PC or Mac?
Tim,
I have just read your article in the latest My Mac edition. I always enjoy the information and insights you provide. My school district is currently trying to decide whether to stick with Macs or switch to PCs. I have found a great deal of info on why Macs are so great, but I cannot find info supporting PCs over Macs. Would you know of any place online (or elsewhere) I can find such data? Thanks
Ken Grasso
Deane-Porter School
Anyone?
Deluxe and Oscar the Grouch
Love the new My Mac Deluxe! The download was well worth it too. Thanks for responding so quickly… I only mailed the check last week. (If only all Mac pub’s reacted so quickly)
I was hoping you may know the whereabouts of a very well-known, yet hard to find extension named Oscar the Grouch (or something like that…) It existed years ago, and from what I hear was very fun to have. A friend of mine recently told me about it, and to “repay” her help w/some Mac questions I thought I’d try to find a copy on line. I see references in different places, but I can’t find the actual extension.
Hope this isn’t too much of a bother.
Thanks very much,
John Sadler (faithful reader of My Mac DELUXE!)
I have looked everywhere for this, but to no avail. The only think I could find was a Zipple add on. If anyone knows where to locate this, please let me know!
Mosaic and Netscape
Tim,
I was reading My Mac and just wanted to drop a line. I like the stuff there and certainly appreciate getting a monthly magazine about Macs that I can enjoy 🙂 However, I wanted to point out that Mosaic was developed by the person who created Netscape. He was recruited from UIUC to go to the Silicon Valley to develop the commercial browser. And prior to that there was no www to speak of. Yes, Netscape is not perfect, but it’s going to be real hard to knock them out considering how much of the market they have 🙂
PDC Hufn@Aol.com
Howard Janoff
Indeed, Netscape has, what?, 90% of the market share on Web Browsers? Impressive indeed. However, after reading the glowing reviews both MacWeek and MacUser gave Microsoft Internet Explorer, and the fact that Microsoft has stated Explorer will always be free, I would not put to much confidence in Netscape Navigator always remaining supreme. (And no, I do not use MIE! Yes, I tried it, but MUCH prefer Navigator!)
Suggestion
Perhaps it’s presumptuous of me, having only seen two issues of My Mac, but
I have a suggestion anyway.
I’d like to see an issue devoted to multimedia on the Net, covering the types of software required; how they work together or complement each other; what’s useful and what’s not; where to find them; and an “editor’s choice” of a good bundle of multi-media software/extensions. In other words, a how-to manual for all of us newbie/non-techies who are feeling our way around the Net on our Macs.
We know there are video and movie clips out there, but we don’t have the slightest idea how to take advantage of them. Same with viewing pictures, listening to sounds, etc. Perhaps I’m suggesting something too elementary for your readership, but maybe not. I’m sure some of it has been done before, but why not update and integrate your reports.
I think such a primer would be most helpful to a lot of people, and might even attract some new subscribers. Someone will eventually do it. Why not you guys?
Dave
Plans are in the works for just that! Look for it in the July or August issue of My Mac.
Also, we welcome ANY suggestions from the readers! If you would like to see a topic covered indepth here in My Mac, please write in and let us know!
MIDI & MOD
In response to last months MIDI and MOD article, I have this to say:
MODs Rock! I bought PlayerPro, the world’s greatest MOD creating/editing program in the world because I like them so much. I sent away to Switzerland to get it and it took two months for it to get here. It was well worth the wait though. I love the way MODs sound and one particular MOD that I have is the theme to Beverly Hills Cop. It lasts a whopping 10 minutes plus and it only occupies about 150K of disk space. MODs can be used in software development to give games and such that extra pizzazz that MIDI music just can’t give. I have over 3000 MODs and the developer’s kit if anyone is interested.
Eric T. Manchester
Eric is also a new reviewer for My Mac, starting this very issue! Be sure to read “Reviews-Softwindow 95”
Apple Software Only
Hi Tim,
I would like to “partially” disagree with your statement about Apple becoming a software company (My Mac, May ’96).I heard your same sentiments echoed from an Apple Service trainer, during a certification test, a while back. So I know that many people inside Apple feel the same as you. However, did you know:
The K-12 division of Apple, is in itself a fortune 1000 company (1000 or 500 – can’t remember exactly). The printer division a Apple accounts for a huge chunk of their profit.
Could you imagine the hardware circus rings you would have to go through to setup a Packard Bell running the Mac OS. These “el-cheapo” clones have enough problems with just the hardware. If I were a standard buyer, why would I want a Mac OS “wintel style” box, when I could get more software with Windows & the SAME level of hardware problems. Personally I love Apple’s hardware because it works so well with their OS. I would like to see Apple license the OS more, BUT keep hardware standards EXTREMELY close to their own boxes. I do realize that recent Apple products have had quite a few problems (my day job requires my service of over 1500 Apple systems),
but they are a long shot better that ANY Wintel clone.
>>>While not working on the next issue and answering email, Tim can be found
playing with his two daughters, dreaming about a 1970 Hemi ‘Cuda<<<
A ‘Cuda, eh? Let me know when you get it, so I can run you with my ’68
Firebird! 🙂
Regards
Jeramey Valley
jvalley@edcen.ehhs.cmich.edu
Valley Consulting
Brave man, Jeramey, wanting to race a ’68 Firebird against a Hemi Barracuda! Hey, I would even let you start a full car length ahead of me;-)
As for possible hardware problems from PC clone makers, I would advise everyone to remember that Apple has extended the warranty to seven years for some models, albeit sounding a Recall alert. And Power Computing has also had it’s fair share of hardware problems. All that is unavoidable. However, I stand fast in my thoughts that Apple should become a software only company.
E-Pen-Pal
Pawel Pokutycki from Poland is searching for contacts with people all over the world. e-mail: yeaplpz@sun1000.ci.pwr.wroc.pl
Disagreement
Just a short note to tell you that your review of Global Village modems must
have been totally paid for by Global Village – did they give you a free modem
for this???
I work on the Apple tech support line and the only call I dread is the one where people call and say their Global Village modem won’t fax or connect to an online service. This happens QUITE OFTEN!!!! That software is the most screwed up software on the market. If you want to fax – FAX STF is the ONLY one there is.
Also, it is really quite startling that since apple started shipping Supra modems with some products – I have had only one caller, who called to tell me how pleased he was with Supra, as he had been using GV previously and hated it. I have a 5300ce Powerbook and I use a TDK pcmcia card and from day one, after I installed FAX STF & SMART COM – I have totally forgot about using it. Whenever I call for it – I get totally transparent and effortless faxing and bbs connections. Everyone I know at apple has only one thing to say about global village – IT IS A PIECE OF CRAP!!!
VIrUSxxzxx@aol.com
Ouch! Well, Adam Karneboge, the reviewer on that piece, never had any problems with the device. I myself use a Global Village Platinum, and have yet to encounter even a single problem. That could not be said of the 14.4 Supra Express I had been using before.
As for GV paying us for the good review, I must inform you that is not the case. While we have yet to start displaying advertising in My Mac, I can say that under no circumstance will any company or manufacturer sway our thoughts or reviews on any product. We are 100% honest in our opinions, and that will never change. Money or free stuff be damned.
Something on your mind? Have a question you need an answer to? Write in. We read every letter received, and if you do have a question we can’t answer, we will find someone who can!
-Tim Robertson – Publisher
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