Sunday, April 30, 2000
Top Stories
Microsoft's Competition Is Looking Attractive
Microsoft's biggest problem is not the court case," Lawrence J. Ellison, chief executive of the Oracle Corp., said at a meeting with securities analysts earlier this month. "Their biggest problem is Windows 2000."
PC Users Express Concern That Split May Hurt Them
While lawyers and regulators in Washington ponder the fate of the Microsoft Corporation, Troy Anthony stands in a computer store here, struggling with the conflict the case inspires in ordinary consumers. He says he feels strongly that Microsoft should not be divided in a way that destroys the Windows standard he already knows how to use.
Tangled Path Led To The Government's Decision To Seek A Breakup Of Microsoft
When it all began two years ago, with the federal and state governments filing their landmark antitrust suit against Microsoft, Kevin O'Connor, an assistant attorney general in Wisconsin, was struck with a numbling fear: What would the plaintiffs do if they actually won the case against one of the richest and most powerful companies in America?
Review
Armchair Surfing
My iBook now has a brand-new AirPort card... I'm laying back in a reclining chainr in my bedroom, with nothing but headphones plugged in.
Sidetrack
Dan Gillmor: Microsoft's insistence that curbing its bad behavior would curb innovation is... nonsense. And Microsoft knows it.
Cameron Barrett : People evangelizing Macromedia Flash as an end-all solution for web site design need to be shot.
Wintel
For Now, Microsoft Can't Save Itself
Now that the government has formally proposed a break up of Microsoft, some investors may expect its depressed shares to rebound, simply because the company's worst fate is clear. If the shares recover, though, they will have to do so with one of the biggest buyers of Microsoft shares stuck on the market's sidelines: Microsoft itself.
Microsoft's Best Rival: Its Product
The overriding policy goal of a remedy in the Microsoft antitrust case, the government has said repeatedly, is to make the world safe for future innovation. The door to fair competition must be left open, the government insisted, so that Microsoft cannot thwart its next head-on challenger with illegal tactics.
Microsoft's Latest PDA Try, PocketPC, Presents No Threat To Palm Empire
Whether or not the Justice Department ultimately succeeds in breaking the company into bit-sized pieces, Bill Gates' creation is too weighed down by its own baggage to pose an ongoing threat to the future of technology.
Pocket PC Brings Multimedia Into The Crowded PDA Mix
Shopping for a personal digital assistant can be confusing. They all do different things, it seems.
Microsoft's Defense Battle To Open On Wall Street
Microsoft corp. has vowed to fight the federal government's plan to break up the company into two separate parts in the courts, but the first battlefield is likely to be on Wall Street when trading resumes Monday.
Saturday, April 29, 2000
Top Stories
Government To Judge: Break Up Microsoft
In the strongest antitrust action since the breakup of Ma Bell, the Justice Department and several states today asked a federal judge to divide Microsoft into two companies to prevent further abuse of its monopoly in computer operating systems. Under a 17-page proposal by government prosecutors, one of the resulting companies would sell the Windows 98, Windows CE and Windows 2000 operating systems; the other would comprise Microsoft's software applications, such as the word-processing and spreadsheet programs of Office and BackOffice, the Internet Explorer browser and Internet businesses such as MSN.
News
Diablo II For Mac In Q3, Says Blizzard
Today Blizzard Entertainment announced that the final stage of beta-testing the PC version of its forthcoming actionole-playing game Diablo II is getting underway. While that news in itself isn't noteworthy to the Mac community, the same press release did give the first official confirmation of when the Mac version will be available. "A Macintosh version of the game will be available during the third quarter 2000," said the company.
iMovie Works On Other Macs, Too
While Apple specified a narrow range of hardware and software configurations, it seems there's nothing to prevent users of other Mac models from using it as well.
Wintel
Justice Dept.: Microsoft Uses Power Against Palm
The Justice Department said Microsoft Corp. is using its monopoly power to hurt competitors in the market for personal digital appliances, specifically mentioning the Palm Inc. computing platform.
Breakup Could Help Innovation — Microsoft's
The breakup of Microsoft, as proposed by prosecutors today, could well have a salutary effect. But not the one they're looking for.
Microsoft Employees Shrug At Bombshell Announcement
At the sprawling college campus-like headquarters complex of Microsoft Corp., employees greeted the government's plan to split up the computer giant on Friday with casual indifference.
Legal Oddsmakers: Microsoft May Have Ace In Hole
Even before the Department of Justice filed its request for a breakup of Microsoft Friday, legal oddsmakers said the software company has a respectable chance of overturning the case on appeal. While nothing is certain in any appeals process, a close read of Judge Thomas Penfield Jackson's Conclusions of Law - which found Microsoft in violation of antitrust statutes - gives the monopolist ample ammunition to successfully duck the remedy on appeal, legal experts said.
U.S. Microsoft Solution Is Called Drastic Surgery
Shortly before the government filed its antitrust suit against Microsof ttwo years ago, Joel Klein, the assistant attorney general in charge of the Justice Department's antitrust division, explained in a private meeting his concept of "surgical" govenrment intervention. In the case of Microsoft, he said, it could well include breaking up the company.
Still Defiant, Microsoft Showing No Hint Of Remorse Or Compromise
There was no hint of compromise, much less defeat, from Ballmer, the company's president and chief executive, and Chairman Bill Gates on Friday. In denouncing the government's well-leaked breakup plan, they defiantly continued to insist that Microsoft had done nothing wrong, that it would never be broken up.
Microsoft Says Proposed Remedies Will Slow Software Industry
"They've been calling it a reorganization. This is a breakup," Microsoft chairman Bill Gates said in a conference call Friday a few hours after the government and 17 states submitted the proposal to a federal judge. "We think that today's proposals ... are very disturbing, not just for Microsoft but for consumers and the entire high-tech economy," Gates said.
The Mood In Seattle — Life Will Be Different But Not Bleak
In cafes and campuses around Seattle, people were wondering whether the company will be such a sure bet, now that its stock has slumped and the government is calling for its breakup.
Two States Dissent On Microsoft Breakup
Ohio and Illinios want Microsoft to stay in one piece, but operate under restrictions.
No Major Changes Likely For Consumers After Breakup
The proposed division of Microsoft probably wouldn't mean any drastic changes for consumers, at least in the near term. Habit, familiarity and the relative dearth of buoyant alternatives are some of the intangible factors that will likely allow the Windows operating system and the Microsoft Office software suite to maintain their dominant positions on the desktop
Plantiff's Proposed Final Judgment
Industry Views Proposal As Too Little, Too Late
Rival companies and many others within the high-tech industry view the proposal as ineffective at best and, at worst, an ill-conceived action that addresses older markets that are quickly losing relevance. Some repeated an oft-stated criticism that the government simply cannot stay abreast of today's hyper-fast technologies and businesses enough to regulate them.
Antitrust Case Beats Down Microsoft Shares
The landmark antitrust case has taken its toll on Microsoft investors, and it's unclear whether the cloud hanging over the software giant's shares will lift anytime soon.
Commentary: Proposal Sparks Plenty Of Questions
Splitting Microsoft into two pieces takes one monopoly and creates two — an idea that makes little sense. It suggests this remedy was born of a compromise arising from sharply divergent views held by the Department of Justice and the 19 states.
Microsoft Rivals Savor The Moment
Although the wisdom of today's government proposals remains an open question, competitors that have long endured Microsoft's dominance could not help but relish the moment.
Government Plan For Microsoft Sparks Reaction
Reaction was mixed Friday to the government's proposal to break up Microsoft, but one attorney saw a compromise within the maverick stance by the Ohio and Illinois attorneys general.
Antitrust Remedy Invites Opportunity
It's a funny thing about monopolies: Many consumers get comfortable with them and don't want to try alternatives—until they really get a whiff of what those alternatives could bring.
Friday, April 28, 2000
Top Stories
Where To Find Those Missing Software Manuals
There is some built-in aid available that's decent by the standards of online help. If you already know how to use AppleScript, it might help you remember a trick you've forgotten. But I defy anyone to learn how to write a script using it.
Apple Offers iMovie Free To G4 And PowerBook Users
Apple announced this morning that iMovie — the video editing software included with its line of iMac DV computers, and the focus of Apple's current television advertising campaign — is available as a free download for users of FireWire-equipped PowerBook and Power Mac G4 users.
News
New Component For MS Office
Microsoft didn't exactly introduce a new version of Office, but on Thursday the company announced that it will add a new component to Office 2001 Macintosh Edition when the upgrade ships later this year: a full-featured e-mail client integrated with a personal information manager (PIM).
Apple Posts QuickTime 4.1.2
Apple Computer issued an update to QuickTime on Wednesday, bringing its rich-media technology to version 4.1.2. The update fixes several bugs in QuickTime 4.1.1, which Apple released early this month.
The Sims For The Mac
While it took Will Wright over 7 years to mold and create The Sims, it will likely take less than six months to bring the title to the Mac platform.
Opinion
Post PC Tech Investing: What's Next For Apple And Microsoft?
Apple's Internet moves are encouraging, but it sure isn't a value stock at these levels.
One Year Later: Where Are The "Easy PCs"?
According to Intel's Ease of Use Initiative manager, "consumers are turned off by towering beige PC boxes that remind them of the nasty old problem PCs of yesteryear." In other words, if they make PCs that are differently shaped and colored, consumers may think they are easier to use.
Review
Sherlock: Apple's Top-flight Hard-drive Detective
Just like the special-features package in a Mercedes. It's truly cruising in style.
Sidetrack
William J Lemke, an AppleSurf reader, responded on the question on whether Apple should buy part of the broken-up Microsoft:
If I were Apple I'd acquire a few apps and leave the rest. What in particular I would acquire: Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel, Microsoft PowerPoint. What I would do with the Office apps: Position them as a high-end office suite (much like Apple does with Final Cut Pro and iMovie) and overhaul the suite.
Nick Sweeney: People have said that there's a difference between open source, which is theoretically easy to modify but often impractical to do so, and open architectures... which may hide its source but bear its technical soul. It's about time that Windows became an open architecture.
Wintel
Fishpc: "We're Not Trying To Copy The iMac"
Although Apple has won a number of injuctions against companies it claimed had directly copied the iMac concept, including Daewoo, eMachines and Sotec, it would be unlikely to have a case against Fishpc.
Microsoft Employees Found Using eBay Site To Auction Copies Of Windows 2000 Software At Deep Discounts
Microsoft Corp. staffers have been auctioning off copies of Windows 2000 software on eBay, a practice the company frowns on but has had only mixed success reining in.
A Pound Of Microsoft's Flesh
What's fascinating is that it took a spate of bad news for the biggest and most profitable name of the "old" PC economy to prick the bubble of market value lavished upon the unprofitable vanguard of the new Net economy.
Intel Scoffs At 'Post-PC' Computing, But Prepares For It
Intel Corp. executives may dismiss the notion of a "post-PC era," but in their six-hour briefing yesterday with New York financial analysts, their focus was sharply trained on e-business growth areas far beyond the PC market.
Is It Time To Buy Microsoft?
Wall Street has pummeled Bill Gates' stock price — and the reasons are more psychological than financial.
Microsoft Doesn't Trust Windows
If you've ever wondered how Microsoft ensures that the software it ships is virus-free, you'll enjoy this item we've uncovered.
Windows CE Market Penetration Evaporated Before Pocket PC Release
Retail sales of Windows CE-based handhelds all but disappeared prior to this month's release of Microsoft's next-generation Pocket PC devices.
Microosft: The Next Generation
While all eyes are focused on the effects that a possible breakup of Microsoft Corp. might have on the company's future, few are contemplating the more immediate impact of the launch of the software giant's forthcoming services architecture, dubbed Next Generation Windows Services, or NGWS.
Economists Recommend Four-way Split For Microsoft
Microsoft should be split into four companies to end its anti-competitive practices, a group of leading economists told the judge who declared the world's largest software company an illegal monopoly.
Microsoft Accepts 'Mission Embeddable'
A Windows-powered gas pump or networked refrigerator may sound more like science fiction than fact. But if Microsoft Corp. has its way, they could arrive a lot sooner than expected.
Would Microsoft's Parts Be More Or Less Valuable Than The Whole?
Analysts say that if Microsoft is broken up by the judge into two or more different pieces, shareholders may not fare very well. That's contrary to conventional wisdom about breakups of big companies — that the sum of the parts are worth more than the whole.
Microsoft Breakup Could Boost Valley Firms
After two years of legal wrangling, today the government will finally tell the world exactly what should be done about Microsoft Corp. and its illegal monopoly over PC operating systems. And some leading players in Silicon Valley's technology industry — which helped goad the Justice Department into filing the antitrust suit — could end up as big winners from Microsoft's woes.
Microsoft's Ballmer Won't Consider Possibility Of Breakup
No way, no how, because Ballmer and his colleagues, starting with the company's famous co-founder and chairman, Bill Gates, are the truest of believers in their fundamental rightness. They aren't even making contingency plans for a breakup, Ballmer insisted.
Intel To Phase Out Serial Number Feature
Intel will phase out its practice of stamping serial numbers on its processors with the next generation of chips, the final chapter in a public relations fiasco.
Judges Consolidate 27 Microsoft Antitrust Suits
A panel of federal judges has consolidated 27 of the private antitrust suits pending against Microsoft to a single court in Baltimore. The move benefits both Microsoft and lawyers suing the Redmond, Wash.-based software giant. For Microsoft, the move reduces the number of jurisdictions it must battle. Lawyers gain a larger, united case that consolidates resources and diminishes divisions among them.
Microsoft Dangles The Carrot
What's a company to do when a market slide has left many employees holding stock options that are worthless in the near term? Microsoft, which has produced a large share of the Seattle area's millionaires because of its generous stock-option plans, responded to its current precipitous stock drop with a swift, counterintuitive answer: offer more options.
Wednesday, April 26, 2000
Top Stories
Improving The User Experience?
Anyway, now after some eight months of such "improvement" and the preservation of the Apple look and feel, maybe it's time for Apple to reevaluate its decision in light of the mixed success of its Software Update control panel and the QuickTime Updater.
Apple — Saved By The Net
Jobs and Apple made computing tolerable, even fun, when they introduced the Mac back in 1984. Ten years later, Netscape introduced its browser—in many ways, an extension of the intuitive interface that the Mac pioneered. It's good to see that Apple is still around to enjoy the fruits of what it started.
News
Computers In Schools, Sure. But What About Technical Support?
While companies entering the information age consider computer support a standard cost of doing business, schools, whose budgets are less flexible, seem to be taking longer to reach that point.
The Greatest Ideas You've Never Heard Of... And Why
"Apple said, 'How can we make this little handheld device as much of a computer as we can?' So they crammed all kinds of leading-edge technology into it. But in the end, the consumer said, 'Would I rather buy this, or pay a little bit more and get a full-sized laptop computer?'" he says. "And by setting it up that way, the company loses."
MS: 'Not So Fast There, Pierre'
Microsoft said on Tuesday that proposals from French parliamentarians to require software companies to reveal their program's secret codes could threaten intellectual property rights.
Opinion
Is The Mac A Game Machine?
The Mac is not a gaming machine. Like it or not, the fastest Athlon will pound a G4 in Quake 3 any day. Wait a minute. How many times have you heard similar statements? Probably too many. The truth is, gaming on the Mac is what you make of it. For me, it has been a pretty good choice.
Does Apple Really Care About The Professional Mac Market?
The key to understanding where Apple sees its future is going to be how it markets Mac OS X. On the surface, Mac OS X is a professional level product, offering features that pro Mac users have been screaming for for years. Pre-emptive multitasking, true multiprocessing support and an imaging model that uses PDF will mean a lot for customers in publishing and design, while consumers often neither know nor care about them. But the Aqua interface is clearly oriented towards consumers, and has been widely derided by long-term professional Mac users.
Sidetrack
It's here: a web-log on Mac OS X. It's all about Mach BSD Quartz Aqua QuickTime OpenGL COcoa Carbon and Classic.
Wintel
Ballmer: MS Can Avoid Breakup
Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer said Tuesday that he was extremely bullish about the software giant's future and was confident the company would avoid being broken up in the U.S. government's antitrust case against it.
White House Gets Peek Of Proposed Microsoft Breakup Plan
Justice Department officials today briefed members of the White House economic team and counsel's office on their proposed plan to divide Microsoft into two companies in hopes of sparking competition in the software industry.
Compaq Hits Profit Marks On Consumer Sales, Cost Cutting
It's time for the comeback, executives from Compaq computer said today.
Gates Takes A Shot At The iMac
"You're going to have it on either all the time or else have it come out of hibernation or boot almost immediately," Gates said. With its upcoming Windows Millennium OS, Microsoft was able to get the boot time down to 25 seconds, he said. "For comparison, Gates noted that the Sony PlayStation takes 33 seconds to start up, and the Apple iMac takes an average of 1 minute, 10 seconds to boot up.
Tuesday, April 25, 2000
Top Stories
U.S., States Favor Plan To Split Up Microsoft
The Justice Department and 19 states are leaning toward asking a court to split Microsoft Corp. into two or three separate companies in a plan designed to end the software giant's monopoly in the U.S. computer industry, people familiar with the discussions said over the weekend.
In His Own Image
The person who has done the best job promoting Internet goods and services: Steve Jobs.
News
Corel Responds To Bankruptcy Story
Susan Gauthier, Director or Public Relations for Corel Corp. said that although "the facts of the [Ottawa Citizen] story are correct, the gist of the story isn't." The facts according to Gauthier are that "as required, Corel filed their SEC 10-Q report — that report, by it's very nature, is conservative and cautionary in the extreme."
Opinion
The Mac Enterprise? Who Cares?
A network should be transparent, and we should be happy Apple remains focused on the workstation and continues to deliver the best creative tool on the market.
Sidetrack
A question for you: if Microsoft do get broken up into two or more companies, should Apple go buy up one of the company?
Okay, so this did not happen in the plane itself... Still, it is scary.
Dave Winer on the rumored breakup of Microsoft: Putting the browser in the network services company is like leaving the fox in the hen-house.
Wintel
Microsoft Breakup Is Hot Issue
Western civilization is in jeopardy. And it's all my fault. Not just mine, actually — the U.S. Justice Department and a bunch of state governments are also to blame. We're all just carrying water, you see, for a bunch of anti-capitalist losers that can't stand to see anyone else succeed. That was the tone of some of the e-mail I received in the wake of my Sunday column suggesting that the government lawyers, having prevailed in the Microsoft antitrust trial, now seek an appropriate remedy for corporate misbehavior.
Microsoft Puts On Good Face For Hardware Faithful
Microsoft is refusing to abandon future plans for the computing industry, notwithstanding its antitrust troubles.
Microsoft Dives On Downgrades, Breakup Reports
Shares of Microsoft plummeted today, as investors digested the gloomy outlook for the software giant on several fronts.
Microsoft Ships New Test Version Of Database Software
Microsoft today will ship a second test version of its next-generation database software, a crucial piece in the company's e-commerce software strategy.
Monday, April 24, 2000
News
Apple Not Flattered By Another iMac Look-alike
Apple is debating how to deal with another iMac look-alike, this time from a company Down Under.
Corel Close To Bankruptcy
The fears of some Mac users after the purchase of several MetaCreations software products may be coming true.
Opinion
The Bomb Shelter: Yet Another Anti-Aqua Aritcle
As a person who uses a computer as a design tool, this wild color scheme is most disturbing. It looks like one of the more fanciful creations of a Kaleidoscope hacker looking for a kid-friendly interface.
Saturday, April 22, 2000
Top Stories
Avoiding The Standardization Blues
When companies try to standardize computer systems, it usually means going all-Windows. Network administrator John Welch tells you what to do when the CEO says, 'We need to get rid of the Macs.'
News
The Death Of Shrink-wrapped Software
Goodbye, shelves and shrink-wrap: The Web's new Application Service Provider (ASP) model of distribution will change the face of software sales forever.
Shareholders Sing Apple's Praises
With consistent profits, a tripling stock price, hot products and the first stock split in 13 years, Apple Computer shareholders had few tough questions for management at the company's annual meeting.
Get Organized The Macintosh Way
A new Personal Organizer upgrade from Chronos helps even the sloppiest people get some order in their lives.
Microsoft Mistakenly Posts Product Information On Web Site
Microsoft inadvertently posted on a Web site today information about its upcoming Macintosh Office upgrade, including details about important new features.
Users Behind A Firewall Rejoice! Apple Quietly Introduces HTTP Streaming Transport In QuickTime 4.1.1
Apple offered the 4.1.1 update to their QuickTime software in early April. Although there were several minor bug fixes, there is no mention, unless you do a bit of digging, of the additional ability to stream using HTTP.
Opinion
Why No Women On Apple's Board?
Your editor has seen a lot of water pass under his own little bridge, and we would like to remind all of you that precisely the same arguments, whether sincerely uttered or intended to manipulate, were advanced time and time again in the century just past to explain why blacks, Hispanics, Native Americans, Irishmen, etc. etc. and women were not to be found, recruited for, or admitted to this position or the other.
The Bittersweet End Of The Macintosh Utopia
And while they didnít mind if I installed Netscape (and a few other freeware utilities Iíve found to be indispensable for my job), Outlook and Office had to stay. They use it too much throughout the company for me not to use it. So I sucked it up and decided, ìIt canít be that bad, can it?î
Apple's Pro Dance Card
Apple may be the belle of the consumer ball, but it's still got to dance with them what brung it.
Sidetrack
Australia have changed the Daylights Savings schedule this year to accomodate the Olympics. And here's Microsoft's patches for their products. I wonder if Apple have such stuff too... Not that I live in Australia.
Jeffrey Veen: Not only has [Microsoft's] Mac team created a stunning, aqua-inspired interface, it has pulled off a coup in the realm of standards compliance. It's done so well, in fact, that it has eclipsed its cousin, the Windows team: The Macintosh version of IE is now more robust and complete than the Windows version. How often does that happen?
Question for 'ya: Did you keep all those AOL Discs, or did you just throw them all away?
Microsoft, for a brief moment, posted a message on its website that introduces the reader to the next version of Microsoft Office for Macintosh. And here's the details.
Wintel
Microsoft Tries On A Friendly Face
Microsoft is overhauling its advertising approach, shifting most of its ad budget to the selling of Microsoft itself.
Friday, April 21, 2000
Top Stories
Jobs Talks To Apple Shareholders
In a wide-ranging Q&A session at Apple's annual shareholders meeting, CEO Steve Jobs discussed the AIM alliance, graphics chips and other Mac issues.
News
Apple Shareholders To Meet
Apple will take the final step toward a stock split on Thursday as shareholders are expected to support an increase in authorized shares. The company will also bid farewell to board member Edgar S. Woolard Jr.
Opinion
Let Your Mac Take You Wherever The Inspiration May Carry
We all know the story. It can be heard almost anywhere we may choose to go. They might say "Simply put, PCs are better than Macs. My PC is 600 Mhz faster than yours. I've got fifteen more software programs than you, that tight ass game that just came out, and ten more gigs of hard drive space. For the same price." How can you argue with that? Can a Mac still be better than a PC without matching numbers? Well, pull up a chair, sit back, and pop in some nice soft music. I'll show you how...
Apple's Second Quarter
I'm sure you've already heard the news: Apple had yet another profitable quarter. Considering the company was "beleaguered" and "almost dead" three years ago, we now take such announcements in stride.
Review
The H.M.S. Freeverse
My problem with card games on the computer is you lose the most important element of the game...interaction. Seems to me the only reason people play any card game other than solitaire is so you can hang out with friends. Freeverse Software, with the launching of their internet game server, the H.M.S. Freeverse, has quite effectively eliminated this problem.
Sidetrack
WWDC2000 Weblog: Claimed as the ultimate independent Apple WWDC weblog, the new site intends to cover all the details of the upcoming Apple's Worldwide Developers Conference. Well, at least those details that aren't covered by some form of NDA.
Wintel
Intel Delays Celerons Because Of Manufacturing Crunch
Intel has pushed back the release of two desktop processors because of a manufacturing crunch that has created shortages.
Microsoft Beats Earnings Expectations, But Sales Slow
Microsoft today beat Wall Street expectations, reporting earnings of 43 cents per share for its third quarter, but the results were tempered by news that sales of corporate PCs were slow.
Thursday, April 20, 2000
Top Stories
Apple Profit: $233 Million
Apple Computer on Wednesday beat Wall Street estimates by reporting a second-quarter profit of $233 million, or $1.28 per share, on sales of $1.94 billion. Apple also announced that its board of directors has approved a two-for-one stock split pending a vote at Apple's annual shareholders meeting on Thursday.
News
Apple Beats Expectations, Splits Stock
One of the highlights for Apple is that the company did well despite the lack of a significant hardware release. In previous quarters, Apple unveiled splashy new products to drive sales.
Secrets Of The Airport
Those of us who have cell phones know that wireless is the way to go, and so it is on the Mac. With the release of Apple's AirPort 1.1 software, any Mac equipped with an AirPort card can become a Base Station that enables wireless connectivity. I recently tested a new AirPort-equipped PowerBook and was impressed with the results.
Tuesday, April 18, 2000
News
Viruses On Macs Are Rare, But Can Wreak Havoc For Computers
You may think it odd to anticipate such a potentially disastrous event, but being a Mac user, I have always had to imagine what it would be like to experience this particular computer drama. That's because Macs generally don't seem to be as much a victim of viruses as Wintel-based machines.
MicroAge Owes Millions To Apple, Microsoft
Microsoft and Apple are among the largest unsecured creditors MicroAge, Inc. and its computer distribution subsidiary Pinacor, Inc. owe money to, according to bankruptcy court documents obtained by MacNN.
Macworld New York On Record-setting Pace
A record number of new products for the Mac platform are expected to be showcased by more than 400 leading Mac developers and suppliers at Macworld Conference & Expo/New York, July 18-21, at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center.
Apple's Bean Counters On Overtime
The bean counters in Cupertino are working overtime this week as Apple prepares to announce its quarterly financial results on Wednesday and host its annual shareholders meeting on Thursday.
iCab Preview 2.0 Available
The German developer of iCab has posted a new preview version of the Mac Web browser. Preview 2.0, in addition to fixing bugs, improves the program's Hotlist (bookmarks) feature by letting you import and export bookmarks. Bookmarks imported from Internet Explorer or Netscape Navigator appear as folders in the Hotlist. Preview 2.0 also adds the ability to export the History and resume aborted downloads.
Opinion
Going Wintel For A Month: Conclusion
After another month of intensive use of the Windows operating system, I find that . . . it really wasn't too bad. I'm not the first (nor will I probably be the last) Mac columnist to say such a thing.
Yes, We Do And Should Criticize Apple
Like most Mac writers, I call them as I see them. When Apple does great, I say so with no regrets. When it screws up, I go to the front line and voice my displeasure. This is normal. Humans do this every day, especially with friends. We agree on some issues and disagree at times.
Wintel
Microsoft's New Handheld System Takes Aim At Palm
Tomorrow the company will launch Pocket PC, a new operating system for handheld devices intended to carve a place for itself in a market dominated by Palm. Hoping to avoid previous mistakes, Microsoft will launch Pocket PC along with device makers Compaq Computer and Hewlett-Packard at an event in New York.
Stratus Pins Future On Windows 2000
Stratus Computer, known for super-high-end computers that rarely crash, expects its new Windows servers will become its most important product and open doors for Stratus and Microsoft.
Intel Beats Expectations For First Quarter
Leading chipmaker Intel today reported first-quarter earnings that beat analystsí estimates.
'Whistler' OS Sneaks On The Web — Again
For the second time, a supersecret version of the upcoming Microsoft Windows operating system leaks out on the Internet.
Microsoft: More Security Holes
For a company that prides itself on the quality of its software development prowess, Microsoft Corp. has encountered a rough patch of late, racking up two security holes as well as committing a major faux pas in the space of less than a week.
Microsoft Still Has A Few Friends
While the Justice Department has Bill Gates on the ropes, some members of Congress are turning up in his corner.
Monday, April 17, 2000
Top Stories
Power Mac Bests The Gigahertz PCs
In short, Mac partisans have no reason to panic about the PowerPC's current clock-speed shortfall, and graphics professionals who rely on Apple have no reason, at least in terms of performance, to doubt their choice of platforms: The Mac's resounding victory in this particular test is strong evidence that the PowerPC remains more than competitive with the best Intel and AMD can produce.
News
Apple's Computer Sales Key In Quarter
Apple Computer is set to open its books on its second quarter Wednesday, as analysts look especially for insight into sales of the PC maker's Power Mac G4.
With MicroAge Bankruptcy, Mac Dealers Switch Alliances
With Macintosh computer distributor Pinacor's parent-company MicroAge now in Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, Macintosh dealers are slowly switching alliances and doing business with other Apple distributors to make sure there is no interruption in their supply of products.
Apple Brings K-12 Sales In-house
Apple's decision to drop its sales agents to the K-12 education market has won an endorsement from the last place you'd expect: A sales rep whose job will be terminated as a result of the move.
Apple To Webcast Q2 Results
Apple Computer on Wednesday will offer a live audio QuickTime Webcast of a conference call announcing its FY 2000 Q2 financial results.
Review
What's To Like About Netscape 6? Quite A Bit
What's there to like about Netscape 6? I could think of a few right now, from just having tinkered with the preview release for over a week now.
iCab 2.0, The Alternative Web Browser
iCab has many other cool features, but here's the best of all — it's tiny, and has a tiny footprint. It does what's needed, and no more.
AOL Instant Messenger Vs. ICQ
AIM has the simplicity and power that users new and old can use and appreciate. AIM continues to grow in functions and uses while ICQ has remained relatively stagnant. AIM remains the undisputed champion in the battle for a winning messaging tool for the Macintosh computer.
Sidetrack
Jacob Levy teaches us how to really-really-delete a file in Windows.
Steve Alexander: One desktop trend likely to please consumers is the tendency for desktop PCs to become more stylish. The success of Apple's iMac, with its streamlined shape and choice of exterior colors, has created interest in machines that look different, both for technical and cosmetic reasons.
Sunday, April 16, 2000
News
The Laptop Ate Y Attention Span
The latest issue on business school campuses? It's not whether to start your own dot-com before graduation, but whether you should be allowed to use your laptop in the classroom as you please.
Review
Cyber Grannies
Cyber Grannies is a fun way to explore the alphabet and basic vocabulary words. The 3D animations are beautifully illustrated and offer an immersive environment for young players. This title is really enjoyable, although players may wish the action games were just a little longer.
Sidetrack
NTBugtraq: Had [Microsoft] been given a reasonable amount of time to respond, nobody would have been in a tizzy about anything... Decide for yourself whether we were better served by (more) immediate disclosure or not.
iRights: If you could add up all of the person-hours spent on the processes invoked when you viewed this web page... from the web-browser and network connection you're using down to the silicon itself... how would that compare to the person-hours spent preparing for the invasion of Normandy, which I believe is still the largest military exercise ever.
iCab preview release version 2.0 is now ready for your download.
Wintel
Bill Gates's Money
Whatever the fallout from the federal antitrust suit, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation will be one Gates institution left standing. Patty Stonesifer and her colleagues at the foundation have problems of a different kind: everyone wants a piece of them.
MS Security Flaw Called "Pinhole"
Company retracts statements that the so-called "Weenie" security hole is actually a cyberback door.
Saturday, April 15, 2000
Opinion
Apple's Web Strategy May Hurt Non-US Mac Users
We find Apple's corporate thinking to be distinctly insular and aggravatingly non-global.
Review
Alpha Centauri
Though the game seems to suffer, at least initially, from the same inexplicable limits that plagued the characters of Gilligan's Island - why can you build terraforming equipment, but not a lousy boat? - the intrigue keeps you playing long past the time when the old brain cells scream for sleep.
G4 ZIF Upgrades
G4 upgrades are great for folks who have an investment to protect and aren't ready to make the leap to the current crop of G4s - you can use these cards to upgrade G3-based Macs that are less than a year old. The MaxPowr card had the best combination of low price, high performance, and reliability.
Wintel
Microsoft Admits Code In Software
Microsoft Corp. today said that a security flaw in its Internet software, reportedly thought to have been deliberately placed there by company engineers, was simply the result of old software code. Scott Culp, a manager for Microsoft's security response team, said the company discovered that the 5-year-old piece of code inadvertently gave certain users access to multiple Web site pages housed on the same server computer. However, Culp denied reports that the hole was deliberately placed there by Microsoft employees.
Microsoft Places Bet On PocketPC
Microsoft will finally unveil the third version of its Windows CE operating system for palm-size handheld devices next week at Grand Central Station in New York, and if initial analysis is any indicator, Palm may have some serious competition on its hands.
Friday, April 14, 2000
Top Stories
Resurgence Of An American Icon
It all adds up to a remarkable about-face that transformed Apple and befuddled the most jaded (guilty as charged) journalist.
Think Difficult: Extending Mac OS X
Apple's forthcoming Mac OS X may change the way Mac users interact with their favorite computer, but it will have an even bigger impact on the companies that develop Mac OS utilities. Most utilities are designed to address gaps in the host operating system, and many of those weaknesses will be removed when Apple releases its new OS.
News
Apple Sees 1.4 Million Unique Visitors To Web Site Last Week
Apple has once again claimed the top spot in PC Data's Top 10 Hardware Sites rankings.
Poser Goes Back Home
MetaCreations announced on Thursday that it has completed the divestiture of its graphics products by selling Poser and Office Advantage to egi.sys, the German parent of a new Santa Cruz company called Curious Labs.
Opinion
The Mac And Thou
When it comes to personal computing... I prefer my zealots a little less insular.
Review
Quake III: Arena
Quake 3 is at heart... a very simple game, which really brings nothing incredibly new to the action or first-person-shooter ganres. However, it is a simple game done very well.
iSub
Will the iSub make it any easier to understand exactly what Bob Dylan is singing? Probably not. But it'll make listening to whatever it is he's singing a more pleasurable experience.
ViaVoice Tested And Found Wanting
Unfortunately, ViaVoice is several bricks short of a load in the user-satisfaction department. It distresses me to have to say this. I am delighted that IBM decided to support the Mac with its speech recognition software, especially since Dragon Systems recently bailed out of the Mac market a second time. However, I found ViaVoice to be both excruciatingly slow, and maddeningly unstable.
Surfing Large
IE 5 is the most stable, full-featured browser I've ever worked with. It no longer puts extra space above headers. It's a very comfortable working environment.
Sidetrack
Associated Press: Typing the phrase "more evil than the devil" into the Web search engine on Netscape's home page produces a link to Microsoft's home page.
Network Computing Magazine is hosting the 6th Annual Well-Connected Awards. In the category Wireless LAN Solution, Apple's AirPort is listed as one of the finalists. The "competitors" are Cisco Aironet 340 Series and WaveLAN IEEE Turbo.
Independent: When IT giants such as Microsoft want a new interface, they go to Nykris, a little design studio located not in Silicon Valley but in London's scruffy Old Street.
Glenn Davis: As we all know, Internet Explorer is an integral part of the current Windows operating systems. Microsoft has spent uncountable hours in court and an ungodly sum of money attempting to justify the necessity of this. But while they were doing this, they were also developing software based on the technologies in Internet Explorer... That's the real compatibility that Microsoft has to worry about. Not the soccer moms who might be using the Web, but businesses the world over who depend on products like Microsoft Office 2000. Products which have hooks into the Internet Explorer portions of the Windows operating systems. You see, if IE were to support Web standards, Office 2000 would break. Interesting view, and a very valid guess, I'd say.
Wintel
Microsoft's Next Net Awakening
Just weeks after a federal judge assailed the company's integration tactics, Microsoft is preparing to tie even more functions to Windows.
Am Not! Are Too!
Despite what some Microsoft Corp. programmers might think, Netscape Communications Corp. says its engineers are not "weenies".
Microsoft Server Flaw Called Rare
Reports of back door to Web sites running Win NT are true, but access is limited.
A Kinder, Gentler Microsoft?
On the whole, though, the ad succeeds at its primary goal: to inspire pity for Microsoft. Or at the very least, the ad is pitiful, and that's almost as good.
Linux Loyalists Aim To Break Windows
For many in the worldwide clan, the alternative operating system is a way of life.
Microsoft Software Glitch May Allow Access To Web Sites
Microsoft said its engineers included a secret phrase, "Netscape engineers are weenies," in some software that could be used to gain illicit access to hundreds of thousands of Internet sites worldwide, according to reports.
Gates Charity To Fund Capitol Hill Project
[Trevor Neilson, public affairs director] stressed that the proposed donation, first reported Thursday in the Capitol Hill newspaper Roll Call, ''has been in the pipeline for many months'' and is in no way related to the antitrust suit the Justice Department is pursuing against the software giant.
Microsoft To End Support For Java Kit
Microsoft will drop support for Sun Microsystems' Java software developers kit (SDK) next year and market a cloned toolset, said researcher Gartner.
Hang On To Your Old Windows Utilities
Windows 2000 has a few surprises for everyone, and most are not that pleasant.
The Next Microsoft
It dominated technology, transformed your business, and probably made you rich too.
Microsoft To Launch New Palm Assault
Microsoft plans to release a new generation of handheld organizers next week, addressing flaws that caused earlier versions to flop, in an attempt to gain share from market leader Palm.
Thursday, April 13, 2000
Top Stories
Kanisa Deal To Enhance Apple Customer Service
Today, if you have a serious problem with your Mac, you're likely to call Apple's technical support—or maybe the 14-year-old Mac geek who lives next door. But in the near future, you'll be able to get answers to most questions—tailored to your individual needs—by going to Apple's Web site.
News
Expo's Back!
After two years without a Mac show in the UK, an independent organiser has come forward to create "THE EXPO 2000: dedicated to the Mac Community". The new Mac show will be held on Friday 29 - Saturday 30 September at London's Business Design Centre in Islington.
E-force Gives Away First Of 100 iMacs
E-Force has begun giving away 100 iMac computers, and has also announced details of its upcoming rights issue.
3dfx Makes Mac Voodoo
3dfx Interactive announced today that it will officially join the Macintosh video card market with two boards designed specifically for Macs. The upcoming Voodoo4 4500 PCI and Voodoo5 5500 PCI boards, set to ship by late summer, will accelerate 2-D and 3-D Mac graphics technologies including OpenGL, QuickDraw 3D RAVE, QuickTime and 3dfx's own Glide format.
Opinion
Prepare To Cast Off Your Mice, Mac Users! The Age Of Mac Speech Recognition Has Arrived
Being able to talk to your computer - as opposed to interfacing with it via mouse and keyboard - is the stuff of science fiction, right? Not anymore. Apple's put processing muscle and smarter software to work in the quest for voice-controlled personal computers.
Sidetrack
Brent Simmons: What drives me crazy is the middle ground occupied by Windows. It appears to give you the control of Linux, but doesn't. It appears to give you the ease-of-use of the Mac, but doesn't.
Discussion at Userland: Is Mozilla a browser? Not a browser? Not just a browser?
From a reader over at MacInTouch: Turn off all the debug:rendering options (under Edit menu), and you'll find that Netscape 6 is "just as fast as IE 5 if not a tad faster... And is a LOT faster than Netscape 4.7.2."
Wintel
AMD Shatters First-quarter Estimates
Advanced Micro Devices Inc. delivered spectacular sales and earnings in its first quarter Wednesday, almost doubling analysts' profit estimates.
Don't Run Win2k, 'Early Adopter' IBM Tells Staff
IBM's enthusiasm for Windows 2000 has cooled somewhat, according to an company internal memo obtained by US publication Smart Reseller. According to the memo, which is said to have been sent to all employees, "IBM employees are not permitted to directly or indirectly connect Windows 2000 to the IBM production network infrastructure".
Wednesday, April 12, 2000
Top Stories
For Apple, Print Is Dead
It's not about paranoia, it's not about arrogance, it's simply that Apple's moved on. Words are strictly 20th century. The future is video.
News
The Sea Warrior - A Sabbatical On The Ocean With A PowerBook 5300
Many people dream of taking a year's sabbatical to go cruising on the ocean. John Steele has actually done it, and in exceptional style — in a 106 year old "proper yacht," assisted in no small way by his trusty PowerBook 5300.
Will Bryce Move Forward?
The VP of Corel's graphics software group admitted that Bryce—a program for generating realistic 3-D landscapes—represents the company's biggest development challenge, but he said Corel will issue an update with new features by the end of the year.
AOL Instant Messenger 4.0 For The Mac: What's The Deal?
For now, however, AIM 4.0 seems to be Windows only. Which is somewhat ironic, considering that AOL lists Apple among its AIM "partners" and they specifically listed 4.0 as being available for the Mac.
Apple Posts WWDC Schedule
Apple Computer has posted the conference schedule for the Worldwide Developers Conference, which runs May 15-19 at the San Jose Convention Center.
Opinion
Apple Could Still Make Money On OS X For Intel
What Apple needs to do is find a way to make a profit on every machine running MacOS, regardless of who made it. They need to sell hardware.
PC World: Mac IE 5 Better Than Windows IE 5.5?
It is somewhat amusing that the company that makes some of the best Mac apps in the world is Microsoft.
The Computer Industry Is So Predictable
Sometimes I wonder if I am alone to wish that the computer industry would get the point. How hard is it to innovate and to act responsibly? How hard is it to avoid stomping on other peopleís feet without a good reason?
Review
Tomb Raider 3
Lara may be getting a bit older, but she's clearly still fairly spry, and her adventures here are a reminder that she's got it where it counts. Tomb Raider III may not radically redefine the franchise, but there's definitely plenty for fans to enjoy and for newcomers to discover until Aspyr brings us her next episode.
Earthmate
No matter how much trouble folding maps is, it's still easier than keeping the Earthmate working. Its Street Atlas USA 6.0 software shines, but the Earthmate's reliability problems make this a hard package to recommend. If you really need to find yourself, invest in a good road atlas.
Watch And Smile
Considering its price, Watch & Smile offers an impressive array of photo-retouching and multimedia features. However, the poorly conceived interface will frustrate many users as they try to take advantage of those features. The most glaring omission is the inability to switch to other applications while using the programñit literally takes over your Mac until you quit. We also found performance sluggish, even on a 333MHz G3 system.
Might And Magic, Dragon Pass Bring Fantasy Fun To Mac Users
While the Mac has lagged behind in other areas of gaming, for some reason there has always been a host of good Mac fantasy games around. Is there some connection between fantasy games and the creative side of Mac users? Do we feel a stronger need to get away than our PC-using brethren? Maybe it's even a mixture of both — after all, there's nothing like monkeying around with images in Photoshop all day long to make you feel the need to get away.
ArtMatic
ArtMatic may currently be the best example of the fusion between art and mathetmatics. ArtMatic is a small focused application that plays an integral part in UI Software's master plan of giving the average graphics and audio artist some of the tools available to the ILM's and MTV's of the world at a cost that's less than a pair of custom cowboy boots.
MacDraft
Despite the limitations, MacDraft is a solid CAD program.
King Of Dragon Pass
Once in a blue moon, however, a computer RPG comes along that allows the player to live vicariously through the eyes of another persona — it allows the gamer to role play.
Sidetrack
As The Apple Turns: Apparently Mr. Zeldman's living in a perfect world... The real-world translation follows: "If Microsoft does not fully implement [web] standards, webmasters will re-code their pages to work with IE, because after Microsoft's illegal bundling of IE with Windows, the number of people using it is too big to be ignored."
PioneerPlanet : A guide to Mac basics. For those who really don't know their Apple products.
The iMac NewsPage: The parallels between Netscape and Apple. Is there also a parallel between the UI of Sherlock II and Netscape 6?
Microsoft created Internet Explorer, which looked mostly like a normal Mac application. Netscape created Netscape 6 Preview, which looked mostly like... well, nothing. I bought a Mac because I want my applications to behave like Mac applications. Please delight me.
Wintel
Intel Faces Another 820 Chip Set Snafu
Intel's problem-plagued 820 chip set is coming under attack again, this time by frustrated users reporting its failure to work with SDRAM.
Some Glitches With Office 2000 Update
Users are reporting few problems with Office 2000 Service Release 1 — other than the fact that you can't uninstall it.
Microsoft Stock Knocked By Analyst's Warning
Microsoft shares, already battered by a judge's ruling that the software giant is an abusive monopoly, were hit by more bad news Wednesday when a WallStreet analyst trimmed his revenue forecast for the company, citing a sluggish PC market.
Klein Says Breakup Still Possible In Microsoft Case
A top Justice Department official today declined to rule out seeking a breakup as a remedy in the Microsoft antitrust case, saying he was keeping all options open.
Trial E-book Waylays The Joys Of Treasure Island
It is not enough for the richest man in the world to control the stuff you put inside your computer. He also wants to control what you put into your head and the heads of your children.
Bush Adviser Apologizes Over Lobbying For Microsoft
Ralph Reed, a senior consultant to Gov. George W. Bush's presidential campaign, apologized today for lobbying the governor on behalf of the Microsoft Corporation and promised not to lobby him again on behalf of Microsoft or anyone else.
The Ralph Reed-Redmond Connection
Microsoft's attempt to play presidential politics lands it in hot water.
Microsoft At 25: A Tale Of Brilliance And Luck
''Comparing, say, MS-DOS 1.0 to the things we're working on now is like comparing Kitty Hawk to a 747,'' said Myhrvold, the chief technology officer who will return to the company in July. ''There are certainly similarities, but the differences are overwhelming.''
The Web Inside Outlook 2000
Microsoft Outlook 2000 users can now keep up with breaking news, sports, and weather without switching to their browsers.
Microsoft Ships BizTalk Preview
Microsoft on Tuesday released a "technology preview" of its XML-embracing BizTalk Server 2000, a key piece of its Internet business-to-business strategy.
Bush Strategist Calls Microsoft Lobby "An Error"
A company headed by former Christian Coalition chief Ralph Reed said today it made "an error we regret" when it asked influential Republicans to lobby presidential candidate George W. Bush on behalf of Microsoft.
Microsoft's Down But Not Out
Will Microsoft continue to provide enhancements that work only on Windows-based servers? Undoubtedlyójust as I'd expect Apple to produce Macintosh OS-related enhancements that take advantage of that platform's strengths, or Palm, or Sun, or Red Hat. But the tide has turned, and so has Microsoft.
Tuesday, April 11, 2000
Top Stories
Apple Extends Push Into Professional Video Market
Apple bought a software company today and said it will partner with two others to accelerate a push into professional-level digital video publishing.
News
Collectors Rescue 'Classics' From Curb
You recently bought an iMac or some other newfangled contraption, and your significant other wants extra space in the closet. So, you're finally getting rid of the old machine. Yet you get a lump in your throat when you picture your trusty computer in a mucky landfill. You'd rather it go to a good home where it would be used and appreciated.
Academy Gobbles Up Second-hand Apples
Proving the adage that one man's trash is another man's treasure, the Jim Thorpe Area School District is giving away 28 older model Apple computers that some school districts still use in classrooms.
Apple Announces Bundling Deals With Pinnacle, Matrox
Apple Computer used a Monday morning press conference at the National Association of Broadcasters show to announce product-bundling deals with Pinnacle Systems and Matrox as well as an update to Final Cut Pro, Apple's digital-video editing software. Apple also announced that it has acquired Astarte's DVD authoring software.
Corel Acquires MetaCreations Products
The suspense is over. MetaCreations on Monday announced that it has sold Painter, Bryce, Kai's Power Tools and KPT Vector Effects to Corel, the company best known to Mac users for its CorelDraw illustration program and WordPerfect productivity suite.
Opinion
NAB: Are Apple Video Enhancements Ready For Prime Time?
Apple didn't come to the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) convention empty handed.
Windows ME Features Mac OS X Should Have: System State Saving
While OS 9 allows you to restore your system files to their original state, that doesn't necessarily help you to get your system back to where it was before you had a crash.
Breaking The Mold
Apple has done a great job, in my mind, coming back from the dead. Now, I think, it's time for Apple to get out of the restaurant business. How long can we enjoy the same old steak, served by the same old server, and the same old flowers in the foyer? Where shall we go tonight? Chilis? Or Applebees?
Mac Cards, jCards, And Warning Signs
Is Apple the villian here? Who are we to say? There is a tendency among people to see the world and its conflict related issues simply as questions that revolve around two positions.
Review
AvantGo 3.3 For The Macintosh
Simply stated, I love AvantGo. It makes my Palm IIIx infinitely more useful.
Sidetrack
About.com has awarded the Best of the Net award to the Business Mac site. Congrats!
Found this in comp.huuman-factors, by Brains: I know plenty of Mac people who are perfectly happy with the way things stand with their Mac OS, but I don't know a single Windows user who likes the default Microsoft theme settings. Interesting.
Microsoft has spoken. Microsoft Internet Explorer 4.5 is better than Microosft Internet Explorer 5.0. Proof is in the picture. For more info, check out Interface Hall of Shame.
SlashDot Discussion : What do you use for digital video editing?
Wintel
Gates Hedges His Political Bets
Gates' visits to both sides of the partisan aisle in Washington are evidence that, as with most issues involving the high-tech industry, the Microsoft case doesn't cleave cleanly along party lines.
Microsoft Hires A Bush Adviser To Lobby Bush
The Microsoft Corporation has quietly hired Ralph Reed, a senior consultant to Gov. George W. Bush's presidential campaign, to lobby Mr. Bush in opposition to the government's antitrust case against the software giant.
Sun Shouldn't Bask In Hollow Victory Over Bill
Microsoft certainly didn't play nice with Sun's Java, but on that point, both companies are equally guilty.
Is Microsoft On The Ropes?
The evidence is mounting that Microsoft has been severely distracted by the trial, resulting in the delay of at least one of the company's major products.
MS Remedies? Rumors Abound
Now that a federal judge in the Microsoft trial has said what he always said he would say, rumors about the impending punishment are reaching a high pitch.
Microsoft Story Pulled From WSJ Online Site
The Wall Street Journal Interactive Edition today issued and then pulled a story saying Microsoft may be stripped of the rights to its Internet Explorer Web browser as part of the remedy in the government antitrust case it lost earlier this month.
Monday, April 10, 2000
Top Stories
Internet Looms Over Windows
For those of us who didn't use Windows, Microsoft was trying to take over the world with software that wasn't all that great, and wasn't even their idea in the first place.
Opinion
Not The Last Picture Show
This one features Long-Load Special: JPEGs You Won't See in the Brochures! Hit the link and get a drink, they'll be up when you get back. (The real New Mexico)
Review
Macromedia Flash 4 FreeHand 9 Studio
On a scale of one to ten, I'd say Flash 4 FreeHand 9 Studio is about a 7. It works pretty well, but doesn't live up to it's potential.
Sidetrack
John Sculley: "I think what Steve Jobs has done with Apple is one of the great business success stories of all time. From my perspective, I see Steve picking up exactly where he left off... Only this time, he's a far more experienced, savvy executive."
Low End Mac celebrates its third anniversary! Congrats, Dan. The site just keeps getting better as it ages.
How old is AppleSurf, you might ask. (Or maybe not. You can skip the rest of this paragraph then.) My rendezvous with the Web began in 1st Jan, 1996 with An Apple A Day. AppleSurf, the news-links section, began sometime in the middle of the year. For more information, check out my about page.
Wintel
Microsoft Got Nailed: So What?
If the antitrust saga surrounding Microsoft were turned into a movie, it would be a B-flick called something like "Digital Trustbusters" or "Boies Don't Cry."
Report: Government May Cut Microsoft's Browser Rights
Microsoft may be stripped of the rights to its Internet Explorer Web browser as part of the remedy in the government antitrust case it lost earlier this month, according to reports.
PCWeek To Be eWeek Reflecting Editorial Shift
Starting with the May 8 issue, PC Week will change its name to eWeek, marking the final step in a years-long process in which the publication has built its editorial structure, circulation and sales strategy around the trend by companies to transform themselves into e-businesses.
Microsoft To Introduce Windows Media 7
Microsoft tomorrow will show off new Windows Media technology in hopes of edging past competitor RealNetworks in the battle for Internet audio and video software dominance.
Should Microsoft's Fate Be In Private Hands?
A respected economist suggests that the government could just walk away from its antitrust suit against Microsoft and leave remedies to private litigation.
Sunday, April 9, 2000
News
Cultural Revolution In The Valley
They grew up under Communist rule in China in the 1960s and 1970s. But they were among the first of their generation to be schooled in the U.S., and now they're the latest group of Silicon Valley entrepreneurs.
The Aple-Kanisa Deal: How It May Affect Customer Service
The benefit to Apple will supposedly be less cost.
Opinion
Mac's iBook A Good Step Up
Graduating from a slow, but sure, LC to a shiny new iBook is a good leap.
Review
Netscape 6 Is My "Browser Of Choice" (Not!)
Slow, ugly, and bloated. Those three words sum up Netscape 6 pretty well.
Sidetrack
I've installed Internet Explorer 5, and, so far, everything is fine. Not bad. However, being a heavy user of IE 5 on the dark side, I do find something that I missed on the Mac version: auto-completion of text edit boxes.
It might well be bigger than Star Wars, the first episode. The trailer of Lord of the Rings is now online.
Wintel
Microsoft's Woes Bring Little Good For Others
Will any stocks gain from Microsoft's pain? Maybe not.
Saturday, April 8, 2000
Top Stories
Apple Tech Support Or Pop Psychology?
What follows is a log of my experiences with Apple tech support on [a PowerBook] issue. Let me say this up front: I was not happy with their response. It seemed more like pop psychology than an honest search for the truth.
A Shine For Windows
'm living proof of the speciousness of that argument, as are the multitude of other users (many of them visitors to this site) who move painlessly between multiple GUI environments sporting common applications and technologies. Instead of sowing discord, the presence of multiple viable desktop platforms has been the engine that's driven change in the PC industry in recent decades; while Windows may be a worthy participant in that discourse, it's hardly the only game in town.
News
New Amiga Stirs Passions
The new Amiga is really new. So new, some say, it's got absolutely nothing to do with the Amiga at all.
The Eagle Has Landed
Darwin 1.0 means the waiting is over. There is plenty in Darwin 1.0 for a lot of developers to get started.
Apple Responds To E3 Rumors: No, We're Not Going
The gaming industry is an extremely valuable market to us and this in no way reflects our commitment to our developers in this market.
Opinion
So You Wanted A REAL OS?
The real issue with Mac OS X is not Aqua. It goes deeper. A lot deeper.
Rebirth Of CodeWarrior
Metrowerks isn't going anywhere, you dummy! What was that bunk you published last week?
Would MS Breakup Be Bad For Apple?
No matter what the final outcome of the Microsoft trial, Apple will continue to operate within a highly competitive environment.
Review
Mac OS 9.0.4
Everything works as it shou,d and nothing calls attention to itself. This makes me happy; an unobtrusive OS is a good OS, to my way of thinking.
Netscape 6 Moves In A Whole New Direction
The real news is that this version of Netscape shifts the browser's purpose away from looking at Web pages to using Netscape-based services on the Internet.
Wintel
Missing The Point On Microsoft
We could be developing antitrust laws that fit the information age, if Alan Greenspan really understood government regulation.
Microsoft Plans A New Strategy For The Internet
In the wake of a raging antitrust storm, Microsoft is betting on a loosely articulated vision of a future in which the company's business moves away from the personal computer and onto the Internet. It is a course rife with perils, but also, potential.
Microsoft To Demonstrate New Operating System
Microsoft will demonstrate its next consumer operating system, Windows Me, at an event this weekend, one week after a landmark antitrust ruling against the software giant.
WindowsMe Includes Integrated Browser
The new consumer version of Windows hits a milestone with Beta 3 next week. And, yes, Internet Explorer is still part of the product.
Gates Discusses Microsoft's Past, Future In TV Ad
The software giant unveiled an ad yesterday in which chairman Bill Gates, filmed on the Microsoft campus, talks directly to the camera as he discusses the company's past and future. Upbeat acoustic guitar music plays in the background.
Microsoft Wins Small Victory In Java Battle
In a ruling issued late Wednesday, Judge Ronald Whyte of the U.S. District Court in San Jose, Calif., rejected Sun's interpretation of its contract with Microsoft concerning updated versions of its Java technology.
Friday, April 7, 2000
Opinion
One Hell Of A Hole
John H. Farr's tribe is lost in the morass of mediocrity that characterizes all too many Mac sites, but he knows where to find it.
Thursday, April 6, 2000
Top Stories
Apple Releases Streaming Software That Runs On Windows
One would think Apple is turning into a software maker, judging by a newly unveiled open-source project.
Sidetrack
Singapore Mac users, check out the all new MacSingapore. And, yeah, we're on the headlines too.
Wintel
Remedy To Come In 60 Days In Microsoft Case
A ruling on the penalties to be levied against Microsoft for its antitrust violations will come within 60 days, with a hearing set for May 24, officials said today.
Microsoft Works On Image With Ads
The software giant took out full-page advertisements today in U.S. newspapers such as the New York Times and USA Today, running a letter from co-founder Bill Gates and chief executive Steve Ballmer defending the company and touting its successes.
Sun Considers Private Antitrust Suit Against Microsoft
Sun Microsystems is considering a private antitrust lawsuit against Microsoft but is being very cautious about such a course of action, the company said today.
Wednesday, April 5, 2000
Top Stories
Apple Releases Mac OS 9.0.4 Update
Apple today released the much-anticipated update to their current Mac OS 9. According to Apple's Web site the update includes additional FireWire and USB support, enhanced networking and power management, and improves audio, video and graphics functionality.
Apple Mum On Microsoft Verdict
Shouts of joy may be echoing through the halls of Cupertino, but for now, Apple Computer's official response to Microsoft's guilty verdict in the Justice Dept. antitrust case is "No comment."
Opinion
Confessions Of An Ex-Mac-Cult Member
This is where I stand today, vis-®¢-vis my relationship to Apple and the Macintosh platform. I'm introspecting. Now, before you excommunicate me from the Church of Macintosh, hear me out. Listen to what I have to say.
Yes, Rumor Sites Hurt Us: Rebuttal To Charles Moore
As far as I am concerned, the buying interests of the public is not above the law. The journalist is not above the law either. Companies too are not above the law, and when they break those laws, that is when journalists have the right and responsibility to print "secret" information. Period.
Sidetrack
From the people behind the excellent MacSurfer's Headline News comes the equally excellent TechNN.
Wintel
Citizen Gates
The media played the Microsoft trial as a judgment on the CEO's personality — and there was no way he could win.
Will Microsoft Rethink Plans For OS Additions?
Monday's ruling that Microsoft violated antitrust law raises the prospect that the software giant may temper plans to add new features to Windows, such as deeper security, instant messaging and voice recognition. But don't expect the company to retreat.
Judge May Speed Resolution Of Microsoft Case
The federal judge who found Microsoft in violation of antitrust law said yesterday he may put an appeal of his verdict on "a fast track" to the U.S. Supreme Court, bypassing an appellate court to speed resolution of the case, according to a report.
Monday, April 3, 2000
Top Stories
Mice, Mice Everywhere — Which One Caught My Eye?
The Apple one-button mouse — the most basic and least-colorful model in stock — was $69, making it certainly the most expensive mouse in the store, if not the world.
News
Older Macs Can Join The USB Party
Owners of Macs predating the iMac may be feeling left behind by the hardware standards Apple has adopted in recent years, particularly the replacement of the serial and Apple Desktop Bus ports with Universal Serial Bus (USB) ports.
Dumping Of TVs, Computers Screens Banned In Mass.
[Schools or charities] would love to take a good computer off of someone's hands. There are a lot of good uses for old computers, Macs and PCs.
Opinion
Kings Of Kommentary
This week's column features It's Blue! It's White! It's Comfy! It Goes Fast! (I'm Done!) "Say, is that a Pismo in your pocket, or are you just glad to see us? And WHAT did you call me??
Apple Should Count The Cost Before Alienating Its Friends
The new Apple woul dbe well-advised to be cultivate all the good will it can get — not gratuitously alienate it.
Life Beyond PowerPC?
There's no reason for Jobs to have any special fear of Intel or other chip options. His post-Apple endeavor, NeXT, had little hesitancy about switching from 680x0-based hardware to Intel-standard OS software when economic wisdom dictated.
Review
Amazing IE 5.0
My faith in Microsoft has been restored. Why? Because this past week they unveiled Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.0. And, I have to say, this program is amazing!
Sidetrack
New York Times: On Friday evening, some senior computer executives who were read a summary of a government proposal became alarmed that the proposal was too limited and would prove difficult to enforce. Mr. McNealy and Steven P. Jobs, the chairman of Apple Computer, were read elements of the proposed settlement and expressed their dissatisfaction to some government officials.
SlashDot: Why hasn't Apple released QuickTime for Unix?
The Inquirer: With its legion of loyal followers, the eminently usable Mac OS continues to improve. Though still available only for Macs, makes it easier to conduct an Internet search and helps different people using the same Mac keep their desktop and Internet settings separate.
Microsoft Campus Bombed : MSNBC. You wish!
Wintel
Microsoft Shares Slide In Anticipation Of Ruling
Microsoft shares fell as much as 11 percent in early trading as the judge in the antitrust case prepares to issue his ruling later today.
Analysts See Risks For Microsoft, But Gates Hopes To Win Appeal
At Microsoft's corporate campus in Redmond, Wash., there is no evidence of panic. Its executive team, led by William H. Gates, the chairman, is taking the long view, planning to battle the antitrust case in the courts through appeals for years, if necessary.
Did States 'Deep Six' MS-DOJ Talks?
Who's to blame for the collapse of the four-month old settlement talks? All fingers are pointing to 19 attorneys general who may have wanted nothing less than a break up.
Microsoft Knows Courtroom Arena Well, Usually Wins
Microsoft still thinks it has an ally waiting in the wings - the legal system. "We are confident of our legal position," Microsoft's senior vice president for law and corporate affairs, Bill Neukom, said yesterday on the breakdown of antitrust settlement negotiations. "This case is a longstanding play, and we are just in the middle of it."
Microsoft And U.S. Unable To Reach Antitrust Accord
After four months, mediation efforts between Microsoft and the government were abandoned Saturday, making it likely that the presiding judge in the trial will issue his decision in the long-running antitrust case in the next few days.