TidBITS#783/13-Jun-05
=====================
Reactions from last week's news that Apple is shifting to
Intel-based Macs has dominated the Mac press (and TidBITS Talk),
but Adam makes the case that this is the biggest non-news of the
year; read on for his explanation. Also this week, Charles Maurer
returns with a look at the Panasonic DMC-FX7 and some discussion
of point-and-shoot digital cameras. We also note Apple's Security
Update 2005-006, Snapz Pro X 2.0.2, "Take Control of Customizing
Tiger" 1.0.1, and a new DealBITS drawing for a Matias OS X
Keyboard.
Topics:
MailBITS/13-Jun-05
DealBITS Drawing: Matias OS X Keyboard
Apple and Intel: The Biggest Non-News of the Year
Picking a Point-and-Shoot Camera: Panasonic DMC-FX7
Take Control News/13-Jun-05
Hot Topics in TidBITS Talk/13-Jun-05
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MailBITS/13-Jun-05
------------------
**Security Update 2005-006 Released** -- Apple released Security
Update 2005-006 last week, fixing the usual miscellany of possible
security holes in services such as the AFP Server, Bluetooth,
CoreGraphics, folder permissions, launchd, LaunchServices, MCX
Client, NFS, PHP, and the VPN server. All of the holes apply to
Mac OS 10.4 Tiger (both client and server versions), but only
the Bluetooth and PHP fixes are relevant for those still running
Panther, and the VPN fix was already rolled into Mac OS 10.3.9
by a previous security update. For full details, see Apple's
description; the download ranges from 3.9 MB to 6.4 MB, depending
on the version you need and whether you get it via Software Update
or as a stand-alone download. [ACE]
<http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=301742>
<http://www.apple.com/support/downloads/securityupdate2005006macosx1041.html>
<http://www.apple.com/support/downloads/securityupdate2005006macosx1039.html>
**Snapz Pro X 2.0.2 Provides Tiger Compatibility** -- Ambrosia
Software has released Snapz Pro X 2.0.2, a minor upgrade to the
company's essential screen capture software. The upgrade provides
full Tiger compatibility, fixes a few bugs, is localized for
Traditional Chinese, and includes an uninstaller. Every author
I know relies on Snapz Pro X for screenshots, and although this
is clearly not a major upgrade, it's worth keeping up with the
latest version. The upgrade is free to registered customers;
Snapz Pro X normally costs $30 for still screen captures, or
$70 for the version that can capture actions as movies.
<http://www.ambrosiasw.com/utilities/snapzprox/>
(Interestingly, in Tiger Apple changed the file format for
screenshots captured with Command-Shift-3/4 from PDF to PNG,
perhaps because PNG files can be used in Web pages more easily
than PDF files (PNG support is widespread in modern programs).
Although everyone I know who's serious about screenshots uses
Snapz Pro X, in which you can choose the file format, you can
also use Apple's Grab utility to take screenshots in TIFF format,
and you can even use File > Grab in Tiger's version of Preview
to capture a screenshot directly into Preview, at which point
you can use Save As to save it to PDF or another supported
format.) [ACE]
**Adam Interviewed for CIPS Connections/NPA Careers** -- A while
back a guy named Stephen Ibaraki interviewed me via email, and
the interview has now been published by CIPS (Canadian Information
Processing Society) Connections and the NPA (Network Professional
Association) Careers sites. It's an extensive interview and worth
a read. The text is the same on both sites; I include them both
here merely for completeness. [ACE]
<http://www.stephenibaraki.com/cips/v35/aengst.html>
<http://www.npanet.org/public/interviews/careers_interview_196.cfm>
DealBITS Drawing: Matias OS X Keyboard
--------------------------------------
by Adam C. Engst <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
A little over a year ago, I reviewed the Matias Tactile Pro
keyboard, which uses Alps mechanical switches to provide a
"clicky" feel that many people, myself included, really like.
Now Matias has a new keyboard - the OS X Keyboard - that addresses
two common complaints with the Tactile Pro. First, the Tactile Pro
is relatively expensive at $99.95, whereas the OS X Keyboard costs
only $29.95. Second, the Tactile Pro is rather loud thanks to
those clicky keys, and some people (or their office-mates) find
the noise annoying. In contrast, the OS X Keyboard, short of
occasional clicks from its Spacebar, is far quieter. The OS X
Keyboard also hides the seldom-used Caps Lock key down in the
cluster of modifier keys to the right of the Spacebar (replacing
it with a Control key above Shift), prints the appropriate symbols
on the modifier keys in addition to the Option characters on all
alphanumeric keys, and arranges the three volume keys (mute, up,
down) in a line between the Help/Home/Pg Up row and F13/F14/F15.
But (there's always a "but," isn't there?), the OS X Keyboard
uses rubber dome switches instead of Alps mechanical switches,
and as such, doesn't have nearly as nice a feel as the Tactile
Pro. It's comparable to the Apple Pro Keyboard, other than a
somewhat looser Spacebar. In terms of construction, it's white
plastic, and is quite light; it doesn't have the tank-like feel
of the Tactile Pro. Overall, the OS X Keyboard hasn't rocked my
world, but it seems to be a decent, inexpensive keyboard that
might be a good choice for anyone buying a Mac mini or looking
for a backup or replacement keyboard.
<http://www.osxkeyboard.com/>
<http://db.tidbits.com/getbits.acgi?tbart=07607>
In this week's DealBITS drawing, you can enter to win one of eight
OS X Keyboards from Matias, worth $29.95. Matias isn't able to
discount the list price any further, so there won't be a later
discount, but with eight keyboards to give away, the odds are
a bit better than usual for everyone who enters at the DealBITS
page linked below. All information gathered is covered by our
comprehensive privacy policy. Be careful with your spam filters,
since you must be able to receive email from my address to learn
if you've won. Remember too, that if someone you refer to this
drawing wins, you'll receive the same prize to reward you for
spreading the word.
<http://www.tidbits.com/dealbits/matias/>
<http://www.tidbits.com/about/privacy.html>
Apple and Intel: The Biggest Non-News of the Year
-------------------------------------------------
by Adam C. Engst <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Apple's announcement last week that Macs would be switching
away from the PowerPC chip to Intel-based CPUs sure was
exciting, wasn't it? After all, Intel is part of the massive
Wintel conspiracy that all right-thinking members of the Macintosh
rebellion have been fighting against for so many years, correct?
(Psst... That's Star Wars you're thinking of. What we have here
is just a bunch of technology companies jostling for position.)
Honestly, as soon as my brain stopped spinning from the
unexpectedness of it all, I've come to think that this
announcement is the biggest non-news event of the year for
the vast majority of Macintosh users. Our friend Jason Snell
of Macworld has done a bang-up job of answering the most common
questions surrounding the announcement, so I encourage you to
read his piece; I won't attempt to replicate it here. Instead,
here are the three reasons why I'm unperturbed, along with some
counterpoint from that little voice in the back of my head.
<http://www.macworld.com/2005/06/features/intelfaq/>
1. Nothing even begins to change for us users for a year, when
Apple plans to release the first Macs that will use some chip
from Intel. Apple isn't specifying a chip, because it will depend
on which one makes the most sense at that point for the Macs that
will be first in line to get it (likely the lower end of the Mac
line). And since it will take two years for the majority of the
Mac line to switch, and until the end of 2007 before Apple plans
to stop making PowerPC-based Macs, I just can't see this
announcement affecting my life in the near term. So what all
the fuss boils down to is that Apple will be releasing new Macs
(and a new version of Mac OS X) in a year. I could have guessed
that, and knowing that the Macs might have a different CPU doesn't
change the fact that they're still vaporware.
For counterpoint, it's worth noting that many organizations have
purchase plans that extend years in advance. Obviously, those
organizations now know that if they wait 12 to 30 months, they'll
be able to purchase Macs that will likely be able to run Windows
software at full performance. For such organizations, or anyone
who doesn't mind delaying an upgrade until 2006 or 2007, waiting
may make sense, and that in turn may hurt Apple's sales in the
meantime. Remember, though, that Apple has over $6 billion in
cash and no long-term debt, which will help ease any pain from
transition. So even though Apple would prefer to not lose any
sales, the company can weather a downturn.
2. When push comes to shove, I don't care what CPU is inside my
Mac, just as I don't care what chip runs my iPod, my cell phone,
or my washing machine. To be fair, that's not entirely true.
I care what CPU is in my Mac only to the extent that it enables
Mac OS X to operate with acceptable performance and to run the
software I need. When I next need to buy a new Mac, I'll have to
evaluate whether or not the CPUs currently in use - from whatever
company - meet those basic requirements. For instance, our plans
to buy a new Power Mac G5 for Tonya remain unaffected. She needs
a faster Mac to replace her aging 733 MHz PowerPC G4-based
QuickSilver, and in keeping with our basic approach, we'll buy
the Mac that provides the most performance for the money at the
point in time when it's necessary. It would be nonsensical for
Tonya to wait a year or two to buy an Intel-based Mac; if she
needs the power now, as she does, she should buy a Mac now.
(And she will, once she gets the opportunity.)
On the other hand, Tonya and I use mainstream applications
that don't take advantage of the Velocity Engine (also known
as AltiVec) unit in the PowerPC chips. The impression I've gotten
from talking with developers is that software that relies on the
Velocity Engine will require significantly more effort to port
to the Intel architecture; as such, users who rely on audio or
video software may find themselves waiting for versions that
will run on new Intel-based Macs, or they may find their software
improving at a slower rate in situations where developers choose
to concentrate on porting to Intel chips instead of adding new
features. So, some users will likely suffer in the transition,
or find themselves limited in the Macs they can buy and use in
the 2 to 4 year time-frame.
3. I don't see any significant philosophical difference
between Intel and IBM as Apple's primary chip supplier. There's no
underdog here, just a bunch of 600-pound gorillas, and I certainly
hope that Intel can meet Apple's need for chips better than IBM
and Motorola/Freescale have over the years. Even if I was horribly
offended by Apple's move for some reason, what's the alternative?
Switching away from a Mac would entail using an x86-based chip
(though a system could be purchased from AMD rather than Intel),
so that doesn't seem like much of a statement. And switching would
also require using Windows or some flavor of Unix; to my mind that
would be a matter of cutting off my nose to spite my face.
That said, if you feel betrayed by Apple, it's not entirely
surprising. After all, it wasn't long ago that Steve Jobs featured
demonstrations of how the PowerPC beat the pants off the Pentium
in head-to-head Photoshop tests. In other words, Apple has played
up the us-versus-them mentality at the chip level, and is now
paying the price with a certain set of customers.
**Final Thoughts** -- In the end, I see no reason we shouldn't
take Steve Jobs at his word with regard to why Apple announced
this switch. It's not so much about which chips are available
today as what Apple sees as being available in several years.
Despite the fact that Apple has been compiling Mac OS X for Intel
chips all along, there's no question that the transition will
require a lot of effort for Apple and for Macintosh developers.
It's not a decision Apple would have made lightly, and for the
most part, neither Apple nor developers gain anything by it in
the short term. But in the long term, if Apple has made the right
decision, the Mac will benefit with increased performance across
the line. Users will like the increased performance and design
possibilities opened up for Apple, as well as the increased
performance for Windows applications. And if all that is true,
Apple will sell more Macs and increase the size of the market
for developers.
But that's all in the future. For now, the announcement means
great PR for Intel, a lot of work for Apple and Mac developers,
and business as usual for the rest of us.
Picking a Point-and-Shoot Camera: Panasonic DMC-FX7
---------------------------------------------------
by Charles Maurer
My wife Daphne likes to look at snapshots and I don't like to take
them, so 25 years ago I bought her a camera. She could never get
decent pictures out of the thing, so I bought her another - and
another and another and another. She could have stocked a small
photo shop with the cameras she never used, film and digital both.
Finally, early this year, we came across something she likes.
The camera is a Panasonic DMC-FX7, one of a line of point-and-
shoots with different lenses and features but similar innards.
This particular model is the size of a cigarette packet with
a modest 3x zoom lens, an LCD screen that fills nearly the
entire back, and no viewfinder at all.
<http://www2.panasonic.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/vModelDetail?
displayTab=O&storeId=15001&catalogId=13401&itemId=71473&catGroupId=
24999&modelNo=DMC-FX7&surfModel=DMC-FX7>
The LCD is what attracted Daphne. It is 2.5 inches (6.4 cm)
diagonally, bright enough (just) to use in bright sunlight,
and fast enough to keep up with slowly moving objects. I find
it frustrating because it loses detail in bright sun and cannot
handle rapid motion, but Daphne is not skilled enough to notice
fine detail as she is shooting, or to follow rapid motion, or
frame a picture rapidly. For her the LCD is miraculous. She has
never been able to see clearly through any viewfinder but she
can see this screen well enough to take good pictures.
**A Helping Hand** -- Several manufacturers offer miniature
cameras with equally large LCDs, but at the time we bought it,
Panasonic trumped the competition with one important feature:
optical image stabilization. (Since then Kodak has announced a
model that sounds comparable, the EasyShare V550.) With optical
image stabilization, the camera automatically senses the slightest
movement and shifts part of the lens to compensate.
It is astonishing to see the difference that optical stabilization
has made to Daphne's photographs. Without stabilization she would
have one blurred picture in five but with stabilization I don't
think we have seen one blurred picture in 100, except when she
shot from a motorboat without thinking to choose the "Scene"
mode and then the "Sports" sub-mode to increase the shutter
speed. (More about this later.) I suspect that even somebody
with a tremor might be able to use it.
**Image Quality** -- The computer inside the camera is Panasonic's
Venus II image processor, which works very quickly and remarkably
well. It rarely turns out an unacceptable picture and seems even
to remove colour fringing.
The weak point of the camera is the size of its sensor, which is
true of every model in this line and also for every point-and-
shoot camera that I know of. They all use tiny sensors stuffed
with more pixels than is sensible.
The more pixels that are squeezed onto a sensor, the smaller
each light-sensitive cell on the sensor needs to be. In any given
amount of time, a smaller cell will be struck by fewer photons of
light and will require fewer photons to saturate. Since a smaller
cell is struck by fewer photons, it records less dark detail;
since a smaller cell saturates sooner, it records less bright
detail. Thus, the smaller the cell, the smaller its "dynamic
range."
To see how this plays out in pictures, look at the pair on the
page linked below. I manipulated both of those photos to make them
as effective photographically as I could. Daphne took the top one
with her Panasonic, I took the bottom one with my Sigma SD-10.
The cells on the Sigma's sensor have about 20 times the area.
<http://www.tidbits.com/resources/783/angkor.jpg>
Along with a reduced dynamic range, smaller sensors show more of
a certain kind of noise. The number of photons striking a single
cell will fluctuate randomly, even when the source of light
appears to our eyes to be constant. Larger cells average out more
of those fluctuations than smaller cells. The fluctuations show
up in photos as random noise like the grain of film, and smaller
cells show more it. This is most obvious in dark areas. With a
small sensor, noise limits severely how much you can manipulate
an image. With the Panasonic, if I brighten a dark tone more than
a very little, it turns ugly.
**The Overloaded Checklist** -- Another problem common to point-
and-shoots is endemic to consumer electronics: featuritis. The
Panasonic cameras suffer from this in spades. Daphne's camera
offers five shooting modes and nine sub-modes, makes sound movies
and does simple animations. Depending on the shooting mode, three
buttons offer different sets of choices. Although none of this
is too complex to figure out in an armchair, it is too confusing
to want to deal with when taking snapshots. I rarely use any mode
other than "Simple" and Daphne never does. That is why her
pictures from the motorboat were blurred.
Although Simple mode usually works fine outdoors, it is not
optimal when shooting a portrait by flash. That's because it
has the flash fire an extra time in advance of the shutter,
to induce the subject's pupils to contract and thereby reduce
red-eye. This guarantees that you cannot capture a fleeting
expression yet it still does not eliminate red-eye. I would
prefer to have the flash fire only once - with the shutter -
and to fix the red-eye in a computer, which is a trivial task.
However, choosing an ordinary flash requires "Advanced" mode.
Advanced mode, in turn, requires a dictionary of hieroglyphics,
it requires the photographer to remember whether he wants
the optical stabilization to be in mode 1 or mode 2, and it
permits his forefinger accidentally to change that setting or
to defeat it.
(My ideal point-and-shoot camera would have a dispense with a
flash button and have a simple mode dial with four positions:
automatic flash, no flash, action, and playback.)
One feature that's available when reviewing photos I expected to
be useful - it's invaluable on my Sigma - but it turns out to
be useless on the Panasonic. This is a histogram of the exposure,
a graph showing the number of pixels at each level of brightness.
On my Sigma the histogram lets me place the exposure exactly.
I set the exposure so that the brightest whites are exposed at
the maximum level that the sensor can handle, and then I don't
worry about the dark tones. The dark tones are usually too dark
to make out on the LCD but I can nearly always bring them out
in the computer because the sensor has such a broad dynamic range.
In contrast, the Panasonic truncates the range of any picture
to match the range of the histogram. When the scene's contrast
exceeds that range, as is commonly the case, I have to decide
whether the highlights or shadows ought to be cut off. I can tell
that only by looking at the picture; the histogram cannot help
at all.
**Picking a Point-and-Shoot** -- As I said at the start of this
article, Panasonic makes a number of other point-and-shoots that
use the same image processor and use comparable zoom lenses with
optical stabilization (all made by Leica). They differ in overall
size, size of the LCD, range of the zoom lens, viewfinder, and
battery. (Daphne's DMC-FX7 has a rechargeable lithium battery
that ran down after a morning's sight-seeing. She carries a spare
and often needs it.) Some of the lenses zoom from a modest wide
angle to a long or very long telephoto. Long telephoto lenses are
awkward without a tripod, because they magnify camera movement,
but image stabilization ought to make them usable.
Daphne's camera is so handy that it made me hanker for something
smaller and lighter than my Sigma, a camera to throw into a
rucksack just in case something should come up. However, I could
not abide the Panasonic's limited dynamic range. I've tried to
find something in between her camera and mine but I have not been
able to. Every model smaller than the Sigma packs so many pixels
onto such a small sensor that the cell size works out to be
roughly as small as the Panasonic's. Cameras might be six times
the size of the Panasonic but their dynamic range promises to be
the same. In short, as the market stands today, I can see buying
a $500 camera, and I can see buying a $1,500 camera, but I cannot
see buying anything in between.
It seems to me that when buying a digital camera today, the most
important question to ask is whether or not you will be satisfied
with the quality of good snapshots. When photos from a point-
and-shoot are sharp, properly exposed and well composed, they
still tend to look like snapshots, not because they have too
few pixels but because they have washed-out whites and blocked-in
blacks. If that quality is acceptable to you, then buy yourself
a point-and-shoot (if possible, one with image stabilization).
However, if you want better photographs, you will need to record
more detail in highlights and shadows. For that you will need
significantly larger cells on the sensor. In today's market,
that seems to mean buying an SLR (and shooting RAW files,
not JPEGs: see the last link in this article).
**Digital SLR Update** -- Among digital SLRs, all of those priced
below the stratosphere have sensors approximately two-thirds the
size of 35mm film. Most of these use similar sensors and hence
are capable of similar results, but two stand out as capable of
something better. One of these is the Konica Minolta Maxxum 7D,
which sells for around $1,400 including a lens, and has a 2.5"
LCD. It is the only SLR available with image stabilization in the
camera body, not just in the odd expensive lens. This means that
it can cope with more camera shake than any other SLR and thus
take sharper pictures at slower shutter speeds.
<http://konicaminolta.com/products/consumer/digital_camera/slr/maxxum-7d/>
The second anomaly is the Sigma SD-10, also at about $1,400, but
including a second lens. The Sigma is marketed to compete with
the cheapest SLRs but it actually compares to the most expensive.
(For a detailed explanation and review, see the first three links
below.) It uses a different kind of sensor than any other camera,
a sensor that is sharper than any other and, I suspect, provides
somewhat greater dynamic range than any camera except possibly the
Fuji FinePix S3 Pro, which uses another unusual sensor and sells
for about $2,400 without a lens. None of these cameras includes
a memory card, which costs around $100.
<http://db.tidbits.com/getbits.acgi?tbart=07860>
<http://db.tidbits.com/getbits.acgi?tbart=07891>
<http://db.tidbits.com/getbits.acgi?tbart=07906>
<http://www.sigma-photo.co.jp/sd10/english/>
<http://www.fujifilm.com/JSP/fuji/epartners/proPhotoProductS3.jsp>
If all you want is a better point-and-shoot, then I would go for
the Minolta. It has a built-in flash and will be more forgiving
of camera shake, which is the snap-shooter's bete noir. If you are
interested in learning photography and think that you might want
to take it seriously, then the Sigma is ideal. The cheap lenses
that Sigma supply with the camera are fine to start with and you
can buy better ones if you begin to find them limiting. With the
f/2.8 18-50mm lens ($500), the Sigma becomes a professional's tool
at a bargain-basement price. The Sigma also has simpler controls
than any other digital SLR, because it leaves all image-processing
to your desktop computer.
Whatever digital camera you buy, to extract the best quality from
it, you will need to work on the photos that it produces. What
comes out of the camera is not a finished product, it is merely
a first approximation by a computer built into the camera. In the
link below, I described the complex approach I take with my own
photographs. Next week I shall describe a simple one that I worked
out for Daphne.
<http://db.tidbits.com/getbits.acgi?tbart=07832>
PayBITS: If Charles's thoughts about point-and-shoot cameras
were helpful, he asks that you make a donation to Doctors
Without Borders: <http://www.doctorswithoutborders-usa.org/donate/>
Read more about PayBITS: <http://www.tidbits.com/paybits/>
Take Control News/13-Jun-05
---------------------------
by Adam C. Engst <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
**"Take Control of Customizing Tiger" Updated to Version 1.0.1** --
When Apple shipped Tiger, there were a few small things that
turned out to have changed from the seeds we used when writing
the Take Control ebooks. Matt Neuburg has now updated his
"Take Control of Customizing Tiger" to reflect information that
has become available since Tiger's release, with the primary
changes coming in the sections about Spotlight and Dashboard.
It's a minor update but one that's essential to keep the book
accurate and helpful as it walks readers through customizing
Tiger features such as Spotlight, Smart Folders, Dashboard,
and Automator. Those who purchased the 1.0 version may access
the free update by clicking the Check for Updates button on the
cover of the ebook, and if you wish to re-print the new version,
we suggest first consulting the "What's New in Version 1.0.1"
list in the "Read Me First" section to determine if the changes
warrant using additional paper.
<http://www.takecontrolbooks.com/tiger-customizing.html>
Hot Topics in TidBITS Talk/13-Jun-05
------------------------------------
by TidBITS Staff <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
The second URL below each thread description points to the
discussion on our Web Crossing server, which will be faster.
**Annoyance with support for Apple software** -- One person's
bad experience with Apple tech support opens up a discussion on
what one should expect when calling for support, in addition
to first-hand reports of being on the other side of such calls.
(9 messages)
<http://db.tidbits.com/getbits.acgi?tlkthrd=2618>
<http://emperor.tidbits.com/TidBITS/Talk/472/>
**Changing the FTP Server on Tiger** -- Suggestions for switching
FTP servers at the Unix level. (3 messages)
<http://db.tidbits.com/getbits.acgi?tlkthrd=2619>
<http://emperor.tidbits.com/TidBITS/Talk/473/>
**Pay to Play with QuickTime 7.0 Pro** -- Adam's recent article
about the QuickTime Pro upgrade fee elicits comments about whether
the upgrade is worth the cost, as well as suggestions of utilities
that provide similar functionality. (3 messages)
<http://db.tidbits.com/getbits.acgi?tlkthrd=2620>
<http://emperor.tidbits.com/TidBITS/Talk/474/>
**Emotional responses to the Intel transition** -- Apple's
impending switch to using Intel processors in the Macintosh
line prompt lots of opinions. (48 messages)
<http://db.tidbits.com/getbits.acgi?tlkthrd=2622>
<http://emperor.tidbits.com/TidBITS/Talk/476/>
**Keeping Macs running Mac OS X** -- Apple has said that Mac OS X
will run only on Intel-based Macs that Apple sells, and not on
any generic PC. The question is, how will they ensure this?
(32 messages)
<http://db.tidbits.com/getbits.acgi?tlkthrd=2623>
<http://emperor.tidbits.com/TidBITS/Talk/477/>
**Intel transition: winners & losers** -- Who stands to gain from
the move to Intel-based Macs, and who will suffer? The gamut
ranges from game developers to small Mac resellers. (7 messages)
<http://db.tidbits.com/getbits.acgi?tlkthrd=2625>
<http://emperor.tidbits.com/TidBITS/Talk/479/>
**Wither Darwin x86** -- Darwin, the open-source Unix core of Mac
OS X, can already run on Intel's x86 processors. How does Apple's
shift to Intel affect Darwin when Mac OS X will be able to run
only on Apple hardware? (7 messages)
<http://db.tidbits.com/getbits.acgi?tlkthrd=2626>
<http://emperor.tidbits.com/TidBITS/Talk/480/>
**Apple's choice of chips** -- We know that Apple is moving to
Intel processors, but which ones? Speculation flourishes in
the absence of any specifics from Apple. (11 messages)
<http://db.tidbits.com/getbits.acgi?tlkthrd=2627>
<http://emperor.tidbits.com/TidBITS/Talk/481/>
**Intel chips and DRM** -- Some of Intel's new offerings may
include processor-level digital rights management (DRM). Could
this be an important factor in Apple's decision to move to Intel?
(1 message)
<http://db.tidbits.com/getbits.acgi?tlkthrd=2630>
<http://emperor.tidbits.com/TidBITS/Talk/484/>
**Film scanners and software for a large scanning project** --
Moving away from the Apple-Intel news, a reader asks for guidance
on hardware and software for digitizing a large collection of
negatives. (6 messages)
<http://db.tidbits.com/getbits.acgi?tlkthrd=2628>
<http://emperor.tidbits.com/TidBITS/Talk/482/>
$$
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