Into the Abyss

Into the Abyss
I finally broke down and gave up, I put together a Wintel machine for my spouse. Before you all start flaming me with molotov email, I’ve got to tell you how much I now appreciate Apple. Putting together a machine from odds and ends really isn’t that difficult. Dealing with Microsoft’s software issues is a true pain. Trying to find out how to reformat a disk is a feat. I must have looked through dozens of books and magazines before I found the information needed. As it turns out it came from a local freebie magazine. In turn, Apple includes all the software and instructions on any emergency disk. The other problem is that only the brand name Wintel machines have a true restore CD-ROM. The generic and do-it-yourselfers are out of luck. If Gates and company actually cared they would provide the system software to start up to full-blown Windows rather than just the worthless emergency disk they prompt the owner to create that only gets one to the MS-DOS line version of Windows. Not to mention that the so-called emergency disk doesn’t have the CD-ROM driver in its file. Luckily, a local independent dealer made me a version with all the necessary drivers.

Let me back up. My wife works in a Windows environment. All of her training is in Microsoft Office. She was spending a great deal of time working and playing on our 6360, but SoftWindows 4 was just too slow. So, for her birthday I put together a 486DX2 with a CD-ROM. Like I mentioned above, the installation was pretty straightforward. I did cheat a bit by having a second machine opened up to refer to, but all in all no problem. The hard drive needed to be reformatted. That is where the fun began. After more than a week of frustration I was able to solve the mystery. Next was the emergency disk fiasco. Once all was said and done, I would guess my time dealing with software ended up running at least thirty hours. In comparison, as a beginning Mac user I was able to backup, reformat, and reinstall an entire hard drive’s worth of software on my first Mac, a Performa 475, in only two hours, and I accomplished all that without any instructions.

Since then, our school received four 486s in great shape from a local hospital group. Since the condition of the machines and monitors was outstanding, I chose to install some CD-ROMs. Having built up my confidence making my wife’s computer, I set out to reenter the abyss. The first problem was in getting the case off the Compaq desktop machine. A mere two hours later it was finally off. After that, the rest was easy: pop out the plate where the CD-ROM was to be placed, replace the ribbon cable, set the jumper pins, attach the cables, and slide the unit into place. All went well until it came time to secure the unit with screws; the metal housing had no holes for this purpose. Time to thank the Apollo space program, for to the rescue came velcro. Three well-positioned pieces of the stuff later and I was done. Another two hours to reinstall the system software and the first machine was ready. All four machines were done in a week between classes.

Out of the abyss I have come to once again evangalize the beauty of the Macintosh platform. Alive, wiser, and most importantly, truly grateful for everyone in Cupertino.

Stock Chaos
All of you who own Apple stock have been wondering about the wild ride it’s been on since late February. Prices have dropped to 32 as of March 10. Apple publicity has never been better. Products are selling as promised, inventory control is outstanding, yet the price continues to drop. I wish I had the answer. A new round of advertising is due as the spinning iMac color wheel has grown stale. Strangely enough, I have yet to see the B/W G3 advertised. I realize this is tax time, but the new seeds of purchase must be planted.

Blue & White G3s
I really wanted to like the looks of the new towers, and from the side they look terrific. But, I have to say the front panel leaves me cold. It’s boring, there’s no shape to it. The CD panel dropping down for the tray seems silly and allows for easy breakage. And though I like the coolness of the corner handles, the design somehow lacks the sexiness of the iMac. Besides, the blueberry just isn’t cool like Bondi-Blue is. I know a lot of you think otherwise, but I’ve got to be honest, maybe it needs to grow on me. I’d be happy to try if somebody will buy one for me. The monitors on the other hand are sexy, cool, and sharp. Great lines like the iMac. What a great screen, sharp, bright colors. It seems like one is looking at a ViewSonic tube.

Student Commercials
As I continue to struggle with ideas, I decided to let my current crop of students take a shot at fame (certainly not fortune) and come up with their own ideas for an iMac commercial.

 

Scene-
The five new iMac “flavors” are in a white room. They are making a rainbow with their five new colors.
Music-
“Somewhere Over the Rainbow” sung by Judy Garland
Scene-
The iMacs are pinwheeling with their screens facing out.
Scene-
The iMacs are still pinwheeling, but the camera pulls back and they find that the picture was on a computer screen.
Scene-
The Macintosh apple with the logo “Think Different” in the five new flavors.

By: Sean D.

 

iMac Commercial
Scene-
(Camera rotating around the computer and focuses on a man.) A room with lights going off slowly. Only a faded light of a computer shining on a man’s face remains. You hear the keys of a keyboard and the click of a mouse.
Dialogue-
“Hey, come on, our reservations are in twenty minutes,” a woman’s voice says. “Ugh!” moans the man, but doesn’t move.
Listen-
The woman’s shoes walking across a room. A door opens and slams shut.
Focus-
A closer view of the man’s face. “Bring something back for me!” he says. The woman screams through the door, “I’m sick of you always on the computer, WE’RE THROUGH!” He stops for a moment and then shrugs and goes back to “work.”
Scene change-
iMac
The man says, “Boy, I’m gonna miss her!”

By Talia H.

 

Scene: In a computer room with a 13-year-old kid and his dog.
Camera: Side view of iMac and dog.
Kid: “So easy to use, a dog can use it.”
Camera: Moves upward and shows a downward shot. Dog has his paw on the rounded mouse and clicks on the Internet sign. Then the boy shows the dog the way to get into where he needs to go to learn about the iMac.
Camera: Goes behind the boy to show the colors of the iMac.
Scene: The colors of the iMac are shown on the first page of the iMac’s web page.
Camera: Shows the flavors: Blueberry, Grape, Strawberry, Lime, and Tangerine. The computers with colors are spinning in a circle.

By: Ricky K.

 

Rambling Thoughts
Some of you are probably wondering why I haven’t responded to your email. I hate to admit it, but I have been unable to get the forwarding connection working between AOL and the My Mac email server. So, in the meantime, if you want to send me an email address it to markm@mymac.com.

---

Mark Marcantonio
markm@mymac.com