The King wants more land, God doesn't care because God is eternal, so the King inspires the people by telling them God will lead them to victory,

And onto your weird Venus story. Of course they should be living on Venus, the hottest planet known, with CO2 everywhere, yeah it's liveable. Have you ever read 1984, by George Orwell? Or does your family burn books? Anyway, it's about really evil dictators in this world that control everything. They say only to have sex to procreate, because it's your duty to the dictators. The idea is that they keep happiness levels down, in order to stop rebellions. So, if we translate this into Biblical form, God is telling us not to be happy, so he can control our lives with an iron fist. Isn't that evil, and _SATANIC_? We really can't be happy, can we? Satan wins either way. He tries to make us sin be partaking in something pleasurable, to make us happy, then he makes us fell Eternal pain. Do it God's way, we'll have sex on broken glass and we are in pain. WE CAN'T WIN WITH RELIGION. Doesn't God want us to be happy? Then why doesn't he want us to enjoy sex? Not that it mentions anywhere in the Bible not to enjoy sex. P

Actually, if you did your research (funny how this keeps coming up) the Theory of the Survival of the Fittest, had fuck all to do with being physically fit, you moron. Evolution is about species changing their DNA over millions of years to better fit their changing environments, like moths or ducks or lions would. It's not being physically fit. His death didn't disprove anything. And now here's something that disproves the Theory of Monotheistic Christianity: God doesn't exist because there is no proof. There is not evidence. Evidence, being a result of something, (take an example of a murder. Blood on a window, evidence. Hair samples, evidence) means that there must be a cause. Like Cause and Effect. There is NO evidence of God, the effect, which means there was no Cause to make it, which is God. Score - 11. 2 Bonus points for disproving God a second time - 12.

Oh, what I thought this next bit was Irony on a base level. By the way, my belief is that is there is a higher being, it's called Irony. Anyway, the Irony was that the son went to CHRISTIAN MILITARY SCHOOL. Think about it. CHRISTIAN.... MILITARY. ISN'T THAT COMPLETELY CONTRADICTORY? Aren't Christians supposed to be forgiving of their enemies? You know, turn the other cheek? Not sending their kids off to learn how to kill heathens in Jesus' already bloodied name. Score - 13.

Shit, you want to be a WRITER? If anyone's up there, help English Literature. JK Rowling's already screwed it up enough, and now THIS. And now, as for your either sarcastic or deluded impression of Jesus, probably the former but I wouldn't be surprised to find it the latter, it's not called MUSLIM COUNTRY it's called ARABIA, or the ISLAMIC WORLD. And Jesus wasn't Mohammed. Mohammed was the Muslim saviour. Islam expanded on Christianity, Judaism and their own religion to make a new one, making Jesus a lesser prophet like Elijah, and replacing him with Mohammed. Score - 14. Bonus point for calling you and idiot. 15.

So let me conclude:
1. You're parents are going to burn in Hell for punishing you while it was clearly God's job to judge;
2. You don't accept God's own gift of intelligence to you, you heretical hypocrite;
3. When you say something as a fact, like government records or scripture, use a source, otherwise I'll line my birdcage with it;
4. Being homosexual, or atheist, even non-Christian, isn't a mental illness. You really need to redefine mental illness. You also need to stop thinking that anyone who isn't a hardcore fundamentalist Christian, like you or President Bush, and choses a different way of life, is insane and NEEDS YOUR MEDDLING. THEY DON'T!
5. When you write something to get a point across, don't make it incomprehensible. Use a spell check. Proof read it for consistency. Make your point loud and clear. Or you could just quit while you're behind and never write again, because penis enlarger pumps had nothing to do with your first "enlightening."
6. A period is not a curse from God. It's a sign for when a woman is most fertile. Therefore shouldn't it be a gift from God? It's not your soul, it's your womb. And that little cracker pot spawn in it isn't human; it's a bunch of coagulated cells. It's not a human until it does something for another person deliberately.
7. God did nothing for me, so why should I accept Him? How about He accepts me into Heaven? How about he stops being an asshole and killing thousands of innocent people, hypocritically.
8. God doesn't exist because how could he, the Perfect Being that He Is, tell the Hebrew King to go off and kill the innocent other tribes because they hadn't converted to His Word, let alone heard it. So it must be that the Jewish Priest-King lied to his people about God, and it was really Solomon and David calling the shots.
9. People can live on Venus. God really wants us to be unhappy, so we can combat Satan, who also wants us to be unhappy. It's like the American political system: both parties are they same. It's like Jesus and Satan are both puppets. I think the puppet on the right is more to my liking. Hey there's one God holing both puppets. Shut up, mortal; now go kill some innocent people.
10. God is evil because he wants people to be miserable, because misery blind people from the truth.
11. Being physically fit has nothing to do with the Theory of Evolution. Fittest in the latter context means with more ability to adapt to a changing environment.
12. God doesn't exist because there is no proof, which is an effect. Therefore God, which is the cause of proof, doesn't exist.
13. Christian and military does NOT go together. Christianity distinctly says to turn the other cheek, walk the extra mile, and give the other garment. Then again, it also says, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, arm for arm, leg for leg.
14. Don't be a writer. That will screw up English Literature even more. We don't need another fundamentalist Christian telling us how to beat our kids without leaving a mark, or how to judge or atheist neighbors, rather than loving them.
15. You are an idiot. Reply to me, telling me what you think about my arguments. Are you now an atheist? Because if you're not, I'll just keep bombarding you with disproof of God until even Jesus begins to doubt himself. Atheism is morals without worship.

PS. Why don't you date your articles? Then people know how old they are. Not that it matters.


From: Brandon_George.hma.honda.com <Brandon_George.hma.honda.com>
To: mailbag.divisiontwo.com
Subject: Jorge Lopez - Windows NO article
Date: Tuesday, September 03, 2002 9:06 PM

Great!

Wonderful!!! I just loved this article....
I hope and pray that consumers will become aware of this danergous outrage
called microsoft and hope only that Linux will some day topple them!!!!!!!!

From a Microsoft Developer Switching to Java Technologies this is a great
article!!!!!!!!!!!!


-Brandon


From: "John Dobmeier" <jpsdobs.adelphia.net>
To: <divisiontwo.yahoo.com>
Subject: Friends suck.
Date: Mon, 2 Oct 2000 21:03:16 -0400


Hey what's up man? My name is steve and i live in Buffalo New York, I'm straight edge and most of my friends that are older and out of high school are, but my friends that I hang out with now always Harass me because I am, I take alot of shit from my friends cause I want to keep my mind, body and soul pure. My one friend mike always try to get me to smoke pot or the last time he tried he blew it in my face at a party and i droped his ass and broke his arm. H e still bothers me about and I 'm gettin fuckin sick of it so if you can give me some advice e-mail me back. With three X's carved in my heart i'll be true till death do me part.

steve.
JPSDobs.adelphia.com


Date: Tue, 26 Sep 2000 15:45:07 -0700 (PDT)
From: Sanjay Sahijwani <pussy_licking_cunt.yahoo.com>
Subject: PUNK
To: raven.divisiontwo.com


u r a really stupid muthafucka, u do not deserve to
live, do not worry little grasshopper when i find u i
will rip u apart piece by piece. i will chop of your
fuckin nuts and shove them down your throat. I will
stick burning cigarettes up your ass one by one and
then i will pour 40 proof liquor all over your crack.
then i will get a 20 inch long dildo so that i can
repeatadly rape your stupid fuckin ass. and when u r
begging for me to stop i will stick a pipe up yo ass
with cheese rubbed all over the inside, and then i
will let a starving rat loose so that he enters your
anus and starts tearin your body up from the inside.
When u're body has rotted for several days i will burn
u, and with your ashes i will roll them up and smoke
yo punk ass, because i enjoy smokin and i enjoy
drinkin and i eat meat cause i say fuck the animals.
So fuck u, u inconsiderate prick, beating up smaller
kids cause u got nothin better to do. if u ask me ,
you're the punk around here so watch your ass u little
shit because i will find u and as soon as i do, yo
ass is mine. Bitch.


From: FullAutomatic.aol.com
Date: Tuesday, September 26, 2000 2:20 AM
To: mailbag.divisiontwo.com <mailbag.divisiontwo.com>
Subject: YOU ROCK!

Look, I have never laughed so damn hard in my life. You know, it took me
about 10 minutes to see what was going on as I plowed thru articles on this
ingenious website, and I was truly unaware as to the ploy. I went thru stages
of horror, anger, and then all laughter once I realized I got played.

This site is the best website I have ever seen in my whole life! Now I feel
so damn stupid for falling for it; hook, line, and sinker. I'm still laughing
my ass off, and I can't wait to tell my friends about this site, and I will
ask them to call me before they send hate mail to you. I consider myself an
intelligent person, and I'm very rarely duped, but damn, you got me. Kudos'
to your obviously intellectual and extremely humorous staff. Damn, I hope you
win every award which exist for websites, and I hope to see this spun into a
network sitcom, or at the very least a HBO Special.

Please keep it up!

Sean Messer


From: Sjgodbout13.aol.com <Sjgodbout13.aol.com>
Date: Friday, September 22, 2000 5:38 PM
To: mailbag.divisiontwo.com <mailbag.divisiontwo.com>
Subject: great site

Great site. Some of the jokes for guys were extremely funny.


From: CrassDarling.aol.com <CrassDarling.aol.com>
Date: Sunday, September 17, 2000 11:27 AM
To: mailbag.divisiontwo.com <mailbag.divisiontwo.com>
Subject: (no subject)

ANNE FERGUSON is full of crap!!!


From: Basil Revelas <elric22.hotmail.com>
Date: Friday, September 15, 2000 4:18 PM
To: mailbag.divisiontwo.com <mailbag.divisiontwo.com>
Subject: Divisiontwo



Your site is a work of pure genius. I think it has to be one of the funniest
things I've ever read. It was almost good enough for me to send you a large
amount of money. But then I changed my mind. Keep it up though.
Love,
Basil.


From: GMcglaun.aol.com <GMcglaun.aol.com>
Date: Saturday, September 16, 2000 1:30 AM
To: raven.divisiontwo.com <raven.divisiontwo.com>
Subject: (no subject)

RAVEN HUH AHA WHAT A JOKE SO YOUR STRAIGHT EDGE AND YOU HAVE A CIGARETTE
HANGING OUT OF YOUR MOUTH I DONT KNOW IF YOU ARE TRYING TO BE FUNNY OR
SOMETHING BUT IF YOU ARE SO SERIOUS ABOUT BEING STRAIGHT EDGE THEN YOU
WOULDNT PULL SOME GOOF BALL SHIT LIKE THAT YEAH AND THAT PART ABOUT BEING
EDUCATED WELL MAYBE LEARNING HOW TO ACTUALLY SPELL THE WORD FUCKING "BRAIN"
WOULD HELP NOT BRIAN YOUR BOYFRIEND AND BY THE WAY JUST CURIOUS WHAT DO YOU
THINK ABOUT SKINHEADS NOT NAZIS OR SHARPS BUT TRADS

THANKS


From: CornflakeGLr.aol.com
Date: Wed, 30 Aug 2000 21:43:00 EDT
Subject: Amanda's Columns
To: divisiontwo.yahoo.com


In the bible does it not teach loving, caring and understanding? This little girl is the
"devil" in hiding. Her judgmental views on everything
prove she is not only misinformed but very miseducated. This is America This is
the year 2000 This is the world. The only way to achieve any sort of peace
is to tolerate and love one another. It makes it very hard when judgmental
snotty little girls like Amanda pass judgment about people simply because they
are Atheist. I am agnostic not Atheist. However being either of these
does not make me immoral, stupid, crude, uncaring or judgmental. I happen to be
a 4.0 student, very active in my community and a very moral person. Having
religious discrimination is the same thing as being racists. To get
rid of world problems we have to look to ourselves not god, to solve them.
This starts by having toleration.


From: Christine Potter
Date: Wednesday, July 26, 2000
To: raven.divisiontwo.com
Subject: Straight Edge


Hi,
I am a college student that has recently moved to the Utah valley. I
am doing a research paper on straight-edge because it is something that I
know nothing about. I would like to get insiders points of view. If you
could help me out I'd really appreciate it.
Thanks,
Christine


From: "The Parsons" <ranmar.k2nesoft.com>
To: <divisiontwo.yahoo.com>
Subject: Amanda Whitton
Date: Tue, 25 Jul 2000 19:57:51 -0400



I am sorry, Amanda, but I cannot believe you are a child.
Also, how can you have such convoluted ideas and use adult
terms and yet misspell so many simple words?
Whoever you are, you are going about this the wrong way.
You seem to be fixated on sexual matters, some of which an
11 year old should not be concerned with yet.


From: Jason_Béliveau <bjason.globetrotter.net>
To: <divisiontwo.yahoo.com>
Subject: That make me sick
Date: Mon, 24 Jul 2000 03:23:15 -0400



Nathan Joinick is a joke.This guy is not straight edge.
He is just a guy that beat out the other people....other
people that are addicted to drug or alchool should not
be beated but helped.......You're a joke.You make me
sick saying you are a sXe
If you want to talk to me e-mail me at bjason.globetrotter.net


From: Murray Clark
Date: Wednesday, July 19, 2000
To: mailbag.divisiontwo.com
Subject: Michael Eagan


One night after beating his kids, this guy is gonna drink too much and pass out. Then his wife and kids will use the opportunity to kill this lowlife second rate prison bitch. Eagan! You are a coward and your time will come bitch!


From: "Laura Combs" <bmorris2.cinci.rr.com>
To: <divisiontwo.yahoo.com>
Subject: what the fuck is ur problem!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Date: Thu, 13 Jul 2000 02:01:03 -0400



what the hell do u think u are doing to ur children??? i just read ur site and beating ur kids bc u are drunk and bc u feel like it is not decipline its child abuse and as for throwing ur kid down 3 flights of stairs bc he moaned is soooo fucked up im a 16 f in ohio and you have some major problems and i would love to mee you you fuckinasshole and if u laid a hand on me oohhhh so help you god i wish that i knew where you lives so much bc i would give you a little visit and i don't know why the fuck your wife lets you do this stuff u most beat the shit out of her while ur at it with ur kids and please email me back at davesbaby.laurasmail.com i would love to hear how u reply to this email you fuckin bastard i hope you go to jail and then hell!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


Date: Tue, 20 Jun 2000 19:55:42 -0700
From: Maria McLaughlin <mwmclaughlin.worldnet.att.net>
To: raven.divisiontwo.com
Subject: Your online article



Wow, you are one big fucking IDIOT! People like yourself are a waste
of oxygen. Who gives you the right to commit felonies such as battery and
arson? You are contributing to the downfall of society! I am straight
edge, but I don't attack those who don't agree with me. Also, you beet
a 14 year old kid just because he smelled like smoke, you obviously
have mental issues. Did you ever bother to apologize to the kid when you
realized your mistake? Probably not. Also if you truly did burn down
that guy's house and are responsible for a death I hope you get gang
raped in prison you hypocritical asshole.


From: stonem
Date: Tuesday, June 13, 2000
To: mailbag.divisiontwo.com
Subject: good mag


amanda, I realy enjoued you columb, went looking for some answars and
came out of it with a smile I am 36 and things just arnt going well on
the work front , had a good read and will be back to your sight,
thanks, keep it up


From: gracefall.excite.com
To: postmaster.divisiontwo.com
Subject: fucking shit!!
Date: 9 Jun 2000 13:53:23 -0700

S'up!
I just read the article on the frats at that fucking college that doesn't
want our great parties anymore. Man, I gotta say, that's gonna fucking suck
for all those fucking bitches who aren't gonna get any anymore. Its a
fucking service that the frat houses provide, getting our boys plastered so
that they can drug up the ugly bitches who wouldn't get any normally. Shit.
I feel sorry for them. Sex is a beautiful thing. And people don't seem to
understand that all we are trying to do is set up a service for having
parties and getting laid. Those fucking trustees are all a bunch of fucking
hipocrites when they all used to practice free love and dope smokin' in the
60s. Now they are all coming back on our asses cuz they're too fucking old
to get it up anymore. Fuck that shit man!!
Fraternities will live on... uh... and sororities too. whatever man!! It's
a life long thing man. I will always be a Theta Kappa Delta at heart.
later!!


From: "peter doyle" <peter_doyle99.hotmail.com>
To: divisiontwo.yahoo.com
Subject: raven
Date: Fri, 09 Jun 2000 03:33:42 PDT



is that a fucking joke or what?
is that guy for real?
jesus fucking christ, the way he writes you wonder if he's ever been
sober in his life


From: "Adler, Eric" <Eric_Adler.tvratings.com>
To: "'divisiontwo.yahoo.com'" <divisiontwo.yahoo.com>
Subject: Whats wrong?
Date: Thu, 25 May 2000 14:09:41 -0400
Add Addresses



Whats wrong with the logo? You must be blind .. But then again, you ARE missing an i. (ta da boom)

Eric
-------------------------------------------------------------

Thought of the day ...

"If you receive something that says 'Send this to everyone you know,' pretend you don't know me."


Date: Mon, 8 May 2000 11:57:22 -0700 (PDT)
From: Neelam Rani <neel_rani.yahoo.com>
Subject: 2 things wrong with logo
To: divisiontwo.yahoo.com


first: there is no i after s in division
second: number 2 & word two (believe only
need one)

Neelam


From: "mark c" <cashwell.scrtc.com>
To: <divisiontwo.yahoo.com>
Subject:
Date: Tue, 28 Mar 2000 22:36:04 -0800



hey man cool column by the way. But i am confused on what kinda
haircut girls like. Got any suggestions if so please send me some i'm
desperate.


From: "Gregory Coster" <mosynary.one.net>
To: <divisiontwo.yahoo.com>
Subject: promising bedsores!
Date: Wed, 22 Mar 2000 23:19:10 -0500



Congrats!

/articles/chas5.htm is the only page
on the web known by altavista to contain the phrase "promising
bedsores"!

Thanks!


From: "Noel Cliff" <noel.cliff.virgin.net>
To: <divisiontwo.yahoo.com>
Subject: Million Dollar question ???
Date: Fri, 17 Mar 2000 19:27:35 -0000



Well in the UK there have always been three 'i' s in division.
Now can I have my present for being a smarty pants ?
Best Wishes
from
Noel Cliff
noel.cliff.virgin.net


From: "M16" <dasilvam5.hotmail.com>
To: <mailbag.divisiontwo.com>
Subject: THIS SITE FUCKEN SUCKS!
Date: Mon, 28 Feb 2000 01:29:42 -0500



Your site is the sickest site I have ever seen. The guy who wrote on being a dad should be SHOT!!.
Get a real fucking site not this crap I will be reporting it.


Date: Mon, 28 Feb 2000 13:56:13 -0800 (PST)
From: Julie The Mummy <mummyjulie.yahoo.com>
Subject: You are seriously ill!!!
To: divisiontwo.yahoo.com



I have just seen your web page, and quite honestly I
think you are seriously deranged. Do you honestly
think real parents will send comments to you
discussing genuine punishment. What you advocate has
nothing to do with discipline or punishment, it is
pure and simple CHILD ABUSE. If I had my way you would
not be poling your wife anymore, you would have it cut
off(minus any anaesthetic of course). I hope the
authorities catch up with you and lock you up and
throw away the key. You deserve to rot in prison for
the rest of your life. (Your wife is no better).
Before you jump to the conclusion that I am one of
these do-gooder, ban punishment for ever brigade, I'm
not. I smack my children, and I smack them hard. I
have never drawn blood, and have enough control of
myself (being a mature adult) to never get near that stage.


From: "Harmony" <harmony.c.home.com>
To: <divisiontwo.yahoo.com>
Subject: Paltro
Date: Sun, 16 Jan 2000 11:54:03 -0700



I have recently seen a magazine called OUI in which Gwyneth Paltro is portrayed naked and I don't think she knows it. THey are black and white and seem to be taken from some distance.


From: Oranjell0.aol.com
Mon, 3 Jan 2000 22:20:47 EST
Subject: ppttthhh...
To: divisiontwo.yahoo.com

there was this time once... i was reading divisiontwo, but then my boys

called me and they were like,"dude, come over to this dude's house,

we're watching a fucking porno"... and i was like,"bitch, i'm doin' shit,

leave me alone".. and he was like,"but dude, we got a porno, and some whipped

cream, and some onion rings, and some Gold Bond medicated powder" and i was

like "shit yeah!" so i went over to this fuckin' dude's house, and we

started watching this porno, it was Spermacus, yo! i love that shit, and then

my boy, we call him Dude, pulled out the Gold Bond, and i was like."Dude, gimme

some!" and this fucker next to me, we call him Kid, said,"Word, me

too!" and this other kid, we call that guy Jimmy, 'cause i think thats like his

name and shit, was like,"Yeah, boyeee!"... so this dude starts passing the

GoldBond powder around, and we each take a handful, and what you do is

you start fuckin' rubbing that shit on your balls, and it starts tingling

and stuff, and you get, like, all tingly, you know? and everyone was

squirming around and shit with their hands down their pants, you know? and

Spermacus was on and i was like,'dude, this is fuckin' this is fuckin'... this is

the fuckin' bomb man... i was all tingly and shit.. you know.. it tingled

dude... my balls were tingling! do you feel me? so... yeah... that was a lot

of fun... i really like this site... its insightful and informative.

andy


From: "James E." <jre.idirect.com>
To: <divisiontwo.yahoo.com>
Subject: I wrote a poem
Date: Thu, 16 Dec 1999 14:26:38 -0500


I wandered lonely as a penis
in between the balls of life
when suddenly
suddenly
suddenly
suddenly
IT HAPPENED!!!!

Thank you.


From: "James E." <jre.idirect.com>
To: <divisiontwo.yahoo.com>
Subject: Something else
Date: Tue, 7 Dec 1999 22:25:38 -0500



Dear DivisionTwo -

This is a followup to my email to you, dated October 18 1999 with the subject of "HAYEEEshooddefeckoop".

My followup is as follows:

AAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRGHHHHHH!

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRGGGGGG!!!

OW!

AAAAAARRRGGGGGGGGGGGG!!!!!!!!!!!!

I miss you,
--James


Date: Tue, 30 Nov 1999 11:44:33 -0800 (PST)
From: Dan Taylor <trailorpark69.yahoo.com>
Subject: other readers
To: divisiontwo.yahoo.com



real funny letter matt from aol

really funny after i track you down and make you choke
on it dickhead

love ya tons


dan the man


From: Chilite3.aol.com
Date: Tue, 23 Nov 1999 18:19:45 EST
Subject: sXe Pisstake column
To: divisiontwo.yahoo.com



Yeah, very fucking funny. On the other hand, if this is real, grow up.
Bloody try-hard.


Matt

Ministar obmanutih teorija zavere CY


From: StraightH801.aol.com
Date: Thu, 18 Nov 1999 01:52:25 EST
Subject: (no subject)
To: divisiontwo.yahoo.com



This article on Straight Edge was highly entertaining. Thanks for the
good laughs, it's always fun to see someone that knows nothing about the
scene try to be a hard ass. Hell, even if you know something about the scene
it's still fun to see you write shit and have the media publish such blatant lies.

Keep up the entertaining shit, I'll keep checking back for more
comedy.

Jack


From: XH801CREWX.aol.com
Date: Thu, 18 Nov 1999 01:55:47 EST
Subject: ha ha
To: divisiontwo.yahoo.com


"Raven"-- If you're such a big bad kid, how come I've never heard of
you?

I'll give you credit for imagination though, tough boy. -- Dave


From: "Josiah Carlson"<josiah-carlson.excite.com>
To: divisiontwo.yahoo.com
Subject: That's right raven
Date: Fri, 12 Nov 1999 22:25:23 CST


Just you people listen to Raven, he says the truth. Don't fuck with
Us cause if you do, you are prolly gonna get your ass beat
Seven weeks past new years. Of course we burnt down
That shack that was a pot growers dream, was fun as fuck, I even
Kicked the shit out of the dude later when he was smokin' his shit.
I love doing that stuff, gets those fucks to realize that being
Dumb on all those fucked up chemicals like weed, crack, meat, coke,
Dope and all that shit ain't no good for one's soul. Oh yeah,
I forgot, caffeine to. That is some seriously bad shit, there ain't
Nobody that should be taking that stuff into their body, it's not
Good for anyone, not even the pope. Speaking of the dude, I hear he
Pimps out his nuns, and they eat meat to. Freaking holier-than-thou,
Eating meat and prolly coffee to, pussy bitch ass mother fucker. He'll
Eat shit and like it when we take our trip to the vatican this summer,
Pimp the bitches, fuck up the bastard, and make him feel the wrath of my
Shoe seven inches up his holier-than-thou ass.

I done for now peeps, know the truth that is SXE.
Josiah.


From: "Chris Winslow" <winslow240.hotmail.com>
To: divisiontwo.yahoo.com
Subject: xstrikenx is full of shit.
Date: Wed, 03 Nov 1999 14:41:42 CST


HI!

I just wanted to let you know that you are doing a wonderful job
reporting on Straight Edge kids, and this so called XstrikenX person
is a liar who is trying to ruin the name of our group.

First of all, this person denies that your columnist actually belongs
to Straight Edge kids. I can tell you that Raven is a member, and I know
because I too am a member and he is a good friend of mine. So this
striken person is making false statments. Don't beleive anything that pyscho
says.

I can also tell you that Straight edge kids are all about beating up 14
year olds for smelling like smoke and we have burnt down houses too. I do
not appreciate this strinken PYSCHO trying to take credit away from all the

STRAIGHT EDGE KIDS OUT THERE!!!

So to sum up what I really what to say is as follows:
1) XstrikenX is a lying, drity, sick, crazy, jealous pyscho who wants
to be part of the group but can't because it is to much of a wimp.

2) Raven exists, he is a member, and he does everything that he
prints. How do I know??? It's my best friend.

3) Divisiontwo is doing a wonderful job reporting the truth about the
the Straight Edge kids. I think if you do some research, you will find
that I am the one from Utah and XstrikenX is actually in the Cook county
prison in Illinios for buying ciggerrates for minors.


Keep up the good work Raven, and divisiontwo. You are brining justice
to our group.

Thank you,
Chris Winslow


From: XstrickenX.aol.com
Date: Wed, 3 Nov 1999 00:21:05 EST
Subject: Re: uh...
To:
divisiontwo.yahoo.com

Again, I was incredibly offended. None of that stuff is what most
Straight Edge kids are like. This kid is seriously messing with you,
because for one I've never even SEEN him, or heard of him and if
he were that big of a hard ass, I would have. I'm sorry, I really don't
appreciate things like that being published, online or off, because it is
bullshit. If you are interested in a counter to that or a REAL Straight
Edge kids story in Salt Lake I could bring you many different things...
actual truth, not just from me but from other kids. You may not be
interested and I'm sorry if I've pissed anyone off, but "Raven" or
whatever is full of shit and giving all of us a bad name...he didn't torch
any McDonalds, he didn't beat up any 14 year old for smelling like smoke
((and if he did he is an even bigger dumbass because cigarette smoke and
my-house-burnt-down smoke smells different)) and he didn't burn down
anybodies house. These are things I would have heard about these things.
I really hope you guys are aware that what he is saying is blatant bullshit,
that's all. None of his writing is reality.


From: XstrickenX.aol.com
Date: Mon, 1 Nov 1999 23:28:09 EST
Subject: uh...
To: divisiontwo.yahoo.com



Is that guy that writes the Salt Lake City Straight Edge thing for
real? I live in Salt Lake City and I've been Straight Edge forever.
I've never seen that kid, and frankly the article is bullshit. I hope
it's all a joke, cause if you guys believe that stuff he's saying, you
need your heads checked.
Please respond.


From: "James E." <jre.idirect.com>
To: <divisiontwo.yahoo.com>
Subject: HAYEEEshooddefeckoop
Date: Mon, 18 Oct 1999




Dear DivisionTwo -

AAAAARRRRRRRGGGGGGG!!
AAAAARRRRRRRRGGGGGGG!!!!!

AAAARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRGGGGGG!!
AARGG!

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRGGGGGG!!!

Lots of love,
--James


From: cmichaud.usmo.com
To:divisiontwo.yahoo.com
Subject: iMac
Date: 17 Oct 99 04:40:28 -0600

Your articles on the iMac were great! I'm going to order two and use them
both until I decide which color I like best, then use the other one as a cockroach
squasher.


Date: Tue, 05 Oct 1999 08:37:42 -0500 (CDT)
From: TRAYNOR.macalester.edu
Subject: Web Page
To: gnetzel.macalester.edu



Garrison,

I wanted to let you know that we have received a complaint about the content of
your web page. While there was understanding that your web page is not on a
Macalester server, the complainant was surprised, that given the values and
reputation of the College, anyone affiliated with Macalester would post this
kind of information. I felt compelled to let you know of the complaint and ask
that you do not use any Macalester services to post this kind of material. The
content of your page flies in the face of our community standards and stated
values.

Sincerely,

Laurie Hamre
Dean of Students


Date: Wed, 15 Sep 1999 10:11:07 -0500
From: Becky Schmidt <rschmidt.macalester.edu>
Subject: God on the Internet
To: divisiontwo.yahoo.com



I'd like to thank all the wonderful people that brought "Divisiontwo"
to life... it has given me a place where I can simultaneously worship God
and masturbate to images of the sexiest historians, doctors and priests that
I have ever seen. Your article on Rohypnol was very informative, and I
plan to use it on my next date... maybe this time Father Mackenzie will see
things MY way. Again, thank you for your wonderful haven from the
judging world... and for the advice on how to spot a Gay man... i will be on
the lookout.

----------------
Becky Schmidt

Why do women have smaller feet than men? So they can stand closer to
the sink.


divisiontwo main page

com






Notice: this site (Division Two magazine) was restored from its original location by Shlomi Fish, as he found it amusing. He hosts it on his domain and maintains information about it on his home site. Shlomi Fish is not responsible for its contents of divisiontwo.shlomifish.org.