Mac Net Journal

Around noon Pacific Time today I mailed the edited manuscript for our Birding Washington book back to the publishers at Globe Pequot Press after a month-long editing and rewriting marathon. Relief!

We still face one more editing hurdle - checking off on the final galley copies of the book - before it will appear for sale in bookstores and on the Internet. But this was a major step and a big relief.

OmniWeb 5.0 beta 4
Wednesday, March 31, 2004, 12:49 PM

Late yesterday the folks at The Omni Group unveiled a new beta version of its OmniWeb 5.0 browser. The highlights: "This release features bookmark synchronization using .Mac iDisk or any WebDAV server to keep your bookmarks in sync between multiple machines. The usual bug fixes and stability improvements are included as well." (Release notes)

I am downloading the update now...

Time shifting on the Mac
Wednesday, March 31, 2004, 12:40 PM

Time Shifting on the Mac - Your Mac makes it easy to time shift all sorts of content, including radio, streaming audio and a surprise you won't believe!... [Mike Wendland's E-Journal]

Creating online help with Tinderbox
Wednesday, March 31, 2004, 12:37 PM

Creating Online Help with Tinderbox - Apple's online help system, Apple Help, has a dubious reputation among some Mac users, mainly because of poky performance. But Panther has improved the situation. Matt Neuburg built an online help system for a Mac application using a note-taking hypertext outliner called Tinderbox. He outlines the process in this article. [O'Reilly MacDevCenter.com]

TidBITS' ode to keyboards
Tuesday, March 30, 2004, 9:57 AM

Long-time computer users - especially writers and those who do a lot of typing - can spend a lot of time talking about and trying to find the perfect Mac keyboard. TidBITS' Adam Engst offers a review of the Matias Tactile Pro Keyboard that he says is definitely worth a try. He says the keyboard compares favorably to the old Apple Extended Keyboard, which many hold up as the best Mac keyboard...

Lots of buzz about QuickSilver
Tuesday, March 30, 2004, 8:21 AM

QuickSilver is a free beta file and application launcher that is getting a lot of buzz on weblogs I read. BoingBoing offers a few highlights. This program is going on my must-test list...

Back in the office
Tuesday, March 30, 2004, 8:00 AM

After four days spent along the Southern Oregon coast, I am back in the office and putting the finishing touches on the Birding Washington book today. Expect MNJ to return to normal beginning today.

A FileMaker security fix
Thursday, March 25, 2004, 11:01 AM

Apple: FileMaker Security Fix - FileMaker Web Companion 6.0v3 addresses a security problem, as well as Safari 1.2 support. [MacInTouch]

FileMaker free Business Tracker solution
Thursday, March 25, 2004, 10:47 AM

FileMaker distributes free Business Tracker solution - FileMaker recently announced the release of FileMaker Business Tracker, a solution that showcases the new features and functions available in FileMaker Pro 7, which the company released on March 9. [MacCentral]

OmniGraffle updated
Thursday, March 25, 2004, 10:44 AM

OmniGraffle Updated With Panther Support - The Omni Group has released an update for Omni Graffle and Omni Graffle Pro, bringing them to versions 3.1. Omni Graffle is a diagramming and charting app designed for the visual enhancement of raw data. The update features several enhancements including Panther support and improved AppleScripting. [Studio Log]

iSync tips
Wednesday, March 24, 2004, 10:07 PM

Mac Tip: Getting In iSync - I'll offer you some tips for making the most of iSync. By Christopher Breen, TechTV (via MyAppleMenu) [myapplemenu]

I still need to write about this. I made the switch to using iSync, iCal, and iPalmMemo to work with my Palm Vx last week. It took too long to get it all running the way I wanted, but it works now. I will write more about this when I get out from under editing Birding Washington...

It has to be said
Wednesday, March 24, 2004, 8:56 PM

The Agonist gives credit where it is due today, noting that Richard Clarke has proven himself with his opening comments to today's testimony before the 9/11 commission:

"I also welcome the hearings because it is finally a forum where I can apologize to the loved ones of the victims of 9/11. To them who are here in the room, to those who are watching on television, your government failed you, those entrusted with protecting you failed you and I failed you. We tried hard, but that doesn't matter because we failed. And for that failure, I would ask -- once all the facts are out -- for your understanding and for your forgiveness."

Richard Clarke, March 24, 2004

Three years of Mac OS X
Wednesday, March 24, 2004, 3:37 PM

Three years ago the first consumer release of Mac OS X hit the streets. Since then the world has changed, my Macs have worked better than they ever did under older Mac OSes, and Mac Net Journal has grown into a site that is visited by more than 2,000 people every day.

Would you have imagined in March 2001 that Mac OS X would have the kind of impact it has over the last three years? What has gone right? What has gone wrong?

An interview with the folks from Panic
Wednesday, March 24, 2004, 11:09 AM

Panic Interview - James Duncan Davidson interviews Panic, the folks behind such lovely apps as Transmit and Unison. [ranchero.com]

I use Transmit in the work flow for Mac Net Journal and all of the other Web sites I run...

PowerMail Salvage
Wednesday, March 24, 2004, 10:51 AM

PowerMail Salvage is a $49 tool that can help recover messages from a corrupted email database for the PowerMail email client. It's good to see that this tool exists, but I should note off the top that in years of using PowerMail as my main email client, I have never encountered database corruption that couldn't be fixed by the recovery and repair tools built into the program.

One bonus on losing my Matchmaker gig
Wednesday, March 24, 2004, 9:58 AM

One of the minor benefits of losing my contract job with Matchmaker.com is that I can now remove Internet Explorer from my Dock. Due to lazy programming based on Microsoft's code, the only way to access many of the work functions I needed to access on Matchmaker.com and Lycos.com, the only way to use the tools was to use IE. And over the last six months the tools became so Microsoft-dependent that I had to buy a Windows XP machine to keep doing the work. Good riddance, IE.

iPhoto 4.0.1 issues
Wednesday, March 24, 2004, 9:35 AM

MacFixIt digs into issues some readers are having after updating to iPhoto 4.0.1. The main issues: priviledges problems and bluriness when working with photos.

Flaky cable Net connections
Wednesday, March 24, 2004, 9:07 AM

Most of the time the cable connection I have to the Internet works flawlessly, but over the last three or four days things have been seriously wonky. This morning I am slow to get started due to a dead cable modem connection and a slow 28.8 dial-up connection to the Net. This must be time to get used to the level of Internet access I will have in a couple of days, when Natalie and I drive south along the Oregon coast en route to her grandmother's 90th birthday celebration in Gold Beach.

As for the cause of the cable modem woes, my ISP says that the city-owned cable company that provides the wire for connecting to the Internet is having serious network issues, and at this point there is no ETA for when the connection will return to normal. I will be on the backup dial-up connection until things get straightened out...

When losing a job can be a blessing
Tuesday, March 23, 2004, 2:58 PM

Over the last year one of my money-making jobs has been working nights and every other weekend doing the mind-numbing task of approving and rejecting photos for people who were trying to get dates through the pages of Matchmaker.com. This afternoon I received a phone call releasing me from those duties and setting me free to find more rewarding and lucrative work. I can think of no better way to spin losing my main job.

Why mention my employment woes here? That's simple. If you have any job leads or know of anyone who needs help with freelance writing, editing, or even Mac technical support services, please let me know. I'm digging for new challenges! Just email me...

Meanwhile, the bottom line impact for Mac Net Journal is that this site has to continue carrying its own weight and paying its own way, with no additional subsidies from me, save the time I spend writing. This means the site has to bring in at least $50 a month in donations to cover hosting and bandwidth fees.

Apple updates iChat AV
Tuesday, March 23, 2004, 1:54 PM

Apple releases final version of iChat AV 2.1 - Apple today released the final version of iChat AV 2.1, the update to its instant messaging application that adds support for video conferencing with the new AOL Instant Messenger 5.5 for Microsoft Windows... [MacMinute.com]

No new Mac versions of FrameMaker
Tuesday, March 23, 2004, 11:24 AM

Adobe turns its back on Mac again - The software maker plans to drop the Mac version of its FrameMaker publishing software. It's the latest of several apparent snubs against Apple Computer's operating system. [CNET News.com]

New drivers for Apple wireless keyboard, mouse
Tuesday, March 23, 2004, 11:22 AM

Apple updates Wireless Keyboard, Mouse - Apple today posted Wireless Keyboard/Mouse Firmware Update 1.1, which improves Apple Wireless Keyboard and Mouse performance and reliability... [MacMinute.com]

Mark Bernstein on Notebooks and Daybooks
Tuesday, March 23, 2004, 9:17 AM

Now that he is back in the U.S. after a trip to Rome, Tinderbox creator Mark Bernstein adds more thoughts about using paper notebooks to capture information and then transferring information to Tinderbox for use and analysis.

The notes about paper notebooks remind me of an affliction I suffer from - the urge to have notebooks and fountain pens. I use a special kind of notebook to keep my birding lists from each trip - Rite in the Rain all-weather writing paper that works as advertised in the wet weather we encounter so often out in the field. I also use a reporter's notebook to jot down notes from governmental and conservation meetings I take part in as the conservation committee chair for the Tahoma Audubon Society. And I have various shapes and sizes of notebooks that I use for other things - drawing and sketching when I have time out in the field to do more than snap a digital photo, and other uses. Of course, I still use a Palm Vx for capturing notes as well, but it is still a poor substitute for real pen on real paper.

Fountain pens are another story. Don't get me started.

Xserve G5 finally ships
Tuesday, March 23, 2004, 9:09 AM

Apple delivers Xserve G5 - The Mac maker finally ships its new single-processor server and plans to release the dual-processor version in April. [CNET News.com]

Updates please some Mac users
Tuesday, March 23, 2004, 8:53 AM

Writing on the Boing Boing Blog, Cory Doctorow offers some love for the new version of the RSS newsreader Shrook and kudos to Apple for making iPhoto useful thanks to the latest update.

Cory's comments about iPhoto:

Yesterday's iPhoto update is another example: all of a sudden, iPhoto's gone from being an app that was just useful enough to put up with its ultra-shitty performance to something I just keep running in the background all the time, with 10,000 photos on tap.

Apple updates iPhoto to 4.0.1
Monday, March 22, 2004, 2:00 PM

Apple releases iPhoto 4.0.1 - Apple today released iPhoto 4.0.1 which "includes many organizational and stability enhancements. Performance has also been increased throughout the application, giving you faster importing, smoother image viewing and easier Rendezvous photo sharing. This version of iPhoto also features improved thumbnail images in your photo library. To take advantage of this, your thumbnails must be upgraded, which may take a while, depending on the number of photos in your library." [MacDailyNews]

The update is available through the Software Update panel in System Preferences...

Low priced, high resolution digital cameras
Monday, March 22, 2004, 10:11 AM

Low-price six megapixel digital cameras - From Konica Minolta and Olympus, a pair of six megapixel digital cameras that will retail for less than $500. Both the Konica Minolta DiMAge G600 and the Olympus C-60 Zoom should be out next month and are good indication that we're rapidly approaching a time when the number of megapixels will matter less and less (after a certain point most people can't tell the difference) and things like lens quality, response time, and battery life will matter more and more. [engadget.com]

iPods and New York made for each other
Monday, March 22, 2004, 8:47 AM

IPods Beat in Heart of the City - New York and iPods go together like bagels and cream cheese. Just search for the word 'iPod' in New York personal ads, and you get a unique insight into the mentality of the city. By Leander Kahney. [Wired News]

Mariner Write 3.6
Monday, March 22, 2004, 8:37 AM

Mariner Write update adds new features - Mariner Software Inc. has released Mariner Write 3.6, a new release of their Mac word processor. The new version adds "major architectural enhancements," according to the developer, and a slew of new features. It's a free download for registered users. [MacCentral]

MacFixIt on Bluetooth faxing in Mac OS X 10.3.x
Monday, March 22, 2004, 8:32 AM

MacFixIt digs into the intricacies and problems that some people are having with Bluetooth faxing under Mac OS X 10.3.x...

Jon Udell on why to use Firefox instead of Safari
Friday, March 19, 2004, 11:10 PM

Firefox Fills The IE Void - I've abandoned Safari on OS X for the same reason I've abandoned IE on Windows. Firefox does more, it's moving faster, and -- here's the kicker -- it runs identically on Windows, OS X, and Linux. By Jon Udell, InfoWorld (via MyAppleMenu) [myapplemenu]

I concur. I spent the last day using Safari for testing purposes, but tonight I am back to using Firefox as my main browser. The speed and stability beat what Safari can offer these days...

A talk about AppleScript automation
Friday, March 19, 2004, 3:50 PM

Scott Lewis on AppleScript Automation - Transcript from a talk given by Scott Lewis of MacScripter.net at a luncheon held by the Richmond, Virginia chapter of AIGA [American Institute of Graphic Arts]. [Studio Log]

AppleScripts to add functionality to Mail.app
Friday, March 19, 2004, 3:15 PM

AppleScripts enhance Apple's Mail functionality - AppleScript is one of Apple's biggest technology gems -- so much can be done with it, but so few people really understand how powerful it is. Andreas Amann recently updated his Mail Scripts package with several new scripts that are worth checking out if you use Apple's Mail.app. [Studio Log]

A viewer's guide for current comets
Friday, March 19, 2004, 9:21 AM

Space.com offers a good viewers guide for seeing two comets that are growing in brightness in the night and early morning skies right now. It looks like May could be a good time for comet watching!

Olympus' new DS-2200 voice recorder
Friday, March 19, 2004, 9:07 AM

Olympus unveils DS-2200 digital voice recorder - Olympus also used Thursday to introduce their new DS-2200 digital voice recorder, which can record 4 hours and 20 minutes of audio -- or nearly 45 hours in long play mode -- on the included 128MB xD-Picture Card. It comes with a USB docking station for downloading files to your Mac, and it can record in either Microsoft's Windows Media Audio (WMA) or Olympus' own DSS format. [MacCentral]

I point to this since I have been considering buying a high-quality voice recorder as a belated birthday present for myself. I have looked at the Olympus DS-330, which also comes with a USB dock and is Mac compatible. The other issue is whether it would just make more sense to buy a new Palm with voice recording capabilities, since the old Palm Vx is getting a bit long in the tooth since I bought it as a birthday present for myself in 2000...

Issues I am investigating with Mac OS X 10.3.3
Friday, March 19, 2004, 8:31 AM

Although this week's upgrade to Mac OS X 10.3.3 has been painless by most counts, there are some issues that I am still trying to work out. Are others seeing any of these behaviors?

Reduced battery life - After installing the update my normal battery run time has dropped from around three hours on a full charge (this is on a one year old battery) to about 2:30 per charge. I will run my machine on battery power until it dies later today to get a better feel for the real-life battery run time.
Safari instability - This is a problem I haven't experienced much myself yet, but I have been chatting with others who are seeing spinning beach balls and inconsistent rendering, as well as more instances when the browser simply locks up.
Fan noise - Yes, this problem remains the same as it was under Mac OS X 10.3.2. The fan runs whenever my 12-inch PowerBook G4 has to multitask. If NetNewsWire runs, the fan comes on. If I am downloading a big batch of email in the background while listening to NPR over iTunes and writing in Tinderbox in the foreground, the fan comes on. I think I have gone on and on about this enough. However, others are still encountering the issue.

Still digging...

Brent Simmons' iSight interview
Thursday, March 18, 2004, 8:07 PM

NetNewsWire creator Brent Simmons has a video interview done via iSight and iChat on Mac Developer's Web site tonight. Now that is a useful way to put iChat to work.

New digital cameras from Olympus
Thursday, March 18, 2004, 10:25 AM

Olympus intros C-60 Zoom and D-395 digital cameras - On Thursday, Olympus took the wraps off two new digital cameras: the C-60 Zoom, a 6.1 megapixel model with a compact size and plenty of prosumer functions, and the D-395, a 3.2 megapixel model with a low price point. Both cameras will be available in April. [MacCentral]

Hog Bay Notebook 3.0 released
Wednesday, March 17, 2004, 7:46 PM

Hog Bay Notebook 3.0 Now Shipping - Hog Bay Notebook is a note utility designed for the storage and organization of various bits of information. The latest release features AppleScript support and new viewing options. [Studio Log]

All about using Mac OS X Speech
Wednesday, March 17, 2004, 4:58 PM

The MacDevCenter has a long article about ways that the Speech capbilities built into Mac OS X today can be used to do useful actions and to customize how you interact with your computer.

Quirky news: iPods and the Iditarod
Wednesday, March 17, 2004, 12:44 PM

iPods on the Iditarod - Mushers in Alaska's famed Iditarod dogsled race are using iPods to listen to audio books and music during those long lonely hours on the wilderness trails. This Anchorage Daily News piece talks how some wrap them in insulated bags and hand warmers to keep the batteries from running down in the cold.... [Mike Wendland's E-Journal]

Upcoming spoken interface for Mac OS X
Wednesday, March 17, 2004, 12:03 PM

Spoken Interface for Mac OS X - Alex Salkever reports for BusinessWeek, "This week at the 19th annual Technology & Persons with Disabilities Conference in Los Angeles - the biggest assistive-technology confab in the country - [Apple] introduced a nifty tool to help the blind use Macs..." [Mar 17] [Apple Hot News]

Fan Control Update for Power Mac G5s
Tuesday, March 16, 2004, 10:34 AM

In addition to its other updates yesterday, Apple rolled out an update specifically for users of Power Mac G5s - Fan Control Update 1.0. If you have a G5 desktop and want more fan control, go for it.

Update: It appears that this fan control update may only apply to people running Jaguar on their Power Mac G5s.

Apple also updates Mac OS X Server and DVD Studio Pro
Monday, March 15, 2004, 3:24 PM

In addition to the consumer version update of Mac OS X 10.3.3 this afternoon, Apple has also updated Mac OS X 10.3.3 Server and DVD Studio Pro. MacCentral offers details about the updates:

Apple releases Mac OS X Server v10.3.3 - Along with the update to Mac OS X v10.3.3, Apple has released an update to Mac OS X Server to bring it up to v10.3.3 also. The software can be installed either by using Software Update or through the use of a standalone installer; the standalone installer was not available as MacCentral posted this article but presumably will be soon, since it's referenced in Apple's documentation. [MacCentral]

and

Apple updates DVD Studio Pro to v2.0.5 - Apple has released an update to its DVD Studio Pro DVD mastering software. The new version, 2.0.5, is available through the Software Update system preference pane, or from the DVD Studio Pro Download Web page. [MacCentral]

Apple unveils Mac OS X 10.3.3
Monday, March 15, 2004, 2:10 PM

Get ready for a large download to install the newest update to Mac OS X. Apple's update to Mac OS X 10.3.3 weighs in at 58.8 MB and it is available now through the Software Update panel in System Preferences. Apple recommends this update for all Panther users.

Here's what's in the release, according to the release notes:

The 10.3.3 Update delivers enhanced functionality and improved reliability for Mac OS X v10.3 "Panther" and is recommended for all users.

Key enhancements include:

network volumes are now available in the Finder sidebar and Desktop for convenient access

improved file sharing and directory services for Mac (AFP), UNIX (NFS) and PC (SMB/CIFS) networks

improved PostScript and USB printing

updated Disk Utility, DVD Player, Image Capture, Mail and Safari applications

additional support for FireWire and USB devices

improved compatibility for third party applications

previous standalone security updates and Bluetooth Update 1.5

For detailed information on this Update, please visit this website: http://www.info.apple.com/kbnum/n25711

I am playing guinea pig and downloading and installing this update now for testing. Lets talk about it...

A FileMaker Pro 7 reader report
Monday, March 15, 2004, 1:46 PM

MacInTouch has a new reader report about FileMaker Pro 7...

A quick note for those covering the Mac market
Monday, March 15, 2004, 1:41 PM

I continue to see stories about the Mac market and alternative Web browsers, and many reporters still don't understand that Safari is not an alternative Web browser for Mac OS X. Internet Explorer for the Mac is dead and Safari is now the default browser for Mac OS X. If you want to talk about alternative browsers for Mac OS X, you have to talk about OmniWeb, Camino, FireFox, Mozilla, iCab, Opera, etc.

Bluetooth phones and Mac OS X
Friday, March 12, 2004, 11:37 AM

Derrick Story writes on the MacDevCenter today about the interaction between Bluetooth phones and Mac OS X: Bluetooth Phones and Mac OS X in Perfect Sync.

The key passage in the story is Derrick's conclusion:

I've been following the Bluetooth story for quite sometime, and I was wondering if this technology was ever going to get off the ground. Well, for Mac OS X users, it's not only off the ground, it's flying high. I'm better organized than ever, and it isn't even work to do so.

Windows worm trying to fool Mac users
Friday, March 12, 2004, 11:25 AM

Apple List Worm? - Watch out for an apparent Windows worm that forges an Apple source and targets an Apple mailing list. [MacInTouch]

On what should be fixed in new PowerBooks
Friday, March 12, 2004, 9:27 AM

"When it comes to designing a PowerBook G5, Apple should look back at the annoyances that plagued users of previous models and make sure they are eliminated in the new one," writes Adam Robert Guha in Nice as They Are, PowerBooks Still Have Some Room for Improvement on Low End Mac...

iPod mini sales boosting Apple's stock
Friday, March 12, 2004, 9:22 AM

Hot-selling iPod mini helps boost Apple stock 22% - Strong sales of Apple's iPod mini have fueled a 22 percent increase in the company's stock in the past two weeks... [MacMinute.com]

Enhancement pack adds features to AppleWorks
Thursday, March 11, 2004, 12:00 PM

The Enhancement Pack for AppleWorks 1.5 adds 40 new capabilities to AppleWorks. The $20 shareware add-on brings complete Mac OS X compatibility. Release notes offer details about the enhancements.

Apple may not care about this program any longer, but it remains a popular tool for Mac users despite the fact that it has barely been updated since the release of Mac OS X in 2001. Kudos to the developers of these enhancements that add more capabilities to the inexpensive productivity suite.

Make that two hummingbird nests
Thursday, March 11, 2004, 11:34 AM

Look closely at the right side of the tree trunk and you can see the bill and the eye of a female Anna's Hummingbird as it sits on its nest high over the trail in Puget Gulch in Tacoma, Wash. Photo by Rob McNair-Huff

A couple of weeks ago I commented on my excitement at finding an Anna's Hummingbird nest in Puget Gulch, about a mile from my house. Yesterday I left early before a meeting at city hall in order to get photos of the female hummingbird on its nest during a glorious spring afternoon. The first round of photos are not great, but they clearly show a tiny hummingbird sitting on its nest about 20 feet up a tree along the side of the trail. The photo above is from a second nest that I located yesterday. I think I am getting pretty good and finding these hard-to-locate nests!

I plan to go back to take more photos and to track the growing hummingbird families in the coming weeks. The hummingbirds sit on their eggs for 14-19 days and then rear the hatched young for 18-23 days before the offspring will fledge.

Discuss Hummingbird nests

How to prolong lithium-based batteries
Thursday, March 11, 2004, 9:48 AM

If you use a PowerBook, iBook, or iPod with a lithium-based battery and you want to make the most of your battery over the coming years, check out How to prolong lithium-based batteries. It's a bit geeky and dense in places, but the article offers some solid tips.

Some great reading coming up from my gifts
Wednesday, March 10, 2004, 10:27 AM

Thanks to thoughtful birthday gift purchasing yesterday on Natalie's part, I have some interesting reading to get through in the coming weeks. Among the books: The Big Year: A Tale of Man, Nature, and Fowl Obsession by Mark Obmascik, An Obsession with Butterflies: Our Long Love Affair with a Singular Insect by Sharman Apt Russell, and Natural Grace: The Charm, Wonder, & Lessons of Pacific Northwest Animals & Plants by William Dietrich.

I guess I should finish reading Undaunted Courage and Getting Things Done first...

Discarded laptops are hazardous waste in Calif.
Wednesday, March 10, 2004, 9:57 AM

California Classifies Discarded Laptops as Hazardous Waste - An article in the San Francisco Chronicle discusses how the state of California recently categorized junked laptops and flat-screen monitors as hazardous waste. Read more... [PowerPage.org]

This ties in with my post earlier this week about the environmental impacts of upgrading rather than buying new. Fewer new machines over time creates less hazardous waste.

Washington state, where I live, has been considering legislation similar to California's bill, and as the Conservation Committee chair for the Tahoma Audubon Society, I have been supporting that legislation. Discuss Upgrading vs. buying new

Another wireless keyboard and mouse
Wednesday, March 10, 2004, 9:53 AM

Belkin offers wireless keyboard, optical mouse - Peripheral maker Belkin Corp. is offering a new wireless keyboard and mouse combination that's compatible with both Macs and PCs. The $70 combo is expected to hit store shelves by the end of the month. [MacCentral]

DEVONtechnologies adds new app, updates others
Wednesday, March 10, 2004, 9:51 AM

DEVONtechnologies offers DEVONnote, updates others - UK Mac developer DEVONtechnologies Ltd. has released a new software application called DEVONnote. DEVONtechnologies has also released a public beta version of its forthcoming PhotoStickies 5.0 and has updated Xmenu, DEVONthink and DEVONagent. [MacCentral]

Not much posting on my birthday
Tuesday, March 9, 2004, 1:20 PM

I turned 37 today, and I am off mourning that fact - and editing Birding Washington. Posting should return to normal tomorrow...

FileMaker 7.0 details
Tuesday, March 9, 2004, 8:40 AM

New: FileMaker Pro 7 - FileMaker, Inc. announced the release of FileMaker Pro 7 and FileMaker Developer 7, with major new features that include a Relationships Graph, which presents a visual "map" of the database, and a streamlined relational architecture, which stores multiple tables within a single file. [MacInTouch]

A true blue spring day
Monday, March 8, 2004, 9:23 PM

The craggy spires of the Olympic Mountains loom over the top of the Tacoma Narrows Bridge on a sunny March 8 when temperatures rose into the mid-60s in Puget Sound Country. Photo by Rob McNair-Huff

While I was sitting in meetings and trying to edit our Birding Washington book today I couldn't help but think that I should have been outside chasing down the first butterflies of 2004. Surely, with temperatures in the 60s F and Indian plum and salmonberry blooms opening across Western Washington, there had to at least be Spring Azures on the wing...

One year and counting with my 12-inch PowerBook G4
Monday, March 8, 2004, 8:05 PM

Today marks one year and one day since I received my 12-inch PowerBook G4 from Apple. Following are some comments on the strengths and weaknesses of this machine, and reasons why I am still pretty happy with the purchase one year after the fact:

Strengths -

The main reason I purchased this machine a year ago was that at the time of purchase it was the most portable and rugged of the current PowerBook line. Both the TiBook and the iBook were getting quite outdated in Feb. 2003, and the 17-inch PowerBook G4 was overkill for the kind of work I envisioned doing with my machine.
The 12-incher has proven to be rugged. Other than the fact that the machine is missing its little rubber feet, which broke off ages ago, it is in excellent shape despite being transported around town in a panier on my bike, a few times in a rugged fanny pack, and in various bags. The machine has been used in the middle of the Cascade Mountain range on cool spring mornings, in warm hotel rooms after being lugged around in the Eastern Washington winter during birding trips, and to more meetings than I would care to recall.
The keyboard on this machine remains one of the best I have used on a PowerBook.

Weaknesses -

The main shortcoming of this machine is the size of the LCD, but that was the price I paid for having extreme portability.
There is still no inexpensive way to upgrade this machine to more than 640MB of RAM, which is definitely going to be a factor in how slow the machine will run in the coming years as Mac OS X matures and will surely require more and more computing power.
Heat. This machine has always run hot, and since Apple's update to Mac OS X 10.3.2 around Christmas 2003 the internal fan runs way too often during normal use. I am getting used to the whirring sound, but I still don't like it.

Reasons to be happy -

Through a full year of use I have not had a single manufacturing or technical problem that kept me from using the machine (knock on wood).

Discuss One year with a 12-inch PB G4

On the disappearance of MyTunes from the Net
Monday, March 8, 2004, 12:44 PM

CNET offers details about how a computer crash has at least temporarily made the MyTunes program unavailable on the Net.

Dan Gillmor on Word showstoppers on the Mac
Monday, March 8, 2004, 10:52 AM

Dan Gillmor offers insight into problems with the current version of Microsoft Word for the Mac. These are more reasons why I hope we continue to see innovation and development of alternatives to Word. Discuss Word showstoppers

NoteTaker Viewer
Monday, March 8, 2004, 10:50 AM

AquaMinds announces NoteTaker Viewer - AquaMinds Software has announced the release of NoteTaker Viewer, a free application that allows you to easily view, share and print notebooks created with the company's NoteTaker software... [MacMinute.com]

Xserve G5 shipping delays
Monday, March 8, 2004, 10:17 AM

Apple misses ship date for Xserve G5 - The company originally said it would start shipping the rack-mounted server in February, but now hopes to get it out this month. [CNET News.com]

Jef Raskin on the Mac at 20
Monday, March 8, 2004, 9:57 AM

The Macintosh At 20: Interview With Jef Raskin - "I'm very disappointed in the Macintosh interface. It's more complex, harder to use than it was when we started." (Berkeley Groks via MyAppleMenu) [myapplemenu]

PowerBook trackpads are pressure sensitive
Monday, March 8, 2004, 9:53 AM

Apple trackpads can sense in three axes - A blog from the Queens University Human Media Lab reports that the PowerBook/iBook trackpad can sense not only x and y data, but z-axis as well, being sensitive to pressure gradients. Nice potential for human interface work.

Link

[Boing Boing Blog]

Upgrading is better for the environment
Monday, March 8, 2004, 9:44 AM

Gizmodo points out a United Nations University study that came to the common sense conclusion that it causes less damage to the environment to upgrade your computer than to replace it.

I have thought about this issue often in the past, and as a Mac user who tends to buy a machine and use it for three to five years before moving to a new machine, I would argue that over the last decade it has also been less damaging to the environment to use a Mac than a PC. I also try to limit my computer's impact on the environment in terms of power consumption, and the best way to do this is to use a PowerBook rather than a higher powered and more power hungry desktop machine. Of course, I am compromising on this now that I have to use a Windows machine in addition to my PowerBook... Discuss Upgrading vs. buying new

Knowledgetank info management software
Monday, March 8, 2004, 9:27 AM

Knowledgetank info management software debuts - Swedish developer Memsculpt has released its first Mac OS X software application, called Knowledgetank. The developer bills the new tool as information management software that helps you keep track of everything from URLs to files, projects, recipes, books, DVDs, CDs, source code and more. It can also be used as a journal. [MacCentral]

Fire chat app updated
Monday, March 8, 2004, 9:06 AM

Fire 0.32.j reinstates the ability to connect to MSN chat to the free multi-protocol chat application that also works with AIM, ICQ, IRC, Jabber, and Yahoo protocols. The previous version of Fire was no longer able to connect to MSN, after Microsoft changed its servers to attempt to keep third-party chat clients from connecting. The Fire developers note that this is the fourth time since Sept. 2003 that one of the chat services has changed their servers to block third-party chat applications.

Scheduling tasks in Panther
Friday, March 5, 2004, 5:02 PM

Scheduling Tasks in Panther - Mac OS X gives you several tools to help execute tasks at certain times of day and on a regular basis. To manage this, the system uses a set of utilities called cron and periodic. In this book excerpt from Running Mac OS X Panther, James Duncan Davidson takes you inside the ticking brain of your Mac. [O'Reilly MacDevCenter.com]

Back to a more ergonomic input device
Thursday, March 4, 2004, 12:28 PM

I noted and offered a quick review of a wireless keyboard and mouse combo from Microsoft yesterday, but in the interest of fair disclosure I offer this update. Last night I switched back to using a more ergonomic and more functional wired keyboard and mouse combo with my PowerBook - a Microsoft Natural Keyboard Pro and a Kensington Expert Mouse Pro. Yes, the keyboard is a bit louder, but the ergonomic benefits of the split and contoured keyboard and my own personal preference for a more responsive trackball point device over a wireless mouse led me to my final decision.

The Microsoft wireless keyboard and mouse are now hooked to the Windows XP machine, which seems much less use than my PowerBook.

A year ago today
Thursday, March 4, 2004, 12:05 PM

Highlights from MNJ a year ago today:

Meet Camino - the Web browser formerly known as Chimera was renamed and unveiled as Camino on this day last year.
And the site TechnoHappyMeal offered a trio of AppleScripts for Internet sharing via Bluetooth.

Office applications and the near future
Thursday, March 4, 2004, 11:55 AM

Macworld looks at the features coming in Office 2004, which is supposed to hit the streets sometime this summer, while MacBidouille notes the arrival of NeoOffice/J 0.8.1, a more graphically appealing port of OpenOffice that appears to be maturing.

I am watching the new features in Office to see if there is anything to convince me to finally break down and buy the suite, which I consider to be wildly overpriced, rather than working with OpenOffice.org and Word-compatible word processing tools as I have done since moving to Mac OS X in 2000.

Donate to support Mac Net Journal
Thursday, March 4, 2004, 11:19 AM

Mac Net Journal is a publication supported by readers through direct donations and advertising clicks. If you find MNJ a useful site, please visit the Web page and click to send a donation using either PayPal, Amazon, or by finding out how to send a check to support the site. Every little bit helps!

New version of NoteTaker adds features
Thursday, March 4, 2004, 8:47 AM

NoteTaker enhances Panther support, adds features - Palo Alto, Calif.-based developer AquaMinds Software recently announced that version 1.8 of their flagship application, NoteTaker 2003 for OS X, is now ready for download from the company's Web site. This update to their robust note-taking and outline tool, which combines word processing and Web browsing in a single application, is free for all registered users. It adds enhanced support for Mac OS X v.10.3 "Panther," a new toolbar Web search, dynamic link viewing, improvements to NoteTaker Services, and more. [MacCentral]

A PowerBook G4 hinge tutorial from PowerPage
Wednesday, March 3, 2004, 10:12 PM

PowerBook G4 Hinge Replacement Tutorial - I have had problems with the hinge of Titanium PowerBooks. I have replaced them and tried to describe the procedure with images - I hope for someone having the same type of problem this could be helpful not needing to find out everything again. Read more... [PowerPage.org]

Apple acknowledges Power Mac G5 flaw
Wednesday, March 3, 2004, 5:00 PM

Apple Silences Beeps, Hissing - Apple confirmed this week that there was a noise issue with some of its dual-processor Power Mac G5 models and said the issue has been fixed for new machines rolling off the production lines. By Ina Fried (CNET News.com via MyAppleMenu) [myapplemenu]

Experimenting with a wireless keyboard and mouse
Wednesday, March 3, 2004, 2:20 PM

Last week I bought a wireless keyboard and mouse combo made by Microsoft, and after using the combo for a while, I can offer a few impressions of the product. The setup I bought was an off-the-shelf Microsoft Wireless Multimedia Keyboard with a Wireless Optical Mouse that sold for roughly $75 at Office Depot.

Overall, the keyboard and mouse combo works well. Reception is good, although in my setting I am not sending signals across the room but rather just from in front of my 12-inch PowerBook G4. The feel of the keyboard is workable. This particular model doesn't have a "natural" style keyboard, with the split between the keys used by the right and left hand and a contoured design, but it works well and is relatively quiet when compared to the noisy wired Microsoft Natural Keyboard I have been using. The mouse offers left and right buttons along with a smooth, not clicking, action on the scroll wheel, and it also can toggle to scroll sideways to the left and right, which I suppose would be useful if I worked with large spreadsheets.

My biggest complaint with using this wireless setup with my PowerBook is with using the wireless mouse. For years I have relied on Kensington trackballs that offer smooth operation and four highly programmable clicking keys. It is hard to get used to backtracking to use a standard type of mouse that requires a different setup on my desk and more space to move the thing around. Beyond the ergonomic issues of using a standard mouse, the tracking and detailed pointing capabilities of the wireless mouse are not nearly as reliable as working with a wired trackball. I am not sure if this has to do with the device being wireless or rather with the capabilities of an optical mouse when compared to a trackball. This shortcoming alone is enough to have me considering relegating the new wireless setup for use on my Windows desktop.

Wormy email hits .Mac users and others
Wednesday, March 3, 2004, 1:42 PM

Macintouch has an interesting reader note about email being received by some .Mac members that does a fairly convincing job coming across as an authentic notice from .Mac email administrators, at first glance. The email cannot cause any damage, since it carries a Windows worm at this point, but this offers a good lesson for Mac users who tend to be more complacent about email viruses and worms since the Mac has been largely immune from attacks so far.

Update: As at least one person has commented in the wake of this post, similar email attacks are happening on different email servers and spoofing different "From" fields across the Net today. This problem is not specific to .Mac users.

LinSpot for creating pay-to-access wireless
Wednesday, March 3, 2004, 12:04 PM

LinSpot turns WiFi routers into commercial hotspots - Want to make a few extra bucks from your wireless Internet access? Start-up LinSpot announced on Wednesday that their LinSpot 1.0 application for Mac OS X allows you to do just that, with the company taking a 15 percent cut for services sold over your wireless network. [MacCentral]

More on digital photo work flow
Wednesday, March 3, 2004, 9:21 AM

Thanks to the MNJ reader who pointed out a third article in the series by Ken Milburn about digital photo work flow. Somehow I missed seeing this article last week on the MacDevCenter.

iDVD 4.0.1 update
Tuesday, March 2, 2004, 1:59 PM

iDVD 4.0.1 update released - Apple has updated one of the core applications included as part of its iLife 04 suite, iDVD. The new version of iDVD, 4.0.1, is available for download through the Software Update system preference pane. [MacCentral]

Major Mars announcement coming from NASA
Tuesday, March 2, 2004, 10:28 AM

NASA to report "significant" Mars discovery today at 2 p.m. EST - "Significant findings from NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity, now exploring Meridiani Planum on Mars, will be announced at a press briefing at 2 p.m. EST, Tuesday, March 2, 2004, at NASA Headquarters, Washington." Link(Thanks, Kevin!) [Boing Boing Blog]

OWC cuts upgrade prices, adds more speed
Tuesday, March 2, 2004, 10:25 AM

OWC pushes Mercury Extreme to 1.5GHz, cuts prices - Other World Computing (OWC) announced on Tuesday that its top-end Mercury Extreme G4 processor upgrade now reaches 1.5GHz. The company also cut prices on all Mercury Extreme G4 upgrades, which start at 1GHz. [MacCentral]

Airport Software Update 3.3.1
Monday, March 1, 2004, 4:21 PM

Macintouch: Apple says that an AirPort Software update "improves reliability of AirPort connections when changing network locations." [MacInTouch]

I checked for this update through Software Update on my PowerBook and it isn't showing up for me just yet. I will offer more if and when it becomes available.

Legacy outliners
Monday, March 1, 2004, 2:02 PM

Ted Goranson writes about abandoned Mac outliners that can still be used and are still useful under Mac OS X in Legacy Outliners on About This Particular Macintosh...

Belkin offers new mic adapter for iPods
Monday, March 1, 2004, 11:28 AM

Belkin's microphone adapter turns iPod into recorder - Computer accessories maker Belkin announced their Universal Microphone Adapter for iPod on Monday. An alternative to their Voice Recorder for iPod, which features a built-in microphone and speaker, the Universal Microphone Adapter allows you to connect any microphone with a 3.5mm plug to your iPod and capture cleaner recordings. [MacCentral]

Windows users beware - yet another new worm
Monday, March 1, 2004, 10:39 AM

CNN notes the arrival of this week's newest email worm, Netsky-D, along with warnings about the worm and tips for how to root it out. Once again, this worm does not affect Macs, but if, like many folks, you have a Windows machine in your office along with your Macs, you should be aware of this new worm...

How to create a favicon for your site
Monday, March 1, 2004, 10:37 AM

The March issue of Web Page Design for Designers offers tips on how to create a favicon for your Web site - which is something I have yet to do for Mac Net Journal...

A review of the Nikon D70
Monday, March 1, 2004, 10:35 AM

dpMac offers a review of the Nikon D70 digital camera from George Mann...

Tinderbox research tools
Monday, March 1, 2004, 9:36 AM

Tinderbox Research Tools - Open hypertext guru Les Carr has created a suite of easy-to-use tools that help programmers work on Tinderbox files outside of Tinderbox. [Mark Bernstein]

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