A Few Words – My Mac Magazine #17, Sept. 96

At The Last Minute…
Well, right before this issue “went to press”
so to speak, rumors started flying about Apple and Be. Seems the two computer companies *may* be in talks about a possible Apple buy out of Be. (http://www.be.com) What does/could this mean? Much.

First, speculation is running rampant that if Apple did indeed buy the small computer maker, they (Apple) could replace MacOS 8 (Copland) with the BeOS. Now, before you all start thinking this would be bad news,stop and think about it.

First, the BeOS runs on the PowerPC platform. At Macworld Expo in Boston this month, Be demonstrated the BeOS running on a Power Computing PowerCenter Mac clone. So, how much work would it take to make the BeOS run on an Apple Mac? Not much, I would think. Of course, all MacOS software would not be able to run on the BeOS as it now stands, but I am sure that Apple and Be would find a quick fix to that problem.

Next, the BeOS has many of the feature’s Apple wants to incorporate into Copland. (Optimized for multiple processors and offers pre-emptive multitasking and protected memory) In other words, the underlaying architecture is where Apple WANT’S to take the MacOS. But they are having problems with MacOS 8. Remember, we were suppose to have Copland by now. The release date is still in question, and in fact Apple has not even shipped the developers kit to vendors yet. (The Developers kit is what companies like Adobe or Connetix needs to start writing the next version of their software to run on the Copland system software)

Many industry insiders agree that a Apple buy out of Be would be a smart move for Apple. They (Apple) would benefit from all the R & D work already done on the BeOS side. And many of Be’s software engineers are ex-Apple employee’s. Apple could simply slap a MacOS interface over the BeOS, and call it good. Be President and CEO Jean-Louis Gassee (Another ex-Apple guy!) stated that both Power Computing and Apple were providing technical support for its BeOS to Mac hardware port.

So, what do you think? Would it be wise at this point for Apple, very unfashionably late as it is with Copland, to buy Be, and porting that advanced Operating System to the Mac? Would it help speed things along, or cause the next MacOS to ship even later?
What are your first thought’s when hearing this news? Good or bad? Drop My Mac a letter and we will take a poll on your thoughts for next issue.

AppleSauce
Hey, need some good info sent to you weekly (or more) on the latest happenings at Apple? (Such as the Be story above) Well, AppleSauce is a perfect place to start. Written by some good writers, AppleSauce has many inside scoops hard to find in other places. A very good and, for the most part, short email read, you will glean much insight into our Mac world. Want to join? Write “subscribe applesauce” in an email letter and send it off to majordomo@ambrosiasw.com. If you are on the Net, please be sure to stop by their Web site at http://www.ambrosiasw.com/AppleSauce. So, why am I plugging AppleSauce (for free, I might add)? It’s an informative read I think most, if not all, of My Mac readers would find useful and fun. Give it a try!
(Tim)

Is Mike Gorman STALE????
Hey, how about that cover, eh? I’ll tell you what, Mike Gorman just blows me away month after month. That said, I am pleased to tell you of a new Web magazine called Stale. Stale, however, is anything but what the name suggests. At the moment, it is a free Web site, but soon you will have to pay to read it. The reason I’m talking about Stale? Well, Mike Gorman also does much of the artwork there. So, hey, you just KNOW it’s gotta be good, right?
(Tim)

AOL and its neverending problems
Bet you AOL users were all glad to hear that AOL had finally settled the class action law suit brought against it by some of its users for alleged improper billing practices. Were you aware that as part of the settlement, AOL was going to make amends to its customers that had been “overcharged” by their practice of rounding up to the next minute when connected to AOL. Well, the notice of the settlement was posted the first week of July and I hope you all were online to read it the day they posted it. One time to get the big 1 hour of “free” time being offered as a part of the settlement if you are a normal user. Then we get into August and the “crash of August 7th”. Wouldn’t it have been nice to be told, “We are experiencing major technical difficulties, please try later.” Nope, we got, “Try connecting in 15 minutes or 30 minutes or an hour”. Never any mention of major problems, it would have been good business to have been told they were having BIG problems but were working on it…
(Russ)

I was Impressed…
while reading USA Today on a business trip on August 17th to see the back-to-school guide to choosing a PC list Apple computer. In the words of the writer, Andy Pargh, the Gadget Guru:
“Although Apple Computer’s sales figures have been lackluster at best, rumors
of its demise, as Mark Twain once said, are a bit premature. It’s a fact: Macintoshes
are still the most user-friendly models on the market and are ideal for the first-
time, technophobic computer wannabe. And the upcoming release of its System 8
(code named: Copland) software promises to take computing to a new level. But
this year Apple has introduced some models that not only have captured my
attention, but are making me take a long hard look at this company as a whole.”
He goes on to speak of some of Apple’s new units, like the 6400 and available accessories. While I might not agree with his assessment of Mac users as technophobics, it is nice for a change to read something positive being written about a Mac! Now to get Apple to produce some really excellent laptops so that people will begin to notice the changes.
(Russ)

Industry Standard?
It would seem to me, and forgive me if this seems a little biased, but the Zip drive is becoming the industry standard. Really! Not only are they selling at a all time high for ANY removable storage device, but they are even an option now for Power Computing Macs. I said forgive me for seeming a little biased because I myself just bought one. So, obviously, I want it to succeed. And I think it will. They are just TOO darn convenient!
100MB of storage that can fit inside your pocket. Too handy! And the drive is simple to transport wherever you may need to take it. But I do have one complaint: no on/off switch! That has GOT to be the biggest “Duh” of all time. No power switch, give me a break!
(Tim)

Welcome!
Last issue, a new member of the My Mac staff joined in, and I did not welcome him. Feeling remiss ever since, I want to take this opportunity to officially welcome Jim Moravec as our esteemed Copy Editor. Russ and I can use all the free help we can get! And Jim, our biggest grammar critic to date, finally gets the chance to see just WHAT it is like to put together a fairly large publication every month. Having fun yet, Jim? 🙂

Also new, this time in the Review department, is both Fenton Jones (call him Manavesh, but don’t ask ME why!) and Brian Kestel. Both are good writers with a good eye for software, and make a welcome edition to My Mac! Welcome, guys!

Also new this month is Mike Gault‘s “The Critic”. What does he write about? Well, if you are a hardware, software, fill-in-the-blank company, and your products or service is not up to par, suffice it to say you don’t want Mike noticing. He WILL tear you up. He starts off with some thoughts on Apple’s marketing plan. Or lack thereof.
Mike also works with me full time as a Macintosh Consultant. Which brings me to:

New Job!
Well, after four years at the United States Postal Service, I have finally gone and done it: I quit. (Okay, they did away with the position I held. Same thing!) At any rate, rather than start beating the trail looking for a new job, I decided to try my hand at running my own business. So, following my dream, I expanded My Mac Productions beyond simply producing a electronic publication each month. I am now a Macintosh Consultant. I also have a partner. Enter Mike Gault. Yes, that Critic guy mentioned above. Now, before you all start thinking Mike only became a writer because I have to see him everyday at work, let me say that I had been trying to recruit Mike as a writer for over seven months.

So, I now work with Macintosh computers all day. For money. Really. I get paid to play on other peoples‘ Macs. All day. (And night, when needed.) Seems that I have found my dream job, and it is Macintosh. Ah! Life is good! (Now if only my divorce can go as well…)
(Tim)