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Spotlight Strikes Back: In Leopard, It Works Great
The Santa Rosa MacBook Value Equation
Leopard Different, a Bit Buggy, but Worth the Upgrade
The 15 Dumbest Apple Predictions Of All Time
Leopard Early Adopters Suffer For The Rest Of Us
Mac OSX: Cracked for PCs + More Update Woes
Apple's Leopard Is A Developer's Delight
OS X Leopard - A Review, a Warning, And Alternatives
Online Crooks Target Macs With Porn Ruse
Another Overreaction To A Mac Malware Sighting
The Mac OS X Malware Myth Continues (And No, Mac OS X Isn't Based On Linux)
MacFixIt Tutorial: Screen Sharing in Leopard
Security Experts Knock Spots Off Mac OS X Leopard Firewall
Reality Distortion For Java On Leopard?
AppleScript, The Language Of Automation
Using Older Peripherals with Newer Macs
Microsoft Format To Become JPEG Successor
The Past And Future Of The Mac
The Tech Night Owl Newsletter: Living with Leopard: Book V — Second Week: Same as the First
The Tech Night Owl: Can You Trust Those Mac Troubleshooting Sites?
Free FileMaker Webinar - Expanding PHP
Mac Servers In A Windows World?
ExtremeTech: Five Ways to Cut Your Utility Bill
PC Mag: 10 More Years of Business Travel. Sorry.
eWEEK: Al Qaeda Rumored to Prep e-Jihad for Nov. 11
Spotlight Strikes Back: In Leopard, It Works Great
TidBits' Matt Neuburg reports:
In earlier articles, we've talked about some of the great new features of Leopard that might make an upgrade worth while. I wrote an article about Spaces, Glenn Fleishman explained how File Sharing is light years better than it used to be, and Joe Kissell gave us the low-down on Time Machine. (The best way to reference that coverage is from our "Leopard Arrives" series.) In this article, I want to tell you about what I think is the last big piece of the Leopard improvement puzzle - the all-new, all-singing, all-dancing Spotlight.
In order to explain why Spotlight in Leopard is so good, I have to talk briefly about why Spotlight in Tiger was so bad. If you already know that, or if your teeth can't handle any gnashing, you might want to skip this next section, where I recount a bit of regrettable history.....
the improvement in Leopard's Spotlight is very, very dramatic....
For the full commentary visit here:
http://db.tidbits.com/article/9283
The Santa Rosa MacBook Value Equation
Low End Mac's Dan Knight says:
Surprise, surprise, surprise! Apple quietly slipped out an updated version of the MacBook late Wednesday. The new version looks like the three revisions than went before it, but there are some real changes under the hood.
The biggie is moving to Intel's Santa Rosa chipset, the same chipset found in the more costly MacBook Pro models. In addition to moving from a 667 MHz memory bus to 800 MHz, the new MacBooks now support up to 4 GB of RAM. And they ship with Leopard, which is receiving wide praise.
The other improvement comes from switching from the Intel GMA 950 graphics processor to the newer, more powerful Intel X3100 CPU. There's a price to be paid: The new GPU ties up 144 MB of system memory, where the older one only reserved 80 MB for its use. That said, at least today's MacBooks ship with 1 GB of RAM - the earliest MacBooks came with just 512 MB.
Apple isn't making a big deal about the new MacBook, treating it more like a simple refresh than a revision. The 2.0 GHz model has the same product number as its predecessor, and the new 2.2 GHz MacBook shares a model number with the 2.16 GHz model it replaces....
For the sake of comparison, let's say the 2.0 GHz Santa Rosa model averages 10% faster than the older 2.0 GHz MacBook while the 2.2 GHz averages 12% faster than the older 2.16 GHz MacBook. It's close enough for doing a value equation.
For the full report visit here:
http://lowendmac.com/musings/mm07/1102.html
Leopard Different, a Bit Buggy, but Worth the Upgrade
Low End Mac's Adam Robert Guha reports:
Unlike some Mac users, I decided to install Leopard on the day of its release. I've generally had good luck with Apple operating systems being "reasonable stable" upon release and figured that 10.5 would probably be no exception.
For the most part I was right: It's stable, pretty fast and generally does what Tiger did before it in the same ways. It's not without it's issues, and that's what I aim to explore in this article....
You can check it out at:
http://lowendmac.com/archive/aa07/1102.html
The 15 Dumbest Apple Predictions Of All Time
Wired's Rob Beschizza says:
It's easy to dump ire on anlysts for getting it wrong so often. What those guys do, however, is provide a particular service to particular people. Interpreting what analysts say in terms of truth or falsity is to forget the real lesson we should take from Prof. Frankfurt: words build worlds.
That said, here are some of the most awesome flubs to be found in the futures that people have wished for Apple. Recommended listening while reading this list is "I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas."
The iMac Will Fail
Give the Money Back
Coming Soon: Apple's Subnotebook/Tablet/UMPC/Newton 2
Gamers Will Flock To Macs
Apple's Post-iPod Era Decline Proceeds Apace
iPhone, The Bomb of 2007
iPhone Revolution To Kill Subsidy Status Quo?
Hewlett Packard iPod To Be a Winner
Sony To Buy Apple
A Range of Click-Wheel iPhones
The Goose is Cooked
AppleTV's Features and Impact
Jobs, Shjobs!
Self-Mutilation or Sale Is the Only Way Forward
Shut Down The Primary Source Of Revenue
For full elucidation, visit:
http://blog.wired.com/gadgets/2007/11/analysts-dont-k.html
Leopard Early Adopters Suffer For The Rest Of Us
News.com's Tom Krazit says:
I can't decide whether early adopters are saints or fools.
....An estimated 9 percent of the Mac OS X installed base had already signaled their intention to upgrade last weekend, and those numbers presumably grew by some degree over the last few days.
Most Leopard users seem satisfied. But there have been a fair amount of complaints from those who were first down the road to Leopard. Most are relatively minor, some were quite annoying, and a few raise questions about how Apple's operating system strategy might be different when it's time to ship the next release....
Can you compare Leopard's first week to Tiger's, or perhaps (if you're in a sardonic mood) to Vista's? There certainly was no Leopard-related disaster, and if you measure it by sales, it was a success. As I read all of the reviews, nits, and obsequious literary odes to Leopard trotted out over the past week, I kept coming back to a few things.....
For the full commentary visit here:
http://www.news.com/8301-13579_3-9809571-37.html
Mac OSX: Cracked for PCs + More Update Woes
Tom's Hardware's Tony Celeste reports:
Now You Can Run Mac OSX Leopard On An X86 PC
The vast majority of us who use both PCs and Macs probably saw this coming, but I don't think anyone, me included, saw it coming anywhere near this soon: Mac OSX Leopard, released on Friday, October 26th, has already been cracked to run on x86 PCs.
The crack was engineered by the developers at OSx86 Scene, with a tutorial quickly posted by Daily Apps......
....Apple, of course, does not condone this process.
If you're wondering why Mac OSX won't just work on a typical PC, like Windows and DOS and Linux and Unix and OS/2 and ... well you get the idea... all other Intel-based operating systems, the answer may surprise you. It's not an incompatibility issue; it's intentional interference from Apple.
Apple has placed specific code in the Mac operating system that looks for a special chip found only in Apple-built computers. When the Mac OS fails to find this chip in a PC, the Mac OS refuses to install. This gives rise to the question: "Once I buy the right to use an OS, shouldn't I be allowed to install it wherever I want to?"
For the full commentary visit here:
http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/mac-osx-cracked,review-29732.html
Apple's Leopard Is A Developer's Delight
ComputerWorld's Michael DeAgonia reports:
When it comes to Apple's new operating system, Leopard, users are likely to notice the flashy graphics and animations, the tight integration of applications and the speed with which it churns through data. What they don't see are a large number of the under-the-hood changes that Apple built in so that its own developers - and those who come up with third-party apps - use all of that underlying software goodness.
Apple has always taken advantage of the fact that its own internal developers write both the operating system and the applications that catch the public's eye. Think Safari. The iLife suite. Time Machine. Each new version of the operating system - as well as those all-important programs - can thus offer not only new features, but seamless integration and more visual flair.
In a software ecosystem whose target audience has extremely high expectations - from Apple CEO Steve Jobs all the way down to the newest Mac owner on the block - visual flair and application integration with the operating system can literally make or break a developer's application.
To read more, click here.
Apple Bans Nuclear Plants From Running 'Leopard' OS
InformationWeek's Paul McDougall reports:
While researching a story about Apple letting users run Leopard in a virtualized environment, I came across some interesting language in the software's license agreement. Who knew you can't use Leopard to run a nuclear power plant, or a 747?
The end user license agreement for the server version of Leopard, aka OS X 10.5, contains this list of restrictions.
Leopard is "not intended for use in the operation of nuclear facilities, aircraft navigation or communication systems, air traffic control systems, life support machines or other equipment in which the failure of the Apple software could lead to death, personal injury or severe physical or environmental damage."
Apple is concerned about environmental damage? Didn't Greenpeace just discover that the iPhone is loaded with nasty chemicals?
For the full report click here.
http://www.informationweek.com/blog/main/archives/2007/11/apple_bans_nucl.html
OS X Leopard - A Review, a Warning, And Alternatives
blog.vagueware.com says:
Last Sunday I trundled up to the local Apple store with company debit card in hand to grab a copy of OS X Leopard. I installed it that afternoon and have spent the last week on the road and at home living with it. I've now come to a conclusion:
Leopard is an excellent advertisement for switching to Ubuntu.
Seriously, it sucks. I'm not talking suckiness on a Windows Vista level, but compared to Tiger, it's awful. Here's some reasons.....
To read more, click here.
Online Crooks Target Macs With Porn Ruse
AP Technology Writer Jordan Robertson reports:
In a backhanded compliment to Apple Inc., online criminals are apparently so impressed with its scorching sales they are sending Macintosh computers an attack typically aimed at machines running Microsoft Corp.'s dominant Windows operating system.
Symantec Corp. researchers said the Web sites serving up the new attack also deploy a Windows version.
"For a while Mac users have enjoyed the benefits of being a small enough population that hackers didn't go after them directly - that's obviously now changing," said Ben Greenbaum, senior research manager at Symantec Security Response.
Lynn Fox, an Apple spokeswoman, said the Cupertino-based company knows about the threat and urges Mac users to be careful about where they download things from....
"This is the first really malicious criminal malware (for Macs)," said Intego spokesman Peter James. "We've seen some proof-of-concept malware, we've seen some worms, but this is different."
To read more, click here.
Another Overreaction To A Mac Malware Sighting
The Baltimore Sun's David Zeiler says:
A new Trojan horse directed at porn-viewing Mac users has touched off the usual barrage of "now those smug Mac owners will get their come-uppance" articles. The exaggerated tone - particularly in some of the headlines - is completely out of proportion with the threat.
A few examples:
"New Apple Trojan Means Mac Hunting Season Is Open" – Wired
"Fortress Mac Is Gone: Malware breaches the Mac moat" – eWeek
"Porn Trojan ushers in new era for Mac security" – ZDNet UK
"Macs seized by porn Trojan" – The Register (UK)
Representatives of security software firms have jumped on reports of the Trojan as evidence Macs are really no safer than Windows PCs, a not-so-subtle suggestion that Mac users need to buy their anti-virus software.
I'm not saying the Trojan, called OSX.RSPlug.A, poses no threat. It's real and it's out there. But it's not spreading like wildfire. A Mac user needs to do a lot of dumb things to get infected.
To read more, click here.
The Mac OS X Malware Myth Continues (And No, Mac OS X Isn't Based On Linux)
Blackfriars Marketing says:
Continuing a non-story that will never die, Wired Magazine has an article about the threat of Mac OS X malware, in which I was quoted. I spoke with the author, Ryan Singel, by phone yesterday, and disputed the premise that Apple's market share grows, it will be subject to the same degree of malware that Windows is. Unfortunately, something got lost in the translation. Here's the quote:
But Carl Howe, an Apple analyst at Blackfriars Communications, disputes the security researchers' theories. He thinks that OS X's Linux heritage makes Apple systems less vulnerable to attack than Windows-based platforms. He argues that even if hacking Macs hasn't been profitable in the past, attackers would have done it anyway if they'd been able -- just for the attention.
"I think the market-share thing has always been a myth," Howe said. "It's a good story to talk about."
What I actually said was Mac OS X's Unix heritage, not Linux. I wrote Ryan about the mistake, and he corrected it. But I just wanted my readers to know I don't have my *nix's mixed up if they saw the earlier version.
But overall, I do stand by my statement that the whole Mac OS X malware story is one of those urban myths that just won't die....
To read more, click here.
http://www.blackfriarsinc.com/blog/2007/11/mac-os-x-malware-myth-continues-and-no
MacFixIt Tutorial: Screen Sharing in Leopard
MacFixIt's Ted Landau says:
If you are into troubleshooting (and given that you are here at MacFixIt, it's likely that you are), you'll find a wealth of welcome goodies in Mac OS X 10.5 (Leopard). If I were to make a list of Noteworthy New Troubleshooting-Related Features in Leopard, the first item would be the redesigned and pumped-up Sharing System Preferences pane and its related features. And of all the new sharing-related features, the one perched at the absolute pinnacle would be screen sharing.
Regardless of what you may already know about screen sharing in Leopard, I am confident that you will learn something new in this article—as we get down to the nitty-gritty of how screen sharing works, how it sometimes doesn't work, and when it may even pose a significant security risk.
To read more, click here.
//www.macfixit.com/article.php?story=20071102122311545
Security Experts Knock Spots Off Mac OS X Leopard Firewall
The Register's John Leyden reports:
It's been a rocky week for security-conscious Mac fans. A rare appearance of a Trojan targeting Mac fans made it out onto the net and the release of Apple's much vaunted Leopard operating system was marred by security concerns about its firewall.
Reports of Leopard installs hanging at boot, behaviour compared by some to the Blue Screen of Death of Windows notoriety, didn't help either. An unsupported add-on extension for a Logitech mouse drive has emerged as the main suspect behind that stability issue.
Much has been made of the Trojan, dubbed RSPlug-A, after it was found on several porn websites. To get infected, users have to give explicit permission for the malware, which poses as a codec, to run. The firewall issue, by contrast, affects all users upgrading to Leopard - not just those hunting for free skin flicks.
For the full report visit here:
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2007/11/02/leopard_security_analysis/
Reality Distortion For Java On Leopard?
The Register's Phil Manchester says:
Not cool Steve
By releasing the latest version of Mac OS/X without support for Java 6, Apple has managed to attain unpopularity and court controversy.
When Mac OS/X version 10.5 - or Leopard - was unleashed this week, many expected it would come with Java 6 support - not least because Apple as good as said it would.
But when the code arrived, there was no Java 6 - and no explanation from Apple for the omission.
The lack of Java 6 and Apple's refusal to provide a roadmap for future availability has produced a strong reaction against the Mac as a machine for development. To some it'll be seen as further justification for their reason to abandon the Mac and proof of Apple's tardiness on Java.
For the full commentary visit here:
http://www.regdeveloper.co.uk/2007/11/02/apple_leopard_java/
AppleScript, The Language Of Automation
A new Apple article says:
Everyone who uses a computer knows how daunting it can be to perform the same series of tasks over and over again. For example, try to change the name of 75 files in a folder and you'll soon realize how time-consuming and stressful repetitive actions can be. Isn't there an easier way?
Yes, it's called AppleScript.
AppleScript is an English-like language used to create script files that control the actions of the computer and the applications that run on it. Much more than just a macro-language, which simply reepeats your recorded actions, AppleScript scripts can "think." Scripts can make decisions based on user-intereaction or by parsing and analyzing data, documents or situations. AppleScript scripts can automate mych of what we do, make your time spent of the computer more productive, less stressful, and save us time and money. Isn't that what computers are supposed to do?
To read more, visit here:
http://www.apple.com/applescript/
Using Older Peripherals with Newer Macs
Low End Mac's Adam Rosen says:
A recurring issue that users of all platforms face is how to use older peripherals with newer computers. Printers, scanners, hard drives, and various specialty equipment have long life spans and often remain in use longer than the computers they were originally used with. But as operating systems evolve and new computers lose ports and hardware interfaces they once had, continuing to use those peripherals can present challenges.
On the Mac hardware front, there are several ways to tackle the problem. USB adapters are available for a wide variety of legacy connectors, including ADB, serial (DIN-8 and DB-9), PS/2, and parallel ports (which can be useful with Macs - see below). These types of adapters are particularly useful for printers and input devices (keyboards, mice, tablets, etc.).
Expansion cards are another popular option. Desktop Macs with PCI slots (PCI, PCI-X, or PCIe) and laptops with expansion card slots (PC Card for PowerBooks, ExpressCard for MacBook Pros) have options to add USB, FireWire, SCSI, IDE/ATA, serial ports (RS-422), etc. Manufacturers of USB adapters and expansion cards include Keyspan, Belkin, and Griffin, among others.
For the full report visit here:
http://lowendmac.com/ed/rosen/ar07/1102.html
Microsoft Format To Become JPEG Successor
Electronista reports:
The multinational Joint Photographic Experts Group, responsible for the JPEG standard used in virtually all mainstream imaging, has announced that the next iteration of its standard will be based on Microsoft's HD Photo format. HD Photo is built into Windows Vista, and was originally dubbed Windows Media Photo, hoped to offer some degree of proprietary control for the company; in its new incarnation however it will be called JPEG XR, and remain neutral as with the current JPEG technology....
For the full report click here.
http://www.electronista.com/articles/07/11/02/microsoft.behind.jpeg.xr/
The Past And Future Of The Mac
The BBC's Marc Cieslak says:
Few brands, especially one with its roots in home computing, enjoy the devoted user base which Apple does.
More than 1.1 million iPhones have been sold since its launch
Apple has sold more computers this year than ever before, shifting 2,164,000 of the things in its fourth quarter of 2007 that closed at the end of September.
Many industry observers believe this is a result of a "halo effect" resulting from the iPod and now the iPhone. Apple computers are basking in the glory reflected from these much-hyped products....
While Apple is enjoying a rise in sales, its machines still only account for 5% of the computer market, with PCs running Windows dominant. Its machines however, are have a reputation for being stylish and well designed....
One criticism levelled at Apple has been its lack of focus on budget products. Mid-range and high-end users are well catered for but those on a budget have traditionally turned to PCs which tend to be cheaper....
...The Apple brand is probably stronger than it has ever been and the hype machine rolls on.
For the full commentary visit here:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/click_online/7074568.stm
The Tech Night Owl Newsletter: Living with Leopard: Book V — Second Week: Same as the First
If you believe some of the things written about Leopard in the past week or so, you may consider it the buggiest system upgrade ever! But, as with all things of this nature, that impression is a huge exaggeration.During Leopard’s first weekend on sale, some two million copies were moved as retail upgrade kits and preloaded on some new Macs. Since then, it’s fair to say hundreds of thousands of additional copies have probably been shipped, and the vast majority of Mac users who have Leopard have installed it.
To read more, click here.
Notes: You can also access our new RSS feed, available at:
http://www.macnightowl.com/rss
Or our new Atom feed at:
http://www.macnightowl.com//atom
The Tech Night Owl: Can You Trust Those Mac Troubleshooting Sites?
The other day, I read an article that complained about the conduct of one of the major Mac troubleshooting sites,MacFixIt, particularly since it was acquired by CNET several months ago. I won’t link to the article, because I think its information and conclusions might be a tad over the top.
Here's the link to the story:
http://www.macnightowl.com/newsletter/2007/11/04/newsletter-issue-414/#sites
Notes: You can also access our RSS feed, available at
:http://www.macnightowl.com/rss
Or our Atom feed at:
http://www.macnightowl.com/atom
Free FileMaker Webinar - Expanding PHP
[Press Release]
FMWebschool is offering a free FileMaker web publishing webinar on Thursday November 8th. In our last webinar we built an online music store in less than an hour. In this webinar, we will build a fan club section that demonstrates how you can quickly add the features 'most' requested by clients and prospects. We will demonstrate live, in minutes, techniques that would take expert programmers hours to accomplish.
If you are curious about learning how to bring FileMaker to the web, this webinar is for you.
Why should you watch this Live webinar?
• You want to learn the easiest way to bring FileMaker to the web
• You don't have time to learn PHP - but you cannot afford to be left behind
• You want to learn some powerful techniques that you can apply in minutes
• Give us 1 hour to teach you how to harness the power of FileMaker web publishing!
Register for our Free Webinar! Space is limited
The live Webinars will be held on:
Thursday November 8, 2007 10 A.M. - 11:15 A.M. EDT Thursday November 8, 2007 4 P.M. - 5:15 P.M. EDT
In our last webinar we built an online music store in less than an hour. In this webinar, we will build a fan club section that demonstrates how you can quickly add the features 'most' requested by clients and prospects. We will demonstrate live, in minutes, techniques that would take expert programmers hours to accomplish.
The additional advanced features we demonstrate will enable you to deploy exciting websites without learning any PHP. It is important to know that clients are all unique and different - and an automated cookie cutter site is not the answer. Invest in your future and learn how to build powerful FileMaker driven websites that are as unique as your customers.
What will you learn in this seminar?
In 50 minutes you will learn to:
• Create an online Calendar that shows live FileMaker data
• Create a PDF report with container field images, portals and tables
• Create Barcodes for fan club merchandise
• Create pie charts and bar charts - displaying FileMaker data
• Create powerful HTML emails that include images and formatted text
During the demonstration, we will have FMWebschool team members answering questions. Once the demonstration is over we will have a 20 minute informative question and answer period.
This webinar will demonstrate the power and simplicity of FileMaker web publishing. Attendees will also be able to download a free copy of this webinar, sample web files and the example database. Space is limited, so please register early!
Register for Webinar November 8th - 10 A.M. EDT: https://www.gotomeeting.com/register/697534767
Register for Webinar November 8th - 10 A.M. EDT: https://www.gotomeeting.com/register/132547928
Learn more about FMWebschool:
http://www.fmwebschool.com FileMaker
Web Hosting:
http://www.fmgateway.com
Watch our last webinar:
http://www.fmwebschool.com/webinar_specials.php
Mac Servers In A Windows World?
InformationWeek's Joe Hernick reports:
If you don't belong to the cult of Mac, you might ignore OS X Server 10.5, code-named Leopard. That would be a shame, particularly for small and midsize enterprises, even all-Microsoft shops.
Stop snickering. We chased Leopard around our Real-World Labs and came away pleased on most fronts.
For the full report click here.
ExtremeTech: Five Ways to Cut Your Utility Bill
"Do you turn off the lights when you leave the room? Do you leave stuff like fans running, stereos blaring, TV's chattering, and so on, when you're not actually using them? You're wasting power, and even the staunchest conservatives know that such practices not only harm the environment, but they put a dent in your pocketbook.
Besides the obvious acts of shutting things down when you're not using them, there are other things you can do to cut down on your Con Ed (or whatever utility company owns you-I mean, supplies your home) bills. Take a few minutes to read through our suggestions, and follow the links, to learn how to save money while staying warm through the long winter months."
To read more, go to:
http://www.extremetech.com/article2/0,1558,2211066,00.asp
PC Mag: 10 More Years of Business Travel. Sorry.
The dream of videoconferencing technology good enough to supplant traveling to business meetings still hasn't been realized.
To read more, go to:
http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,1759,2210947,00.asp
eWEEK: Al Qaeda Rumored to Prep e-Jihad for Nov. 11
An unconfirmed report says a DDoS attack against Western sites will have us going up in e-flames, but experts are scoffing.
To read more, go to:
http://www.eweek.com/article2/0,1759,2211010,00.asp
Charles W. Moore
Tags: News ď Tech-Industry ď
