User group Newsletter Editors: Utilize this content in your newsletter -- PLEASE ... reference UG Network Channel ... 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 - 11/03/Y2K What is it - Answer; SystemWorks Mac; Axis Printer Server; iMovie Awards; USPS Wants computers; Newer Apple Mouse?; MSN for Macs?; Soapbox . WHAT IS IT? (From last weeks picture on the website at http://www.user-groups.net/InfoManager/index.html}...actually it's the "TabletPC" under development by Microsoft and industry partners... "combines the simplicity of paper and the power of the PC" ... "it'll be the next big thing" from the WinTel world. . New "SystemWorks" for Mac? Symantec is responding to the competitive pressure of TechTools Pro by announcing SystemWorks for Mac. The PC version has been a top seller. SystemWorks for the Mac includes their Norton Utilities disk repair and anti-virus programs as well as Aladdin's "Spring Cleaning" and Dantz's Retrospect Express for uninstall/disk cleanup and backups respectively. Price is $129.95 list. But there is a $79.95 upgrade price to anyone that owns previous versions of any of the 4 products. So you would save a few bucks if you purchase Spring Cleaning and then purchased the upgrade. Of course you can still get the products individually, but the package is a great deal. . Axis printer servers We recently had a discussion on the Apple Corp of Dallas BBS concerning the best way to put an Epson inkjet printer on an Ethernet connection. While some people suggested using Apples USB Share program or EpsonShare, shareware product to share the printer while using Ethernet for other parts of the network, those solutions leave the printer on a serial or USB connection instead of the faster Ethernet. Dru Richman who owns Mac Help Desk in Dallas suggested the Axis printer server. The server actually makes the printer available over the faster Ethernet cabling. (At least as I understand it). For more on the Axis servers see: http://www.axis.com/glocal/products/print_servers/config.html#4 . iMovie Awards not happening The iMovie contest sponsored by Apple and the User Group Academy has been canceled. Why? Because there wasn't a single entry. It is hard to give away something when no one enters. Personally I don't understand it. This would have been a good chance to promote Apple, the user group community and a particular user group. At least the entries for newsletter and web site awards are going strong as is this year's grant program. Hope your group entered. I believe the deadline has passed. Get the details at: http://www.UGAcademy.org . Postal Service Shops for computers Robert E. O'Neil sent the EvangeList an article about the US Postal Service looking for a deal on computers for its 800,000 employees. They want a computer and Internet access for $10 to $15 per month. Sounds like they are asking a lot. But I guess they might find a taker on the PC side with a really low end machine. And it probably will require a long time commitment to the service provider, if it happens. Click for full story. . Multi-button Apple Mouse The rumor mills are at it again. First AppleInsider and then later other sites are saying that Apple has at least 2 prototype mice with multi-buttons. It is to be announced with OSX, which will take advantage of them. But would ship as a separate product from the CPUs, except when purchasing a system from Apple's on-line store. Apple Insider. . MSN for Macs? In his column, MacNightOwl, Gene Steinberg reports that MSN has said that a Mac client is under consideration, but then points out that much of MSN's content is available to Mac owners if they register with HotMail. So if you aren't one of the Microsoft Free people, you might want to check it out at: www.msn.com (Wear your sun glasses, and keep both your wallet and your email address in your hip pocket) __ A better bet for Mac users is to check out Gene's column at: www.macnightowl.com/ . 10 Steps to Verbal Virtuosity Garage.com's newsletter turned me on to this article done by Chris Melching who works with Garage.com to help prospective CEO's do their presentations for venture capitalists. Her 10 Steps are useful to user group presenters too. Check them out at: pf.fastcompany.com/feature/00/act_melching.html . Soap Box The summer before Apple purchased NeXT, Steve Jobs was quoted in Wired magazine as saying something like: "If I were the head of Apple, I would milk the Macintosh for as much profit as I could and invest in the next big thing." (Note: not connected with story above.) __ Is there any doubt Steve is doing that? He is putting aside billions of dollars from the sales of the most stylish computers being made today. And as he said in his conference call "style doesn't go out of style." He will continue to make money on the Mac and sell more of them than ever over the next few years. The only real question is: "What is the next big thing?" __ Personally, I think that Sony has found it in its PlayStation2. Microsoft is trying to do the same with its XBox and there are a couple of other companies as well. In short, the computer has to be more than just an Internet device or a game machine. Being able to play CDs, DVDs, games and access the internet at a reasonable cost is imperative. The Playstation2 is selling for $299 as a basic machine. It comes with USB ports and "iLink". iLink is what Sony calls the IEEE1394 standard that Apple calls Firewire. Together, these two ports make the PlayStation infinitely expandable and ultimately a consumer computer. __ Apple could take the iMac and produce it as a television/game box for the same price as the PlayStation2 and it would already have 10K+ applications available for it. __ So in a sense if I am correct, the next big thing isn't revolutionary, but evolutionary. Just think a $300 box with iMovie that you could pickup as a bundle with a game controller and a digital video camera. Go for it Steve. . Quote of the Week: "We either make ourselves miserable, or we make ourselves strong. _ _ _ The amount of work is the same." _ _ _ _ _ _ ~~~Carlos Castaneda . Web site of the week: Are you into couponing at your local grocery store? If your store offers double and triple couponing and you don't take advantage of it, then you are helping to pay for those who do. This web site will help with finding out all kinds of information about coupons. http://www.ellsplace.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. 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