Info Manager

Info Manager for February 03, 2003

[*]   "SBC enforcing all-encompassing Web patent" - URL

[*]   War Chalking

[*]   Microsoft didn't patch its server software

[*]   Searching for news

[*]   Power-On becomes Now Software

[*]   New PowerMacs and Flat panels

[*]   PowerLogix Revs BW, AIO, Beige G3s to 800MHz G3

[*]   Can't use new 20" Cinema display with OS9

[*]   Protest being waged

[*]   Apple Price Protection Policy

[*]   "BIOS Maker Builds a Bunker for PCs"

[*]   School Night at the Apple Store (U.S.)

[*]   SPAM Conference

[*]   Senate copy protection bill

[*]   Adobe InDesign 2.0.2

[*]   Keynote: "Tips, Tricks, Gotchas, Links and other cool stuff"

[*]   MYOB AccountingEdge 3

[*]   TurboTax Activation intrusive?

[*]   Freeware: SilverNetworks' Spy v1.0

[*]   Markzware sends InDesign To QuarkXPress

[*]   Shareware: Serial Storage

[*]   JeepSafari

[*]   Portfolio moves to Mac OS X

[*]   Configure Mac OS X with a clean GUI

[*]   Quotes: Drucker, West, LeGuin
 

"SBC enforcing all-encompassing Web patent" - URL

Last week I forgot to include the URL for the Register story with the above title. It is still scary though.
Here is the link:
http://www.theregister.co.uk/content/6/28985.html

War Chalking

Adam Engst, in his publication TidBITS pointed out that the MacWarehouse employees at Expo were wearing shirts that included the War Chalk mark for open access. Do you know those marks? (Thanks Adam)
For a dictionary of them see this web site!
http://www.warchalking.org/

Microsoft didn't patch its server software

I assume by know you heard about the Slammer worm that caused the Internet to slow down the weekend of January 24th. Well, it took advantage of a hole in Microsoft SQL Server 2000 database software. Microsoft had issued a patch previously to plug that hole, but many administrators hadn't bothered. According to an AP story, those administrators included Microsoft's own. And they have been preaching about the need to keep up to date.
Full story at:
http://www.wired.com/news/infostructure/0,1377,57439,00.html

Searching for news

BTW - I found the above story via Factiva which is a news service that while reasonable in its cost, isn't likely to be accessible by regular readers of this column. Therefore, I used Google's beta search engine for news stories to find the link that I presented above. Google still amazes me at what it can find as a single engine. I still prefer doing multiple searches via Sherlock on my Mac or Copernic on my PC, but Google does usually come through in a crunch.

Power-On becomes Now Software

In press release, Now Software announced the change. They are going to work on providing new applications that work with Now Up-To-Date and Contact.
Full announcement at:
http://www.prnewswire.com/

New PowerMacs and Flat panels

By now, most of you have heard the news. But just in case, here are links that will give you all the details: (Image releasing new products so soon after Expo without announcing them at Expo.) forbes.com, and www.apple.com/pr/
Or, check Apple's own site:
http://www.apple.com/displays/

PowerLogix Revs BW, AIO, Beige G3s to 800MHz G3

Remy Davison of Insanely Great Mac is reporting in a story with the above name on PowerLogix's new release of zif socket upgrade to older G3 Macs for only $299.
Read the full article at:
http://www.insanely-great.com/news.php?id=1605

Can't use new 20" Cinema display with OS9

In what appears to be an additional means to get users to switch to OS X, Apple has made its new 20" Cinema display so that it won't work with OS 9. (Per discussion on MacInTouch.com) There can't be any technical reason for this. But it does put me one step closer to upgrading.
See more at:
http://www.macintouch.com/g4-2003.html

Protest being waged

NetAction.org has begun an e-mail/letter writing campaign to get Congress to take care of SBC's bully tactics for enforcing its patents on the use of Frames on web sites. If you want to get into that action or any other protest that they are promoting
go to:
http://www.netaction.org/

Apple Price Protection Policy

XLR8YourMac.com has come across a policy from Apple that says they give price protect to anyone who has purchased their hardware within 10 days. (From Apple Store) So if you have purchased a G4 or a Flat panel display in the week before the announcement of the reduced prices, contact Apple for a refund. Details at: http://www.xlr8yourmac.com/
Actual policy on web:
http://store.apple.com/Catalog/US/Images/salespolicies.html#Apple%20Prices

"BIOS Maker Builds a Bunker for PCs"

IDG has posted a story with the above title. Phoenix Technologies who does most of the BIOS for Intel type computers has decided to let the user by pass the OS enable to provide utilities for diagnostics, virus protection, desktop rebuilds and for emergency access to the Internet. Then maybe the OS can be repaired and the data saved. Sounds like a great idea to me. I know that Apple in the past has had bootable ROMs in some of their machines. Although not in any since the G3 was introduced.
Full story at:
http://www.idg.net/go.cgi?id=783490

School Night at the Apple Store (U.S.)

Apple has initiated an open house night at their stores for teachers and their students to show off what they have done with their Macs. Any school can set up to have a School Night and as a bonus for each Mac sold that night, the purchaser can save $50 and the school will get a $50 donation. (Of course, user groups can be involved as well.)
So look for more information at:
http://www.apple.com/education/schoolnights/

SPAM Conference

The week ending January 24, saw a conference on SPAM being held in Boston. InfoWorld reported on the event at: infoworld.com
But probably more useful, are the actual sessions held over the 4 days and those are online at the organizers web site.
While I have just skimmed the material, it seemed to have concentrated on filters. Both at the individual level and at the ISP level.
Check it out at:
http://spamconference.org

Senate copy protection bill

There is a bill introduced by Senator Fritz Hollings ((D-SC,S.2048) that would require software, computers, and consumer electronic companies to include government-designed technology to prevent unauthorized digital coping.
     The Alliance for Digital Progress is fighting this to protect consumer rights and right to fair use. Some people don't even what us to be able to copy our own CDs to our hard drives for our personal usage. Several companies in the computer industry have joined with the Alliance for Digital Progress to try to change this bill before it becomes law. The Alliance is soliciting people to help with the fight.
More details at their web site at:
http://alliancefordigitalprogress.org/ADP/

Adobe InDesign 2.0.2

Adobe InDesign 2.0.2 Update is now available and fixes a number of problems with version 2.0.1.
More details and the update is available at:
http://www.adobe.com/support/downloads/

Keynote: "Tips, Tricks, Gotchas, Links and other cool stuff"

Wow! It is amazing that so much material would already be available on Keynote. Gail Murphy, AUGAB member posted this web site to the AUGD list. If you are on OS X and doing presentations, you need to be using Keynote and this site will help get you up and running like a pro.
Thank you Gail for this link:
http://www.thepeatgroup.com/keynote

MYOB AccountingEdge 3

Michael Flaminio of Insanely Great Mac has posted a review of the Accounting Edge 3 software. I have seen demos of the software and it looks good to me, but Michael has looked at it much closer as he is actually using it in his business. So, before you drop more money on Intuit, look at his review. (Be sure to read what Intuit is doing with TurboTax below)
MYOB AccountingEdge 3
http://www.insanely-great.com/news.php?id=1614

TurboTax Activation intrusive?

According to an article on PCWorld.com, Intuit has made a lot of its customers angry. As part of the activation process, the software calls Intuit and gets an install code based on the configuration of the system it is on. This is to keep the software from being installed on more than one computer.
The reasoning sounds good to me, but the method certainly leaves a lot to be desired. This situation only occurs on the Windows version, but not the Mac version. I personally started using the web version of TurboTax last year and filed taxes for my family and my step-son's family for about $30. Less than Intuit would have charged me for the Mac version of the software. But I think this case points out a poor attitude by Intuit toward their customers. Maybe they should think more of customer service and try another way to protect their intellectual rights. Full story at:
Full story at:
http://www.idg.net/go.cgi?id=783769

Freeware: SilverNetworks' Spy v1.0

Final version of new remote screen capture tool, Spy. Spy allows you to run a small server on your Mac, when accessed by any normal web browser. Download it for free!
Full story:
http://www.aacug.org/MUG/2003/spy.html

Markzware sends InDesign To QuarkXPress

MUG News from AACUG is reporting that Markzware now converts Adobe InDesign files into QuarkXPress documents with a single click. The conversion process includes all elements of the document such as object positions, colors, fonts, text attributes, images, etc.
Full story:
http://www.aacug.org/MUG/2003/ind_to_qxp.html

Shareware: Serial Storage

Here's an application that effortlessly organizes your serial numbers, passwords, credit cards, (or any other information you'd like to store) into different folders. Of all the other Mac applications that do this on the market, Serial Storage is the most secure, and easiest to use.
Full story:
http://www.aacug.org/MUG/2003/Serial.html

JeepSafari

Safari bookmarks to go -- Think of JeepSafari as iSync for Safari - lets you move and share your Safari bookmarks.
Full story:
http://www.aacug.org/MUG/2003/JeepSafari.html

Portfolio moves to Mac OS X

This is a professional tool for organizing digital files -- Portfolio 6.1 now offers new features that make it the easiest and most effective way for professionals to share, organize, retrieve and distribute the digital files they create and use on a regular basis.
Full story:
http://www.aacug.org/MUG/2003/Portfolio.html

Configure Mac OS X with a clean GUI

All-In-One Interface for Mac OS X -- makes it easy to configure many Mac OS X options, that are difficult or impossible to configure manually -- including several unix command structures to optimize and secure your Mac. More than 20 configuration features X users will need.
Full story:
http://www.aacug.org/MUG/2003/Xupport.html

Quotes: Drucker, West, LeGuin

"The best way to predict the future is to create it."
      - Peter F. Drucker
"Everything is in the mind. Knowing what you want is the first step in getting it."
      - Mae West
"It is good to have an end to journey toward; but it is the journey that matters in the end."
      - Usula K. LeGuin
"Man can alter his life by altering his thinking."
      - William James

pau

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Also see: MUG NEWS bursts from the AACUG Mac User Guide (MUG)

Note: Features schedule

The InfoManager invites user groups to use his column in full or in pieces in their newsletter. Or add a link to their web site. He would appreciate word that you are doing so however and if you can, please send a pdf version of the newsletter for his perusal. Or provide him with a link. The address is InfoManager@user-groups.net. You can also use that address for feed back.
Note: Features schedule
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Pau

The Info Manager is a veteran of the UGN (AOL User Groups Forum) and User Group Network. He's been a supporter and volunteer on many, many UGNet and User Group Academy projects. As a long time user group member, he's served as volunteer from Honolulu to Boston and many points in between. Currently working with the Apple Corp of Dallas, the Dallas Mac Pack, Cowtown MUG of Ft. Worth and TUMS (the Tulsa Users of Macintosh Society) doing newsletter articles and the monthly CD-ROM Update. Post a lead Info Manager should follow up on.

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