Info Manager

Info Manager for March 31, 2003

[*]   "Core feelings feed love of Apple"

[*]   "X for Teachers" ends TODAY

[*]   Get Both iLife and Keynote for Just $14.95

[*]   Macworld to Create

[*]   Apple can't service Windows iPods

[*]   This Old Mouse: Newton Duz iTunes

[*]   WWDC moved to June

[*]   MacHack

[*]   See Safari bookmarks as tabs

[*]   Corel maybe taken over

[*]   SimDesk

[*]   BookEndz for 12" PowerBook

[*]   Microsoft Ad Found Misleading by Regulators

[*]   FW: Awesome Mac desktops from Shifted Reality

[*]   SW: Skinnable MP3 Player for Mac

[*]   Kinko's giving free Web access to military families

[*]   Quotes of the week: Winfrey, Hinds
 

"Core feelings feed love of Apple"

The Chicago Tribune ran an article with the above title on March 22nd. While it doesn't add anything to what we users already know, it is nice to have a major publication talk so positive about the faithful. (Free registration required)
Story at: http://www.chicagotribune.com/

"X for Teachers" ends TODAY

Though it was originally designed to end in December, the response to the "X for Teachers" program has been so overwhelming--nearly 300,000 teachers have requested copies of Mac OS X v10.2 "Jaguar" to date -- that Apple has decided to extend the program until March 31, 2003. (Today) Go to "X for Teachers" website. While there's still time, that is.
Get out there and order!
http://www.apple.com/education/macosxforteachers/

Get Both iLife and Keynote for Just $14.95

If you're an educator, or teacher then you should have the best tools -- that's why Apple is now offering qualified K12 teachers the opportunity to order both iLife and Keynote for just $14.95. (Price does not include taxes) Though you would normally have to pay $128 for both, you can save up to $113 by taking advantage of Apple's limited-time offer.
Go for it:
http://www.apple.com/education/k12/ilifeandkeynote/

Macworld to Create

The day IDG released their plans to change Macworld Expo branding to "Create" MUG News posted the story to the InfoManager list. Later that day, and the next day MUG was again in contact with marketing assistant at IDG, who reports: "No, Macworld is still on, we're only changing the branding and content somewhat"

      The spokesman put me in touch with a marketing director for further insights into the sudden shift in show emphasis away from the "Macintosh" world to a seemingly lofty "more professional" venue aimed directly at the creative arts world.
Later today MUG News will talk with Product Development Manager for IDG to get more detail about the changes in venue, elimination of games, education and other major topics traditionally presented at Macworld. Spokesperson for IDG indicated we should be able to get more details about user group activities at Macworld at that time.
As detailed information is available it will be posted to the InfoManager List.
It's business as usual at the Macworld Expo site:
http://www.macworldexpo.com/

Apple can't service Windows iPods

According to an article in the Australian publication "The Age", Windows users of the iPod are having a heck of a time getting support because Apple Doesn't Do Windows. It seems all they get when they call Apple or go to an Apple store is that no one can help them because they don't have any knowledge of Windows. Hopefully this is an Australian problem, but Apple should have hired some support people to support the iPod on Windows. Especially when the majority of iPods are sold to Windows users now.
Full story is available (for a fee) at: http://www.theage.com.au/

This Old Mouse: Newton Duz iTunes

Who would suspect that a personal data assistant orphaned by its manufacturer in 1998 would still be in use by some rather vocal enthusiasts -- and that it would synchronize with Apple's latest music player iTunes!
     This week's Bay Area "Mercury News" carried an interesting story on Apple's Newton, and the faithful following that seems to hang on to the innovative device. What's more interesting is that Newton is keeping up with the digital life!
     First released in 1993, the Newton is still prized by users as "better than Palm" and certainly with good reason. The Mercury article referenced "newfangled tasks like playing MP3 music files" as one growing areas of the revival so we decided to do a bit of snooping around.
This Old Mouse -- news you can use from AACUG
http://www.aacug.org/MUG/showker/

WWDC moved to June

To accommodate the change, Apple has extended the WWDC Early Bird registration discount to 23-May-03 (full refunds are also offered through 23-May-03 for those who had already registered but can't make the new dates). You can also contact Apple about airline/hotel changes if you have a problem.
Info at: http://developer.apple.com/contact/programs.html

MacHack

Meanwhile, Adam Engst at TidBITS points out that "The real problem, however, is that the new dates for WWDC bump against the annual grassroots MacHack developers conference, currently scheduled for 19-Jun-03 through 21-Jun-03 in Detroit, Michigan.
      MacHack has announced that there would be no changes in their schedule. Remember, that while WWDC tells the way things are suppose to work, MacHack helps to figure out how they really do. See: http://www.machack.com/

See Safari bookmarks as tabs

Cameron on the InfiniteLoop mailing list wrote:
"Create a folder on your bookmarks bar. Put bookmarks in it. Command-click on that folder in your bookmarks bar." Then you should see ALL the bookmarks in the folder opened in separate tabs!
      Sam replied: "There is a simpler way of doing all of this. Just create a folder on your bookmark toolbar with all your favorite sites. Select the folder that you created on your bookmark tool bar and click on "open with tabs".
If you've got new techniques, tips or tricks let us know:
http://www.user-groups.net/InfoManager/INFO.html

Corel maybe taken over

Corel maybe taken over in a friendly bid by U.S. venture capital firm. The article in the National Post says "A Corel buyer would likely turn the software company, once known for its lavish parties under Michael Cowpland, former chief executive, into a low-growth "cash cow" by cutting costs in key areas such as sales and research..."
Don't know how it would affect its Mac products.
Story should be available by the time you read this at:
http://www.nationalpost.com/

SimDesk

I may have mentioned this before, but SimDesk is an Office Suite that is available via the Internet. For a 90 day free trial go to:
Simdesk dot com: http://simdesk.com/default.asp

BookEndz for 12" PowerBook

It had to happen. BookEndz has announced their BookEndz Docking Station for the 12" PowerBook G4. I remember how much "fun" it was connecting monitor, keyboard, mouse and SCSI devices to my old PowerBook. BookEndz pretty much does away with all the bother.
Here's BookEndz story: http://www.bookendzdocks.com/bookendz/g4tspec.htm
Click this link to see a picture: http://www.bookendzdocks.com/bookendz/images/G4BE.gif
Click this to read the IGM article: http://www.insanely-great.com/news.php?id=1900

Microsoft Ad Found Misleading by Regulators

The Associate Press ran down this story. It seems that Microsoft was advertising that its servers were safe. The advertisement was published in the November edition of a South African technology magazine, called Brainstorm. The ad features a Dodo, a Woolly Mammoth, a Saber-toothed tiger and a hacker with a captain that reads: "Not everybody benefits from our secure software."
      In my mind, that points out that only the hacker would benefit. But the court ruled that the claims of safety could not be substantiated. So Microsoft pulled the add.
Full story at: http://abcnews.go.com/wire/Business/ap20030324_1248.html

FW: Awesome Mac desktops from Shifted Reality

Macmonkies has alerted us to some rather cool 3-D rendered desktops that you can download and install to wow your friends. Such desktops come from the mouse of Juergen Eilts, who's web site ShiftedReality displays some fabulous Mac art. Juergen uses Bryce, Vue d'Esprit, Worldbuilder, and 3D Studio Max to craft his awesome images
Click this link to see a : thumbnail
Download the 1024-pixel version (drag the link to avoid opening - the file is rather large)
See others at MacMonkies.com, and visit Juergen's site at:
http://www.shiftedreality.com/

SW: Skinnable MP3 Player for Mac

Air Whisper enables high-quality playback and easy browsing through your MP3 files. Instantly accessible, it runs on Mac OS X as well as Mac OS, being always on top of all other programs running. Moreover, nobody likes a player that eats memory and brakes for other tasks and skips. Air Whisper was designed to be free from such drawbacks. One of the unique features of the player is a new technology for skins creation, which fully utilizes Mac OS X imaging power. New skins for Air Whisper will be regularly placed at SoftWarium's web site for free downloading -- and, if you should want to create your own skins for Air Whisper, just download the handy "skin creation" kit.
Two other MP3 utilities that free you from iTunes are also included on this shareware page...
Go to AACUG's Shareware department
http://www.aacug.org/MUG/shareware.html

Kinko's giving free Web access to military families

The Dallas copy center chain Kinko's Inc. said its U.S. locations are donating 30 minutes of free high-speed Internet access to help immediate family members stay in touch with military members stationed overseas. So if you have friends that need to contact their family. Send them to Kinko's or provide a link yourself.
Story at:
http://www.bizjournals.com/dallas/stories/2003/03/24/daily3.html

Quotes of the week: Winfrey, Hinds

"I do not believe in failure.
It is not failure if you
enjoyed the process."
     - Oprah Winfrey
 
"Whether or not we realize it each of us has within us
the ability to set some kind of example for people.
Knowing this would you rather be the one known
for being the one who encouraged others, or
the one who inadvertently discouraged
those around you?"
     - Josh Hinds

pau

---

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
1st Monday Vendor of the Month; (VOM)
2nd Monday "InfoManager's Humble Opinion (IMHO);
3rd Monday TBA (What would you like to see?)
4th Monday: User Group Tips. (Send them in)
5th Monday: Nothing extra - my day of rest. ;-)
Of course I could make adjustments to this schedule as I see fit and will take suggestions. Have a great week! Note: In light of the new AACUG MUG tabloid publication, I may be changing the above schedule. Please send me your input.
Pau

The Info Manager is a weekly column from the mouse of Lynn Wegley. Lynn 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, Cowtown MUG of Ft. Worth and TUMS (the Tulsa Users of Macintosh Society). Post a lead Info Manager should follow up on.

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