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eWeek: Apple: Get Out of Desktops
eWeek: Apple Should Stay the Desktop Course
Mac Night Owl: Should Apple Give Up Computers and Move to the Next Insanely Great Thing?
Why Steve Jobs Is Still Important
The Steve Jobs Way
Apple Tech Support Rated "Significantly Better Than Dell" - Consumer Reports
IBM Butts Heads with Microsoft in Workplace
Student Hacks iTunes For Compatibility
Never Use iPhoto's "Erase after transfer" Option
Town Hall Added to Agenda for Macworld Conference & Expo in Boston
Airship Glides Inside UK Cathedral
O'Reilly Releases "Hackers and Painters"
Sony Unveils Color 'iPod killer'
Sony Takes Aim at Apple
Browser Hijackers Ruining Lives 
Acer Riding A Hot Streak
eWeek: Was the Windows Source Leak a Bust?[/url]


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eWeek: Apple: Get Out of Desktops

"But movie studios aren't trading in SGI for Apple. Instead DreamWorks, Disney, Warner Brothers and other houses are moving to low-cost Linux workstations from HP, IBM and other vendors. Even Pixar's rendering tools are available on Linux and Windows along with Mac OS X."

Read more at:
http://www.eweek.com/article2/0,,1588240,00.asp





eWeek: Apple Should Stay the Desktop Course

"So, when I say that I think that Jim Louderback and Rob Enderle have entered some reality-distortion field of their own making on the topic of Apple's viability on the desktop, it's not the ravings of some Cupertino-is-Mecca crackpot. Not at all. When I say that they've taken leave of their senses, I say it out of respect and admiration for their otherwise flawless logic.

But they've both clearly taken leave of their senses when it comes to Apple."

Read more at:
http://www.eweek.com/article2/0,,1590280,00.asp





Mac Night Owl: Should Apple Give Up Computers and Move to the Next Insanely Great Thing?

More naysayers are getting into the act.

Here's the URL for today's commentary:

http://www.macnightowl.com/index.htm#thing





Why Steve Jobs Is Still Important

Writing for news.com, George Colony, chairman and chief executive officer of Forrester Research, says:

"Damn, I hate to be wrong! And it's time to come clean.

"The story of the technology industry and the parables of two men, Steve Jobs and Bill Gates, have been inextricably entwined during the past 25 years. They started out as dreamers who had visions of how personal computers would change the world--and they dedicated their careers to making it happen.

"Their paths diverged in the late 1980s. Gates was well on his way to building one of the most lucrative and tightly controlled monopolies in the history of modern capitalism. Jobs was being ignominiously tossed out of the company he had founded. Jobs' eccentricities (from his control-freak tendencies to his erratic management style) had converged to make him professionally unpalatable. The ill-fated Next, with its revenge-driven strategy, further confirmed that Jobs was a nonfactor--a has-been from the bygone years of home-brewed whimsicality, stuck in an era of corporate, enterprise-focused technology.....

"Roll the tape. The original dream of using digital technology to change the way we live our lives is being fulfilled not by Microsoft and Bill Gates but by...Steve Jobs. He has revolutionized the film industry with Pixar. He is the prime mover in the transformation of the music industry. The most successful portable music player by far was his idea. The iLife software suite is an amazing set of integrated applications for controlling music, arranging and storing photos, capturing and editing videos, and making movies. GarageBand, Apple's newest software for recording, editing, and arranging music, is drawing a fresh new generation to Apple. Steve Jobs is 'The Digitizer.'"

For the full commentary, visit here:
http://news.com.com/2010-7343_3-5210213.html





The Steve Jobs Way

An edition.cnn Builders and Titans Special Report says:

"Steve Jobs helped create a Silicon Valley icon and, along the way, garnered a reputation as a charismatic yet mercurial visionary."

For the full report, visit here:
http://edition.cnn.com/2004/WORLD/americas/04/16/jobs/index.html





Apple Tech Support Rated "Significantly Better Than Dell" - Consumer Reports

In its current "Workhorse Computer" report, Consumer Reports says:

" Overall, when it comes to technical support for desktop computers, Apple rated significantly better than Dell, while Compaq and HP rated significantly worse. It's not clear how those other companies handle support; Apple, Compaq, and HP did not comment."

Consumers Reports also notes:

"Choose a laptop if price isn’t paramount, if you need a full-service computer that’s also portable, and if upgrades aren’t a major issue for you."

As I've been saying for years, laptops are the logical computer unless you have some compelling requirement for desktop features.

For the full report, visit here.





IBM Butts Heads with Microsoft in Workplace

NewsFactor Network reports:

"Lotus Workplace, which includes word processing, e-mail, database and spreadsheet software, is at the heart of IBM's new strategy to take on Microsoft with its middleware.

Lotus Workplace, which includes word processing, e-mail, database and spreadsheet software, is at the heart of the new strategy. The Workplace software runs on the desktop or handhelds, but resides on the corporation's Web server.

The Workplace software will run in both Windows and Linux environments -- unlike Microsoft's ubiquitous office products. And a Macintosh version is due out later this year.

For the full report, visit here.




Student Hacks iTunes For Compatibility

SecurityFocus's Patrick Gray says:

"According to the Australian researcher who cracked the authentication used by Apple's iTunes software, current-generation Digital Rights Management (DRM) will never work.

"David Hammerton, a 20-year-old Arts-Science student, reverse-engineered iTunes' authentication measures last week, allowing non-iTunes clients to connect to Apple's servers. It was the second time he had managed to crack the authentication, however this time it took him just eight hours to break the brand-new iTunes 4.5, which had been patched against his previous research."

For the full report, visit here:
http://www.securityfocus.com/news/8561





Never Use iPhoto's "Erase after transfer" Option

Jim Heid says:

"Yesterday, I posted a reply on Apple's discussion boards. A user had suffered a trauma: he imported some photos into iPhoto, and had checked the 'Erase camera contents after transfer' box. Alas, for some reason, iPhoto didn't import the photos -- but it did erase the camera's contents. Ouch.

"I have a friend who fell victim to this same problem, so I posted a reply with my standard advice, the same advice that appears in my book: never use the 'erase after transfer' option. Pretend it isn't even there. Verify that your photos came in correctly, then use your camera's menus to erase the card.

"This morning's email brought notification that my post had been deleted because it was inappropriate....."

You can check it out at:
http://www.macilife.com/





Town Hall Added to Agenda for Macworld Conference & Expo in Boston

IDG World Expo has announced that Macworld Conference & Expo in Boston will feature a Town Hall meeting - a new, interactive forum for debating the important issues shaping the Mac industry. During this session, top industry observers will present their views on the state of the market and discuss recent developments, including the latest news from the upcoming Apple Worldwide Developers Conference. Macworld Conference & Expo will run July 12-15, 2004 at the new Boston Convention & Exhibition Center (BCEC); the Macworld Town Hall will take place on Tuesday, July 13 at 11:30 a.m.

Moderated by Macworld Conference & Expo Conference Chairperson Paul Kent, the Macworld Town Hall will feature an interactive discussion with well-known Mac industry observers, including Chuck Joiner, editor-in-chief of The MUG Center; Shawn King, host and executive producer of "Your Mac Life;" Bob "Dr. Mac" LeVitus, author and columnist for the Houston Chronicle; and Jason Snell, editor-in-chief of Macworld.

During the Macworld Town Hall, participants will analyze the latest industry news, discuss how Macworld can continue to serve Mac users, and look at new and interesting developments from around the Mac market. Members of the audience will also have ample opportunity to ask questions of the participants and contribute to the discussion.

"Macworld Conference & Expo is the highlight of my year, mostly because it's a great way to exchange ideas and opinions with the rest of the Mac community," said Snell. "I'm looking forward to the Macworld Town Hall for this very reason - I love sharing ideas with Mac users and developers and hearing what they have to say about the Mac, Apple, and Macworld."

"The Macworld Town Hall fosters the sense of community that Macworld Conference & Expo is renowned for," said Kent. "We'll be looking at Apple's WWDC announcements, the state of being a Macintosh user and any other industry issues the attendees want to discuss. The discourse will be informative, spirited and entertaining."

The Macworld Town Hall is open to all registered attendees at Macworld Conference & Expo. To learn more about the event or to register, visit:
http://www.macworldexpo.com






Airship Glides Inside UK Cathedral

Reuters reports:

"Researchers have sent up a mini-airship inside one of Britain's most ancient cathedrals to inspect stained-glass windows and inaccessible stonework.

"The meter-long radio-controlled craft carried digital cameras to allow staff to monitor the condition of the cathedral's 14th-century windows, all of which survived a 1984 fire that gutted the south transept....

"The company that owns the helium-filled airship was initially set up by students at the nearby University of York...."

For the full report, visit here.
http://www.cnn.com/2004/TECH/05/11/cathedral.dirigible.reut/index.html





O'Reilly Releases "Hackers and Painters"

Picasso said, "Painting isn't an aesthetic operation; it's a form of magic designed as a mediator between this strange hostile world and us, a way of seizing power by giving form to our terrors as well as our desires." Art exemplifies creative thinking at its very highest level: it gives form and expression not just to our terrors and desires but also to the forces that shape our society, our aspirations, and the nitty-gritty of our daily lives. In a world where many people consider art an impractical but somehow necessary indulgence and computer programming an incomprehensible but nonetheless crucial skill, it's not always easy to see the similarities between the two. What, then, do hackers and painters have in common? Is code the canvas that reflects our modern world?

In "Hackers and Painters," (O'Reilly, US $22.95) author Paul Graham examines these questions and many others through a collection of entertaining and thought-provoking essays on subjects of interest to programmers, IT professionals, and geeks at large. From the importance of beauty in software design to the necessity of thinking forbidden thoughts, Graham presents ideas that explore and challenge the social and aesthetic notions we hold about the world of technology and ourselves.

The term "hackers," Graham explains, does not refer to the people who break into computers but, within the computing world, is the name that expert programmers use to refer to themselves. According to Graham, his book is an attempt to explain to the world at large what goes on in the world of computers.

"Everything around us is turning into computers," notes Graham. "Your typewriter is gone, replaced by a computer. Your phone has turned into one. So has your camera. Soon your TV will. Your car has more processing power in it than a room-sized mainframe had in 1970. Letters, encyclopedias, newspapers, and even your local store are being replaced by the Internet. So if you want to understand where we are, and where we're going, it will help if you understand what's going on inside the heads of hackers."

Written in a clear, narrative style, "Hackers and Painters" examines issues such as the rightness of web-based applications, the programming language renaissance, spam filtering, the open source movement, Internet startups, and more. In each essay, Graham moves beyond widely held beliefs about the way programmers work as he tells important stories about the kinds of people behind tech innovations, revealing distinctions about their characters and their craft. No hackers reading this book will fail to recognize themselves within these pages. No programmer will put it down without new thoughts actively percolating.

Some of the essays in "Hackers and Painters" include:
-The Other Road Ahead: Will a new wave of web-based software make desktop software obsolete?
-The Hundred-Year Language: What programming language will people use in 2100? How will they program in 2100?
-Revenge of the Nerds: In technology, "industry best practice" is a recipe for failure.
-A Plan for Spam: Most experts thought spam filters didn't work. This essay changed their minds.
-Why Nerds are Unpopular: In a typical American secondary school, being smart will make your life difficult. Whose fault is it? -Design and Research: Good design begins by asking, "Who is this for and what do they need from it?"
-What You Can't Say: How to think forbidden thoughts and what to do about them.

A hacker and painter himself, Paul Graham, designer of the new Arc language, was creator of Yahoo Store, the first web-based application. In addition to his Ph.D. in Computer Science from Harvard, Graham also studied painting at the Rhode Island School of Design and the Accademia di Belle Arti in Florence.

Chapter 2, "Hackers and Painters," is available online at: http://www.oreilly.com/catalog/hackpaint/chapter/index.html

For more information about the book, including table of contents, index, author bio, and samples, see:
http://www.oreilly.com/catalog/hackpaint/

Hackers and Painters
Paul Graham
ISBN 0-596-00662-4,
272 pages,
$22.95 US, $33.95 CA

1-800-998-9938
1-707-827-7000

For more information, visit:
http://www.oreilly.com





Sony Unveils Color 'iPod killer'

The Register's Tony Smith reports:

"Declaring the barrier between the PC and the AV worlds officially broken, Sony yesterday extended its Vaio brand of computers to include a digital music player.

"Sony Vaio Pocket Digital Media PlayerThe Vaio Pocket VGF-AP1 contains a 20GB hard drive, and also marks a major shift in Sony's portable music strategy, which to date has centred on solid-state and MiniDisc Walkman products."

For the full report, visit here:
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2004/05/11/sony_vaio_pocket/





Sony Takes Aim at Apple

Reuters reports:

"Sony Corp has created a buzz with the unveiling of a new digital music player, but analysts say it has a long way to go before it challenges the industry dominance of Apple Computer's popular iPod....

"Dubbed "Vaio pocket," it features a hard-disk drive capable of storing 13,000 songs and can store digital camera images too."

For the full report, visit here.





Browser Hijackers Ruining Lives 

Wired's Michelle Delio says:

"Browser hijackers are doing more than just changing homepages. They are also changing some peoples' lives for the worse.

Browser hijackers are malicious programs that change browser settings, usually altering designated default start and search pages. But some, such as CWS, also produce pop-up ads for pornography, add dozens of bookmarks -- some for extremely hard-core pornography websites -- to Internet Explorer's Favorites folder, and can redirect users to porn websites when they mistype URLs."

You can check it out at:
http://www.wired.com/news/infostructure/0,1377,63391,00.html?tw=wn_tophead_2





Acer Riding A Hot Streak

Businessweek reports:

"....Acer is on a tear. The Taiwanese PC maker last year racked up revenues of $4.6 billion, and early this year it pushed ahead of Japanese tech giants Toshiba Corp. and NEC Corp. to become the world's No. 5 PC maker. Sales in the first quarter jumped by almost 40%, the best growth rate of any of the top five manufacturers, according to researcher IDC, though from a far smaller base than leaders Dell Inc. and Hewlett-Packard Co. And after years of propping up earnings through sales of noncore assets, Acer now is enjoying profits from its PC business, with operating income of $64 million last year, up from just $5 million in 2002 and a loss of $99 million in 2001. Despite ongoing consolidation in the industry, "we are one of the few winners," Shih boasts. And Acer has become a global heavy without a major sales push in the U.S.

"Now, Acer is looking to extend its winning streak. The next challenge: overtaking Fujitsu Siemens Computers and IBM (IBM ) to become the world's No. 3 PC maker..."

For the full report, visit here:
http://yahoo.businessweek.com/magazine/content/04_20/b3883063.htm






eWeek: Was the Windows Source Leak a Bust?

"Tuesday is Microsoft's monthly patch day, and I'm going to make a prediction: more of the same.

We're going to see holes in Internet Explorer and Windows discovered by security research firms, who will get themselves quoted and otherwise mentioned all over the news because they discovered the problems and reported them to Microsoft.

One thing we won't see are vulnerabilities discovered by some arbitrary schmoe who read the Windows source code leaked to the Internet three months ago. Remember that? Yeah, it's been three months already.

Many predicted that a flood of worms and hacks would ensue, but the practical result has been far more subdued. I know of one specific bug that was exposed very quickly-an integer overflow in BMP handling-and it had been patched months before. I'm told that one or two other holes of similar impact resulted, but nothing to get your hair mussed about."

Read more at:
http://www.eweek.com/article2/0,,1589895,00.asp


***



Charles W. Moore


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