The events surrounding the assassination of President Kennedy were tragic, shocking and emotionally gut-wrenching. From the bulletin announcing the shooting (I heard the news from our school principal, over the public address system) to the murder of Lee Harvey Oswald on live television, the days are seared into my memory. I believed (or at least hoped) that I would never again experience anything comparable to those four days in November.

I was wrong.

September 11, 2001 was yet another occasion of unmeasurable shock and sadness. As with the Kennedy assassination, the world seemed to stop spinning for a short while. The entire nation was united, glued to the television as the terrifying events unfolded. For days, all routine events were cancelled or put on hold. From the video showing the planes slamming into the twin towers, to the buildings’ still unbelievable collapse, to the plane hitting the Pentagon and to the crash of United 93—just recalling it all is almost more than I can bear. I was dumbfounded at the time. It was impossible to comprehend how or why all of this was happening. In some ways, it still is.

I still half expect to see the towers when viewing the New York City skyline. And, when they do appear in some older movie, it’s jarring.

I was living in Michigan in 2001. But, as someone who grew up in the New York City area and had passed through the World Trade Center more times than I could count, the death and destruction in New York struck an especially sad and personal chord. I wound up visiting Ground Zero shortly thereafter and, not for the first or the last time, tears welled up at the thought of what had happened here.

On a world-wide scale of tragic events, this is not the worst thing that has ever occurred. But this is not how one measures personal tragedy.

On this tenth anniversary of 9/11, I will be spending the weekend reflecting on these events — and the fallout that has changed the world in which we live. This is not a weekend for “life as usual” — at least not for me. There will inevitably come a time when the memories of this event recede. The emotions will be far less raw. The day will become like December 7 (Pearl Harbor Day) — something that appears on the calendar each year but is otherwise largely ignored by most of the country. This is not yet that time.

As I recall the events of ten years ago, I can at least hope that this is truly the last time that anything comparable will ever happen again.

I’ve just installed the new Mac OS X Lion Developer Preview. As a developer, I am restricted from saying much about the new OS itself. However, I believe I can mention a few details about how the Installer works. It’s worth discussing because there are significant changes from prior OS X installations — changes that will affect everyone when the new OS finally goes on sale to the public.

• Developers use an App Store redemption code. In order to obtain the Mac OS X Installer, developers need to go to Apple’s Developer site, log in to their account, and obtain a Mac App Store redemption code. Next, they launch the App Store application, click Redeem from the Quick Links section and enter the code. It doesn’t matter whether or not the App Store account name is the same account as for the Developer account. The Mac OS X Lion Developer Preview will now download. In the Finder, the Preview has a more generic name: Install Mac OS X. You’ll find it in your /Applications folder.

• Transfer Installer to another Mac. I downloaded the Installer to my Mac Pro. I then decided I wanted to install Lion on my MacBook Air. Initially, I tried launching App Store on my MacBook Air and locating the Developer Preview. Sure enough, I found it in my Purchases list (as I use the same App Store account on both my Air and my Mac Pro). However, clicking the Install button for the Preview had no effect. Nothing downloaded, there was no error message of any kind, nothing. This is probably not how things will work when all is said and done.

Apple states that the Installer will run on Macs other than the one to which you originally downloaded the Installer. The trick is that you don’t do this by downloading the Installer via the App Store on additional Macs. Rather, you “copy the Mac OS X Lion Installer application which was downloaded from the Mac App Store into the /Applications directory on your additional Mac.”

When I actually followed Apple’s directions, it all worked.

One caveat: This will work only “on Apple computers you have authorized to share content downloaded from the Mac App Store.” Among other things, this should limit pirating of the OS. Pirates won’t be able to give a copy of the Installer to just anyone and have it work.

Update: I recently installed Lion on a MacBook Pro that had never been authorized to share content from the Mac App Store. I assume Apple has not yet implemented and/or begun to enforce this requirement.

• Mac OS X server is now “free.” More precisely, you don’t have to pay extra for it, after buying the client version. That’s right. The server software and client software are combined into the same Installer. To access the Server software, click the Installer’s Customize button and select the Server option. In other words, you must choose client vs. server at the time of the install. There isn’t one OS version that allows you to switch between client and server.

• No more Install DVD! Big news! Developers no longer need to transfer a disk image to a DVD in order to run the Installer. The Installer runs right from the Mac. After selecting to initiate an install of Lion, the Mac restarts and the Installer launches as a pseudo-startup volume — via some Apple magic. When the install process is complete, the Mac restarts itself again — via the new Lion volume.

At least that’s the way it worked for me when I installed Lion on an external drive. I assume it would have been the same had I installed the OS to my Air’s internal startup drive, but I cannot yet confirm this for certain.

• Looking ahead. Is this really the way the process will work when Lion is finally released to the public? I am guessing yes. You won’t be required to get a redemption code. Rather, you’ll be able to purchase Lion directly from the Mac App Store. Otherwise, I believe the process will be the same as it now exists for the Developer Preview.

Does this mean the end of selling Mac OS X in boxes? Does it mean Lion won’t be available on DVD? Does it mean you won’t be able to buy Lion from third-parties, such as Amazon? I’m less sure about the answers here. Apple may offer a DVD alternative for those unable or unwilling to go through the App Store. Regardless, the push is definitely towards online sales via the App Store.

Update: New Recovery feature. I discovered this after my initial posting: If you hold down the Option key at startup for a Mac with a Mac OS X Lion partition, you will see an option for Recovery HD. If you select it, you will be able to choose from among: Restore from a Time Machine Backup, Reinstall Mac OS X, or launch Disk Utility.

With the Academy Awards coming up later this month, my attention has turned (more than usual) to movies. I often like to come up with “favorites” lists…such as “What are my favorite movie quotes?” or “What are my favorite movie theme songs?” The other day, a new one cropped up: “What are my favorite opening scenes?” That is, what are the opening scenes that grabbed me right out of the gate, scenes so good that I load the movie’s DVD just so I can play that scene and enjoy it all again?

In putting together a list, I discovered that, for some movies, the opening scene was the best part of the movie; it was all downhill from there. In other cases, the scene was just the initial salvo of the overall great movie that would follow. In either case, here are some of my favorites (in no particular order):

Cliffhanger. This almost defines great opening scenes. The rescue sequence on the rope line conveyed a sense of vertigo and terror that still lives with me today. Unfortunately, this was one of those instances where the rest of the film turned out to be disappointing in comparison.

Silverado. The claustrophobic shoot-out in the cabin, without a spoken word, was spectacularly filmed. When Scott Glenn leaves the cabin and the camera opens up to show the vast western panorama…just super!

West Side Story. A helicopter view of Manhantan, with Leonard Bernstein’s great music playing. The camera travels and eventually zooms in on the Jets in a playground. Thrilling. No stage version could top that for a kick off.

From Russia With Love. The opening scenes in James Bond movies are so distinctive that they almost deserve their own category. It’s hard for me to pick my absolute favorite. Still, I’d go with From Russia With Love. In this scene, it appears as if James Bond has been killed. How could this be? And then…(I won’t spoil it for you if you haven’t seen the movie).

My James Bond runner-up would be The Spy Who Loved Me. The ski sequence (although not quite the very opening, it’s still before the titles run) is one of the best: great action without being so over-the-top as to be unintentionally funny.

Mission Impossible I. I loved the opening sequence to this first Mission Impossible movie because (unlike much of the rest of the movie and totally unlike any of the sequels), it actually follows the format used in the TV show. I especially liked the fade to the match lighting and original Mission Impossible theme music. Yes! The sequels abandoned this…to their detriment.

The Godfather. The opening shot of the face of the mortician (“I love America”) and eventually panning out to show Marlon Brando as the Godfather. The shift from the quiet and dark light of the office to the noise and daylight outside. Great cinematography. About as memorable as opening scenes get.

Actually, the scene is a bit reminiscent of the opening poker game sequence in Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, which I guess should also be on this list.

Jaws. The scene where the young woman gets…well…eaten by the shark was enough to keep much of America out of the water for years to come.

Saving Private Ryan. In my opinion, the D-Day beach landing remains the most heart-pounding realistic battle scene ever recorded on film.

French Kiss. I noticed there weren’t any comedies here. Maybe it’s not a genre that aspires to great opening scenes. Anyway, French Kiss is at least in the ballpark. The scene on the airplane, with Meg Ryan trying to conquer her fear of flying. And then the punchline: we discover that she really isn’t on a plane at all. Classic.

I gave some thought to adding Return of the Jedi and Raiders of the Lost Ark to this list. But I decided that, as much as I liked them, the opening sequences went on for too long, amounting to more than a “scene” — even by my liberal standards.

I’m sure there are other movies I’m forgetting. But these are the ones that first came to mind.