Info Manager for December 09, 2002

[*]   Partition Toolkit

[*]   Windows is Generic

[*]   Xserve being used in server farms

[*]   Xbox Live connection issues

[*]   Opps, error! "Apple spoofs its own advertisements"

[*]   John Droz Jr.'s Mac vs. PC site

[*]   Audible.com to release a Mac version of its audio player

[*]   Factiva.com

[*]   Xerox Says They Have Developed Plastic Transistors

[*]   iPod Hacks

[*]   Apple releases IP over FireWire Preview

[*]   eSanta

[*]   ExtremeMac.com

[*]   Wireless app sounds intruder alert

[*]   State Laws on spam

[*]   More about spam

[*]   Senior Discounts

[*]   Inside Mac radio

[*]   Quotes of the week: Savant, Angelou, Tomlin
 

Partition Toolkit

FWB, who has long had Hard Disk Toolkit and CD ROM Toolkit in its arsenal, has added Partition Toolkit. This enables the ability to repartition a hard drive without backing everything up to something else first. (I would still want a backup though). With the release of 500 GIG drives, this type of thing is getting more important. Note: works under Classic, not OS X. Now if we could just get Disk First Aid to work faster. Thanks to Ron Carlson of Insanely Great Mac
See FWB at: http://www.fwb.com/html/partition_toolkit.html

Windows is Generic

According to an article in the Software Law Bulletin, a Seattle federal judge is allowing LINDOWS to continue using its name because "Microsoft failed to show the court committed any "manifest error" in its prior ruling", that Windows could be a generic term.
      This is almost as good as when Ashton-Tate sued dBase clone makers and got their patent disallowed because it was based on government work. Sometimes it doesn't pay to sue. Note: this link isn't available. The online version of this bulletin is $550/year.

Xserve being used in server farms

According to a news story at Yahoo, the Xserve is now being used more and more on server farms. While this is a small market, it is good to see Apple growing market share.
Full story at: http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story2&cid=75&u=/nf/20021126/tc_nf/20

Xbox Live connection issues

Microsoft's new online service for the Xbox has created headaches for some users. Especially those who have modified their systems. When MS launched Xbox Live, (a $50-a-year service that allows Xbox owners to play games online) the problems began. Microsoft is using Xbox live to detect and bar those machines.
Full story at GameSpot.com: http://gamespot.com/gamespot/stories/news/0,10870,2898034,00.html

Opps, error! "Apple spoofs its own advertisements"

My nephew reminded me that it is WILL Ferrell who does the "switching Santa." Don't know where the "Mike" came from. But that Santa is still here. He also sent me a Han Solo switcher video
at: http://www.theforce.net/humor/

John Droz Jr.'s Mac vs. PC site

Randy B. Singer has pointed out this web site for those looking for ammunition in the Mac vs. PC wars. See it at: http://forgetcomputers.com/~jdroz/index.html
      He also points out some new sections, Like Mac OS X vs Windows XP and Microsoft Testers and Switchers
at http://forgetcomputers.com/~jdroz/11.html

Audible.com to release a Mac version of its audio player

While the iPod works well with Audible.com files, it is nice that they have decided to release a Mac compatible version of "Otis", it's free with subscription player. I may be willing to subscribe in this case. But first I will have to get a USB card for my Mac. (Thanks to MacMinute for pointing this one out.) Check out their details at
http://www.audible.com

Factiva.com

I deal with Factiva on a daily basis with my Windows PC at my full time work. They have now announced that it now fully supports a Web browser on the Macintosh platform. Users running System 8 or 9 should use IE 5.01 or better, and users running System 10 should use IE 5.2 or better.
http://www.factiva.com/

Xerox Says They Have Developed Plastic Transistors

This story showed up in The New York Times on December 3rd. "A Xerox technologist will describe a new material today that allows the creation of ''printed'' plastic transistors, which the company says could one day make possible inexpensive, lightweight and flexible displays for cellphones, laptops and televisions." This could be really a cool thing, making the devices more reliable. (Less likely to be broken when dropped.) Full story at:
http://www.nytimes.com/cnet/CNET_2100-1001-975903.html

iPod Hacks

This maybe old news to you who have iPods, but I just discovered them. (I don't have one, but would be willing to accept a review machine.) They have forums and reviews for members to use. (Their download section was empty when I checked.)
Check them out at: http://www.ipodhacks.com/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=index

Apple releases IP over FireWire Preview

Apple has released public beta software to handle IP (Internet Protocol) networks via Firewire. That would really make most Ethernet networks look slow.
Full story at: http://www.insanely-great.com/news.php?id=1340

eSanta

With Mac OS X, here is a freeware application which allows children to write Santa Claus without the use of the Internet. Then they will get a reply direct from Santa.
Check it out at: http://www.ifthensoft.com/

ExtremeMac.com

This is a web site that sells all kinds of accessories for iPods and flat panel iMac.
See: http://www.xtrememac.com/

Wireless app sounds intruder alert

This isn't a Mac product, but now that someone has pointed the way, perhaps it soon will be. (Windows and Linux) But this software does some interesting things. Especially for administrators. It will mark out the areas of a building to allow Wi-Fi connections and stop people from other areas. So it will keep people for connecting from the parking lot, but could make a garden area available. Sounds real interesting.
Full story at: http://zdnet.com.com/2100-1105-975976.html

State Laws on spam

ZDNet has a list of states that try to fight against spam. Unfortunately Texas isn't one of them. Most of the policies also only apply to UCE originating in that state.
See the list at: http://techupdate.zdnet.com/techupdate/stories/main/0,14179,2880726,00.html

More about spam

A Tourbus* reader reported that he reported a spam he receive selling mortgages. He forwarded it to the Federal Trade Commission and actually got a reply from the FTC saying that they were investigating and going after this particular spammer. So it sounds like someone is listening. We can at least hope. You can forward your spam to uce@ftc.gov or
log in to http://www.ftc.gov/

Senior Discounts

This is a web site that helps us old folks, over 50 in many cases, find discounts for Seniors. Search by zip code
at: http://SeniorDiscounts.com

Inside Mac radio

It is official, Bob "Dr.Mac" Levitus and Scott Sheppard of MacOSXFAQ.com are hosting a Mac radio program every Saturday on CNET. That means in the San Francisco Bay area it can be heard on KNEW (910AM) or on XM Satellite Radio on channel 130. Of course, on the net at http://www.cnetradio.com
      Air time is 11 AM to 1 PM Pacific Time. I don't know Scott, but Dr. Mac is a fun guy with lots of knowledge about Macs.
Get the full announcement at Scott's web site: http://www.osxfaq.com/radio/index.ws

Quotes of the week: Savant, Angelou, Tomlin

"Being defeated is only a temporary condition; giving up is what makes it permanent."
      Marilyn vos Savant

* "One isn't necessarily born with courage, but one is born with potential.
      Without courage, we cannot practice any other virtue with consistency. We can't be kind, true, merciful, generous, or honest."
      Maya Angelou

* "Happiness is not a goal. It is a by-product."
      Eleanor Roosevelt

* "I always wanted to be somebody, but I should have been more specific."
      Lilly Tomlin

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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