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Gripes and Grouses

If you’re like me and you hate it when formerly trustworthy software companies start slipping more and more garbage into essential software; if you just want to do a (required) update of some software and all of a sudden are forced to jump through hoops, install additional unnecessary components, download managers etc; if you just want a simple link to the download which seems to be impossible to find on the software vendor’s website; if you just want to update Adobe Acrobat Reader so that the annoying plugin message goes away from Google Chrome, look no further.

Adobe’s Direct FTP Site for Acrobat Reader

Here’s a link directly to Adobe’s Acrobat Reader FTP site. Just click here, and then you’ll have to dig into the folder structure a bit based on your platform and architecture, and the version you’re looking for. Good times.

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I found this vital piece of information to be deeply buried, so I’m just resurfacing it here for anyone on the InterWebs who might need the 411 on what HTML tags are supported by the new Flex Spark components.

And frankly, Adobe, it’s pitiful. What happened to semantic markup? What happened to greater standards compliance? Where the hell are my H1 tags?!? And, seriously, B instead of STRONG, FFS? Let’s just rewind the clock back to 2005, shall we? My liver will definitely appreciate that, MacFly.

This is ludicrous. The best workaround is to use P tags and style them. One tiny step for Spark; one giant leap backward for mankind.

Sigh.

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Wow, Apple never ceases to amaze me… in how broken their UX (user experience) has become. Years ago (I’ve been using Macs and Apple products since 1989) I was practically an evangelist, and was one of those types that would be the first to jump into a flame war on the side of the guys from Cupertino. Now though… are they stuck in a rut at 1 Infinite Loop Way?

Michael Tompert and photographer Paul Fairchild

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