Macking 95

Apple and Speed
Let's get real: Macs have lost the speed war. Adobe is exploiting this fact by promoting the Microsoft equivalents of their primary graphics programs that have kept Macs the dominant player in the graphics industry.
Now you have to ask, do you care? Yes, you can apply a filter to that 45-meg Photoshop file that renders in 12 seconds on a Microsoft computer and 49 seconds on the fastest Mac. But at what cost?
How much do you want to be the owner and controller of your computer? How much control are you willing to concede over the fundamental operation of the guts of your system to someone else? All Microsoft computers (by which I mean Intel/AMD boxes running any version of the Microsoft OS, regardless of who actually made them) have built-in external control. Microsoft receives regular reports over the Net from your computer as to what software you are running, the serial numbers and versions, the kind of hardware, and all that kind of techie stuff that lets them know who you are and what you do. Then, it gives them the power to update your system, to delete files, disable applications or whatever they want. Don't like it? Read your user agreement. Don't understand legalese? Too bad.
No Mac "phones home" with this kind of data, without warning you first. 3,000 people could pirate a single copy of OSX and Apple would never know unless two fools tried to register the same copy. Apple trusts and believes in its customers and expects the same kind of respect in return. What does this say about the kind of contempt Microsoft has for its customers? Plenty.
Of all the Mac software developers, only Quark has the same level of deep contempt for its users. Designers, especially those who must share files with others, have no choice but to stick with Quark, but others are free to leave for Adobe, or even better, to move to Create from Stone Software, a former NextStep company that makes a program that can almost compete with any of the other page-design companies in terms of power and features. Single-page designers can keep using Creator from Multi-Ad, one of the best-kept secrets of the page-layout industry.
Who the hell is Multi-Ad? They are the people who single-handedly eliminated the typesetting industry, a 300-year-old craft, by seeding all of the USA's weekly newspapers with a Mac, a LaserWriter and a copy of PageMaker (and their own software) in 1987. Within 18 months, CompuGraphic and all of the other dedicated typesetting machine companies were out of business and the Typesetters International Association had shut down.
None of this will triple the speed of the PowerPC hardware, currently running WAY behind the best that Intel/AMD can offer. Sure, there are faster chips in the offing, including rumors of an Apple/AMD agreement, the IBM 970, and other wishful dreams. Until Apple offers an OSX-only box that runs at 4 gigahertz, we Mackers must decide: who would we rather do business with? Who has consistently demonstrated respect for us, the user, and who has demonstrated contempt or, at best, apathy?
Sure, you can join the herd of pigeons and spend $6 grand to get a "cheap" Wintel box with all the extra-cost features that are included with Macs (including rebuying all the software you are using now), but then you would get to live with Windows XP, discovering that your very livelihood depends on the beneficience and competence of Microsoft and its partners. Six months down the line when you realize how badly you screwed up, you are stuck. With effort you could sell off the equipment and hardware at a 50% loss at best and return to Mac, but your boss wouldn't allow you to. Maybe you ARE the boss but your budget wouldn't allow you to.
Hang in there a little while longer, people. Your Macs work as well as they did the day you bought them. Don't get overly impatient and you will be rewarded. Remember how bad it got in 1996? It will get better. Trust me. I've been a Macker since 1984 and I have seen it all. We HAVE a future, unlike the lost and lamented Amiga partisans, and it is worth fighting for.

Turning Off the Unix Startup
I got a request from someone who does not like the Unix startup (Macking 89) and wants to go back to the grey Apple/spinning gear mode. To do that, open the Terminal app and type in the following string exactly: sudo nvram boot-args="" and then when it asks, your password. This is the same command used to turn on the Unix startup (which can also be invoked by holding down Command V at startup) except instead of nothing between the two quotes at the end you insert -v ("-v"). Don't use parentheses or curly typesetter's quotes.

Screaming on the Floor
What will it take, Apple? Do I have to lie on the floor and scream, beating my fists and holding my breath until my face turns blue? Don't you know who your friends are?
They create a new iTunes music service, Mac only but with Windows coming eventually, using a proprietary codec based on MPEG-4. Where is the Linux version? Why, oh why, have you not made a version of QuickTime available for Linux?
Sure, you are using BSD now. Yes, you understand why the Mac had to evolve to survive and yes, you did a fantastic job producing a modern OS that saved the company and helped us fanatical Mackers avoid having to deal with MicroSatan for another few arns.
But how will Linux fiends be able to join your service? Why did you not listen and obey the requests of those who said, "Provide access to Linux users first?" These are the leaders in the industry. These are the hardcore hackers who are creating the future. These are the people you need to attract to Apple by providing access, slack and loving support, way before you provide access to the borgs of Microsoft.
Don't you know who your friends are? I guess not. Excuse me while I clean up all the blood leaking from my knuckles, beaten and bloody in frustration. AAAAAAAAARGH!!!

Bye Bye Virex
Another one bites the dust: McAfee, the Microsoft-centric company that took over Virex from Dr.Solomon/Network Solutions a couple of years ago, has dumped all versions before 7, which is for OSX only. Furthermore, individuals can't buy Virex 7 at all, but must get it free (for $99) with their dot-Mac account. Corporations can buy five copies at a time from the McAfee web site.
This means that you cannot get version 6 for any price, which means no Virex for OS 7, 8 or 9. They took it off the retail shelves and their website. Current owners of version 6 can expect an update to 6.2 later this summer, and the monthly virus definitions update will continue to be released but if you don't have it now you are almost out of luck. The current virus definitions will not work in 5.9 or 5.9.1 at all any more, either.
I say "almost" because I got a free copy of version 6.1 bundled with my LaCie pocket drive. This is a great drive for backups or carrying about, and comes in sizes from 20 to 80 GB. It may also be bundled with their other drives, but for how long is unknown. LaCie bundles have been known to go on for years, but if McAfee orders them to stop, then there may be only a few left in the channel.
Virex 7 is, to be polite and charitable, dog vomit. When version 6 checks a hard drive with 10 or 20 gigs of data it takes minutes. Version 7 takes HOURS. It's almost unusable. But why it has never been available in stores is unknown. Seems McAfee only wants to sell to corporate customers, or distribute it to individual consumers through dot-mac.
As far as I am concerned, if I buy a hard drive that includes a folder titled "FREE McAfee Virex Enclosed" then I can give it to anyone who wants it, and send out the definitions updates myself. I read all the licenses (as best I could; I don't speak legalese) and there is nothing in there that says anything about LaCie or free distribution being prohibited. It doesn't even mention McAfee at all! Want a copy of Virex 6 right now? Go to my site, look for Virex6.1.sit and download it.
The official end to Virex is a serious loss because it did its job without much intrusion, unlike Norton Anti-Virus. At the moment there are no OSX viruses, except the ones that live in Microsoft Word and Excel macros, which are the only ones that can be spread between Macs and PCs. Don't worry; we'll get a new virus or worm written especially for us some day. It's inevitable, but in this particular arena, Microsoft holds a permanent lead.

Dragon Burn Can't Test
Laurent Beauregard writes, "I have information about (the DVD authoring program) DragonBurn to share with you. I bought it on April 3, a version supposed to be specifically for Mac (both OS 9.x and 10.x). But the software was unable to recognize my LaCie burner. Three calls (over 4 or 5 days) to their technical support ended up confirming that they were not able to fix this problem. They actually told me that they didn't even have Macs to test out their product in this way. (Even though they're marketing the Mac version right now.) So they're giving me a refund after I declare that I will take the software off my computer.
I thought you might want to know about this experience either for column purposes or in case anybody asks you about DragonBurn. They did say they'd have this problem solved "in a couple of months." I hope so. It looks like a friendly interface, it looks easy to use, and it costs $39.95.

Trash 'em
Don't ignore your .sit or .hqx or .zip files. You get these things every time you download new programs or updaters from the Net, from CDs, or in email (.exe and .vbs files are Windows auto-launching applications and are usually viruses). Put them in the Trash as soon as they have been decompressed. If you want to archive them, be sure you are picking them individually and with full knowledge. Everything you get off the Net or from handout CDs will come in .sit or .hqx form (or also .gz or .dmg for OSX users) and once decompressed are no longer needed. Do save your uncompressed downloads, installers and the like, however, because you may need to reinstall and you don't want to spend another 2 hours at a sweaty modem all over again. .DMG is a final format and should be saved.
Create a folder in your Applications (Mac OS 9) folder called "Installers/Updaters." Create a folder in your Applications folder (you X users) called Installers/UpdatersX for the X-related installers. Save them all in there and periodically inspect them for outdated files and toss the older ones. If you have a CD burner, you can free up space by making a backup of both folders and then emptying them.
Something else to lose: .ram or .rm files. These are little 4k temp files created when you watch or listen to something on Real Audio. Saving the file will let you reconnect to the site and replay the file (maybe) in the future, but if you don't plan on doing that, trash the files when you quit the Real Player.
Body.htm documents are attached to email messages by some mailers (read: Microsoft) and are of no use whatsoever. Delete on sight. Normally they do NOT contain a copy of the email message, just the headers. Files ending in .vcd are Virtual Cards and usually attached by Netscape. Although Apple's OSX PhoneBook makes use of VCards, as does Netscape, these should not be attached to email messages and may also be trashed.

iPod Battery
Holes in the marketplace will be filled if they exist. Two months ago it was difficult to buy a replacement battery for iPod without going through Apple. Now all you need to do is go to Laptops for Less where you can not only get one for $49, but find simple online instructions to disassemble your iPod and put it in.
Or, you could just get a new iPod. Last month Apple released new models, the largest with a capacity of 30 GB! It never ends.

Stuff for Sale
Orb drive, SCSI, holds 2.2 gigs per cartridge, includes two carts and separate FireWire adapter, $149. Current model drive, price new with the FW adapter is normally twice that. Very little use.
DAT Technologies tape backup drive, DDS-3 which stores 2 to 4 gigs per tape. SCSI drive, not OSX compatible because it's SCSI. Maybe it can be made to work but it's better for older Macs like the Beige G3 or before. Includes 20 backup tapes, four unopened, that normally sell for ~$15 each. Includes Retrospect backup software. Total price $249. DAT drives never sell for less than $500 new not including tapes. Works fine and can be refurbished by DAT Technologies when needed.
Apple International USB keyboard with European key mapping, $25.

No Microsoft products were used in the production of this column.

email mp at moonmac dot com. (I took out the mailto link because that's how the spammers find me.)