Info Manager for October 28, 2002

[*]  InfoManager Discussion List;   [*]  MacWorld Expo Party List;   [*]  Ballmer baulks at Oz Xbox chippers charter;   [*]  CenDyne Ships First 52X CD Burners;   [*]  SuperDrive Update;   [*]  Spam So Bad the Spammers Balk;   [*]  Printer Cartridges;   [*]  Target to sell iPods;   [*]  Microsoft Says Earnings Doubled, Revenue Rose 26%;   [*]  User Group Tip: Delinquent Reviews;   [*]  Tourbus;   [*]  MUG NEWS for November;   [*]  Quote: Andrew Jackson;  
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News and Info you can use...

The Info Manager invites user groups to use his column in full or in pieces in their newsletter. 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 just provide him with the link. Use this address: Infomanager@user-groups.net or... our online Information form

InfoManager Discussion List

I'd like to remind you that the InfoManager list is a two-way list. It's not just for distributing the Info newsletter each week. Let's get some discussions going, there are a lot of people subscribed but I think they feel it's a broadcast list only. If you're getting this post delivered to your mail box then you're already subscribed. If you're reading this at the InfoManager web page, you can subscribe at:
http://www.user-groups.net/subscribe.html

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MacWorld Expo Party List

Ilene Hoffman is setting up her new Hess Macworld Events List for San Francisco 2003. It should be up in the next two weeks. So if you are planning a paraty, please let her know. (BTW - she is also already making plans herself for Boston MacWorld in 2004). To get on the list, go to:
http://www.ilenesmachine.com/partylist.shtml

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Ballmer baulks at Oz Xbox chippers charter

The Register is reporting in this story is reporting that Microsoft is resisting in every way possible the ability of other people to modify the Xbox. They also briefly speculate that MS is going to make other PC into proprietary boxes. Very interesting. Full story at:
http://www.theregister.co.uk/content/54/27723.html

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CenDyne Ships First 52X CD Burners

No word if these are Mac compatiable, but certainly the speed is getting up there to the point where they can be used more and more like floppies. The story is available at:
http://www.businesswire.com (do a search for CenDyne.

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SuperDrive Update

Apple has posted a SuperDrive Update page on its Web site that tells all about the problems with the drive and the new 4x media. (As reported here a couple of weeks ago.) It also have an FAQ section and tell how to update your firmware. Full information at:
http://www.apple.com/hardware/superdrive/

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Spam So Bad the Spammers Balk

Wired News in an article with the above title says that the Direct Marketing Association is now asking for federal legislation to regulate SPAM. They fear that it will become so prominent in our mailboxes that we will abandon e-mail altogether. Interesting! Full story at:
http://www.wired.com/news/business/0,1367,55951,00.html

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Printer Cartridges

The Chicago Tribune has an article about how printer manufacturers are designing cartridges for their new printers that will register when they are out of ink and then will refuse to work in any printer, even if they are refilled. It is a scary premise. It closes the opportunity to get less expensive refills. Of course, maybe then they will give the printer away instead of charging $100. But I doubt it. The story is at:
http://www.chicagotribune.com/technology/chi-021022ink,0,7821544.story?coll=chi%2Dtechnology%2Dhed

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Target to sell iPods

In fact, according to CNET, some Target stores already have both Windows and Mac versions of the iPod. This is good news for Apple. The bigger the distribution the better. Full story at:
http://news.com.com/2100-1040-963217.html

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Microsoft Says Earnings Doubled, Revenue Rose 26%

The Washington Post reported that MS posted revenue of $7.75 billion for the last quarter and its net income was $2.7 billion. That is only 34.8% profit. Not bad. Mostly this was on the strength of their new licensing program. So, not everyone is rejecting it. Full story at:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A43520-2002Oct17.html

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User Group Tip: Delinquent Reviews

is posted as a stand-alone article this week.

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Tourbus

The Internet Tourbus is one of my favorite newsletters. The current issue talks about purchasing on line and recommends several web sites. For product reviews, Epinions.com which provides consumer reviews of products. Best Web Buys lets you search for products across several stores at the same time. Bestwebbuys.com
Then there is Deal of the Day with hundreds of coupons and discounts listed from web merchants. DealofDay.com
The Tourbus mentions several other sites, but I will let you go to their web site to look at the newsletter in the archives. At
http://www.tourbus.com

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MUG NEWS for November

As MUG, AACUG's tabloid newsletter "Mac User Guide" goes to press, Fred has posted some items that didn't fit into this month's issue.
* Virex Orphans OS/9 prompts this letter from an unhappy user + Shareware: Eleven New Plug-ins for FileMaker Pro 6. Cross platform from Troi + Shareware: Simple, secure workgroup file sharing PC-Mac-Net FileShare v2.0 + Software Manuals: unhappy people struggling to learn + Shareware: Hockey Game Schedules for iCal IceCal from Celsius1414 + Voluntary virus distribution? John Leyden on Greeting Card Virus + Shareware: DropDMG Compressed Disk Images for X from Michael Tsai + Shareware: Drop Drawers and Menus for X + "Classic Menu" restores your Apple Menu to the way it's supposed to work.

In the printed issue see:
* The completion of 'Vinyl into Gold' on digitizing music, from Savannah MUG; * Attack of the Killer CDs - from Mac Valley, dangers to your Mac when you attempt to play one of the new, copyprotected CDs. (Along with tips for copying copy-protected CDs); * A new Parent's Alert posted by AACUG's kids safety net watch dog Joseph Showker; * Backwards & Forwards, a look at the trials and tribulations of a Mac User Group leader; and, of course, my own column the Mug Info Manager for November.
http://www.aacug.org/MUG/index.html

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Quote: Andrew Jackson

"Take time to deliberate; but when the time for action arrives,
stop thinking and go in. One man with courage makes a majority" -
     Andrew Jackson

. 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
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 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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