User group Newsletter Editors: Utilize this content in your newsletter -- PLEASE ... reference The User Group Network _ / _ UG Network Channel _ / _ NEWS_/ _ Info Manager Shareware Manager is coming: YUM! Show us the shareware! The Info Manager is looking for your rumors and tidbits... give him a post! ...or subscribe... see subscription notes below Info Manager - 09/22/Y2K Prizes for shareware Links; Free ISP listing; Trellix; MacOS X Server; Nortel; MS Support; 1-Click on Apple Store; Registering software . Prizes for shareware Links The User Group Network has opened it's Shareware Manager demo page, and reportedly has a whole pile of gifts to give in random drawings for anyone who sends in a shareware preview via online form. Rumor has it that UGN has dozens of the coveted "YUM" posters to give away along with Apple collectors T-shirts. We've seen those posters going for as much as $50 on ebay. Check it out: http://www.user-groups.net/shareware/ . Another Free ISP listing A few weeks back I wrote about Free ISPs that are available for PCs and Macs. Joe West of "Here On The Web" has created a similar list with a few companies included that are new to me. So you can find out more at: http://www.hereontheweb.com/freeinternet.htm . Don't forget, "free" usually means a price other than cash. . Trellix Red Herring is reporting that Dan Bricklin is still I the software business. You may be old enough to remember that he was the original programmer for VisiCalc for the Apple ][+. He is now showing and selling a product called Trellix. Trellix is a tool for creating hypertext documents. It is being used by sites like Tripod to help their customers create home pages. They point out that many sites are starting to outsource what was the core of their business. The example given is Yahoo who now uses Google's search engine on their site. Any way it is good to see some of the "old timers" still in action. You can download the PC version of VisiCalc from Bricklin's web site: http://www.bricklin.com/history/vcexecutable.htm * MacOS X Server According to the EvangeList: "Serverwatch at internet.com has given MacOS X server 5 out of 5 stars. Internet.com is largely a ISP administrators resource so this is very good! They give NT 4 only 4 1/2 stars...and these would be people traditionally> hostile to Macs as servers." More at: http://serverwatch.internet.com/platforms-macosx.html * Nortel According to Insaely Great Mac, Nortel Networks is showing off a Mac client of its Internet call waiting software. The company has released a developmental version of its Mac client for to the public. So if you have an interest in this product, you should check it out and let Nortel know that you are interested. Especially if you want voice added. For more information and to download the software, visit http://concepts.extremevoice.com/macclient/ * Microsoft Support The LangaList is reporting that "Microsoft has changed its support policy effective today. Now most customers will get free support for only two "incidents." See for more info: http://support.microsoft.com/directory/directory/policyFAQs.asp?sd=gn This means if you need support on PhotoDraw you get 2 phone calls. If you need support on Office you get the same 2 calls. Sounds dumb to me. * 1-Click Shopping Insanely Great Mac newsletter is reporting that Apple is the first company to license Amazon.com's "1-Click" shopping technology. It is to be used in the Apple Store to make it easier than ever to buy a Mac directly from Apple. Can you say "higher margins".Full story: http://www.insanely-great.com/news/00/9/19-applestore.html * Registering Software How often do you register software? I know that I don't for most applications. Only those that I think will be "mission critical" to me and my clients. Otherwise I would have to spend more time registering and reading junk mail than I can afford. However last Spring, with the introduction of the Registration Wizard in Office 2000, (Window) Microsoft has made it a requirement that you register. If you don't then after the 50th use the software will quit running. (This is reported in PC World). I assume that means you must register on line. Otherwise, you could just print out a registration document and not send it in. Or perhaps you can call in your registration and get an authorization number in that manner. But in any case it makes it much more difficult for legitimate users to use the software as well as making it almost impossible for software pirates. It will be interesting to see if this becomes a trend through out the industry. * Quotes of the Week: "Pre-empt Doris Day? Are you out of your mind?" - CBS President Bob Wood in 1970, turning down the chance to broadcast Monday Night Football. __ "They're claiming that Internet file downloads are covered by the same license as, ahem, 'record clubs,' and thus we are owed nothing. I call this racketeering and so should you. -- Courtney Love demanding her share of Universal's windfall from the MP3.Com case * Web site of the week: Those of us that have had a computer for awhile, remember a magazine called Dr. Dobbs Journal that was aimed at developers back in the late 70's and early 80's. For awhile it and Byte were just about the only personal computer magazines around. Well, Dr. Dobbs is still out there. Though I suspect you will be hard pressed to find it on your local magazine rack. They are still a good reference for computer developers of all types. Yes even the Macintosh. For the Mac part of their program look at: http://www.macintoshdeveloper.com/ * pau **** Don't forget ... the Info Manager invites you to use all or part of his column in your user group newsletter. Please let him know, and if possible send an electronic copy for the old scrapbook. Any suggestions for topics and reports of rumors are always welcome. Please me know. Thanks 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 Rumor Manager should follow up on. 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