Making the most of OS X on your Mac |
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Ask MNJ? - You ask, I answer, you donate... Look for exciting developments about live, interactive Ask MNJ? help for your OS X problems, Mac hardware questions, and other Mac questions. Coming soon! Check here for information about where to send your donation. - Mac OS X apps ranked by category - Using Graphic Converter for image management - Maximizing battery life under OS X - TidBITS - Apple System Preferences Terminal Backup Internet Explorer (Classic)
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Some final software updates of 2002 Here is a final round of software releases for 2002, as found on Macupdate:
Predictions for Apple in 2003 A number of contributing editors at Macworld take a look at their crystal balls for Macworld's Third Annual Look at the Year Ahead in Macs. There are some great ideas here, and I think some are on the way soon. Fingers crossed!
Observations of the 'Gigabook' Jason O'Grady offers his take on the 1GHz PowerBook G4 Titanium today on the PowerPage. His notes are intriguing, but the review is missing any mention of improved wireless reception, heat generated by the new faster processor, and the fan noise issue that has bothered some early users.
MNJ's changing face through 2002
The three screen shots above give a feel for the three looks of Mac Net Journal during 2002. I started the year managing MNJ solely with BBEdit (first shot on the left), then transitioned in mid-January to Radio Userland 8.0 (the middle image). The last change took place more than a month ago, when I moved to Eastgate Systems' Tinderbox information manager to create the MNJ site. The site's design went from a fairly simple and easy to read template at the beginning of the year to a much more text heavy and somewhat busy layout during the months I used Radio Userland. I like the feel of the site more today using a slightly altered default template with Tinderbox. I don't expect such drastic changes in the look and feel of MNJ in 2003, but there are no guarantees.
NetNewsWire Pro 1.0b4 released Brent Simmons at Ranchero announced tonight that NetNewsWire Pro 1.0b4 is available.
Last bird photo of the year?
I couldn't resist setting up our spotting scope and playing a waiting game this afternoon in an attempt to get a shot of the Anna's Hummingbird that comes to our yard repeatedly throughout each day. Despite the dark cloud cover that created bad lighting all day, the bird did show up and stay still long enough for me to get the shot above. This may turn out to be my last bird photo of a 2002 full of bird watching, book research, and adventure!
Notable software releases Here are some highlights from software updates and releases of the last few days, as found on Macupdate:
Quickbooks 5.0 is fatally flawed Damien Barrett takes Intuit to task over the shortcomings of Quickbooks 5.0 for Mac OS X. Why? The file format used by Quickbooks 5.0 is not compatible with PC versions of the software....
Aching for a new laptop, but waiting... The temptation to buy a newer TiBook or even a svelte and rugged iBook to replace my aging Pismo PowerBook is growing stronger each day, but with Macworld Expo in San Francisco just around the corner, this is a great time to sit tight and see what Steve Jobs and the rest of the people at Apple have up their sleeves for the expo. What do you think lies ahead at Macworld Expo? An iBook running a G4 processor? Bluetooth built into new TiBooks? A revamped AppleWorks? What are you hoping to hear out of the expo?
Another birding weekend I didn't update MNJ over the weekend because I was off having late holiday celebrations and then spending all day Sunday helping out with the Kent/Auburn Christmas Bird Count - the second bird survey that Natalie and I have done in the last eight days. Under partly cloudy skies and in the face of a cool breeze, we didn't find as many bird species in our assigned area as I expected going into the day. We did have a great look at a Cooper's Hawk and a Sharp-shinned Hawk, both within a tiny wooded park. Last night I took the time finally to restart the updates to my nature journal and photography Web site, The Equinox Project. If either of those topics interest you, take a look.
MacSlash discussion: Which mail server for OS X? MacSlash has another interesting discussion underway, this time asking Which mail server runs best under Mac OS X.
Could this be the end for Macworld Expo? Mulling Over Fate of Macworld
How to configure Jaguar's firewall capabilities Configuring Jaguar's Firewall
MacMegasite's picks for top 10 freeware of 2002 MacMegasite: My top freeware pics of 2002. As with many of the top 10 lists being written today, this places the Chimera Web browser at the top of the heap...
Labels X 1.1.1 released MacMegasite notes: Labels X 1.1.1 adds file labeling features into Mac OS X. This means, you can apply various color tints to file icons, and sort the files by label. This gives you more freedom and options in organizing your files. Additionally, Labels X shares file label information with Mac OS 9, so no matter, where you label your files - you will see the labels in both Mac OS 9 and Mac OS X (file labeling is a built-in feature in Mac OS 9). [MacMegasite]
Another tip: View PowerPoint presentations without Office v.X? An MNJ reader wrote about his desire to view PowerPoint presentations without forking over the big dollars for Microsoft Office v.X. Since I don't have a need for PowerPoint, I didn't have an answer to this Ask MNJ? question off the top of my head, but a quick search of Macupdate revealed a couple of interesting alternatives: BigShow 0.7 is a freeware presentation viewer released in late Oct. 2002. It is unclear if it actually works with PowerPoint files, but it can create slide shows. QuickPresent is a $10 shareware application that uses QuickTime Pro to create and play back slide show presentations in its first beta release from early Nov. 2002. It doesn't work directly with PowerPoint. This doesn't really answer the MNJ reader's question though. Does anyone know of a worthwhile PowerPoint replacement?
Tip: Opening Word docs with AppleWorks Have you ever run into a Word document that just won't translate into AppleWorks? I ran into this common situation last week and with a little experimenting I was able to get around the problem. The trick was the go into the Finder and look at the file name. If the document contains a filename too long to have the file extension show in the finder, then rename the file and be sure to tag on the obligatory ".doc" file extension at the end of the file. Do this and you can open the file in AppleWorks without the need for another Word-compatible processor...
Preparing for a wind storm This could be an interesting weather day here in Puget Sound country, as forecasts predict a strong wind storm with 40 mph sustained winds and gusts up to 60 mph to move through the area this afternoon. Forecasts can change, so it isn't a done deal, but if the storm hits as predicted we could lose power here at Mac Net Journal for the first time in years...
NetNewsWire Pro 1.0b2 released NetNewsWire Pro 1.0b2 fixes some bugs with the Weblog Editor, including some crashing bugs. Here are the change notes. [ranchero.com]
What new Mac toys are you playing with today? What interesting new Mac goodies found their way into your home over the holidays? Let's talk show and tell, and help each other get the most out of our new Mac-related tools and software.
Mercury News: The digital day after The Mercury News offers some common sense tips for new digital camera owners, along with pointing out the ease-of-use advantages that OS X users have with iPhoto in The digital day after.
Notable software releases As noted over the last few days on Macupdate:
Confirmation: Entourage X is sold separately from Office v.X I am not sure when Microsoft changed its mind and decided to free Entourage from its exclusive bundling with Microsoft Office v.X, but MNJ reader Edward Miller had the time to dig around and follow up on his initial note about seeing Entourage on sale separately at a CompUSA store in Michigan. Edward writes:
No need to be sorry, Edward. This is bound to be a great find for folks interested in trying Entourage without spending $400 or more to get the whole Office v.X suite...
Entourage available as a stand alone app? An MNJ reader wrote over the weekend to say that he was in a CompUSA store and saw a stand-alone copy of Entourage, the email app from Microsoft that has only been available as part of the huge and costly Microsoft Office v.X application suite. Has anyone else seen this? I haven't had the time to check with my CompUSA, but this seems like an unlikely development. For what it is worth, the Web site for CompUSA doesn't list Entourage as a stand alone item...
Apple documents changes with AppleScript as related to Mail Mail + Applescript in 10.2.3
Strength to Dave Winer I am sad to hear through the latest post by Dave Winer that his father's health is failing after making an apparent rebound over the last few weeks. Strength to Dave, and to his father.
AppleScript 1.9.1 for Mac OS X AppleScript 1.9.1 for Mac OS X - Release Notes
FileMaker Pro 6.0v4 fixes big scripting bug FileMaker Pro 6.0v4: Externally scripted whose clauses fixed
MacSlash: Good GPS software for Mac OS X? Since I know I am not the only Mac OS X user who may be receiving a GPS unit around the holiday season this year, this discussion from MacSlash about Good GPS software for Mac OS X should offer some interesting reading... MacSlash also has a discussion underway today about file synchronization software for OS X...
NetNewsWire Pro beta arrives NetNewsWire Pro public beta I have been using earlier beta versions of NNW Pro and found its new features a great asset so far. I am still trying to figure out how I will integrate the use of NNW Pro with my TinderBox Weblog solution...
Grab the new version of Chimera The makers of the excellent Chimera Web browser suggest that people download the daily builds that started to be offered on Dec. 20. This build has a host of improvements, listed from the Web site:
Working with the new Script Editor Preview Script Editor Preview tip - Go to System Preferences > Universal Access - Turn on "Enable access for assistive devices" [AppleScript Info]
A follow up on the woes of OS X disk utilities Roger from the technical support staff at Alsoft, makers of DiskWarrior 2.1 which I purchased in my attempts to fix a disk problem yesterday, offers a follow up on the need for Mac OS 9.x disk drivers on a disk used soully with Mac OS X:
Apple December Developer Tools release Apple December Developer Tools Posted The download can be found on the ADC site, and it weighs in at a whopping 301.2 MB...
And even more scripting with GUI Scripting Apple: GUI Scripting (System Events) I point to these stories with info about AppleScript because AppleScript and other scripting tools are one of the most powerful ways to customize how you interact with Mac OS X. And if you have a unique problem or a command you want to add to your favorite scriptable application, AS is a powerful asset.
Apple's Script Editor 2.0 Apple: Script Editor 2.0
PowerMail 4.1 a major update for usability The final version of PowerMail 4.1, which brings on-the-fly spell checking and integration with the Apple Address Book application, is available today. This problem has been excellent for me in the beta version, so, if you are a PowerMail user already, go for it! One thing to remember: PowerMail 4.1 uses a slightly different database setup for your email and a quite different database for address book entries, so be sure to back up your files before installing the update. Release notes are available as well.
Macintouch reader reports for OS X 10.2.3 Some early reader reports of how Mac OS X 10.2.3 is performing are offered on Macintouch this morning. One important note that isn't mentioned in these reports but is mentioned on the MacFixIt report that I linked to earlier is an apparent incompatibility between OS X 10.2.3 and the Wacom Intous Tablet. I will try to confirm this one later today, since that is the kind of tablet that Natalie and I share in our home office... Update: Mark Bernstein says he has upgraded to OS X 10.2.3 and his Intous tablet is working fine, so either that reported bug only affects certain users or maybe those who aren't using the latest Wacom drivers... If you have more comments about how Mac OS X 10.2.3 is performing for you in its first full day since being released, add your comments.
Canon RAW image file viewer updated Canon released an updated version of its File Viewer Utility v1.1.1 with improvements in RAW image handling yesterday. The update works with .CRW files from the following cameras: EOS-1Ds, EOS-1D, EOS-D60, EOS-D30, PowerShot G3, PowerShot G2, PowerShot G1, PowerShot S45, PowerShot S40, PowerShot S30, PowerShot Pro90 IS.
MNJ updates through the weekend and Xmas While the pace of business in the U.S. slows to a crawl today as we slide toward the weekend and Christmas around the corner next week, here is an update about the schedule here at Mac Net Journal. I plan to keep updating the site through the weekend and Monday, but things will slow considerably on Christmas Eve and Christmas next week. Expect things to be back to normal by next Thursday. Meanwhile, if Xmas finds you with a new Mac, peripherals, or new Mac OS X questions and you could use a little help, consider using the Ask MNJ service. I hope to have some exciting announcements about Ask MNJ following the holiday!
Other software updates As usual, there were more software updates and releases than the update to Mac OS X 10.2.3 over the last day. Here are some highlights from Macupdate:
Notable Apple Knowledge Base updates If you are holding out on upgrading to either Mac OS X 10.2.3 or Mac OS X Server 10.2.3, you may want to check the following documents from Apple:
MacFixIt offers troubleshooting tips for OS X 10.2.3 MacFixIt offers Troubleshooting tips for Mac OS X 10.2.3. Look quick before the information is yanked into the pay-for-view archives...
CUPS printing tools carry vulnerabilities Multiple Vulnerabilities Discovered In CUPS
How is OS X 10.2.3 treating you? I have installed the huge update and started working with it, but I am interested in hearing how others are doing with Mac OS X 10.2.3. Have you run into problems? Found any surprising additions?
Mac OS X Update 10.2.3 From the notes included with the whopping 51 MB update available now through the Software Update panel in System Preferences:
Transmit FTP client updated Transmit 2.2 is a scriptable FTP client for Mac OS. This version includes many fixes and improvements (a full list of changes is included in the download). Writing the above update about Transmit 2.2 on AppleScript Info, Rob Jorgenson notes:
Whatever you do, install the OS 9 disk drivers A mistake made a couple of months ago when I first initialized my 40GB hard drive that I installed in the aging Pismo PowerBook cost me about two hours of clicking OK and reinstalling things this morning. When you first initialize a new drive using the Apple Disk Utility under OS X you have to be sure to click to install the OS 9 disk drivers on the drive or you will not be able to work with the disk at all if you boot into OS 9.x. You can use Classic without the OS 9 disk drivers, but you cannot boot from an OS 9.x installer CD in order to run a disk utility like the $70-plus DiskWarrior program I paid for and tried to use to fix a disk problem this morning. So, long story short, install those OS 9 disk drivers if you want to be able to fix a Mac OS X disk...at least until an OS X version boot CD for DiskWarrior is available...
The woeful state of OS X disk utilities This morning I have been trying to deal with a pesky disk problem on my PowerBook, and in running through the repair possibilities I am reminded just how poor the choice of disk utilities are for Mac OS X. Here is a look at what I did and what problems remain: First, I knew there was a problem because all this week Chimera, which is normally a rock-solid application, has been crashing over and over. Now it won't even start up without crashing. And so this morning I decided to deal with the problem. The first step I took was to restart OS X while holding down the Shift key, which boots OS X into a "safe mode" which runs the built-in disk utility behind the scenes during the start up routine. The problem with booting up in the safe mode is that when the boot process is done, services like my Airport card and other critical services are not running like they are after a normal reboot. And the other shortcoming is that I have no assurance that anything was actually fixed during the running of the disk utility. Since I needed to restart the machine anyway, I figured I would reboot into Single User mode by holding down the Command-S key combination, which boots into a text-based interface for my machine and allows me to run the built in disk utility FSCK at the prompt when the machine finishes booting. When the start up finished I ran fsck by typing "fsck -y" at the prompt and sure enough there was still a problem to be fixed - an extents overlap problem in the disk catalog. Normal procedure with fsck is to run it over and over from the command line until the disk comes back with no error messages. That isn't working for me this morning. No matter how many times I run fsck the same two extents files overlap. On to the third option, which is to reboot the machine once again and start up from the Jaguar installer CD by holding down the "C" key on the keyboard during start up. Once the machine slowly boots from the CD, I go to the File menu and scroll down to start the Apple Disk Utility and then run Disk First Aid on my hard disk. Yep, DFA shows the same problem with two files, and although DFA tells me that the disk is repaired when I finish running it, I do a Verify and find that the problem remains. Now I have rebooted my machine again and I am running OS X 10.2.2 with no signs of problems other than the fact that I cannot run Chimera at all. The disk problem remains, even though the built-in disk utilities, with the exception of fsck, show me that the disk is fixed. So, what should I do to fix the problem that obviously still remains? Yes, I could go buy DiskWarrior and see if it will address the problem. Maybe that is the only option short of erasing and reformating my hard drive. I know for sure that I won't let any Norton utilities touch my disk...
New Flash Player addresses header vulnerability The Register points to a page on the Macromedia site today that contains a description of the buffer overrun flaw in Flash as well as a link to download a new version that addresses the problem. The Mac OS X version of Flash 6, posted on Dec. 12, 2002, is available here.
NoteTaker looks like an interesting app AquaMinds' NoteTaker 2003 looks like an interesting take on notes, outlining, and more. I will have to take a look at it when time allows...
Think twice before viewing Flash content...even on a Mac Yesterday's article Compromised in a Flash on CNET points out that a flaw in Macromedia's animation software poses a risks to Macs as well as PCs.
And so, until Macromedia updates Flash, avoid those cute animations like the plague...
An AppleScript to refresh the front Finder window Update Finder Front Window 1.0
More about Spring from The Register There is a lot of buzz for UserCreations' Spring today. The Register adds to the buzz with Spring has sprung: A new desktop era for the Mac? In response to the buzz about Spring, I wonder how many people have downloaded the program and are starting to create their own canvases? If Spring appeals to you, what are your ideas for using the program?
A new Mac BU chief for Microsoft Microsoft chooses new Mac chief
Notable software releases As found on Macupdate:
A Q&A interview with Spring creator Robb Beal UserCreations president Robb Beal, creator of the innovative Spring 1.0, sits down for a question-and-answer interview in a Mac Net Journal exclusive.
Clarification from Real about the bug mentioned earlier Greg Robbins from RealNetworks writes with a clarification of the post earlier today about a bug with RealOne Player for OS X:
PhotoMover 1.2.3 simplifies work with image files PhotoMover 2.1.3
Jordan Hubbard interview on MacSlash MacSlash has what it says will be the last Q&A interview with Jordan Hubbard, Apple's Engineering Manager for BSD. Among other things, Hubbard says he will no longer talk with the press in his current position with Apple. He isn't leaving the company...
This patent madness is bad news for instant messaging It appears from a story on CNET today that when you read this, AOL will own all instant messaging rights. How? According to the story, Patent creates IM wrinkle:
Is this how AOL plans to start making money? This cannot be seen as anything but bad news for instant messaging on the Internet...
PixelNhance 1.5.11 The excellent freeware image editing program PixelNhance has an update from its creators at Caffeine Software. This update adds the ability to double click on the histogram levels diagram to automatically adjust for maximum dynamic range without the loss of image information. You can grab the 3.8 MB freeware that works great in conjunction with iPhoto from Macupdate.
Talk about Nisus Writer for OS X MacSlash has a discussion underway about what lies ahead for Nisus Writer for OS X. Among the comments so far is the question of why Mac OS X needs yet another word processor? Have you used Nisus Writer in the past? Are you eager for an OS X release? Or has the last couple of years of using AppleWorks, Word, BBEdit, TextEdit, Tex-Edit Plus and other word processors made the emergence of Nisus Writer for OS X less of an issue?
A fix for a troubling bug with the new RealOne Player for OS X OS X users have already found some bugs with the final version of RealOne Player X, including problems with files that get left behind on your machine when RealPlayer crashes while playing streaming content. If a crash happens, it can be hard to access the stream again because of the files left behind on your machine. But the folks at Mac OS X Hints offer a solution this morning.
App and memory problems with some G4 Macs acknowledged The Mac Observer: Apple acknowledges app/memory problem on some G4 Macs. The problem: Some applications choke when running on a G4 Mac that is maxed out with 1.5 GB of RAM...
Hawk attack! As I sit here in our living room, listening to a report on the state of the watery environment around Puget Sound and composing materials for Mac Net Journal, I have been watching the birds flocking to our feeder while the rains pour down outside. A few minutes ago the dozens of birds in the yard all started to frantically scatter. I knew the source - there had to be a hawk or falcon in the neighborhood. I set my PowerBook down and started looking out the window just in time to see a fairly large and dark-backed raptor, probably a Cooper's Hawk from its size, rush up from the ground just a few feet away, rising up from under the snowball bush in our yard with its catch in its talons. I am not sure what kind of bird the hawk caught. I threw on a jacket and went out in the rain with my binoculars to try and find the hawk eating its breakfast, but it was nowhere to be found. Now, just 20 minutes later, birds are again flocking near the feeder. Black-capped Chickadees, Dark-eyed Juncos, an Anna's Hummingbird, European Starling - they're all tasty snacks for the neighborhood's Sharp-shinned and Cooper's hawks, the Red-tailed Hawk I watched hunting three blocks away in Mason Gulch last night, the Great Horned Owl that prowls the trees and air each night, and the blazingly fast Merlin that flashes through the yard from time to time.
Notable software releases As found on Macupdate:
Having troubles with foreign languages in Eudora? MNJ reader Scott Feiner wrote a couple of days ago asking about any Eudora add-ons that would help him with problems he was having displaying foreign language characters in selected messages. I did some digging around and so did he. The result: The Eudora Tables Emporium.
Excerpts from The Wireless Networking Starter Kit Glenn Fleishman and Adam Engst are offering downloadable excerpts from their new Wi-Fi networking book, The Wireless Networking Starter Kit.
Tex-Plus 4.4 released Tex-Edit Plus for OS X 4.4
Great news for Radio users: Weblog outliner in the works Adam Curry posts from the experimental and still not available for public release Weblog outliner for Radio Userland. This is great news for fans of outliners who want to work with Radio. Of course, I made the switch to an outline-based Weblog solution more than a month ago when I switched from Radio to Tinderbox. That's right...Tinderbox is an outliner, an idea organizer, and with a little behind the scenes work it also serves as a great Weblog tool.
Ask MNJ: Dealing with font management issues in OS X Last night I spent an hour or so trying to solve an Ask MNJ question from Natalie right here at home. The question: Why when she puts certain TrueType fonts into her system does PageMaker 6.5 running in Classic refuse to show that those fonts exist on the system? The answer, it appears, is not so straight forward. To dig into the problem, I went to Adobe's site to dig around on their support forums and see what I could find about font conflicts. Since I don't do much print or desktop publishing work (that is Natalie's area of expertise here at White Rabbit Publishing), this gave me the chance to learn that Apple's OS X and Adobe's products each handle font management in different and in some conflicting ways. But the key issue is that it is not good to have duplicate fonts in both OS X and Classic. In the end, I have yet to find a solution to Natalie's problem, and she may need to either boot into OS 9.x or use one of the older machines in the house to be able to work with the TrueType fonts in question... Does anyone have any other suggestions?
imageJaguar.sh public beta imageJaguar.sh is a software package offering network administrators a turnkey solution for creating mirrors of customized Mac OS X 10.2 systems. The program also creates NetBoot images for Mac OS X Server. imageJaguar.sh is free for users in K12 education, where it should be a great tool for setting up and managing Mac labs... (link seen on MrBarrett.com)
An alternative to the Terminal iTerm
Wireless news here in Tacoma Glenn Fleishman notes:
Funny that this story is reported on an Oregon Web site and noted by Glenn in Seattle before the local journalists at the local newspaperThe News Tribune managed to report on the wireless installation...
Radio UserLand X 8.0.9b2 Radio UserLand X 8.0.9b2 fixes a bug in xml.decompile which was introduced in 8.0.9b1. The download is for Mac OS X users only. Radio is an easy-to-use Weblog tool that runs on your desktop. Radio supports XML-RPC and SOAP, so you can run software that links into distributed XML-based networks on all platforms, created in languages such as Python, Perl, Tcl, Visual Basic, PHP and AppleScript. Even C, Java and Microsoft .NET software can wire up to the Radio desktop over the Internet. [AppleScript Info]
A printer sharing problem solved Writing on the O'Reilly Networks site, Scot Hacker explains how he solved a printer problem with his Mac OS X installation. The short piece on printer sharing offers some great lessons about how missing seemingly little details can lead to frustrating problems - especially when networking is involved.
RealOne Player for Mac OS X arrives MacCentral notes that RealOne Player for Mac OS X is available today. The software requires Mac OS X 10.1 or greater running on a G3 or G4 machine with at least 128MB RAM.
Frontier 9.1b2 for Mac OS X Dave Winer from Userland Software notes that Frontier 9.1b2 for MacOS X is available. [Scripting News]
A reader comments on iView MediaPro MNJ reader Duane Pandorf offers his comments on iView MediaPro, the digital image management program that I broke down and purchsed for use with my thousands of digital images this afternoon:
Do you use iView MediaPro? What do you think about the program and what unique uses have you come up with for the program? As one of the newest folks to jump on the bandwagon, I would love to hear how people are using this software!
Notes on a shopping trip to CompUSA Since I am so plugged in to the Internet, it is pretty rare that I walk into a real computer store. But yesterday I wandered out of the pouring rain and into a CompUSA store here in Tacoma, Wash., in an attempt to buy a Canon S900 photo printer. The attempt failed, since CompUSA has different prices for its products on the Web site, where the printer was priced at $249, compared to the in-store price of $299. I will order the printer from an online store rather than in a physical store. What I did take a couple of minutes to notice was the small section of Apple products at the back of the CompUSA store. Much of the store was bustling with activity, but at the very back corner of the store just two people stood and played around with a Mac desktop hooked to one of the gorgeous Apple Studio Displays. The store had one of each of Apple's current line of hardware, except for a TiBook - the machine I would have been most interested in seeing. Walking past the iBook's I noticed just how much the current 12-inch iBook reminds me of my favorite PowerBook that I have ever owned, a tiny PowerBook 2400c. If the 12-inch iBook supported hooking up a second monitor to create more screen real estate, I would jump for it. The biggest in-store surprise for me was seeing more Mac software on the shelves. OmniWeb, OmniGraffle, Personal Organizer, and many other OS X software titles that I use are now available in boxed versions. It is one thing to know this from reading and writing about it on the Web, but it is different actually seeing Mac-only applications in a store. Overall, I was once again underwhelmed with CompUSA's offerings, and a bit pissed that they show one price for a product on the Web and another steeper price for the exact same product in the store.
Working with iView MediaPro 1.5 The more I use the latest version of iView MediaPro 1.5, the more I wonder why more people are not using this excellent program? I am still working with a demo version of the program, but this runs circles around iPhoto and it is much speedier than GraphicConverter for image management. It lets me keep organizing my digital images in monthly folders in the Finder but then create catalogs of the images as I see fit in iView Media Pro, and so there is no more need to completely store my images in iPhoto in order to build a sophisticated catalog. And with its abilities to do batch actions on images, to create great QuickTime based slide shows...there are a lot of possibilities left for me to explore with this program. I sense money leaving my wallet soon to pay for the $90 program...
One crashed hard drive, one down day for Macupdate Like many other Mac users who check Macupdate every day, I was wondering what was up when the site was unreachable most of the day. It looks like Joel suffered a hard disk crash and he is moving the site to a new drive. Ah, the joys of technology!
iSync gets it all together Seattle Times:Apple's iSync gets it all together offers Glenn Fleishman's take on what lies ahead for Apple at next month's Macworld Expo in San Francisco. Among the predictions, an improved iCal and a more robust version of iSync. What do you think will be unveiled in San Francisco?
Canon to OS X scanner users...here are your drivers Canon releases long-awaited Mac OS X drivers
MacSlash discussion: Is the PowerBook worth the cost? MacSlash has an interesting reader discussion underway, debating the merits of buying either a souped up iBook or biting the bullet and buying the full-featured TiBook. Is the PowerBook worth the extra cost?
OS 9 gets a six-month reprieve MacCentral has a story quoting Apple's confirmation that Macs will continue to be able to boot into OS 9 until June 2003. I guess this gives the laggard developers of Quark yet another chance to show that they care about the Mac market...
IP-over-FireWire...again With no explanation of why it disappeared or why it has now reappeared, Apple has restored the link to its IP-over-FireWire Preview Release, as noted by a reader of Macintouch today.
Yahoo Messenger 2.5.1 released Yahoo! Messenger 2.5.1 improves performance under Mac OS X 10.2.2 and adds enhancements in video chat and other areas. The messenger app is free.
Slight changes to the look of the MNJ site Some of you may have noticed that I made some slight changes to the look and feel of the Mac Net Journal Web site last night. Most notably, the colors of links on the site have changed from light blue to a darker blue, and I increased the font size to help make the site more readable for those of us whose vision is not what it used to be. I am also considering other changes to make the site more useful. Last week I started using the Comment link services from the free Haloscan site, and while it has worked pretty well, many have commented in email that they have intermittent problems connecting to the comments. I have seen this as well. And so, I am looking at other alternatives. Try commenting on the changes to MNJ with this link to QuickTopic, another free comment service available to Web sites.
What PIM are you using? As I sit here using my personal information manager of choice right now, I am curious what PIM you are using. iCal? Palm Desktop? What?
TidBITS unveils this year's GiftBITS Adam Engst's compilation of reader recommendations and personal gift preferences are rolled up in this year's edition of the annual GiftBITS.
If you use Mail, read this: How to back up Mail If you are using Apple's Mail.app program and you are unsure what you need to do to back up your critical email data, you should read today's new addition to the Apple Knowledge Base site: How to back up your mail. For many people, email archives are some of the most important data on their computers. Do not hesitate to back up your email. Every day.
Fire 0.32.a I have turned off iChat and moved back to Fire 0.32.a, a new release of the multi-protocol chat client that adds hordes of new features including nearly full support for AOL features like buddy icons, file transfers, and most importantly for me, support for working with iChat users that were not accessible in earlier versions of the program. Here is what the creators of Fire wrote in a short notice on MacTech's site:
Spoiled by a laptop Today I have been reminded just how good life can be with a PowerBook laptop rather than being stuck to one workplace in my house for being productive. This morning I sat in on a conference call where it made a lot of sense to hook up a second monitor to my Pismo to have more screen space, but I was going nuts because I couldn't see the birds in the yard or watch the storms that are rolling through the area this week as they slammed through the neighborhood. The solution? Once the meeting was over, I moved my PowerBook, external keyboard and mouse, and laptop stand in to the kitchen table where I can still work with an ergonomic setup while surrounded by natural light from four windows that look out on the bird feeders and views of the fir trees around the neighborhood flailing in the wind. Heck, if I wanted to get really serious I would just move the external monitor in here too and there would be no reason to bother with returning to the office...
The Wireless Network Starter Kit Adam Engst and Glenn Fleishman's new book The Wireless Networking Starter Kit is bound to be as popular for launching neophytes into wireless computing as Engst's Internet Starter Kit was at getting neophytes onto the Internet in the 1990s.
NYTimes on the Wi-Fi boom If you are still on the fence about moving to a wireless Internet connection, check out what the New York Times has to say about The Wi-Fi Boom. The Times also has links to other related articles in their focus on Wi-Fi today.
It may be winter, but Spring 1.0 has arrived Robb Beal and UserCreations have rolled out the first general release version of his unique desktop environment tool Spring 1.0. The $21.95 application offers a way to set up visual contact lists, view weather conditions, interact with Web data and pull off simple tasks like sending AIM messages to your friends through a hands-on, intuitive interface. If I was a software developer right now, I would be digging into what makes Spring tick and wrapping my mind around a new way to interact with my data. Take a look at the Web page for Spring and lets talk about where this could take us.
AppleScript manuals AppleCare Knowledge Base: AppleScript Manuals
BBEdit makers donate $10 per purchase to EFF Bare Bones Software supports EFF Maybe it is time to upgrade my version of BBEdit for OS X...
MacNN: Apple, HP acknowledge driver conflict MacNN reports that Apple and Hewlett Packard are fessing up about the printer driver problem that has been documented by many users with Mac OS X 10.2.2.
Should leaving your Wi-Fi network open be a crime? Only Terrorists Use 802.11(WiFi): "Consultants working for the Department of Homeland Security have announced that the Feds view open WiFi as a means of abetting terrorists, and say that they will compel the open wireless operators will have to close off their nets. 'Homeland Security is putting people in place who will be in a position to say, "If you're going to get broken into ... we're going to start regulating. http://www.wired.com/news/wireless/0,1382,56742,00.html" [(Source: Warchalking)] [Archipelago] I read about this over the weekend and find it pretty preposterous that people in the government are equating free wireless access with being unpatriotic and a threat to national security. There was a thread about it on Slashdot that carried some interesting comments. But what do you think? Should running an open wireless network be seen as a crime?
0-10 for MNJ donations in December After a relatively slow month of donations to support Mac Net Journal last month, the site is off to a record-setting slow pace here in December. Ten days into the month, there have been no donations to support the site. As you make your holiday plans, consider giving the gift of a donation to MNJ in the name of a Mac OS X fan on your shopping list. Every little bit helps! In addition, don't forget the Ask MNJ? program with free tech consulting and help with Mac OS X questions for first-time users. You ask, I answer, you donate!
A useful link for users of PowerMail If you are a fan of the excellent email application PowerMail, you may want to take a look at the collection of PM AppleScripts offered by Wayne Brissette on his mac.com site. Scripts include Convert to XML (converts selected messages to well-formed XML document which is saved to the desktop), Send Message Again, and many more.
Opera 6.0 final released for OS X Fans of the Opera Web browser will be thrilled to hear that Opera 6.0 for the Mac is available today. The final release version runs on Mac OS 8.6 through Mac OS X 10.2.x, and it folds in a host of bug fixes and enhancements from previous versions of the browser. For more information, check the listing for Opera on Macupdate.
Macmegasite slammed by spammers I had a conversation over iChat this morning with Mike Cohen, the publisher of the Macmegasite. I noticed yesterday that he mentioned he had been slammed by a spammer who faked his email address and then sent tons of spam around the world, and now all of the bounced messages are coming back to him along with threats to blacklist his domain. Mike asks for help with the situation today:
If you have tips for how to deal with this situation, let's hear them. I do have concerns about someone doing the same thing with Mac Net Journal.
Bug with AppleScript fixed in latest GraphicConverter release AppleScript Info: Note to GraphicConverter scripters
Fetch FTP client boosted to version 4.0.3 Fetch Softworks rolled out a new version of its venerable FTP client for the Mac yesterday. The update features "dozens of bug fixes, and new features such as a preference for setting your preferred line ending style" as well as better compatibility with Mac OS X 10.2.x, Kerberos security, and better AppleScript support. Fetch 4.0.3 is a free upgrade for those with licenses for Fetch 3.0.3 or greater. Single user licenses for Fetch 4.0.3 are $25.
FileMaker Pro updated to 6.0v4 A new release of the popular cross-platform database application FileMaker Pro is available this morning, according to a link on Macupdate. No release notes for the program are available just yet.
Are you creating Xmas gifts with your Mac? Are you using your Mac to create Christmas gifts this year? If so, what kinds of projects are you doing? Since I take thousands of digital photos every year, last year I created CDs with some of the best shots from throughout the year, and I am considering doing something similar this year but with a twist - either creating a custom Web site that would be self-contained on the CD for presenting the photos or finally buying a license for QuickTime Pro and using iPhoto, iMovie and QuickTime Pro to create a presentation to offer a more intricate display of this year in photos. What I am curious about is how many creative people out there are going beyond simply buying geek gifts for friends and family and instead are setting out to create gifts with their Macs. What programs are you using and what ideas are you willing to share?
Notable software releases Here are some notable releases as found on Macupdate:
Netscape X 7.0.1 Netscape X 7.0.1 adds popup window controls that enable suppression of pop-up ads, the ability to open a Home Page Group of pages in tabs when starting the program, new AOL Mail features, better handling of security certificates and more. The update is a 19.2 MB download.
It's snowing in the mountains! Snow is falling in the mountains of the Pacific Northwest...finally! The white stuff should be visible shortly on the Snoqualmie Pass traffic cams.
TidBITS: The laptop stands, but not alone Adam Engst digs into laptop stands that can work with the current iBooks and TiBooks in The laptop stands, but not alone. All I can say to this article is amen. I used my Pismo in my lap while sitting on the living room couch a lot of the time, like tonight, but in the office, when I hook up my PowerBook to a CRT monitor, ergonomic keyboard, and Kensington trackball, my Pismo sits in an upright stand I bought three or four years ago from Macimports, much like the currently available Kamas PowerBook stand.
Fink 0.5.0a Fink 0.5.0a Released This is the final release of the popular open source package installer for Mac OS X 10.2. [MacMegasite]
Birding at Mt. St. Helens in December?
As for the bird watching, we were shocked to find as many birds as we found. Bufflehead, Common Loons, sparrows, juncos, chickadees, ravens, and a Spotted Towhee were among the birds we found on a crisp and breezy Sunday afternoon.
NYTimes on Wi-Fi as a business The New York Times takes a look at the profit potential for businesses seeking to spread Wi-Fi Internet access across the country in Wi-Fi- Internet access is hot, but its profit potential is tepid. But should the spread of Wi-Fi only be tied to profit potential? How about widespread wireless access as a new right? How about the impact of free wireless networks and warchalking? Remember, the Internet wouldn't exist today if it was developed based on short-term profit potential.
Notable software updates Here is a look at some of the recent useful software releases and updates, as found on Macupdate: - Labels X 1.1 - Shareware that brings Classic-like labels back to OS X. - Xounds 1.4 - Add appearance sounds to OS X. Shareware. - QuicKeys X 1.5.4 - Update to the $80 macro and automation software for OS X. - BetterHTMLExport 1.6.4 - An iPhoto HTML export plug in. Free. - Alarm Clock Pro 6.0.7 - Turn your Mac into an alarm clock. - TypeJet 2.1.2 - Shareware font viewing utility. - MP3 Rage 5.4 - Update to the popular $24.95 shareware MP3 player, editor, and exporter. - WeatherPop 1.6.3 and WeatherPop Advance 1.6.3 - The free version offers current weather info in the menubar while the shareware advanced version offers forecasts as well. - OpenWeb 2.5 - Click once to automatically set up a suite of Web server tools with this $60 package. - Easy Card Creator 1.1.1 - Create printable greeting cards with this shareware tool. - Jotz 1.1.041 - Update to the shareware note pad program. - Kung-Log 1.6.0 - Post weblog entries to the MovableType system. - Eudora Internet Mail Server X 3.2b3 - Update fixes a POP error from a previous version of the server.
Wireless Internet year in review The Seattle Times takes a look at 2002 in wireless Internet access in Wi-Fi spreading Internet to access to the masses.
CopyPaste X 1.5b11 The useful text manipulation and clipboard extender tool CopyPaste has a new update out today that offers more customization, bug fixes, and more. CopyPaste is $20 shareware, and it counts as one of the must-have OS X utilities.
Interesting...Apple pulls all links to IP over FireWire Macintouch notes today that Apple has apparently pulled all information about and all links to the IP over FireWire Preview Release it had released earlier this week...
Intriguing series of Mac articles draws lots of criticism Writing this week on Wired News, Leander Kahney wrote five articles that explore the loyalty that many Mac users feel toward Apple and even more toward all things related to the Mac. Mac loyalists: Don't tread on us I point to the series now because it is an interesting read if you follow the series one article after another. Far from being loved for looking at how and why Mac users are loyal to their cause, it sounds like Kahney has seen tons of nasty email in response to the series. He responds today in Hey, I'm a loyal Mac user, too. I have been a critic of some of Kahney's articles in Wired News in the past because they dwell on the kind of touchy-feely lifestyle issues that surround the Mac rather than talking about how a Mac really can be taken seriously as a member of the computing community. But in his defense of the series of articles he wrote this week, Kahney explains why he writes what he writes, and I give him kudos for doing a good job. Let the others, like Mac Net Journal and more, deal with the day-to-day tips of how to make the most of Macs as serious computers and business tools. Read Kahney for a more whimsical look at what is being done at the edges of the Mac community.
Photologist 1.1 Photologist 1.1 looks like an interesting alternative to iPhoto for managing and editing digital images under OS X. The program is shareware. Here is what Macmegasite says about the program:
Useful take apart instructions for G3 PowerBooks If you are still using an aging G3 PowerBook like me, you may find these take apart instructions and photos useful. I know they will be useful for me in a while when I have to replace the plastics that hold the wrist rest and the keyboard. The crack in this section of the plastics has nearly merged with the keyboard....
New beta release of Frontier available Frontier News: "New beta releases of both Frontier and Radio UserLand for Mac OS X are now available." [Scripting News]
A discussion with the father of Wi-Fi News.com talks to the father of Wi-Fi Glenn Fleishman writes: "I'm embarassed to say I'd never heard of Vic Hayes, who is a well-spoken and interesting technologist, with modest but exciting ideas. The interview doesn't cover much new ground, but the insight makes it worth reading." [802.11b Networking News]
Fire multi-chat client updated Now you see it, and now you don't. I posted an item about the release of Fire 0.31.e earlier this morning, then yanked it when it appeared to be innacurate, and now I am adding it back again. The reason for the mix up? The Web site for Fire has moved to a new address, and the old address didn't reflect the new release of Fire 0.31.e.
Are you watching 'Taken' on the SciFi channel? This is completely off the topic of Macs, but sufficiently geeky to be mentioned here. Are you watching the SciFi Channel 20-hour maxi-series (as opposed to a mini-series) "Stephen Spielberg Presents: Taken"? So far I have mostly enjoyed the series, and I am curious where things will go tonight now that they have killed off the most annoying character in the show. |
As an example of how odd this winter's weather has been in the Pacific Northwest, take a look at the shot of Mt. St, Helens taken yesterday around noon in spotty sunshine from the Coldwater Ridge Observation Center inside the 