Moore’s MailBag - Thursday, March 30, 2006
Seeks Help With MP3 Transfers To Palm Handheld
Readiris OCR software
Superpaint
Old Expensive Wireless Cards
Colloidal Silver
Powerbook 540c
OpenOffice.org 2.01/2.02
Inkscape
Unipage
Seeks Help With MP3 Transfers To Palm Handheld
From Mike (forwarded by Applelinks Senior Editor Kirk Hiner)
I just picked uo a new Mac desktop (no more Windows machines in my house at all now) and have been setting up my Palm on it, and everything seems to work fine, EXCEPT of this pesky program called "SEND TO HANDHELD." This "droplet" is supposed to let me drag MP3s onto in, at which point it will queue the MP3 for sending over to the SD card in my Palm. I get two windows that pop up, one that confirms my username and destination card, and one on top of that one which explains what's about to happen. When I click DONE on the latter, the former disappears and nothing ever happens. Very frustratiing. Ever hear of anything like this? Some message boards have posted this problem, but I can't find any responses. Sure, I can Hotsync MP3s over, but that takes forever. Any thoughts?
Thanks!
--Mike
Hi Mike;
I have no experience with this issue, but hopefully someone in readerland will have somethng to suggest.
Charles
Readiris OCR software
From David Oakley
Charles,
I don't know if you use OCR software much, but I was wondering whether you or any of the readers of Moore's Mailbox have an opinion of Readiris 11.
In the past I have always used OmniPage Pro, but that software has not been updated in a long time, and, if my memory is correct, has not been updated to run under OS X.
So, I'm looking for a substitute, but am not willing to tolerate a product with a high error count.
Thanks,
David Oakley
Hi David;
I've never used ReadIris, and my impression based on reports from those who have is that it's not quite up to the standard set by OmniPage. Complaints include instability, especially at higher-resolution scans, RTF output that only supports MS Word; so-so accuracy and a not great manual.
However, that's hearsay, and I understand that they have a demo available, so it might be worth a look.
More information:
http://www.readiris.com
VueScan scanner software has an OCR module built-in, but what I've heard about it isn't very complimentary either, anthough VueScan is in other respects an excellent and versatile scanning software solution.
Another OCR alternative is ABBYY FineReader Pro for Mac, and there is a free trial version. I haven't used it but I do have the "lite" version of ABBYY Finereader OCR software (ABBYY FineReader 5 Sprint Plus) that shipped with my scanner. It seems to work reasonably well, but I'm not a heavy user of OCR, as you've probably guessed by now.
The ABBYY Finereader trial version includes: English interface, 117 recognition languages, and works like the full-functional one for 30 times, but for no more than 30 hours on the run (close the application after you’ve worked with it for a time; if you launched FineReader from MS Word, close MS Word). After the trial time elapses, the application switches to demo mode, so that you can't save the recognition results.
For more information, visit:
http://www.abbyy.com/download/?param=2270
Hope this helps a bit.
Charles
Superpaint
From Daniel Barrera
I came across Adobe SuperPaint CD today which I had stored away for safe keeping and was trying to install it on my iBook w/Tiger. I am able to install but when I get to personalize it, it stops. I am sure like the others who tried to install with floppies I will not be able to. Do you have any suggestions. Would it help if I install Mac OS 8.1.
Hi Daniel;
Is the problem that it refuses to accept the serial number key?
If OS 8.1 will work on your iBook, it must be an awfully old iBook.
The University of Maine has Aldus SuperPaint on their download site here:
http://it-mac-web.umecit.maine.edu/mac-software.html
Might be worth a shot.
Charles
Old Expensive Wireless Cards
From: Harold Thompson
Hello Charles,
It's time to add wireless to this old ibook dual USB but the cards to do that seem to be more expensive than the newer ones... huh .. is that right or am I missing something? Anyway if you have a good source for those I'd like to know. I know there's lots of new hardware out there but this old workhorse just keeps on going.
Any help would be much appreciated,
Harold Thompson
Hi Harold;
Your inference is correct. It's simple supply and demand. As I understand it, no one is manufacturing the older-type cards any more.
Wegener Media has the
Apple Airport card (internal for various Mac models)
G3 Powerbook (Firewire)
G4 Titanium Powerbooks
ALL iBooks
iMac's (all Airport compatible units)
G3 & G4 towers (airport capable towers)
$119.99
For more information, visit: For more information, visit: http://www.wegenermedia.com/aircard2.htm
Hope this is some help,
Charles
Colloidal Silver
From Brent Bielema
Dear Charles Moore:
Regarding the colloidal silver, it certainly has benefits for external use (I think Band-Aid is even using it in some of their bandages). But has anyone really studied its cumulative effects after being consumed? I have heard that it may be linked to cancer.
There are plenty of excellent antioxidants that I would prefer. Bottom line is, I would much rather consume actual foods (whole grains, vegetables, fruits, lean proteins) than something which is just going to accumulate in the body (to unknown effects). More objective independent testing is definitely needed. Maybe by that time, we'll have also made computer emissions completely non-toxic.
Also, I used to listen to Alex Merklinger's "Mysteries of the Mind" internet program, before he discontinued it due to a family illness. Alex claimed that the colloidal silver had turned his hair from grey to black. But one of this relatives (daughter?) had cancer and she also took the silver. I'd really like to know how they are doing today, so maybe one of your readers has a lead on that. Hope they are doing OK.
Finally, I would have posted on the AppleLinks website, but for some reason I wasn't able to log in. Hope things work out better for everyone in the future. Take care.
Brent J. Bielema
Hi Brent;
Thanks for your comment. In principle, I agree with you that it is desirable to get your nutrients and antioxidants from high-quality foods rather than supplements. Unfortunately, as I'm sure you're aware, these days we are challenged by minerally-deficient soils and chemical residues from fertilization and pesticides in much food that is not certified organic. Also, the typical diet these days is deficient in certain crucial nutrients such as, for example, Omega 3 fatty acids, which the body does not produce.
I also agree that more research into the use of colliodal silver internally would be highly desirable, althugh extenal use seems to be well-established as pretty safe. Even QuackWatch's Stephen Barrett, who is about as negative as it is possible to be about any sort of alternative, traditional, or complimentary medicine, only mentions Agyria at any length as a hazard of silver ingestion, an no one disputes that it is a risk with very high intake.
I have not run across any references to colloidal silver as a cancer risk. If you have links to any, I would be interested in checking them out.
Charles
Powerbook 540c
From Dale
540c Webserver & FTP Link
http://www.haddockdot.co.uk
In the days when everyone is wowed by the Macbook Pro, i thought it nice to revisit the strengths of an old friend.
dale
Hi Dale;
I remember finding the 500 Series 'Books pretty awesome back in the day. Thanks for the link.
Charles
OpenOffice.org 2.01/2.02
From Ben;
OpenOffice.org 2.01/2.02 is available now as both a PowerPC and an Intel version. *Note*: this works natively on Intel Macs, but this is _not_ a universal binary so choose the appropriate one for your platform.
http://porting.openoffice.org/mac/ooo-osx_downloads.html
Inkscape
From Ben;
I talked to the developers this weekend - the first time I have chatted online. This product is already very usable and works similarly to other vector drawing programs, so it shouldn't be a lot of learning curve.
The interface is done very well. SVG tiny support is going to be coming out soon, although they said most SVG drawings from Inkscape display fine in Firefox. I will have to test this out myself. This feature should make it a killer app for me illustration wise as SVG works without requiring browser plugins and it is standards compliant, scalable, and compressed. I am trying to migrate to entirely open source applications and the hang-up in this area is just the feel of it as far as I am concerned. Drawing with Toon Boom Studio Express is just so much more natural. Some of the nice things they could add would be a Gimp/Photoshop style layers management interface and add autoshapes. I would like there to be different brushes for the calligraphy tool. These things would make up for a the less natural drawing feel.
Thanks for the report, Ben.
Charles
Unipage
From Ben;
One of the things that needs to happen before we get rid of printing is to make monitors as easy to view text as on a printed page and we need to get reliable computers for the masses - ie get rid of Windows as a major desktop player. Until then we will need to use PDFs to make print outs easy and accurate.
***
Charles W. Moore
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