Tuesday, February 29, 2000
News
iMac Design Colors Cebit Wares
Apple may have opted out of this year's installment of Cebit, but the company's influence on PC design continues to reverberate throughout the 26 halls of the world's biggest computer expo.
New Life For Newer Technology
Macintosh upgrade manufacturer Newer Technology today announced an equity partnership with Singapore-based fabricator Tri-M Technologies, ending weeks of speculation about the company's future.
Opinion
Apple Collapsed On The Sidelines As Intel/AMD Race For 1 Gigahertz
Look at us. Look at Apple, and look at Mac web sites and discussion boards. Isn't it pathetic the way we claim Macs mop the floor with PCs processor-wise?
Thanks, Don
If I have it within my power to define a most fitting tribute to Don and what he managed to do with his few years on Earth, I'd have Apple establish an annual award in his name.
Review
Surf The Net And Smell The Flowers
Apple's new AirPort, a flying saucer-like unit making wireless Internet access a reality, allows one to surf without getting entangled in wires.
Wintel
Microsoft Tunes Media Player For Handhelds
In an anticipated move, Microsoft today for the first time made its media player available for download to handheld computers.
Win2000: Appearance Vs. Reality
The biggest product launch of the millennium — so far, anyway — is history, and if all goes according to plan, hordes of computer users will rush out to buy Windows 2000, the best software product that Microsoft has ever produced. Or so the marketers would have us believe.
Is Microsoft's Business Plan Obsolete?
Is Microsoft... stuck in an obsolete business plan ill-suited to an increasingly wired world? Was Windows 2000, five years in gestation, "yesterday's OS" before it was released?
Microsoft Committed To Wireless, Gates Say
Software giant Microsoft will leave no networking stone unturned, according to its founder.
Monday, February 28, 2000
Top Stories
Jobs Takes Decades To Become Overnight Success
Unlike so many 20-something CEOs who are minting money, Jobs has made his riches the old-fashioned way: He is reaching his billion-dollar Internet payday from Apple Computer nearly a quarter-century after co-founding the company.
Macworld Tokyo: Making iMountains Out Of Molehills
Sound impressive, but the fact is, the latest round of updates were either minor or long overdue. Has its recent success gone to Apple's head, and it is now content to sit on its laurels?
News
QED: Apple To Dominate Education Sales
Not only did Apple take fourth place among PC manufacturers in the retail/mail order market for January, but 34 percent of the computers purchased among the top five brands in school districts during the 1999-2000 school year will be Macs.
Opinion
Good Design, Bad Design
Despite a few shortcomings, Apple design remains miles ahead of what you'll find in the Wintel world.
Aquard
The ideal OS should be fast, have useful features, work on all Macs with sufficient memory, stay out of the way, and have a non-obstrusive interface, which is definitely not Aqua!
Review
Apple Confidential: The Real Story Of Apple Computer, Inc.
Apple Confidential is part novel, part history and part textbook. Owen Lintzmayer weaves this combination into a superbly informative and interesting book for the rest of us.
Sidetrack
Did you know you can change the color of Windows' Blue Screen of Death?
Wintel
In Its Current State, Microsoft Has No Appeal
Al I want is for Microsoft to dispense with the arrogance and bullying that defined the company during the 1990s, when nothing could stand in its way.
Kerberos Made To Heel To Win2000
In a move that company detractors said is another sign of its infamous "Embrace, Extend, Extinguish" strategy, Microsoft has used an open Internet security standard in its Windows 2000 operating system and made modifications without openly documenting its changes.
Intel To Debut Celerons In March
Continuing a flood of new chip intros, Intel will roll out 566 MHz and 600 MHz Celerons — and faster Pentium IIIs, too.
Dell Develops Wireless Technology
Dell's new product, called TrueMobile, conforms to the IEEE 802.11 wireless local area network standad, which has also been adopted by Apple and Compaq for their wireless systems.
Intel Whacks Pentium III, Celeron Prices
Intel has cut prices on its Xeon, Pentium III and Celeron chips for desktop PCs by around 25 percent, a discount that will shortly be followed by PC price cuts and faster processors.
Sunday, February 27, 2000
Top Stories
Computer Expert Don Crabb Dies
Mr. Crabb was far from a tunnel-vision tech-head... He was a studnet in my U. of C. film class for 22 years, always sitting in the front row, always generous with comments, usually barbed, delivered with the timing of a stand-up comedian and revealing an encyclopedic knowledge of film, art, history, and a bewidering array of specialized fields.
Don Crabb Passes Away
Don Crabb, a Mac pundit loved by Mac fans everywhere, lost the battle with his recent ailments yesterday afternoon.
News
Don Crabb, 1955-2000
Crabb was well known to Mac users for his columns in MacWEEK and other Mac publications.
Young Filmmakers Seek The Next 'Blair Witch'
After the success of "The Blair Witch Project" last year, it seemed that anyone with a dream, a camera and an Internet account could get a film made — or, at least, market it cheaply once it was made.
Leadership: A Profile Of Linus Trovalds
Linus Torvalds would make a lousy dictator, and it's hard to imagine him as a corporate chief executive. He laughingly calls himself lazy. He avoids making decisions about the growing, worldwide movement he leads — a movement that has turned him, in the eyes of many, into an icon of the Information Age.
Opinion
Hot-rod Your Mac
Turn your old Mac into a killer custom gaming rig.
Review
Disney's Winnie The Pooh Toddler
This software is a great introductory title for parent who want to introduce computer usage to their tots using accssible characters their children will be able to identify easily.
Sidetrack
Don Crabb: 1955 - 2000.
Roger Ebert: He liked to joke that he was the only computer scientist to enter the field through medieval history.
Bob LeVitus: Don Crabb was, without a doubt, one of the best technology writers I've ever had the pleasure of reading — insightful, cantankeous and controversial, but almost always spot-on."
Andy Ihnatko: A great person has to earn that rep the hard way, one person at a time, proving time and time again their commitment to the idea that We're All In This Together. Don Crabb was a great, great man.
Dave Winer: A prayer for Don. Life is short, make hay while the sun shines, and when a big tree falls there's room for lots of growth. Don was a big tree, for sure. Take a deep breath. Don was a good guy. Busy! Opinionated. He took on the flamers. He stood by the Mac through some dark dark days. I wish I could shake his hand and say "Good job Don!"
Applelinks.com: Our hearts go out to Don and his family. We'll miss you, Don!
Chicago Sun-Times: Sun-Times computer writer Don Crabb, 44, a nationally known educator, writer and broadcaster about the cyberworld and the Internet, died Saturday. He had been hospitalized since early December.
Joe Mahoney: I imagine that when you die, they issue you with a browser that renders fast, compiles to standards and the funky proprietary tags. All the plugins you could possibly need are builtin. It never crashes. And best of all, it runs on a Mac which is what Don Crabb would want.
Miss you.
Saturday, February 26, 2000
News
Mac OS X - MacOS.app Vs Classic.app
Classic.app is an enhanced, window-based implementation of MacOS.app. Instead of booting full-screen like MacOS.app, Classic.app loads itself in a window, allowing for side-by-side use of Cocoa, Carbon, and Classic app all at once on the same screen.
Compucentre To Start Selling Macs Again
The specifics of the agreement are not known. Also not known is if new stipulations have been set for or by either Apple Canada or Compucentre.
Apple Continues To Unload Shares Of ARM Holdings
Apple is selling .7% of ARM Holdings, makers of the StrongARM processor that was once used in Apple's canceled Newton Message Pad.
Opinion
Fear Of A Mac Planet
The presence of multiple OS vendors... has been the prime engine driving the evolution of the desktop over the past couple of decades... The graphic user interface's adoption and refinement has been fueled by continued competition among OS developers; on that level, I'm no more eager for Windows to disappear from the landscape than the Mac.
Exploiting A New Medium
If you think the Internet hype is big now, just wait a few more years until the industry matures. When we see real Web solutions that do things other media cannot, users will be flooding in.
Sidetrack
Man, this is one depressed web server. (And this is just for a 404 error.)
Wintel
Bugs, Courts — MS Feeling The Heat
In the giddy aftermath of its Win2000 launch, the Redmond giant is dealing with some more sobering realities — namely, sweeping for bugs and figuring out how it can win its battles in the courtroom.
Stagnating WebTV Offers Free Access For Two Months
After years of low subscriber numbers, Microsoft now says it will offer its WebTV Internet access for free for a limited time, a move to bolster the service in the face of a huge threat froma rchrival AOL.
Xbox Alert! Microsoft Got Game?
The truth is out there: With the purchase of 'xbox.com', the software giant looks ready to unveil its game machine in two weeks. Will it be an industry crusher?
Breaking Up Microsoft Would Be Tough Call
Economists and attorneys on both sides of the Microsoft antitrust trial agreed Friday that there should be some remedy, but just what that remedy should be runs the gamut from business-contract changes to breaking up the software giant into several companies.
Judge Rejects Key Microsoft Motion In Java Dispute
The possibility of a trial in the long-standing Sun vs Microsoft Java technology dispute moved closer to reality yesterday as the judge rejected a key Microsoft motion.
Friday, February 25, 2000
Top Stories
New Macs Race To Resellers
Most of the revised systems announced at last week's Macworld Expo/Tokyo are already doing a brisk business at Mac retailers.
Digital Island In Media Deal With Apple
Digital Island is expected to announce a deal with Apple Computer to deploy Apple's QuickTime streaming media format on most of Digital Island's servers.
News
AppleWorks 6 Shipping
The revision... sports over 100 new features and a new look designed to make it more aesthetically pleasing with the latest Mac OS appearance.
SmartDisk To Acquire VST
SmartDisk, a Florida company best known to Mac users for its FlashPath floppy disk adapter, announced today that it intends to acquire Macintosh peripherals developer VST Technologies. VST offers USB and FireWire storage devices as well as drives for Apple's PowerBook line.
Examing SmartDisk's VST Acquisition
Two years ago, Mac users would have flocked to FlashPath, but today there are too many alternatives for FlashPath to make a big splash.
Opinion
The Growing iBook & PowerBook Market
The future will belong to the company with the best portables. Apple has been a leader in portable innovation since the Mac Portable... and is well positioned to build on their experience.
Bias In The Industry
Would Nielsen get away with monitoring the nation's TV ratings if they only allowed white males to participate or excluded African-Americans? Of course not!
Performance Measures
For those offendend by arguments against the G4, here are some notions on how to measure performance, which isn't as easy as it sounds.
Money, Blood, And Dust
Internet entrepeneurs who give nothing back to the world are nothing more than modern-day buffalo hunters. What are we Indians going to do?
Apple's Internet Appliance
Apple clearly has the motive and opportunity to execute an entry into the appliance market. It also has the branding and the desire to be seen as something more than a PC company. We'll have to wait and see whether it does the deed. Just pray we're not going to get another Pippin.
Sidetrack
The ultimate remote sex solution. On second thought, you probably don't want to know about this.
Wintel
Intel At CeBIT: 'No Excuse' For Missteps
A somewhat humbled chip maker apologizes for chip set and other snafus, and says customers remain confident.
Microsoft To Get Software In Smart Phones
Sony's new Internet-enabled cell phone will be powered by Microsoft software, the companies announced today, a much-needed coup for the software giant in its efforts to break into the wireless market.
"Plausible Benefit" Is Key Phrase In Microsoft Tiral
The phrase refers to what occurs when companies with monopoly power combine, or tie, products together. One of the major claims in the case is that Microsoft combined its Internet Explorer Web browser to its Windows operating system in an effort to dominate the browser market.
Harvard Professor Mutes Antitrust Skepticism
Harvard Law School professor Lawrence Lessig today downplayed a news story that indicated he had doubts Microsoft should be broken up.
Thursday, February 24, 2000
Top Stories
Mac Hits Another Home Run
Apple is poised to regain the software-design leadership it earned with the original Macintosh. It's not clear how much ground this will gain for Apple, but the renewed competition can only benefit consumers.
Bust Microsoft? My Word!
Microsoft is bound to lose its antitrust tiral in some way, particularly after Judge Jackson's recent arguments. But Jon Rochmis thinks (with toungue somewhere in cheek) that the wrong people will be punished.
News
World's First iMac Stamp?
We might have goten into the history books for some of the most unlikely reasons like the ban on chewing gum imports, but at least when it comes to modern education, we picked the right computer.
Apple Predicts Stellar Financial 2000
Accoridng to investment firm Merill Lynch, Apple officials predict that both the company's revenues and unit shipments will dramatically rise before the end of this year.
Opinion
Mac Evangelism
If you ever wanted to tell a windows user how you felt but didn't know how to put it, now you do.
It's Time To Bring Back eWorld
Apple was right to kill the original eWorld. It was a drain on Apple's resources at a time Apple could not afford to have any. But eWorld was more than an online service. eWorld was about community — the Macintosh community.
Not Just Another Keynote
If we assume that the Tokyo keynote was the start of something new, it means that Apple now recognizes that it has become a global consumer concern and not just a company that has glboal sales. And it means that the Street has to pay close attention to the Tokyo and Paris expos — and non-Mac-centric events such as Internet World — in addition to Apple's traditional venues.
Review
Mighty Mike
Despite the outdated technology, Mighty Mike is a blast... The gameplay is simple and addictive, the graphics are bright and colorful, the sound are amusing, and the action is solid.
Kenisngton's New TurboBall Leaves Users Longing For A USB TurboMouse
Kensington has created a visually appealing, but nearly useless input device... The layout and feel of the device forces us to suggest that you would be better off with your hockey-puck mouse.
Sim City 3000
The original SimCity ranks high in my list of favorite games. It remains a classic today because of its originality and fabulous replayability. SC3K builds nicely on the original concept, and I liked playing the game; I just wished it wasn't so sluggish.
Sidetrack
The Bill Gates makeover.
D-I-Y brain surgery. Where's the video?
Introducing the Operating System Sucks-Rules-O-Meter, where we find out that Linux rules, and Windows sucks.
Wintel
Microsoft's ActiveX Too Active?
Microsoft says it will fix its ActiveX installation program after a Spanish Web developer discovered that it modifies users' computers without asking for their permission.
Wednesday, February 23, 2000
Top Stories
E-mail For Everyone
Despite the ill-informed doom and gloom you might have read in the media, we Macintosh users don't lack software, particularly when it comes to the many choices available for reading e-mail. At least a dozen Internet e-mail programs are in use today on Macs across the land.
News
Earthlink: Putting The "i" In iMac
It seemed like a perfit fit, as it leverages both companies' ability to deliver the types of products, services and support that inspire that kind of loyalty.
Steve Jobs: A Closer Look
Steve Jobs' innovative idea of a personal computer led him to revolutionizing the computer hardware and software industry. Without his genius, computing today would not be the same.
Did You Know That Macs Make Better Copy Than Wintels, Even When Promoting W2K?
It's ironic that, not only are these aging Macs still deemed photo-friendly, but that an equally aged Wintel machine would be completely unable to run Windows 2000.
Apple Shares Jump After Bullish Analyst Comments
Shares of Apple Computer Inc. jumped in late afternoon trading on Tuesday, after a Merrill Lynch analyst made some positive comments to his sales force, after meeting with the company.
Apple Gains Market Share In Japan
Most of Apple's recent market and mind share gians in Japan were made with the iMac.
Opinion
W2KOSX
I was feeling nothing but pride last week as I read all of the coverage of Microsoft's new Windows 2000 in the mainstream newsweeklies and saw that many of those articles were accompanied by sidebars or even full pages about Mac OS X.
Mac OS X Performance On A G3, Here Are The Answers!
The big factor in Aqua performance (which is to say Quartz performance) will be the graphics chip, not the processor.
Review
MYOB Accounting Plus V.9
Particularly for today's small, global-minded companies, MYOB Accounting Plus version 9 is an excellent accounting solution. Its multi-currency support easily allows you to deal with customers and suppliers in other countries and its extensive Help Library and manual will aid you in making sense of all those debits and credits.
Sidetrack
Found on Webfeet: "Asia is 2 years beind the US on the internet. Unfortunately, Asian hackers are only 2 days behind the west.
Apple's AirPort is called AirMac in Japan, because someone already holds that trademark. What will Windows be called in South Korea? Suggestions can go to applesurf@yahoo.com...
Wintel
Lemmings 2000
"Windows 2000 just doesn't crash. It never crashes." This is quite a claim, and one worthy of a lemming. Look behind the words and you find the blind leading the blind.
Microsoft Loses Windows Trademark
A South Korean patent court has ruled that Microsoft does not hold the patent on the trademark "Windows" for printed material in South Korea.
MS Slips 'Simplicity' Into PocketPC
While 3Com Corp.'s Palm Computing division launched its much anticipated color Palm IIIc on Tuesday, Microfot Corp. was preparing to show off another piece of its rival Palm-size platform, now called PocketPC.
Microsoft Unleashes Last-ditch Defense
Software giant says it's still amenable to a DOJ settlement, but the two sides seem as far apart as ever in final arguments invoking JOhn D. Rockefeller, GM and the proverbial '800-pound gorilla.'
Judge Keeps Hammering On MS
The judge in Microsoft's antitrust trial Tuesday liened the firm's control of its Windows software to John D. Rockefeller's sweeping Standard Oil monopoly of the 19th century, casting doubt on a company defense.
Red Hat Links Linux With Popular Corporate Software
Red Hat today announced new versions of its Linux operating system tuned to work with some of the most popular corporate software, the latest step in the company's ongoing quest to find ways for making money from free software.
Tuesday, February 22, 2000
Top Stories
Who's Making Games For Mac OS X?
We went out and talked to over 20 different developers and publishers to answer... questions. Will your favorite game be on Mac OS X?
Caltech Recommends Staff Buy PCs; Criticizes Mac Browser/Java Support
The primary problem continues to be the browsers and Java available for the Mac platform; the Macintosh continues to lag behind the PC platform in this area.
News
From Darkroom To Desktop — How Photoshop Came To Light
Ten years ago this month, Adobe shipped Photoshop 1.0. "Has it really been that long?" It has.
Hooked On Ergonomics
In the last two decades, ergonomics has forsaken its emphasis on ease-of-use to become a quasi-religion of preventive medicine. And it's not just the horny-handed sons of toil on auto assembly lines and slaughter house floors who need protection.
Apple Canada Takes Over Education Sales
Apple Canada has decided to take back nationwide kindergarten through 12th grade education hardware sales from third-party dealers and sell direclty to schools through its in-house sales force.
Opinion
Too Much Of A Good Thing?
I think that by adding more and more products to its default line-up, Apple might end up back in the same place it was during the mid-1990's.
Review
MyTV/fm USB Tuner
MyTV/fm was a disappointment. As far as video capturing goes, it worked very well. The TV and radio tuning on the other hand was a different story.
Wintel
Microsoft Windows - The Gates Left Open
Oh, the underhand nature of journalists. When is off the record off the record? Clearly not just after the videotapes have stopped rolling, as illustrated in last week's televised interview between Bill Gates and Bloomberg.
Judge Weeks Away From Microsoft Trial Verdict
Lawyers for Microsoft and the government return to the courtroom Tuesday for a last round of arguments before a final ruling in the antitrust trial that could fundamentally change the way consumers buy and use the software needed for computers to operate.
Monday, February 21, 2000
Top Stories
Universalized, Serialized, And Bussed
Now I can't say that the B&W G3 exactly changed my life. Sure, it was a tad fater... but not sensationally so. Yawn. But the iBook has changed my life.
News
Bonus Could Have Lowered Earnings
Without help from accounting, a lucrative compensation package for Apple Computer Chief Executive Steve Jobs would have caused the company's first-quarter earnings to be lower than the year-ago period.
The New Face Of Open Source OS?
It would be an interfesting twist of fate if Eazel's efforts soon became the default face for Apple's open source operating system efforts.
Connectix Case Far From Settled
Sony's beef against VGS' developer centers on allegations that Connectix infringed its copyrights in the development of VGS, violated its trademarks, tarnished the PlayStation name, misappropriated its trade secrets, and by releasing he emulator encouraged the piracy of PlayStation games.
MacOS' Sherlock Surreptitiously Sends Email Addresses
In the past, it was considered courteous to provide your email address... when downloading files anonymously. Nowadays, int hese more privacy-conscious times, it's much less commonplace.
Opinion
Living In A Mac Town
This week's Farr Site features Weirdos, Macs, Cars, and Guns! Yee-Haw! Author finds that some aspects of living where he does resemble the way his computer works. °Que Milagro!
Has Apple Ceded The Education Market?
While price isn't the only or even the primary consideration of many computer buyers, it is a continuing critical factor in educational Mac sales.
Review
Power Mac G4/400
These systems are packed with lots of features at reasonable prices — a virtue any user can appreciate. We only had a few complaints; we'd like to see a better mouse, and hardware DVD decoding would be a nice touch.
Sidetrack
Wintel
Microsoft, DOJ To Throw Final Punches
Microsoft and the Justice Department will face off in court one more time Tuesday, before a federal judge rules whether the software giant violated U.S. antitrust law.
iPAQ Sounds Like iMac, But Will It Sell The Same?
If iPAQ sounds like iMac, it is with good reason. Apple Computer tried the legacy-free approach with its industrial-designed, all-in-one desktop PC. It was a "bet the farm"... move and it revived Apple's fortunes.
Microsoft Moving To Ban Long-Term Temp Workers
Microsoft Corp. is limiting its temporary workers to one year of employment at a time, with 100-day intervals in between — a move that will force up to 1,500 of its long-term contract workers to find new jobs or seek permanent positions with the company.
Sunday, February 20, 2000
Top Stories
Microsoft Is Losing Its Grip
On the eve of one of Microsoft most significant product introductions, a dozen venture capitalists sat around a room scratching their heads. The question before them: "Is Microsoft dead?"
Peeling Away The Layers On Jobs' Bonus
While [Jobs'] bonus is in many ways different from the compensation other CEOs receive, it demonstrates many of the tricky — and sometimes controversial — accounting and legal ins and outs of executive compensation — and how companies work with them to their CEOs' advantage.
News
Platform Battles Should Benefit The Consumer
The mass-market computing platform has evolved, and new kinds of ecosystems are coming alive. And the people who are responsible understand, too, that a thriving platform is in large part about the people who support it — and not just customers.
Macstuff Closing Trims Computer Fans' Options
Fans of Apple's Macintosh computers have one less local shopping option following the recent closure of one of two Mac retail stores in central Tucson.
Any Color As Long As It's iMac
Peripherals styled to match the computer are everywhere — from the iFruit keyboard and UniMouse to the MacAudio speaker system and UniRiser stand.
Jobs' Jet: Recurring Or Non?
Accountants and financial analysts disagree about whether the gift of a Gulfstream V jet to Steve Jobs should be considered a recurring or non-recurring event. While this is esoteric, it is also very important.
Opinion
Mac Product Guide URL At Apple.com Finally
Not just a smart move, but a much-needed one. This internet portal thing is looking better and better every day.
Older Powerbooks: Going Portable On An iTeen Budget
That two hundred odd dollars you've got saved up in the bank can still take you pretty far in laptop land if you know what to look for.
Review
Despite Snags, AirPort System Good For Wireless Connections
Despite... drawbacks, AirPort is off to a good start. Surely it will only get stronger with the inevitable upgrades.
Wintel
Via Fires Back At Intel, Readies New Chip
Via Technologies fired back at Intel in one of the many lawsuits between the two companies as the Taiwanese chipset maker prepares the release of its first microprocessor.
Saturday, February 19, 2000
Top Stories
Windows 2000, Michaels Nothing
Bill Gates unveils Microsoft's latest, and we are there... unfortunately.
Get Well Greetings For Don Crabb
Don Crabb, longtime Mac pundit and former MacWEEK columnist, is seriously ill... Please use this forum to post get-well greetings and other messages for Don.
News
Apple Hopes To Set Desktop Video Trend
When Steve Jobs talks about desktop video for the homes of America, everybody listens.
Dragon Cancels Speech Product Development Until OS X Review
Until we have a full evaluation we're not going to promise that we can bring out something that will be fully featured until we know for sure it can be done.
Dragon Holds Off On Mac Version
The company will not offer the software for Mac OS 9, and says it will make a decision about Mac OS X after Apple ships the new OS later this year.
Windows 2000 Server Benefits Mac Users
Mac users and developers who have tested Windows 2000 Server say that despite some flaws, the new OS offers better Mac support than does Windows NT.
IX Micro Closes Doors For Good
A chapter in the Macintosh peripherals market quietly ended earlier this month when video card maker IX Micro closed its doors.
Time To Play Catch-up In The Next Big Thing
In the global economy, Singapore has to set its sights beyond the region, on the key players of the New Economy. It has to play a new game — catch up.
Wintel
Microsoft Denies Offer To Open Windows Code
Microsoft Thursday strongly denied that Chairman Bill Gates had told Bloomberg Television in an interview that he would be willing to open the Windows operating system source code to competitors to settle an antitrust suit with the U.S. Justice Department.
Microsoft Plans 64-bit Win 2000 Beta For 2Q
With Windows 2000 now out of the door, Microsoft is promising to release the first beta of its 64-bit version for Intel's Itanium chip next quarter, Microsoft officials said Thursday.
Win2000 Launch Guru Talks Stratey And Linux
One of the main architects of the Windows 2000 launch event talked with TechWeb about a number of key issues related to the worldwide roll-out.
Bugs Found In Servers, Workstations Using Intel Chipset
[Intel] has discovered a bug that affects some server and workstation computers incorporating recently released Intel chipsets, just when it seemed like the company was digging out from a series of manufacturing snafus in 1999.
Friday, February 18, 2000
Top Stories
Is Apple In Trouble?
Apple has a positioning problem. The current PowerBook line is great for what it does, but it's not what the market wants. The big seller today is ultralight notebooks, which the PowerBook isn't. Instead, it competes well in the high-end full-featured market: a good market to be in, but a declining niche.
Gates: We'll Open Windows Code To Settle Case
Microsoft would be willing to open the source code for its Windows software to competitiors in order to settle the antitrust case filed by the U.S. Justice Department, chairman Bill Gates said.
News
Apple Japan Has 17.3 Percent Market Share
Apple Japan's market share was 17.3 percent in the week that ended Feb. 6, placing it third on thelist of computer vendors, trailing only NEC and Sony.
Mac PC Emulator To Bundle Red Hat Linux
Emulation software developer Connectix is to ship a version of its Mac-based Virtual PC application with Red Hat Linux as the emulator's bundled x86 operating systems.
Jobs To Control 5 Million Shares
Apple Computer Inc. CEO Steve Jobs will soon control half the options for 10 million Apple shares he was granted last month, according to a preliminary proxy statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. That would enable him to exercise the options to buy and sell 5 million shares if he wanted.
FreeMac Could Not Buy iMacs At Retail
Someone has their information wrong. [Steve Jobs] is either wrong, or he's trying to paint a picture that doesn't exist and has never existed.
Opinion
Misfire Awards - Special Apple Dedication!
How can a company, one that makes some of the most well-designed and well conceived products in the computer industry, have so much trouble with the little things?
Attack Of The Hello Kitties
So, the good news is that the Pro-end Powerbooks got a major upgrade, while the low end iBook sort of stayed where it was. I think that we'll see some serious competition to the low end in the next few months as PC makers stray into the sub-$1000 market. Hopefully, Apple will be up to the challenge.
Why People Hate Macintoshes
The Macintosh computer is something that has always incited strong emotions.
What's So Special About The iBook Special Edition?
Is an extra 64 megabytes of memory and 3 gigabytes of extra hard disk space really worht an extra $200?
Apple's New Japanese Focus
Apple're apparent rededication to the Japanese market nad Jobs' announcement that Mac OS X will be a "global" operating system are signs of a new world view at the Mothership.
Review
ProTV
Aside from minor software configuration difficulties, ProTV does exactly what it is designed to do: It shows TV on your computer screen.
Total Annihilation Gold Edition
With its emphasis on strategic thought, multiple-player support, and compelling ability to suck you right into the action, Total Annihilation reaches a new level of game playing.
Rainbow Six
The sheer wealth of options and missions, combined with the timeless multiplayer action and sophisticated gameplay, make it an all-time classic.
Descent 3
If you can twitch and shoot with the best of them, and spinning, reeling worlds of color don't turn you green with nausea, this is a fantastic game - maybe one of the best 360-degree action shooters ever to hit the Mac.
Madden NFL 2000
Madden NFL 2000 is the best football simulator we've seen on any platform. Aspyr has finally broken the decade-long drought of Macintosh sports games, and has done it in fine style.
PowerMac G4
The G4 is a very solid, cool-looking Mac... If you're in the market for an all-new Mac, and you want a little more juice than an iMac offers, go ahead and get a G4. It's a killer machine.
Sidetrack
Insults, with style.
Here are just some samples of the results in Uptimes Project, where we measure how long can each operating system stay up and running without restarting. BSD: 312 days. Rhapsody: 80 days. Linux: 57 days. Mac OS: 20 days. Win NT / 2000: 14 days. Windows: 10 days.
Morale must be low in this little space called My Cubicle, as the sole resident (i.e., me) can really relate to this latest comic from Dilbert.
Wintel
Microsoft Willing To Open Windows Source Code To Settle Suit, Gates Say
Gates was asked whether the company would be willing to open the Windows source code in order to settle the case, and Gates said "yes." He then added, smiling, "if that's all it took."
Setting The 'Bug' Record Straight
I had always considered Microsoft better than the more traditional companies, in terms of not linking executive access to favorable news coverage. I guess now that SteveB and BillG are more like rock stars than high-tech execs, the ground rules are changing.
Windows 2000: Behind The Scenes
There were rock stars and movie stars — even jugglers at the Windows 2000 launch. Now the operating system has to shine on its own.
Developers Say W2K Bug Memo Exaggerates
Microsoft's development team is fuming about a published report stating that Windows 2000 contains more than 63,000 bugs.
Windows 2000 Reliable, But Caution Is Urged
Mom-and-pop businesses and enterprises have at least one thing in common when it comes to Windows 2000 — they are the best suited for immediate deployment, according to an analyst who surveyed 1,000 beta testers and early adopters of Windows 2000.
Windows 2000 May See Fastest Adoption On Laptops
Demand for a secure, reliable operating system that exploits the best features of corporate notebooks is the main reason success with notebooks could take off.
Windows 2000 May Reach Deep Into Pockets
The launch of software giant Microsoft's new Windows 2000 operating system could press many large companies to pay thousands of dollars in extra licensing fees, a leading industry consultancy said Thursday.
Investors Consider Windows 2000 Impact
This week's release of Windows 2000 could be considered the tech industry's equivalent of trickle-down economics, as many segments will reap the rewards.
Windows 2000: Nobody's Perfect
They came, they saw, they listened. But not everyone who attended the biggest regional roll-out of Windows 2000 walked away with complete confidence in the new operating system from Microsoft.
Thursday, February 17, 2000
Top Stories
The (Dull) Windows Difference
The corridors of San Francisco's Moscone Convention Center are teeming with excited users and rapt audiences, hungry for a sneak peek at the next great interface feature. Oh wait — that was last month's Macworld Expo.
Apple Execs Got Bulk Of Pay In Options In 1999
Apple Computer, tying pay to future stock performance, awarded bigger option grants to top executives during its fiscal 1999, when the computer maker's shares rose 68 percent.
Apple's New Hardware
Although Apple has reworked the PowerBook's internal architecture, externally it closely resembles the previous PowerBook G3, with the same sleek black design and translucent bronze keyboard. Because Apple used the same form factor, peripherals designed for the previous model's media bays will work with the new model.
News
Apple - Back To The Future
Now more than 15 years after the introduction of the Macintosh, Apple will release not merely an update, but a much-delayed major overhaul of its operating system. The update is key to the continued recovery of the company.
Apple News Leaves Analysts Unsurprised
Apple's announcements at Macworld Expo / Tokyo left analysts upbeat, if unsurprised. Three analysts polled by MacWEEK said the announcements of Apple's new PowerBook, souped-up iBook, and upgraded Power Mac G4 line had been expected.
Connectix Ready To Take On Sony In Court, Again
Connectix's legal battles with Sony aren't over yet. On Monday, Feb 14 Sony once again filed suit against the intrepid Mac emulation software developer in the U.S. District Court of Northern California — continuing a legal dispute it first started with Connectix more than a year ago.
Opinion
"PowerBook" — Ugh!
Apple should figure out a way to name their products. And not just for the PowerBook, but the entire Mac line.
Behind The Headlines With Apple's Announcement
The most perplexing issue currently is the odd state of digital video. Desktop movies are quite clearly a priority with Apple... Yet the iBook line lacks any DV capabilities at all — no FireWire and no DVD.
New PowerBook, iBook
Although Apple hasn't quite met my needs yet, they have done a marvelous job with the new iBook and PowerBook configurations.
Sidetrack
There's probably a lesson to be learnt here, but I have no idea what the lesson is.
Wintel
MS: No Breakup — Restrictions Maybe
Microsoft Corp. told lawmakers that any breakup of the software concern would amount to a "regulatory death sentence," but signaled that it would acept some "common sense" restrictions on its conduct to settle the government's antitrust claims.
Intel Targets Timna For Even Lower Cost PCs
Why should cheaper PCs use ancient chips? New chips will cut costs by eliminating graphics boards and memory controller chips.
Linux: Itanium's Great 64-bit Hope?
Internal memo says Microsoft now expects Whistler Beta 2 to be its first IA-64 offering — next year — leaving Linux as perhaps the msot viable OS for Intel's upcoming chip.
Windows 2000: Ready To Rumble?
At the same time... Linux supporters have held off on the courterprogramming. Granted, a few sites have promised anti-Windows desmonstrations in order to give news outlets the necessary "Linux response" quotes, but for once, the Linux community is keeping a low profile.
Taking The Fun Out Of Win2000
Microsoft has jumped on the bandwagon to depersonalize software by removing all the known Easter eggs from Windows 2000.
Is Time Not On Win2K's Side?
In a time when new technologies are being deployed at Internet speed, Windows 2000's adoption is expected to occur in slow motion.
Antitrust Case Could Shadow Win2000 Release
Microsoft takes center stage in two very high-profile events in a matter of days: its long-awaited Windows 2000 rollout Thursday, and final arguments before a federal judge in its landmark antitrust trial next Tuesday.
Intel: Faster Chips Needed To Run Windows 2000
Despite assurances from Microsoft that the new business operating system will perform adequately on existing computers, chipmaker Intel maintains that the processors in many PCs will need to be upgraded.
Win2K's Rivals: So What?
As the business world awaits the arrival of Windows 2000 Thursday, Microsoft's rivals aren't exactly running for cover just yet from the killer operating system that anlysts once thought would destroy the competition.
Wednesday, February 16, 2000
Top Stories
Apple Upgrades iBook, PowerBook Laptops
Apple today announced a revamped line of notebooks for professional users, an upgraded iBook for consumers and faster chips in its professional desktop computers.
News
Apple Seeks Stockholder Okay To Expand Share Count
The expanded share count could permit the company to split its shares two-for-one, in effect giving Apple shareholders two shares valued at half the price of a current share... Such a move is often interpreted by stockholders as an expression of confidence by management that the shares are set to trade still higher, providing a further psychological boost to investors.
Gates Was A Big Mac Fan, Ex-girlfriend Reveals
But it wasn't just the Mac that Gates admired: Winblad recalls being present with him when Steve Jobs was speaking, and that he had confessed to her: "Some day I'll be as good a public speaker as he is. How do I do that? I'm going to work on that."
Sidetrack
The bus and the ad.
Did you know that it is illegal to have oral sex in Maryland, Florida and Virginia, but it is legal in Singapore, as long as you follow it up with the actual act? Yeah, dumblaws.com.
Get it while it's still hot! Here are some screenshots of the Aqua interface in Mac OS X Developer Preview 3, courtesy of Xappeal.org.
Apple finally pushing into the small business market? The evidence is in the toolbar, claims a MacNN reader. The toolbar, on the Apple web site, now features a Made4Mac, Hiring, and a Small Biz item.
Wintel
Protesting Microsoft's 'Innovation'
It's what any true Mac partisan would do: go on a self-imposed 'Microsoft fast' in response to the Redmond monoply's final straw.
Did Windows 2000 Miss The Revolution?
While Windows 2000 gestated for the past five years, the world of operating systems changed. The notion of one OS that can fit all devices may be as antiquated as the idea that mainframe computers can handle all computing tasks.
Tuesday, February 15, 2000
Top Stories
The Vision Thing: The Secret Mac OS
Wouldn't that mean Apple would control the world of Mac software distribution (and perhaps software creation), as well as Internet access, e-mail, and even long-term data storage? That's an infrastructure that could enable — dare I even say it? — Mac based Internet terminals and set-top boxes. Clever, Steve. Very clever.
News
Style Counts, Even With Computers
Quite possibly the hardest part of spending $80,000 on computer equipment was getting as many blue notebooks as orange.
Microsoft Completes Second Preview Release Of IE 5
In terms of performance, Internet Explorer 5.0 feels much snapier all around than the 4.5 release. Rendering f complex pages is much quicker, although speed increases don't always match the 50 percent gain touted by Microsoft. Stability in the new release is also, amazingly, much better than version 4.5 despite the fact that we are working with a beta release.
Qualcomm Delivers Eudora 4.3 With New Pricing Scheme
Qualcomm has announced the shipment of Eudora 4.3, the commercial version of the company's popular Macintosh e-mail client. With the release, Qualcomm has implemented its new pricing scheme, which allows users to avoid paying the software if advertising is accepted.
Opinion
AirPort 1.2 Can't Come Soon Enough!
Your AirPort base station may be dialing the wrong number when you connect, and it also might decide to dial out on its own! Do you use your iBook on the road? Better watch out...
Review
Ferazel's Wand
The addictive gameplay, clean graphics and high-quality audio comes together to make this another A-list title from Ambrosia Software.
Sidetrack
From Scripting News: Opportunity in Mac Publishing land? Lots of comings and goings at MacWEEK.com. Meanwhile Macintouch and AppleSurf and a hundred Mac fan sites keep right on rolling. Maybe the Mac publishing world will be the first to migrate to the How to Make Money formula, where editorial work is distributed to community members and a portal with a big brand-name ties it all together? I'd love to help it happen.
Intel is not happy that Sun is not "adequately support[ting]" its upcoming IA/64 chip. Question: Would Intel next be scolding Apple for discontinuing NeXTStep on Intel?
My take on Windows 2000: It was targeted to kill off Novell, but the enemy turned out to be Linux, and Microsoft wasn't fast enough to turn around...
Wintel
Dell Moves Key Web Site To Windows 2000
Microsoft has described Windows 2000 as a "bet-the-ranch" software project, and Dell Computer apparently agrees, having recently moved its own Web site over to the new operating system.
Intel Demonstrates 1-GHz Willamette Chip
The chip, code-named Willamette, is a new generation of the company's 32-bit chip architecture and is expected to be the eventual successor to its Pentium III line.
Compaq Backs Windows 2000 For Business Customers
Compaq Computer is gambling that small- and medium-size businesses will flock to the Windows 2000 operating system.
Analysis: Win2000 Compared To Windows 95
As the curtain goes up this week on Microsoft's latest operating system, comparisons to the introduction of Windows 95 are inevitable.
Microsoft's Ballmer Courts Developers At Conference
In his first major public appearance since taking over at Microsoft, new chief executive Steve Ballmer today courted the community of software developers crucial to the success of the company's upcoming Windows 2000 operating system.
Buy Win 2000, Save Money?
Early users say they have already seen strong benefits.
Windows 2000 Launch Festivites Begin
The unveiling of Microsoft's most ambitious software product yet begins today as dignitaries arrive [in San Francisco] for the three-day launch of Windows 2000.
Spark To Fly When Intel Challenges Sun
A quiet dispute between Sun Microsystems Inc. and Intel Corp. could erupt publicly here later this week when Intel officials are expected to take Sun to task for failing to adequately support the next generation of Intel processors.
Never Mind The Hype, Windows 2000 Is Speedy, Stable, Worth The Wait
Those who have been hesitant to upgrade to Windows NT because of its difficulty to use will breathe a sigh of relief with Windows 2000. It's simple and speedy, yet chock full of what businesses need to keep themselves on top.
Average Consumers Shouldn't Line Up Just Yet For Windows 2000
Microsoft Corp. may be gearing up for the launch of its Windows 2000 operating system, but the message for the average consumer is "Don't try this at home."
Monday, February 14, 2000
Top Stories
Sugar Water
So, while Jobs has turned Apple around financially, it is with mixed feelings that I see his notable contributions to the "The Next Big Thing" consist largely of computers in Kook-Aid colors, a new user interface that you want to lick, and a company focus on games and on turning home videos into movies for the consumer's pleasure. Are we changing the world or are we just selling sugar water?
Apple To Make Bold Changes With OS X
Apple is preparing to embark on its most ambitious new product since the introduction of the original Macintosh 16 years ago.
News
Apple Shares Jump Amid Speculation On New Products
Shares of Apple Computer Inc. jumped on Monday, amid speculation on Wall Street that the company's co-founder and chief executive, Steve Jobs, will unveil more new products at Macworld Tokyo later this week.
Major Canadian Retailer Discontinues Apple Products
A major Canadian Macintosh retailer has decided to stop selling the Apple product line because of low margins, no price protection an difficulty in getting adequate supplies of Macintoshes.
Opinion
Rumor Or Speculation?
Simply stated, Apple does not seem interested in shipping any computer that can compete with the Power Mac G4/450.
iPalm, Pismo, And 17" iMacs; Stop The Speculation!
Haven't you gotten sick of seeing a "Pismo" article on every Mac site? Why can't we just wait and see what comes?!?!?
Interpreting Apple's OS Strategy
It was a clear signal that Apple will continue to make hay in the consumer market and let others try to clean up after Microsoft's enterprise mess.
Are Extended Computer Warranties Worth The Cost?
The iMac coverage looks like an especially good value. Indeed, if you subtract the value of the Tech Tool Pro Utility, your cost per year for the two extra years of warranty protection work out to about $30 apiece. Not bad, even for an extended warranty skeptic like me.
Sidetrack
I just want to say there are probably 101 perfectly valid reasons for Apple to not sell to FreeMac.com, and there are 101 perfect legal ways for FreeMac.com to work around that and still deliver one million iMacs. There. Thank you.
Found this in the book I'm reading... "Evolution doesn't strive for perfection; your genes will get passed down on to your off-spring so long as you survive long enough to leave babies." (The book is Phantoms In The Brain by V.S. Ramachandran, M.D., Ph.D., and Sandra Blakeslee.) Insert your own observation here.
Configure and install an operating system over the web? Why not?
Happy Valentine's, all the way from Mars.
Wintel
Windows 2000 Signals New Era For Microsoft
The operating system marks a signficant milestone for the software giant. Seen as the center of Microsoft's strategy for the new millennium, Windows 2000 will be the basis for an entire new generation of software.
MS Drops Again, But Barely
Shares of software giant Microsoft Corp. stabilized Monday as some analysts shrugged off concerns over potential compatibility issues between Windows 2000 operating system and earlier versions of the software.
Dell Pushes Two-chip PC For Windows 2000
Del Computer is betting Windows 2000 Professional will legitimize two-processor PCs for business use.
Beta Testing Wins Corporate Fans Of Win 2000
Microsoft's extensive beta testing of Windows 2000 has earned it some eager converts in the corporate world. A "great majority" of corporate users are planning to move to the operating system soon, following a boost in confidence that the testing has brought, according to U.K. user group.
Swiss See Holes In Microsoft's Prices
Government thinks Swiss consumers pay too much for Windows and Office. MS says hamburgers cost more, too.
Microsoft's Perspective On Windows 2000
Windows 2000 is going to be absolutely outstanding — it's quality and functionality is going to surprise a lot of customers.
Linux Poses Increasing Threat To Windows 2000
While the Windows 2000 operating system may improve on earlier iterations of Windows, its official unveiling this week comes at a time when other competitive forces pose unprecedented challenges for Microsoft.
Firms Plan To Take Time With Windows 2000 Transition
Despite the hype surrounding the release of Microsoft's new operating system, many businesses are uncertain when they'll adopt Windows 2000.
Microsoft Faces Skeptical Market With Windows 2000
Therein may lie Microsoft's biggest challenge this year: Convincing computer users like Alsop that "good enough" is worth the time and effort of the upgrade.
How Do Linux And Windows NT Measure Up In Real Life?
Do we have mixed workloads (Web server, mail server, file and print server, etc.), then Bloor Research says: by all means, go for Linux. But not up to the enterprise level, because neither of the operating systems is ready for that task yet.
Sunday, February 13, 2000
Opinion
This week's Farr Site features Coyotes, Cows, and iBooks in the Snow. Author's iBook gives him a grandstand seat as scavengers invade San Cristobal and the snow flies. And keep that cat inside!
A Question Of Processors: G3, G4, Or GWhiz?
G4, or not G4: that is the question: Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer the slings and arrows of outrageous Megahertz numbers, or to take arms against a sea of x86 speed claims, and by opposing end them?
Review
Good Mouse Can Keep Users From Spinning Their Wheels
The Intellimouse Explorer and the Mouseman Wheel are superbly designed. While Microsoft's new LED technology is cool, it's not essential — if you're looking for a new mouse that will give your hand a break, give both a try and pick the one that feels better.
Hands On With The iSub
To use the subwoofer, you must have a new model iMac DV running Mac OS 9 and USB drivers that can be downloaded from Apple's web site. It's hot pluggable so you can connect and disconnect it without restarting your iMac. Though why you'd want to ever unplug it is beyond me.
Sidetrack
Five, count-em, five SPU numbers. As The Apple Turns became rumor-monger ("not a professional rumors show in any traditional sense") by speculating two Pismo models, and three new speed-bumped G4s.
Wintel
Windows 2000 A Huge Boost, But Features Won't Reach Home Users Until 2001
Not that PCs will ever be perfect, or that Microsoft will suddenly start caring as much about helping customers with today's problems as it does about creating the next product we'll be forced to buy. But we can take comfort knowing Microsoft is at least crawling in the right direction.
Senior Navy Officer Has Harsh Words For Microsoft
There are shareware products that have better groupware features than those of Microsoft products.
Saturday, February 12, 2000
Top Stories
Move To Windows 2000 May Not Be Smooth For All
One in four corporations making the move to Microsoft's Windows 2000 will run into problems getting the operating system to work with existing software and systems, according to an industry research firm.
News
Wichita Tech Firm Petitions Creditors
Singapore's TRI-M will become majority owner of Wichita's Newer Technology Inc. if a plan to satisfy Newer's creditors works out, a Newer executive said this week.
Jobs Denies Apple Restricted Sales Of iMacs
FreeMac's story is bogus. They can buy Macs from any Apple reseller. No one ever tried to stop them.
Connectix CEO Muses On Virtual Game Station's Future
In a nutshell, this ruling sayss that what we think of as classic reverse engineering is legal. That's important because we're entering an age populated by novel devices that play novel forms of media. The original manufacturers of these new devices want to control the market by making the devices and the media proprietary. But other companies want to compete and should be allowed to develop competitive products.
Opinion
"AirPort Ate My Wallet!" (A True Story)
Do you have on-the-road Internet access settings on your iBook? Do you have AirPort? Better read this!
It's Showtime For Apple
The decision to ditch Apple Expo UK and Seybold in favor of a big splash at Internet World makes plenty of Machiavellian sense in the long term — and it paints a clear (if unsurprising) picture of the crossover market Apple hopes to capture from a growing field of competitors.
Sidetrack
An interesting commercial from The Lot...
Get your own virtual vanity license plate. I have mine.
iGum, in all five flavors. I wonder what Graphite would taste like...
Wintel
Bugfest! Win2000 Has 63,000 'Defects'
Urging developers to clean up their code, a Microsoft exec says: 'How many of you would spend $500 on a piece of software with over 63,000 potential known defects?' It ships Thursday.
AMD Busts Out 850 MHz Athlon
AMD retakes the speed record with its newest chip, but 1GHz is just around the corner. Who will make it there first?
Microsoft Confirms IE 5.5 Uninstall Bugs
Some are calling it the beta from hell.
Microsoft Falls After OS Report, Dell's Comments
Microsoft shares fell in heavy trading today as a study questioned whether Windows 2000 will interact smoothly with other software.
Friday, February 11, 2000
News
3 Years Ago: Apple Stock Rated Best Of Worst
Apple, which has been hit with losses and declining market share as it heads for another major restructuring, ranked among the top financial underperformers by institutional investor and shareholder activist California Public Employees' Retirement System.
Review
A Tale Of Three More Text Editors
Perhaps it's a reaction to the near-obscene bloat of some full-featured word processor these days, but there seems to be a renaissance of sorts blossoming in the text editor software category, recalling the clean, nimble simplicity of the original MacWrite that shipped with the first Macs, and the early version numbers of Microsoft Word.
Sidetrack
Where did some of the ideas behind Aqua come from? Windows? NeXT? No. Lisa.
"The only truly innovative user interface around is the upcoming Mac OS X's Aqua, and that's arriving far too late for Microsoft to copy in Windows 2000." — Eric Bender, PC World.
Thursday, February 10, 2000
Top Stories
Back To The G3
To be taken seriously in the age of 700-800 MHz processors, Apple has got to move forward on the MHz front, even if it means moving back to the G3 on the Power Mac.
Andrew Stone On X
Apple uses Cocoa almost exclusively for developing mission-critical and new applications. We'll hear more about Cocoa when the time is right, i.e., when the majority of the old Mac developers have committed to Mac OS X.
News
More Now Leaving Silicon Valley Than Arriving
For the first time in five years, more people are moving out of Silicon Valley than moving in — a sign that high-priced center of the high-tech revolution may be losing its hometown appeal.
Self-publishing: An Insider's Guide To Hell
Developing games is a great profession - it's creative, challenging, and fun! Publishing, on the other hand, is a royal pain in the rea, and I have a great respect for those who can pull it off while keeping their sanity.
PC Platform Or Macintosh?
You know, Apple seems to be coming back with the iMac, don't you think?
New Tools Take Center Stage At Seybold
Executives from Adobe, Macromedia and Quark touted new tools and offered sneak peeks at forthcoming products Wednesday morning at the annual Seybold Seminars Boston / Publishing trade show.
Connectix Beats Sony In Virtual Game Station Lawsuit
The battle is over and Sony has lost. Connectix announced today that its PlayStation emulator, Virtual Game Station, would begin shipping immediately after the courts lifted a Preliminary Injunction.
Who Needs A PDA?
Worldwide, cell phones outsold palmtops last year by a ratio of more than 60-to-1. Don't be surprised to see the gap widen.
Opinion
The iMac G4
The pieces seem to fit together for a 17" iMac G4 this summer.
What's Gone Wrong With PowerPC?
If Intel can crank up the antiquated P6 design to 700 MHz and Motorola can't get the much more recent G4 up to 500MHz, something has to be wrong. That something, I believe, is exactly the same thing that was wrong at Motorola in the 68040 days.
The Real Reality Distortion Field
Apple can only embrace the reality distortion of the Internet with grave risk. Even their very first initiatives raise serious ethical questions, yet they seem oblivious to the impacts. Where Microsoft has gone wrong, where CNN has gone wrong, and where Nightline has gone wrong, how will Apple, the Camelot hardware company, fare?
Review
Speak Easy
ViaVoice may not be perfect, but then the word processors of the early 80's are primitive by today's persepective. ViaVoice serves a niche market, but what it does, it does well. It's certainly worth looking into if you're interested in speech recognition — just don't expect miracles.
Sidetrack
Apple listens? Reports from Mac OS Rumors indicates that the new Aqua Finder might include an option to allow users to "view as desktop" that will emulate what the current Finder does on the desktop.
Wintel
EU To Further Scrutinize Microsoft
The European Union said today it had further investigations pending involving Microsoft, in addition to the one announced on Wednesday regarding the firm's new opearting system Windows 2000.
MS Moves To Mandatory Registration
Retail versons of Office 2000 will require a form of user registration — or the software will disappear.
Intel Says 64-bit Chip Is Ready For E-biz
If Windows 2000 isn't enough to convince IT managers that the Wintel platform is ready for e-business, Intel is betting that its forthcoming 64-bit Itanium processor will give further credibility to the platform's added scalability.
Corel-Imprise A 'Royal Flush'
The way I see it, one of the companies has the ten and the king. The other has the jack, queen and ace. Individually, they're OK, but together they're a royal flush.
The Microsoft Treadmill
Redmond is pushing Windows 2000 as the ultimate e-commerce server. But will this be the last time customers upgrade?
Wednesday, February 9, 2000
Top Stories
Tough Time For CPU Upgrade Vendors
The question... is whether the iMac upgrade is too late to rescue Newer from its creditors — and its competitors. If it is too late, it would be a sad ending for a 16-year-old company that was among the first vendors of hardware components for the Mac.
Will The Internet Break Windows?
How unimaginably difficult it must be for [Mr Ballmer] to ask the really hard question: Are we in the Windows business or the software business?
Scandals, NDAs, Rumors, And The Threat Of Attack: Why Mac Webmasters Are Great
It is more than just working on a computer: it's working with people, whether they be fellow webmasters or readers.
News
Adobe Unveils LiveMotion
Web animation tool will compete with Macromedia's Flash.
Hasbro Targets MacSoft Titles In Lawsuit
The suit centers around alleged copyright violations from software titles that utilizes gameplay elements, looks and styles that appear to be influenced by games that are either owned or licensed by Hasbro and Atari.
Apple Updates iMovie To Version 1.0.2
There are several fixes incorporated in the new version of iMovie including: improved audio quality when importing clips with high audio levels; the program now properly displays dates for clips taken after 12/31/99; and improved handling of imported 12-bit audio.
StarOffice Coming To The Mac, But No Timetable Set
Sun is planning a Mac port and a schedule will be announced when the requirements have been reviewed.
2 Years Ago: Apple Seeks Cheap Mac Boost
"We are concerned about Apple not having a sub-$1,200 product. Today, to buy a Macintosh you need to spend at least $1,500."... [General manager for Europe, Diego] Piacentini gave no details but said Apple would not license another manufacturer to sell cheaper machines.
Opinion
Think Choices
Has Apple gone too far in simplifying the line? After all, their ad slogan is Think Different, yet the consumer is required to do that different thinking from a relatively restricted line of models.
Review
Power Pete Retuns As Mighty Mike
Why is it that a five year old game that essentially looks just as it did 5 years ago be a cause for celebration?
Two USB KVM Switches
Keyboard Video Mouse switches... allow you to share a number of computers with only one monitor and set of input devices.
Fly!
Fly! is actually more fun to look at then it is to play. Rather than spend the time learning to fly, I would've just as soon found someone who already knows and just watch him/her land at O'Hare duirng a snowstorm.
QuicKeys 4.0
The Macintosh interface, although easy to use, is sometimes frustrating for control freaks — er, we mean power users... CE Software's QuicKeys has always been the king of Maicntosh automation, and the 4.0 release secures that crown even more tightly.
Sidetrack
Mac OS Rumors offers a glimpse into the upcoming AppleWorks 6 from Apple.
Wintel
Microsoft Moves Further Into Home Networking Market
Software giant Microsoft said today it would take an equity stake in Itran Communications, which makes hardware and software that allows the transmission of data through home power lines.
BET Chief: Content Will Bridge Divide
African Americans will flock to the Web once they see it as a tool as vital as cell phones and TV, a leading media executive says, addressing the "Digital Divide," a gap between U.S. technology haves and have nots.
EU Begins Windows 2000 Probe
The European Commission is investigating whether some of the features of Windows 2000 may breach European Union antitrust law.
Inside The Leviathan
A short and stimulating brush with Microsoft's corporate culture.
Tuesday, February 8, 2000
News
Adobe Debuts Acrobat InProduction
Adobe Systems on Tuesday debuted Acrobat InProduction 1.0, which comprises five key Acrobat plug-ins for PDF print production.
New Features In FreeHand 9
With FreeHand 9, the latest version of Macromedia's professional illustration software, the company has improved integration with its Flash 4 vector-animation program while adding numerous other features aimed at print and Web designers.
4 Years Ago: Apple To Go It Alone
Apple said new CEO Gil Amelio's first priority is to put the company back on a solid growth track, not be distracted with merger and sale issues.
Opinion
Graphics And Game Play
The debat has existed for years: How important are graphics to games?
Where The Heck Is Netscape?
While I like to see Internet Explorer's steady improvement, I don't like the idea of it holding a monopoly.
Sound And Vision
Frankly, if I were the project manager of a company's speech product, my people would come to work one day and discover that there were now only three keyboards to be shared among the thirty computers in the office.
Review
AppleWorks 6.0
AppleWorks 6 looks very differnt to previous versions, and has some new tricks up its sleeve. There are useful changes to many existing features, and the new Presentation module wil eliminate the need for Microsoft Office even further.
Madden 2000
All Mac owning sports fans need to get their hands on this game.
$129 Desktop Video Camera Solutions
The Kritter USB is clearly the better camera and a more practical solution for PowerBook users, but the two cameras that Ariston includes with their iSee-U2 bundle along with the excellent CU-SeeMe software (a $70 value) is hard to resist.
Sidetrack
Installing Windows 98 can kill you...
Heard this somewhere... Do you know what's the next version of Windows CE going to be called? Windows Mini-me.
Wintel
Can Linux Kill Off Microsoft?
Is Windows 2000 really necessary? For now, perhaps. But there is already a huge queue of people ready to bury it alive once its time has passed.
New Windows Me Expected In May
Microsoft's next consumer operting system, dubbed Windows Me, could debut as early as May 26, according to a new report.
Now It's Corel Vs. Microsoft
Michael Cowpland has made a $1.07 billion bet that Linux technology will revitalize his software firm's fortunes.
Computer Makers Gear Up For Windows 2000
It's a week before Microsoft officially launches Windows 2000, but that isn't stopping Hewlett-Packard and other PC makers from releasing new computers running the operating system.
Monday, February 7, 2000
Top Stories
Wanted: A Killer PowerBook
The [Dell Inspiron] 7500 clearly demonstrates that the computer I want can be made today. And when Apple gets around to building it, I'll be at the head of the line to buy one.
Corel To Buy Programming Toolmaker For $2.44 Billion
Linux software maker Corel has agreed to acquire programming toolmaker Inprise/Borland in a stock deal valued at $2.44 billion, the companies said. The result will be a company focused more strongly on luring customers to Linux.
News
Aqua Theme Released
If you want to get that much-discussed Aqua look on your Mac before Mac OS X arrives this summer, now you can.
Taking Chips To 10GHz... And Beyond
Want a PC that's 100 times more powerful than a 1,000 MHz desktop? Then meet the army of microprocessor engineers hell bent on breaking the 10GHz barrier.
Exercising Options Could End Up Taxing You
The script is simple. You get stock options, you get rich, you retire early. Not so fast.
Epson Unveils New Photo Printers
Epson American Inc. on Thursday unveiled three new inkjet printers for consumers and users of digital cameras.
Opinion
Aperance Verses Reality On The Mac Web
Herein lies one troubling after effect of the rumor mills' errors; we doubt Apple... Indeed, Steve Jobs hates these sites (so do we),and he is right they hurt Apple by raising false expectations which are later dashed.
The Dubious Economics Of Processor Upgrades
The operative question: do processor upgrades make good economic sense, or are they a false economy?
The Internet And The Pastry Hut Cafe
Uncle Roger's iBook, Easy Running, and Cherry Pie on the Prairie. Email, the Internet, and digital pix make life easier, but what can they do for a rusty tractor?
Review
Surf Doubler Plus
Overall, SurfDoubler is an awesome probram, mainly because it allows you to have more than one computer connected to the Internet and also because of its amazing acces controls and filters.
Graphire Pen And Mouse Tablet
Overall, though the Graphire tablet is sound, I don't recommend it spurchase for most iUsers.
Software For Babies: Is It Really Necessary
I don't claim any expertise in child psychology, but I can't believe lapware is any more valuable than a hundred other ways parents interact with young children, or that a child gets any special advantage from lapware.
Dreamweaver 3
Web editing tools have to walk a fine line between designers who don't want to get boged down by HTML and programmers who want the kind of control only code-hacking can provide. Dreamweaver 3 finally calls a truce between these two sides.
Smart Steps Kindergarten
Smart Steps Kindergarten offers plenty of inviting educational activities. Younger children may also be able to participate in some of the lessons offered by this title.
Sidetrack
A new 15.3" screen for new PowerBooks coming this July, and G3 at 550 and 600 MHz this April. All these from Mac OS Rumors.
Pismo, the next version of PowerBook, will include a model with a G3 chip, rather than the G4. And John Carmack, the man behind Quake, is going to tackle Apple's Darwin next. Or so reports Mac OS Rumors.
Wintel
Intel: Upcoming Itanium Chip Will Hit 800 MHz
Intel confirmed today that its next-generation, high-end processor will come out at 800 MHz when it debuts later this year.
Be To Launch New Operating System
On Monday, the company will unveil at the Demo2000 conference a new operating system called BeIA which is targeted at the nascent but potentially hot market for Internet appliances.
Dell Eyes ISPs, Web Hosting
Dell Computer has formed a sales and marketing division aimed at Internet service providers and Web hosting companies.
Microsoft's Allchin Backs All-inclusive OS Strategy
We spent $160 million, give or take, just on the reliability aspects of the products, so we've taken it very seriously.
Gates Enter UK Lottery Bid
Bill Gates back Virgin founder Richard Branson's bid to run Britain's National Lottery — says his software can raise billions for charity.
Sunday, February 6, 2000
News
MetaCreations: The Axe Finally Falls
Now, according to a press release issued on Wednesday, MetaCreations is announcing the diverstiture of their entire product line.
Gripes Force Apple To Change iTools Contract
Apple averted a potential customer relations problem this week with the change of a few words in the terms of use for its new Internet services.
Apple Enters Internet Services Arena
At least two vendors already offer free disk space to Mac users — without the requirement of Mac OS 9.
Opinion
I-Pliance
Let me ask you a question and I want you to really think about it. The reason is that your answer may just be a window into the future of the entire computer industry. How much power is enough?
Review
Railroad Tycoon II Gold Edition
Small quibbles with the strategy guide notwithstanding, Railroad Tycoon II Gold Edition is an epic repackaging of a game that was a monumental achievement to begin with.
Sidetrack
A new startup sound for the new Macintosh? The third developers preview for Mac OS X will still be not feature-complete? Just some of the rumors coming out of Mac OS Rumors.
Get your Microsoft Monopoly t-shirt... Supplies are limited as Bill Gates might well be giving directions to his lawyers at this moment, The Mac Observer speculates.
Wintel
Microsoft Rolls Out TaxSaver, But Intuit's TurboTax Still Camp
Unfortunately for Microsoft, TaxSaver is a toddler amid teenagers. The program has so many flaws that I can't recommend it to anyone who needs help doing their taxes.
Friday, February 4, 2000
Top Stories
Apple Tweaks iTools License
Apple on Thursday changed the wording of its iTools membership license agreement. The revision came in the wake of a growing controversy over the wording about rights to content in one portion of the legal document.
Opinion
Mac OS X For Intel, Has The Groundwork Been Laid
By incorporating things that Mac users understand and are comfortable with, as well as things that Windows users know and love, added with the things UNIX users beg for, Apple has in effect created the ultimate OS.
Behind The Sites: Applelinks.com's Joe Ryan
Just how did Applelinks get started, anyway? The answer may surprise you.And why is there Ethernet in the attic?
It's The Drivers, Stupid
Apple ignores non-application software migration to OS X at its own, great peril. If we don't start hearing from Apple about drivers and other non-apps in OS X soon, brace yourself for a really unpleasant transition to OS X.
Wintel
Ford's Computer Deal Gives A Windfall To HP
When Chief Executive Carly Fiorina brags about a new, aggressive Hewlett-Packard Co., a breakthorugh agreement with Ford Motor Co. and PeoplePC will add a little heft to the hype.
Microsoft Battles Pair Of Security Bugs
Microsoft bug exterminators are at work on two security flaws that could expose users' information to the prying eyes of online attackers.
Microsoft Names New Consumer OS: Windows Me
The Redmond, Wash.-based software giant has settled on a name for its next consumer operating system: Windows Me, short for Microsoft Windows Millennium Edition, according to a company representative.
Thursday, February 3, 2000
Top Stories
The User Inderface Is Dead. Long Live The User Interface
In a sense, the user interface is dead. Apple is reminding us that normal people don't care about details like whether the close button is next to the minimize button, that animation will make a window take .37 seconds longer to open or close, or whether the purpose of the Dock is blurry: they just want stuff to look cool.
News
Recovering A Stolen PowerBook
It is truly saddening to hear of your loss, and I hope your unit is recovered. This seems a good time to relate to other PowerBook users the story of my PB theft and recovery, as it might give you hope, and might give others some good ideas.
Freemac Reinvents Itself After Apple's iMac Snub
How hard can it be to give away free iMac computers? Pretty hard, if Apple won't let you.
Apple Not Too Bugged By Y2K
Apple Computer yesterday said that the Y2K bug caused a few minor malfunctions in its information technology systems, but there was no big impact on the company's financial performance.
If You Submit To iTools, It's Apple's?
Mac users who have read the fine print on Apple's iTools — which apparently aren't very many folks — are up in arms. The way the user agreement reads, any content you post on iTools becomes, at least in part, Apple's.
Apple Number 1 Hardware Site, 26.6% More Visitors Than Number 2
PC Data has released the stats for web sites for the week ending 1/29/2000. iTools continues to pay dividends for the Apple as the company claimed the top spot for computer web sites for the first time.
Easdaq To Sell Apple Stocks
Apple stocks will begin trading on Easdaq, the pan-European stock market, from Monday, Feb. 7.
Opinion
iTools Terms Of Service Threatens Subscribers' Privacy
Personally, I believe your iTools service is an exclusive, elitist joke whose content is not representative of the internet. We fought the tyranny of King Windows together. We fought along side you in the great revolution of personal computing. We will not be used by you, Apple, by giving up our endowed property rights for your exploitation. We will not be iToolsí tools.
Lick This
If you're licking your UI, that means your computer is right in your face.
Drowing In Aqua?
The price we are paying for the change at Apple is "cool" interfaces that don't work that well. Remember the fiasco of the QuickTime 4 MoviePlayer interface? This is being corrected now, but only after massive complaints from users.
Wintel
Intel's 'WIllamette' Heats Up GHz Race
Curtain is about to be lifted on chip giant's upcoming 1GHz-plus processor, which will fuel home computers linked via broadband to the Web.
Wednesday, February 2, 2000
News
iTools Terms Of Service Threatens Subscribers' Privacy
Apple's terms of service for its iTools subscribers may reveal some devious motives on Apple's part.
Opinion
Aqua: Consumers Only?
The main reasons that Aqua was on show at January's San Francisco Macworld Expo was to wow the crowds and gain maximum press coverage. Worried pros should take a deep breath and wait for further pro-fuelled details at May's Worldwide Developers Conference. Even if you don't rate the glamour touches, you should be bowled over by the performance of all your key apps - especially after they're rewritten in native OS X code.
Will Mac OS X Run Well On A G3?
Can a G3 handle this? There is no doubt that Steve Jobs' Mac OS X demonstration was done on a G4. Meanwhile, he didn't really tell us about G3 performance on the modern operating system. And he bragged about gigaflops! Was it a sign of the requirements to run Mac OS X with decent performance?
Apple's Wide-angle Video Focus
Let's just hope that in its efforts to capture the next big market, Apple doesn't neglect its established ones. Now that Windows 2000 is finally approaching commercial availability, many professionals are wondering what it will do to the Macintosh in fields such as publishing or digital imaging. Hopefully, the company will provide answers as as the ones it's currently presenting DV enthusiasts.
Review
Virtual PC 3.0 With Windows 98
It took me a year to convince my boss that networking Macs and PCs would be quick and painless. I don't think I ever really succeeded. In the end, it was Virtual PC that showed him the light.
iMAXpowr G3/466
Newer Technology's iMAXpowr G3 466 upgrade is a CPU upgrade for older iMacs. The upgrade allows iMac owners to boost their CPU speeds in their existing machines. The upgrade is a first of its kind, which increases iMac CPU performance by as much as 100%.
Sidetrack
AppleInsider has a story on the shortage of faster G4 chip.
Wintel
Microsoft Files Response To Government Rebuttal
Additional briefs filed today in the Microsoft antitrust trial case cast the software maker's behavior in strikingly different lights.
Tuesday, February 1, 2000
Top Stories
Apple Looks To Shine In Digital Video Market
The goal is to dominate the next big movement in home computing just as it did almost two decades ago when Apple led the way to using desktop computers and a graphical computer display to allow desktop publishing.
Review
KidSafe: No Choice At All
It doesn't get the Web. The experts may be judging material to make sure it has "acceptable content and educational relevance," but they're ignoring the hypertext utility and the personal passion driving some of the Web's greatest experiences. Surfing on Sherlock is a jerky process: go to a site, click on an interesting link, get blocked from surfing because the hyperlink's URL wasn't KidSafe, lather, rinse, repeat. That's not surfing; that's a sadistic user experience.
Sidetrack
From our beloved Mac the Knife comes Brett the Intern with the following rumors: Pismo is launching soon, barring last minute delays of Mac OS 9.0.1; Apple Palm will run Palm OS v3.5 — the one with color; Ground Zero, Adobe's web-vector-animation software is also in beta; and Apple is releasing something called Internet Commerce Solution in the next version of Mac OS X Server.
Wintel
Microsoft Shuns Content Buys To Boost Net Strategy
Software giant Microsoft sees its future as making the Internet easier to use, differentiating itself from rival America Online, which has placed its bets on developing online content, Microsoft's European chairman said yesterday.