Wednesday, May 24, 2000
Top Stories
If There's No Apple PDA In The Works, What Other "Digital Devices" Might Mr. Jobs Have Been Talking About?
There has been a hole in Apple's lineup ever since the PowerBook 2400c was discontinued in 1998.
Corel Linux And OS 9 Fight For Your Desktop
We know what you're thinking. You think we're crazy. Why on earth would CNET compare Linux to the Mac OS? They're totally different operating systems.
News
Older Macs Can Plug Into The USB Party
The solution to updating is relatively simple and cheap: add a USB card to your Mac.
Nvidia Might Come To Mac
Graphics chipmaker Nvidia, whose GeForce2 GTS 3D graphics processing unit is popular among PC users, told MacWEEK that the company is strongly considering an entry to the Mac market.
Apple Game Developers Sound Off On OS X Change
With OS X, Apple will change the way its computers process sound, input devices and other gaming functions, a move that has drawn praise and anger from game developers.
Opinion
Dual Platform: The 'Myth' Of The Single Platform
"The 'myth' of a single platform = a cheaper total cost of ownership is exactly that — a myth. By forcing a single platform on your instructors, you limit the software that they can run, you make new technology harder to introduce."
Looking Back At WWDC 2000
But before you put WWDC behind you and focus on the next big Apple gathering, let's recap this year's major developer event.
Confusion Over ColorSync 3.0.1
Apple's ColorSync update fixes some notorious problems in version 3.0, but the software still fails to find a middle ground between novices and developers.
The Rainbow Is Back
Being a bit of an old school Mac user, when I got my PowerBook (bronze) in 1999, I had mixed feelings about the cool glowing apple on the top of the 'Book. And to commemorate my bronze's one year anniversary (and expiration of the warranty) I installed a little bit of a hack to bring back the rainbow to the big glowing apple.
Review
Deer Avenger 2: Bambo's Revenge
This sequel is a good effort, but it has a tough time even justifying its existence.
Setting Up A Mac Network: A Frightful Tale
[I]t doesn't matter what OS you have; a computer is a computer, which is a complicated machine, no matter what flavor it is.
Sidetrack
Apple Menu I Like
This seems big (as in, it's being mentioned all over the different Mac publications): "Classic Menu gives OS X an Apple menu just like the old Mac OS." Maybe three versions later, Apple will buy the rights to this freeware and include it in the shrink-wrapped version of Mac OS X.
Or maybe not.
The Deathmatch
If you don't want to click through all the pages of the OS Death Match, here's a summary of the CNET contest between Corel Linux and Mac OS 9:
Installation: Tie. "[W]e appreciate the fact that Apple bypasses the whole [installation]. But we also realize that since you can install Corel Linux... on just about any clunky old Pentium, it's a much cheaper option."
Interface: Mac OS 9. "Since the Mac introduced the first real GUI to PC users more than 15 years ago, it's had plenty of time to perfect the user experience."
Applications: Mac OS 9. "Mac's your best bet for widespread software compatibility."
Hardware Compatibility: Corel Linux. "To run a Mac OS—especially a newer one such as OS 9—you have to shell out a pretty penny for Apple-proprietary hardware."
Internet Support: Mac OS 9. "[T]hanks to its wider array of software titles and easy-as-pie Internet setup tools, OS 9 wins this round."
Overall: Mac OS 9. "We do have one big complaint about the Mac OS: it's expensive."
Wintel
MSN Creates A Warmer, Fuzzier Identity: Revamped Icons, Services A Direct Challenge To AOL
The move reflects Microsoft's attempt to expand its reach in the ``new'' Internet, where more people have high-speed connections and are more comfortable with shopping and communicating online, via personal computer or handheld device.
Microsoft OS Beta Isn't Scaling As Billed
Microsoft said its high-end Datacenter operating system isn't yet scaling as advertised.
Gates E-mails Again Take Center Stage
While arguing Wednesday for their proposal to break up Microsoft Corp., attorneys for the Justice Department revealed two new e-mails by company chairman Bill Gates which, they contend, show Microsoft's continuing efforts to dominate the software market.
Microsoft Judge Mulls 3-way Split, To Rule Soon
The judge in the Microsoft antitrust trial raised the dramatic possibility of splitting the software giant into three pieces on Wednesday and set the stage for a quick decision in the case.
Intel Launches 933-MHz Pentium III, Xeon Processors
The new Xeon processor complements Intel's segmentation strategy within the workstation and server space.
Gates Sells 'Phase 3' Of Internet To CEOs
Not surprisingly, Gates' vision of the future looks suspiciously like the path his software company is trying to take.
Microsoft Embedded OS Free-for-all
Microsoft is thumping the tub for both of its embedded operating systems at the Applied Computing conference in Santa Clara this week. But judging by attendees' confusion, Microsoft might be wise to not to exhibit the two under the same roof again.
Palm V. Windows CE: Beware The Middle Ground
Are both sides of the war heading to a fuzzy middle, with devices far too complex to be PDAs but not powerful enough to be full PCs?
Microsoft Updates Office Developer Tools
Developers will be able to automate business processes, such as expense reporting or document routing, between Office and Exchange or SQL Server by using the tools to lay out and visualize business processes step by step, then streamline the processes by adding business rules and logic, according to the company.