The Best Deal, the Best Prices The Mall @ BestDeal.com 17 Million Products and services


Go to: MacinStuff COOL STUFFHOT DEALS
Archived stories from 5/9-5/3, 5/2-4/23, 4/22-4/17, 4/16-4/9, 4/8-4/2, 4/1-3/28, 3/23-3/11, 3/10-2/23,
The online MacinStuff Times

Breaking Macintosh News & Stories Published Daily

Award Winning, The online MacinStuff TimesThe online MacinStuff Times
Currently ranks is 121 out of 187,367 sites
rated in the top 1% of all Web Counter sites
Now Averaging almost 1,300 readers a day
Up 153
places since March 11, On Web Counters
Web Counter Top "10"		Selected as Aprils Hot Site of the month by
Nominated as "Coolest Site" by IndustryNetIndustryNet Online Achievment Awards
 The online MacinStuff Times
has had
Digital Counter http://www.digits.com
readers.


New Features
Index Browse archives by individual stories.Subscribe to our automated ListServer.
View the current "MacinStuff" press release here. New Features coming soon
MacinStuff Times own WWW Search Engine


May 16, 1996

Natural Intelligence -- Two Announcements

Apple is licensing a Java virtual machine and compiler from Natural Intelligence. Quarterdeck and Natural Intelligence collaborate to support Java in WebSTAR for Internet/Intranet Development

Navigator 3.0b4 -- Two Versions


Netscapes Navigator 3.0b4 is available in two versions: "Minimum" lacks Live3D (a VRML 2.0 plug-in), so it requires only half the memory (7-9 Mbytes!). Shockwave is apparently not compatible with Netscape 3.0 betas. You can download the software here.

Microsoft Updates Explorer

Microsoft has released Internet Explorer 2.0.1., you can down;oad the PPC version here. Or the 680x0 version here. Or the fat binary version here.

Aladdin Ships Upgrade of StuffIt InstallerMaker


Aladdin Systems, Inc. today announced StuffIt InstallerMaker(tm) 3.0, a major upgrade to the Macintosh installation product. Used by software developers, MIS directors, and network administrators to create custom installers, InstallerMaker reduces distribution costs and makes installation fast and easy for end users. StuffIt InstallerMaker 3.0 is easy-to-use because it
is built on a point and click interface, which requires no programming time. Some of the enhancements of StuffIt InstallerMaker 3.0 include better compression, improved scripting and recording capabilities, built-in resource compression, built-in updater, and uninstall function, among other features.

Fully Scriptable, Recordable, and Attachable InstallerMaker 3.0 provides "industrial strength" script support for AppleScript, UserLand Frontier, or any other OSA (Open Scripting Architecture) compliant scripting system. With InstallerMaker 3.0's full-featured scriptability, anyone can easily create a script to build an installer or an updater. InstallerMaker 3.0 can even executeAppleScripts as part of the installation process.

Built-In Updating InstallerMaker 3.0 can create an Updater that upgrades earlier versions of a developers software from a single installer without a separate application or writing of custom code. When usingInstallerMaker, not only can developers update existing components, but new ones can be installed, and out-of-date files can be removed. Users can easily update any number of files, move files, copy files, delete old files, and install files as part of the update. With this capability, developers can create small updaters, which are perfect for online distribution.

Better Compression In using InstallerMaker 3.0, users get even better compression with this version's all new compression algorithm. Small installers allow developers to ship on fewer diskettes, thus reducing distribution costs. A developer can now fit extra tutorials and samples
developers wanted to ship on the disk, but didn't have the space for in the past.

UnInstall Users can now "uninstall" software, as well as install it with InstallerMaker 3.0. Uninstallation is handled just like any other installation package, giving your uninstalls complete installation and updating capabilities, as well as removal functionality. Uninstall capabilities include renaming and deleting files, moving, copying, and users can now install a file as part of a removal. A developer can also create as many uninstalls as they wish, each performing different uninstallations. For example, a developer can install a "what changed" file as part of the update and so on. End users will appreciate the simplicity of uninstalling files that are no longer useful, without
tracking them down and removing them manually.

StuffIt InstallerMaker is available for download here.

Bare Bones Releases v4.0 of BBEDIT -- With Color


Bare Bones Software, Inc. today announced the release of version 4.0 of "BBEdit," their popular and critically acclaimed text editor for Mac(TM) OS-compatible systems. This new version includes significant enhancements to its feature set and capabilities.

Color Support

With the release of version 4.0, users can have BBEdit automatically color keywords to make source code and HTML documents easier to read. Users can specify which colors BBEdit uses to highlight language keywords, comments, string constants, and HTML tags. BBEdit offers syntax coloring for all of its supported languages, now including Java as well as C, C++, Object Pascal, Rez, 68K assembler, Fortran, Tcl, Perl, HTML, ScriptX, and GuideScript.

Java Support

BBEdit 4.0 includes support for Java, making it an excellent companion for the Java development environments by Symantec, Metrowerks, Sun Microsystems, and Natural Intelligence.

Full Integration with Frontier 4.0

BBEdit 4.0 includes full integration with Frontier 4.0, the advanced scripting system from UserLand Software. This combination of BBEdit and Frontier provides "Web Site Scripting," a powerful system for HTML authoring and web site management. Web Site Scripting features include:
  • an extensible Glossary database -- any keyword typed in "double quotes" is expanded to its glossary definition automatically.

  • automatic substitution of HTML escape sequences -- instead of having to write complicated HTML escape sequences to display special characters, simply type the characters as you would normally, and the appropriate escape sequences are inserted automatically.

  • URL and e-mail link generation -- when you type a URL or e-mail address, the macro processor will construct the correct HTML anchor tags for you.

  • one-key processing and previewing of pages.
Other Changes

The BBEdit 4.0 package includes a number of other enhancements over previous versions, including: version 2.1 of the BBEdit HTML Tools, support for Metrowerks' CodeWarrior 9, an automated installer, even more Drag & Drop capabilities, enhanced AppleScript(R) features, and support for PowerTalk(R) 1.5. Additionally, BBEdit 4.0 is even faster than previous versions, thanks to several performance enhancements.

X-PORT Makes Transferring from Newtun to Desktop

X-PORT 1.0 : Makes transferring information between your Newton and the desktop as easy as printing. X-Port, developed by Innovative Computer Solutions and published by LandWare, is the easiest and fastest way to send and receive data between a Newton running the 2.0 OS and a Macintosh or Windows PC.

X-port facilities the quick and easy transfer of notes, outlines, lists, contacts, meetings, events, screen shots and packages (non copy protected) from your Newton to desktop computer.

From the desktop you can also download and convert ASCII text files into notes, outlines, lists, contacts, meetings, events and todos. X-port will also transfer packages and graphics (which can be viewed and edited with NewtPaint).

Central to X-port's design is its tight integration with the Newton OS and simplicity of operation. X-port adds a new "X-Port" command to the routing (envelope) button's menu and works in the same manner as printing, faxing or beaming.

A sample of what can quickly be done with X-Port: Transfer a note, outline, or list from your Newton to your Macintosh
Send a screen shot from your Newton to your desktop
Download hundreds of contacts from your desktop PIM to our Newton

Backup a single Newton application to your computer X-Port key features include: Tight integration with the Newton 2.0 OS
Single step upload of notes, outlines, lists, screen shots and packages
Quick and easy downloading of text files, artwork and packages
Transfer single or multiple items to and from an ASCII text file
Supports any desktop application that can save or export as ASCII (text)
Ships with both a Macintosh and Windows 3.1/Windows 95 application
Supports both LocalTalk and serial connections
Modest Newton storage requirements (48K)

Developer API available for adding connectivity to applications

May 15, 1996

"The online MacinStuff Times" Adds New ListServer

Beginning today (our 3 month anniversary) readers of "The online MacinStuff Times" will have a way to voice their opinion, questions, rants raves, and communicate with each other, as well as our staff.

In reviewing the large amount of feedback from our readers, many requested a way to communicate with each other and offer opinions on top news stories. The new ListServer was instituted as the first step toward making "The online MacinStuff Times" a true "open and interactive community".

To subscribe to "The online MacinStuff Times" ListServer:

Send the following in the body (not the subject line) of an email message to "mactimes-request@tampa.entrepreneurs.net":

subscribe mactimes

This will subscribe the account from which you send the message to the mactimes ListServer.

The moderator of the ListServe can be reached here.

Stay tuned for more announcements, and additional new features.

Guy Kawasaki to Do Webcast

Guy will be doing a"moderated chat" webcast at 1:00 pm PST today."Join us as we speak with Apple Evangelist, Guy Kawasaki, live from WWDC. Hear his thoughts on the developer conference and the opportunities for developers the future at chat.online.apple.com, port 6667, channel DevChat."

To enter the webcast area, go here.

Apple Adds New Software Download them Here


Philips Version of "Cheap" Internet Access uses TV

Philips is getting into the Internet, today they announced a U.S. version of its CD-Online entertainment machine designed to give users access to email and the Web through their television sets.

CD-Online, which is used in conjunction with a TV set, plays all CD-i software titles, as well as audio, video and photo CDs. It will ship with a 14.4 modem, proprietary Internet software, and the ability to convert text and graphics for NTSC television display.

Philips is among many manufacturers attempting to converge the PC and the TV. Last week, Zenith announced a partnership with Diba to produce a PC television set.

Like Sony and other established television manufacturers, Philips may have at least one key advantage over many PC manufacturers due to its head start on making text legible on a screen from sofa-viewing distances.

Philips, which expects the set-top box later this summer. Also expected is a bundle of three months' free subscription to local ISP as well as a special control for parental block, restricting access to inappropriate Internet areas, (similar to thier TV sets. )

Philips plans to offer the system for less than $700. For current CD-i owners, an upgrade kit to the Internet version will be available for less than $200. Keyboard will cost another $50.

May 14, 1996

Apples New WWW Site Not Copland, OS 8

Apple has put up a new WWW site, and curiously it is calling the next Macintosh OS, OS 8. A quote from the site,

"Welcome to Mac OS 8 Web!

This site highlights the future directions of the Mac OS. Our aim is to use this interactive medium to communicate directly with you --Mac OS customers and developers-- and ensure that we're heading in the right direction to provide you with an outstanding product, the support Apple developers deserve, and distinctly superior user value!

You can visit the new site here.

Apple Announces QuickTime VR v2.0


Apple Computer Inc.announced a new version of QuickTime, QuickTime VR v2.0 is schedules to be shipped later this summer. The first developer release of the programmer's API will ship next week.

QuickTime VR will include enhanced support for Internet URL hot spots on panoramas and objects, allowing users to click on a hot spot in a panorama or one object can transition to other WWW sites .

QuickTime VR v2.0 will support sound, tool improvements and improved reliability, QuickTime movies, continued playback of QuickTime VR 1.0 files, ompositing of still images, and 3-D sprites into QuickTime VR panoramas.


Information about purchasing QuickTime VR Authoring Tools are available here.

Phantom, Web Crawler for the Macintosh

Maxum Development Corp. and AKTIV Software Corp. today announced the intention to license and distribute AKTIV Software's Macintosh-based Web crawler Phantom (formerly AKTIV Software's Duppies).

Webmasters can use Phantom to scan any Web site and build a complete index of its HTML pages. Once a site has been scanned, Phantom allows users to perform searches using simple queries. The program is "Web server-friendly" and follows all established rules for Web robots and won't overload servers with simultaneous requests.

By scanning servers using the Web, as opposed to traditional search methods based on the MacOS=81 file system, Phantom allows seamless searches of multiple servers. In fact, any number of Web sites can be indexed and searched by a single Phantom server. In addition to providing users an easy way to searchtheir sites, Webmasters can also provide search capability for other relatedsites.

"We're thrilled to be working with AKTIV on Phantom." Said John O'Fallon, President of Maxum Development, "It represents a tremendous opportunity for Webmasters to improve service to their users, with the ease-of-use they expect from Mac Web tools. Web crawlers and high-performance searching is no longerjust for high-end UNIX workstations."

Phantom is an advanced Web crawler, that includes:
  • "Noise word" filtering
  • Web site mirroring/archiving
  • CGI execution or direct HTTP transfers
  • Full reporting, including site management options
  • Easy to use, graphical interface
  • Fully customizable HTML end-user interface

Maxum will be releasing Phantom version 1.1 in early June, but a public beta version will be available May 20th from Maxum's Web site .
Phantom 1.1 will be an upgrade to AKTIV Software's "Duppies 1.0" and will be free to all registered users of Duppies. The new version will include:

* Substantially improved performance
* Multi-page query responses
* Meta keyword support
* Username and password support

AKTIV and Maxum will also be implementing bug fixes, additional logging options, and many other new enhancements.

Mac Most Productive & Satisfying Personal Computer

An important new study finds that the Apple Macintosh is indeed the most productive and satisfying personal computer!

The "Personal Computer Satisfaction" study from Evans Research finds that users that use both Macintosh and Windows 95 PCs rate the Macintosh higher in user productivity, overall satisfaction, ease of use, creativity, and other key areas.

This study of "Dual Users" is significant since it eliminates the bias of studies that compare Mac users against Windows users in arbitrary tests. Since dual users use both systems, they can give an informed and unbiased comparison.

Results from the study are given in "Personal Computer Satisfaction", a customer handout available from:
  • Mailbox - May 1996
  • StartingLine - FREE - item L01856A. Apple employees and resellers can get up to 50 per call and customers can get up to 5 per call. Call 800-825-2145, 303-297-8070; international orders can e-mail . For volume orders, email
  • Electronic versions are available for real time browsing and in Acrobat/pd format here.
  • June ARPL - Acrobat/pdf file
  • For Apple employees - Acrobat/pdf and Quark file on Mac Marketing Server in Free Trade Zone, GER Euro Developer Relations/European Developer Relations/Public/Macintosh Marketing, and AppleLink/Sales & Mktg/Platform Marketing/Mac Marketing.
A customer presentation of the study is also available on June ARPL and the above internal servers.

Details of the study:

Dual users were asked to rate both their Mac System 7.5 and Windows 95 systems systems on a 1 to 10 scale, with 10 being excellent. The following are the percentage of dual users rating the respective systems from 8 to 10:

Mac-System 7.5 Windows 95 PC
Overall satisfaction 60% 41%
Overall productivity 59% 42%
Overall ease of use 78% 37%
Graphics and publishing 85% 27%
Multimedia 71% 36%
Ease of learning 78% 29%
Ease of connecting peripherals 74% 39%
Ease of setup and installation 69% 33%
Ease of connecting to a LAN 62% 42%
Ease of trouble-shooting 41% 21%
Running educational software 46% 32%

When users were asked to pick the best system, they chose the systems in the following percentages:

"Which system is more enjoyable to use?"
Macintosh 52%
Windows 95 39%
No preference 9%

"Which system allows you to be more creative?"
Macintosh 53%
Windows 95 27%
No preference 20%

"Which system is more stable?"
Macintosh 58%
Windows 95 29%
No preference 13%

The dual users used the systems in business, home, and education environments.The study was performed by Evans Research Associates, an independent marketingresearch firm established in 1975 and located in San Francisco, California.

This study joins the other free customer materials available from StartingLine:
  • Macintosh or Windows?" video - L01760A
  • Why Do People Prefer Macintosh?" brochure - L01749A
  • "50 Macintosh Advantages brochure" - L00440C
  • "Why Macintosh?" color brochure - L01667A

Tex-Edit 1.7.1 Released

The shareware software Tex-Edit v 1.7.1 has been released, some new features included in this release are:
  • Cmd-clicking of URLs.
  • Get/Set data event support.
  • Auto-highlighting remembers previous setting.
  • Shift-delete shortcut now optional.
  • Faster Find/Replace dialog display.
  • Improved handling of text modifications.
  • Myriad minor bug fixes and speed tweaks.
You can download the software here.

Netscape Announces LivePayment

Netscape Communications Corp. Monday unveiled new software that makes it easier for companies to collect payments on the WWW, Netscape LivePayment allows companies to accept credit card payments. The software uses a high-grade encryption technology to safeguard the "on-line" transactions.

LivePayment is expected to be available for Microsoft Windows NT and major UNIX operating environments beginning in the third quarter at a price of $2,995. No announcements have yet been made for the Mac OS!

The company expects to have the new shopping technology, which it called an Internet cash register, available on its Netscape Navigator Web browser by the fourth quarter.

Netscape's stock was up after the announcement $2.75 to $63 .

Video Phones Sales Slow, Now Video Email?

Video email may be on the way. At the Comdex/Spring '96 trade show in Chicago in June, Array Microsystems will demonstrate hardware and software technology designed to let users attach compressed video clips to Internet email messages. Message recipients will need no Array software to receive video email, only a standard MPEG-1 video player.

No time line or specific details for the technology has been announced yet. The capability is in fact only one aspect of Array's Personal Video Communications reference design, a set of communications capabilities that the company has developed to showcase its PCI video add-in board. Array said the board is also designed to support videoconferencing, video production, and video editing and authoring.

Other vendors have taken a stab at video email before and met with limited success. Lotus Development offers a video solution called Lotus VideoNotes, which works only as an add-on package for the company's Lotus Notes groupware environment and not with Internet-based email.

Amelios First 100 Days at Apple

  • Feb. 12: Quarterly dividend is suspended for first time. Apple begins move to trim $60 million a year.
  • Feb. 16: CEO Gilbert Amelio calls Apple's problems "fixable;" defends his annual compensation package worth $10 million to $13 million.
  • Feb. 19: Motorola becomes first big licensee of Macintosh OS.
  • March 1: Top Apple Execs go out on "Reboot Tour" to reassure major corporate customers of Apple's viability.
  • March 27: Financial rating services downgrade to junk status $304 million in long-term debt.
  • March 31: eWorld on-line service is hisory. Cash on hand drops to $592 million, down from $1.1 billion at the end of 1995.
  • April 3: Sale of one of its four plants is announced. Company says it will outsource work of Fountain, Colo., plant to SCI Systems of Alabama.
  • April 7: Apple renegotiates aprox. $600 million in debt as concerns mount.
  • April 15: Chief technologist David Nagel says he will resign to head the new AT&T Laboratories. He joins the ranks of 15 other executives that have departed Apple in past 18 months.
  • April 17: Amelio says Apple has bottomed out. Apple's $740 million second-quarter loss is three times Wall Street's initially expectations.
    Apple to lay off an additional 1,500 workers over the next 12 months totaling 2,800. Amelio says Apple will return to profitability within a year.
  • April 29: Dataquest reports Apple's share of global personal computer market slips to 5.8%, its lowest ever and down 10.5% from same period a year ago.
  • May 6: IBM is the second big licensee of Mac OS. IBM and Apple are working together on designs for sub-notebook computer based on Mac OS.
  • May 9: Apple launches repair program for tens of thousands of flawed PowerBook laptops and Mac desktops.
  • May 13: Amelio marks 100th day at Apple with speech to software developers.

Apples New Direction

Across the globe, stakeholders of Apple Computer, Inc. focused their attention on the Apple's
Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) proceedings today, where senior executives articulated the framework for Apple's corporate strategy and the Internet initiatives underlying that strategy. Thousands of developers gathered at the San Jose Convention Center, joined by satellite and Internet webcast audiences from around the world, as Apple Chairman and CEO Dr. Gilbert Amelio delivered the conference keynote address--an assessment of the Company's strengths and his vision for the future.

Dr. Amelio described the framework of a corporate strategy that will position Apple in front of the industry's key "mega-trends": convergence of computers, communications and consumer electronics; explosive growth in Internet use, and the demand for media-rich digital content. He expressed Apple's intent to make the Internet central to the Company's strategy. To support this strategy profitably, Apple will realign its structure to build a more effective, efficient, accountable organization.

Internet Strategy

As a central component of the Company's business model, Apple's Internet strategy was detailed in a WWDC opening session by Larry Tesler, Apple's vice president of Internet platforms and chief scientist. The foundation of this strategy rests on three core concepts: access, creation and delivery. By leveraging its pioneering ease-of-use and multimedia competencies, the Company intends to help customers access, create and deliver information through innovative Internet/Intranet solutions that combine Apple hardware, software and third-party offerings.

Apple's approach will rely on open standards that eliminate platform incompatibilities, giving customers from across the Company's key markets the freedom to choose systems on the basis of the enabling technologies that make access, creation and delivery more productive and rewarding.

A variety of robust Internet solutions are immediately available to Apple users. The Company and several dozen of its third-party vendors showcased some of these shipping products, along with technology demonstrations of products under development, during an Internet Product Fair for WWDC press attendees at the San Jose Fairmont Hotel today.

Product and Technology Announcements

Together with its third-party allies, Apple introduced a multitude of new and updated developer products, technologies and services at WWDC. The scope and quality of these announcements reflect the Company's progress in facilitating technology adoption through resources that add value to software applications and improve developer productivity:

Attendees received the final developer version of Cyberdog, the acclaimed suite of OpenDoc-based Internet development tools. The software suite helps third party applications carry Macintosh computing conventions to the Internet, simplifying the user experience with a powerful, intuitive
interface.

Apple offered evidence of broad OpenDoc momentum, noting that hundreds of developers support this programming environment as an effective path to deploy applications across multiple platforms. The Company also announced availability of a new OpenDoc Software Developers Kit (SDK). Incorporated into the SDK is a new developer suite code-named KickStart, which packages Apple's superior multimedia technologies as easy-to-access OpenDoc components.

Underscoring the Macintosh's continued popularity among software development professionals, Apple and its third-party tools partners unveiled more than a dozen new tools products for the Macintosh platform. Many of these products address Internet and cross-platform development
needs.

Apple introduced the beta version of Newton Internet Enabler (NIE), a suite of connectivity tools that helps developers create Internet-based solutions for Newton Personal Digital Assistants. An overwhelming number of third-party developers affirmed their plans to integrate NIE into current and future releases of their products, to deliver Internet-based solutions such as World Wide Web, electronic mail, news, Telnet and FTP clients.

Apple confirmed that it will license the Apple Image Capture Platform to camera manufacturers, developers and systems integrators worldwide. Based on Apple's QuickTime Image Capture technology, the platform includes APIs which facilitate the creation of compelling customer solutions that don't require a computer, such as in-camera time lapse photography, direct connection to the Internet to share and transmit images, and in-camera filters.

The Company announced plans to incorporate Firewire--the popular cross-platform implementation of the IEEE 1394 High Speed Serial Bus invented at Apple--into its entire line of Macintosh products. The Firewire standard is unprecedented in providing fast, real-time connection between personal computers and new digital consumer products such as set-top boxes and digital video disk devices.

Apple on the Internet

As an extension of its Internet strategy, Apple announced its commitment to lead by example in providing rich, meaningful Internet content to current and prospective customers. Specifically, the Company plans to: maintain more World Wide Web sites addressing topics of greatest interest; increase coverage of live events through Apple-sponsored webcasts; integrate more community-building activities into Apple's Internet presence; improve navigational capabilities within Apple's
Internet sites.

Apple's deepening commitment as an Internet content provider is exemplified in its approach to WWDC WebCast programming. Throughout the week, Apple's WebCast will include live audio and video of keynotes, chats with Apple executives and industry leaders, coverage of selected sessions, and "spy-cams" to capture candid action from the conference venue.

In addition, other Internet-based services have been established to meet the special information needs of the developer community. Apple's developer relations group introduced the Apple Developer Catalog (ADC) Online, an extension of the company's quarterly print catalog that features a complete range of tools and technical resources. By moving to an online format, ADC (previously known as APDA) is instantly accessible to developers around the world. ADC Online is located on the WWW here.

Also, Apple Directions, the Company's award-winning monthly newsletter for developers, has been redesigned to position the publication's print version as a complementary facet of Apple's Internet-based news services. Apple Directions is currently available in three forms: as a monthly
subscription-based print publication, in bi-weekly email digests, and on the WWW here The redesigned newsletter will debut with distribution to WWDC attendees on May 15.

May 13, 1996

Challange With Server No Access Most of Weekend

"The online MacinStuff Times" experienced a "challange" with our server most of the weekend. Those of you trying to access us most likely got the dreaded message the "the server is busy or is not accepting connections now, please try again later."

We are taking steps to avoid this problem in the future, and appreciate those of you that persisted. As you can see we are back "up" now.

"The online MacinStuff Times" Receives Apple Award

"The online MacinStuff Times" today received a Congratulatory plaque from Heidi Roizen, Vice President, Apple Developer Relations.

The plaque reads:

"The online MacinStuff Times" 1.0 MacinStuff April 1996

Congratulations, Felicitiones, Felicitations, Wir Gratulieren, Felicitaciones IT SHIPPED Apple awards the dedication to providing customers with products that help them work, learn and play with their Macintosh. We salute people whose efforts mirror our goals for innovation, creativity and customer satisfaction.
Signed

Heidi Roizen
Vice President, Apple Developer Relations

Daily Ezine to Make Major Change Add Features

This Wednesday May 15, 1996 "The online MacinStuff Times" turns 3 months old. In our first month of publishing we exceeded 12,000 readers. At the beginning of our second month we have had over 40,000 readers, and by May 15, 1996 we expect to reach 70,000 readers.

"The online MacinStuff Times" has been nominated for coolest site by Industry.Net, selected as "Aprils Hot Site of the Month" by America's Best and has received an award plaque from Heidi Roizen Vice President, Apple Developer Relations. Additionally over 280 respected web sites have established hyperlinks to MacinStuff and "The online MacinStuff Times". As of 5/10/96 our rating of 122 puts the site well into the top 1% of 186,695 sites in Web Counters top 1,000 .

During the next few weeks "The online MacinStuff Times" will be undergoing a major upgrade. Incorporated into the new look will be will also be some major enhancements:
  • MacinStuff Times interactive online community. Offering readers a Hub, from which they will be able to access WWW based discussion groups on a variety of topics from recent news stories.
  • MacinStuff Times ListServe Mailing list. Offering an email based way of voicing opinions of and questions from readers.
  • Autoresponers. Offering information to readers via direct email based Autoresponers. For instance a reader could send email to topstory@macinstuff.com and receive the days top story in email form.
  • Search engine capability. Offering readers a search engine to find archived or current stories, based on any topic or company that they may be interested in.
Sources state that these enhancements are just the beginning of many more to come. "The online MacinStuff Times" will continue to assure it's readers will continue to stay on the cutting edge of Web based technology.

Problems reported with FreePPP 2.5

Reports from the field, "beware FreePPP 2.5 ." An update is available, but you may want to wait . If you feel like being an adventurer, you can download 2.5a from Fog City here.

CyberDog 1.0 Released

CyberDog (v 1.0) has been released from Apple Computer. Apple is requesting that you register here first, where you can then you can download the software.

If you want to bypass the registration process you can download the software directly, here.

Prior to Copland May Come Harmony

Apple at the Worldwide Developers Conference today said it is considering an interim system software release before the introduction of Copland.

Code-named Harmony, the software was also called System 7.x by Jim Gable, Apple senior director for system software product marketing. Although Gable did not give a specific date for release in the Technology Roadmap session, the system update is projected for release in the first half of 1997.

The update will integrate several current technologies, such as QuickTime 2.5, QuickDraw 3D, OpenDoc and Cyberdog, as well as offering selected elements of the forthcoming Copland OS, referred to in the session as System 8. Gable said the Copland additions will primarily be human interface features, which were developed on 7.5.

Where there is Smoke there is Fire(wire)

Apple announced today at the World Wide Developer conference that support for IEEE 1394/Firewire is expected to be available in the Mac OS in the first half of calendar 1997. Developer support and evangelism is available now.

High end Macs are expected to ship in 1997 with preinstalled IEEE 1394/Firewire PCI host adapter cards and software. 1998 will see Firewire emerge as standard motherboard equipment on all Apple products including PowerBooks.

"We intend to build Firewire into every Macintosh product we sell. We expect to make the transition to Firewire over the next year by fully supporting third-party adapter cards in our operating system software and by bundling cards in configurations of our desktop machines," said Howard Lee, senior vice president of the Macintosh systems division of Apple. "We plan to continue this transition by taking Firewire straight to the motherboard."

Firewire (invented at Apple), is the popular cross-platform implementation of the IEEE 1394 High Speed Serial Bus, an open standard recently adopted by the IEEE.

Firewire has been announced as the new standard for products such as digital video , digital video tapes, advanced televisions, set-top boxes, music systems, as well as PCs.

Apple also announced that its consumer product, Pippin 1997 reference platform will reportedly include a Firewire port..

Apple to Broadcast Amelio Speech Over Net

Apple will broadcast a speech by Amelio's and others from the, Apple Worldwide Developers Conference, presentations over the Internet using digital video and streaming sound. The company will also transcribe the speech and provide it on the web. Additionally, Internet Relay Chat and America Online chat rooms will be utilized for some events. You can get additional information here. You can get the schedule of events on Monday by going here.

PowerMac 9500 Trounces All But 300MHz DEC Alpha.

Symantec Tech Support we recently ran the Linpack Java benchmarks on our Power Mac 9500, just to see how we would rate against the competition... A stock, straight from Apple, 132MHz Macintosh 9500 running Netscape's latest VM came screaming in as the second fastest reported Java benchmark, bettered only by a 300MHz DEC Alpha.

With a rating of 0.766, the 9500 edges out a 250MHz MIPS RISC and totally humiliates even the highest rated Pentium! Yee Haw! The 9500 didn't beat the Alpha, but then again, the Mac didn't cost $20k. This was a clear demonstrates that the PowerMac outperforms other faster and more expensive platforms hands down. The PowerMac is the price/performance leader in the Java market! To see the results yourself go here.
As reported by Scott Morison, Symantec Development Tools Technical Support

MacWebCam Video Images Only for Macs

MacWebCam is a feature-rich, field-proven, Macintosh-only WebCam shareware application. MacWebCam will take and manage a series of video images for displaying on a web site. It has a powerful set of tools for adding captions, time and date stamps, logos, and picture frames to the camera images. It also supports server push animation files, pre/post processing AppleScripts, and multiple camera support. You can download the software here.

Final Version of FreePPP 2.5

The final version of FreePPP 2.5 is complete. It is available for download here, only for a few days.

Netscape Patch to v 2.02 Released

A patch for Netscapes Navigator fix some "minor" bugs and security features. The patch updates the broser to version 2.0.2. The patch is avaialble here.

Iomega "Zips" Profits from Syquest

SyQuest Technology Inc. last week reported a big loss and a management shake-up.The Q2 loss was reported as $51.1 million on revenues of $47.4 million. In 1995, the company had a second-quarter net income of $3.7 million. The latest quarter's revenues were down 38 percent from a year ago.SyQuest's losses for the first half of fiscal 1996 come to $84.9 million. According to SyQuest, $3.6 million of the loss was a restructuring charge against the cost of laying off about 1,500 employees.

After its first-quarter loss in February, the company said it would close offshore plants, outsource products and cut staff Many of Syquests top management has been axed. Edwin Harper was named as the new president and chief operating officer; previously he was chief executive officer and president of Colorado Memory Systems Inc.

SyQuest founder Sayed Iftikar remains chief executive officer. John Luhtala, was appointed vice president and chief financial officer, and Michael Field, senior vice president and corporate secretary. Elected to the board of directors as vice chairman in February, Edward Marinaro is now chairman. Longtime board member Robert Wilson resigned his position. SyQuest blamed its fiscal problems on increased sales of its low-margin EZ135 removable media drive and declining sales of higher-margin products. Anaylyst Bill Frank, stated that Syquest was hurt by the widespread acceptance of Iomega Corp.'s Zip drive in SyQuest's traditional markets. "It's impossible to find a graphic artist without a Zip."

Apple Expected to Release High End Systems this Fall

Apple's expected high-end plans include a line CPUs that are code-named Montana, and will reportedly use 604e processors running at speeds as high as 225 MHz. The Montana line is expected to cost between $2,500 and $5,000, depending on speed and configuration, and is scheduled for a Fall release under the name "Power Mac Pro ".

Apple is reportedly considering releasing the Power Mac Pro systems in 166-, 180- and 200-MHz speeds. It is also looking at using a 225-MHz version of the 604e chip in a high-end Montana box, butthis all depends on the availability of the higher speed chips. Motorola reportedly this week will announce immediate availability of PowerPC 603e processors running at 166, 180 and 200 MHz. Apple's has plans to incorporate these chips into the next line of PowerBooks code named Hooper and Epic.

Prodigy Looks to Internet For it's Future

Prodigy Services Co CEO Ed Bennett - his management buyout completed - said that he hopes to turn the troubled service into the leading online service on the Internet, now that the cloud of uncertainty is removed.

"We have been encumbered by an ownership process that has been hurting us since last November," Bennett said in an interview. "As of this weekend, all of this clears up...We will have highly motivated employees. The cloud is removed." He declined to disclose financials. Bennett said that Prodigy employees will now share in the rewards just like at any start-up company with stock options, something that was not viable since the inception of the service. "We want employees to think this is a business, an asset, something they will put their hearts into," he said. He also did not rule out the possibility of an initial public offering in the future. "It's not unreasonable to expect, if the timing is right and all the other factors are in place," Bennett said, adding that his first priority is to turn Prodigy into a company that is totally focused on the Internet and its new, next generation Internet-based service. "The beauty of being on this Internet platform...we are international from day one," Bennett said. He also said there is an incredible interest in the Prodigy brand name and service outside the U.S.

The Prodigy service is currently available only in the U.S., but last week the company announced a deal enabling members of a few Italian, German, and French services to access Prodigy-exclusive content via its World Wide Web site on the Internet, available only to Prodigy members.

May 11, 1996

VST Technologies Ships PowerBook MO

VST Technolgies has shipped a high-capacity magneto-optical (MO) drive to the expansion bay of your PowerBook 190 or 5300. The drive comes with a retail price of $450, accommodates 230MB or 128MB cartridges. The drives also come with VST's MO extension software, which lets the PowerBook read the cartridge just like a floppy. The drive can be swapped while the portable is operating as well, according to VST.

Netscape Navigator 4.0 Due by End of '96

According to officials at Netscape Communications Corp. plans to start beta testing Navigator 4.0 later this year, for a scheduled release by the end of the year. Navigator 4.0 will include a revamped mail system, style sheets and new font features. The new font features in

Navigator 4.0 will be derived from Adobe Systems Inc. technology, sources said. Navigator 3.0 is still being beta tested and is sceduled for release this June. The style sheets offer standard commands to replace proprietary extensions that browser makers have incorporated into HTML. They are aimed at ending a tug of war over control of the Web that threatens to pull it apart, according to World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) officials and industry insiders.

Apple to Broadcast Amelio Speech Over Net

Apple will broadcast a speech by Amelio's and others from the, Apple Worldwide Developers Conference, presentations over the Internet using digital video and streaming sound. The company will also transcribe the speech and provide it on the web. Additionally, Internet Relay Chat and America Online chat rooms will be utilized for some events. You can get additional information here..

Apple Adds More International Software

Apple Provides Repair Extension Program Summary

Commenting on Apple's recently-announced repair and exchange programs aimed at addressing quality issues with various products, PC Letter editor Dave Coursey, believes, "Fundamentally and financially, this isn't a big deal. It's more an image problem." Major retailers, including CompUSA and Computer City, have not reported increased service requests from Apple customers. For more information, Apple has provided customers with a Repair Extension Program Summary.

Marionet Ships Internet Scripting Toolkit

Allegiant Technologies has shipped version 1.1. of its Marionet toolkit for scripting custom Internet applications and hybrid multimedia titles. Marionet is designed to work with popular authoring/productivity tools, including Allegiant's SuperCard, Macromedia Director, HyperCard, FileMaker Pro, and AppleScript. Version 1.1 features firewall support (passive and proxy ftp), expanded http suuport, and better control of PPP sessions.

May 10, 1996

NTRIGUE 1.2 by Insignia

Insignia Solutions is broadening its NTRIGUE product line by adding innovative new features to NTRIGUE, and introducing NFS for NTRIGUE and NTRIGUE Mac Client. The new products broaden NTRIGUE's reach by providing access to data on UNIX systems **70,000** across the network and easier use for NTRIGUE users with Macintosh clients. NTRIGUE is a cross-platform compatibility solution that enables X terminals, UNIX workstations, Apple's Power Macintosh and Macintosh computers and PCs to run Windows NT, Windows 95 and Windows 3.x applications on a Windows NT server at high performance.

NFS for NTRIGUE NFS for NTRIGUE, Insignia's enhanced version of InterDrive NT, FTP Software's NFS Client for Windows NT, optimally takes advantage of the processing power, security and log-in features provided by the Windows NT operating system. Tightly integrated with the Microsoft Windows NT TCP/IP stack, NFS for NTRIGUE allows users to store and access data and applications on any UNIX workstation connected to the NTRIGUE server, with all the security provided by Windows NT. As a result, customers can put data where it makes the most sense for individual users -- either on the NTRIGUE system or on a UNIX NFS server. Using NFS, the information on any selected server appears as if it is connected directly to users' desktops.

NTRIGUE Mac Client NTRIGUE Mac Client, Insignia's enhanced version of White Pine Software's eXodus X server software, is a complete, ready-to-use solution for Macintosh users seeking access to NTRIGUE to meet their cross-platform compatibility needs. NTRIGUE Mac Client is designed to include features that make it the easiest and most cost-effective method for Mac users to connect to NTRIGUE. NTRIGUE Mac Client lets Mac users run Windows 95, Windows 3.x and Windows NT applications and groupware at performance levels that mirror the power of their Windows NT server. Remote Access and Solid Enterprise Integration NTRIGUE version 1.2 supports direct ICA dial-up and features a simplified ICA client installation to facilitate remote access to the NTRIGUE server. It supports local cut-and-paste of both text and graphics for maximum integration with the ICA client system and includes new support for NetWare Directory Services for further integration with the enterprise environment. NTRIGUE version 1.2 includes NetWare 3.x password synchronization which makes overall account security for NetWare more accessible to NTRIGUE users. In addition, it provides greater local and remote user transparency.

Bypassing WWW Ads

A form of Internet "ad erasing " may be here soon. Four University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill students reportedly have a masterplan to rid all WWW pages of advertising. With a new company called PrivNet, Inc., and the "ad-erasing" flagship product in question, Internet Fast Forward (IFF), the UNC seniors plan to offer Web users a way to avoid downloading graphical advertising banners.

A Netscape plug-in, the IFF Web filtering program is available for free download during beta testing and is designed to "block" Web advertisements. PrivNet says the product also features an AnySearch utility that provides instant access to the major search sites and can be integrated with Netscape to enable users to change the default of the "Net Search" button to go to a search engine of their choice. In addition, PrivNet reports its PrivLog product is a 32-bit dynamic-link library designed to allow programmers to view and log debug information in their code as it executes.

We wonder if this is good news from PrivNe, as the company home page states, "Protecting Your Privacy On The Internet." If Internet Fast Forward works and sees some widespread use on the Web, advertising on the Net will have to change, or become a "flash in the past"

CompuServe to Begin Rating WWW Content

CompuServe announced today that it will be among the first online service to adopt a new standard for regulating online content by attaching ratings to all its Internet sites by July 1.

CompuServe will use a rating system designed by the Recreational Software Advisory Council (RSAC) that is fully compliant with the new "Platform for Internet Content Selection" specification released this week by the World Wide Web Consortium.

PICS is a protocol that establishes conventions for describing and labeling Web sites based on such criteria as sexual content, violence, or anything else that parents might find objectionable. Webmasters must voluntarily submit electronic forms to organizations like RSAC to receive a rating, but the PICS-compliant designations can then be interpreted by Web browsers or filtering software like Cyber Patrol, which CompuServe distributes free to all its users.
It will be up to the individual browser and filtering software vendors to decide which to support. Microsoft, for one, plans to offer a "Content Advisor" feature in Internet Explorer that will work with any rating system a parent chooses.
Netscape Communications has also agreed to add PICS support its Navigator browser.
Archived stories from 5/9-5/3, 5/2-4/23, 4/22-4/17, 4/16-4/9, 4/8-4/2, 4/1-3/28, 3/23-3/11, 3/10-2/23,
Complete list including hyperlinks links of Apples Web Sites.

Complete list of products available exclusively for the Macintosh OS (4/1/96)