TidBITS#820/13-Mar-06
=====================
Does the iPod halo effect exist, or is it just a Mac myth?
In this week's issue, a Windows user returns to the Apple fold
and describes how the design and ease of use of the iPod led
him to purchase a MacBook Pro (with some reservations). Also in
this issue, Glenn Fleishman follows up last week's article on
ultrawideband data speeds, and we note the release of Bare Bones
Software's Yojimbo 1.1 and an unexpectedly late date for the
next Apple Worldwide Developer Conference. Finally, check out
Joe Kissell's new ebook, "Take Control of Maintaining Your Mac".
Topics:
MailBITS/13-Mar-06
More Details on Ultrawideband (UWB) Speed
From iPod to MacBook Pro: A Switcher's Tale
Take Control News/13-Mar-06
Hot Topics in TidBITS Talk/13-Mar-06
<http://www.tidbits.com/tb-issues/TidBITS-820.html>
<ftp://ftp.tidbits.com/issues/2006/TidBITS#820_13-Mar-06.etx>
Copyright 2006 TidBITS: Reuse governed by Creative Commons license
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---------------------------------------------------------------
This issue of TidBITS sponsored in part by:
* READERS LIKE YOU! Support TidBITS with a contribution today! <----- NEW!
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Special thanks this week to Leonard Schloff, Anne Anderson,
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* FETCH SOFTWORKS: Fetch 5 is now available, with SFTP, Bonjour, <--- NEW!
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Download your free trial version! <http://fetchsoftworks.com/>
* MathScore.com: Individual subscriptions NOW available for
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Upgrade for only $29.99! <http://www.stuffit.com/mac/deluxe/>
* Yojimbo 1.0 from Bare Bones Software: Your effortless, reliable <-- NEW!
information organizer for Mac OS X. It will change your life,
without changing the way you work. Download the demo or buy it
today! <http://www.barebones.com/products/yojimbo/>
* AUDIO HIJACK PRO: Gain total audio control to record <------------- NEW!
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---------------------------------------------------------------
MailBITS/13-Mar-06
------------------
**Security Update 2006-002 Fixes the Fixes** -- Apple today
released Security Update 2006-002 that, along with closing a few
new holes, addresses issues created by Security Update 2006-001
(which is included as well, just to ensure that everyone has it).
New improvements include a fix for a buffer overflow exploit that
could affect a user who double-clicked an attachment within Mail
and an update to CoreTypes that closes a JavaScript-related hole.
Also included in the security update are additional checks to
prevent Safari from automatically opening a file that appears
to be safe but isn't, the elimination of bogus warnings about
Word documents and files with custom icons as being unsafe,
a correction in apache_mod_php that prevented SquirrelMail from
functioning, and a fix to rsync that re-enables the "--delete"
command line option. Security Update 2006-002 is available via
Software Update and as standalone downloads for Mac OS X 10.4.5
Client and Server (PowerPC), Mac OS X 10.4.5 Client (Intel),
Mac OS X 10.3.9 (Client and Server) in sizes ranging from 13 MB
to 39 MB. [ACE]
<http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=303453>
<http://www.apple.com/support/downloads/
securityupdate2006002macosx1045ppc.html>
<http://www.apple.com/support/downloads/
securityupdate2006002macosx1045clientintel.html>
<http://www.apple.com/support/downloads/securityupdate20060021039client.html>
<http://www.apple.com/support/downloads/securityupdate20060021039server.html>
**Yojimbo 1.1 Adds Features, Fixes Bugs** -- Bare Bones Software
has released Yojimbo 1.1, the first update to the company's new
information organizer (See "Let Yojimbo Guard Your Information
Castle" in TidBITS-814_). The program has matured in numerous
small ways, adding AppleScript support that could enable import
from other programs, improving its searching capabilities, and
providing a keyboard toggle for creating bookmarks versus Web
archives when importing a URL. Read the Current Release Notes
page for a full list of changes. Yojimbo 1.1 is a 2.6 MB download.
It's free to registered users; new copies cost $40. [ACE]
<http://db.tidbits.com/getbits.acgi?tbart=08407>
<http://www.barebones.com/support/yojimbo/current_notes.shtml>
<http://www.barebones.com/support/updates.shtml>
**WWDC Moves to August** -- Apple has opened registration for the
2006 Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC), which is interesting
primarily because the dates for this year's conference are August
7th through 11th, roughly two months later than recent instances
of WWDC. Though wags have suggested that the date change was
designed so WWDC didn't conflict with the World Cup in Germany
(which might prevent European developers from attending), it's
more likely that the date change means that the next version of
Mac OS X - currently thought to be called Leopard - isn't ready
for a June showing, causing Apple to move WWDC later in the year
so as to be able to discuss Leopard appropriately with Macintosh
developers. Of course, it's also possible that there was merely
a scheduling conflict with the venue that Apple wanted, and that
August was the next available date. Even if it is true that Apple
is delaying WWDC for Leopard's sake, there's no telling whether
or not the delay would affect Leopard's eventual ship date. [ACE]
<http://developer.apple.com/wwdc/>
More Details on Ultrawideband (UWB) Speed
-----------------------------------------
by Glenn Fleishman <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
In last week's issue, I explained the upcoming UWB wireless
technology, but I may have overstated its range. (See
"Ultrawideband to Add New Wireless Options" in TidBITS-819_.)
<http://db.tidbits.com/getbits.acgi?tbart=08448>
In a coincidentally timed article at ZDNet, the head of
the USB Implementers Forum states that UWB products will be
available in the third quarter of 2006 that conform to Wireless
USB standards for conveying USB 2.0 via UWB. But he also says
that UWB can hit 480 Mbps, its current high speed in the Intel-
backed version, within 10 feet (3 m), not 100 (30 m) feet as
I reported. He said the speed drops to 110 Mbps between 10 and
30 feet (9.1 m). (Also, the industry head quoted in this article
states a specific amount of power consumption for UWB: half
of Wi-Fi.)
<http://news.zdnet.com/2100-9584_22-6046560.html>
I've been following UWB for years, and historically speaking,
companies had agreed to produce chips that could hit 480 Mbps
at 10 feet and 110 Mbps at 30 feet. But more recently, some
companies have been claiming they would be able to produce higher
throughputs over longer distances; hence my report last week of
480 Mbps at up to 100 feet. Those longer distances may be overly
optimistic.
I expect that, as usual, the truth lies in between. 10 feet is
a reasonable distance for most peripherals. Most people wouldn't
put a peripheral more than 10 feet from their computer today,
but Wireless USB and UWB in general will eventually allow a
computer to be across the room from your monitor, keyboard,
and other peripherals.
Thirty feet means you won't have to get up and cross the room to
spool video to your TV or synchronize a phone. It would also let
you use a handheld device to watch video streamed from a central
storage device.
I'll be curious to see what distances are promised when Wireless
USB ships. I queried Alereon about UWB range: they're a member
of the WiMedia Alliance and will be one of the first companies
shipping UWB silicon for manufacturers. They confirmed that the
10 feet for 480 Mbps and 30 feet for 110 Mbps are part of the
target for their flavor of UWB, as it was for the IEEE standard.
Alereon's modeling shows that their equipment could reach 67 feet
(20.5 m) at 110 Mbps and 27 feet (8.2 m) at 480 Mbps - in a
perfect world. The FCC and regulatory limits on signal strength
restrict the maximum range in the real world.
Alereon said that Freescale has ideas for a longer-distance
110 Mbps signal that requires a "new interpretation" of the
FCC testing guidelines that confirm a UWB device is within
the regulated parameter. Of course, the entire WiMedia radio
approach also required a new interpretation, one that the FCC
didn't disagree with ultimately.
>From iPod to MacBook Pro: A Switcher's Tale
-------------------------------------------
by Robert Movin <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
By now most of you have read numerous MacBook Pro reviews
filled with technical specifications, startup times, benchmarks,
battery life, and counts of how many times an icon bounced
on the dock when an application is launched. This is not
that review. Rather, this is a tale of high drama, low comedy,
anticipation, disappointment, and wonder. It's the tale of a
switcher succumbing to Apple's vaunted "halo" effect (and not
the one with the Master Chief). It's the tale of how someone
generally satisfied with that "other" operating system running
on a very nice corporate laptop found himself refreshing live
Jobsnote transcripts every 30 seconds, breathlessly clicking
through the Apple Store, and dropping several thousand dollars
on a shiny, new, aluminum, Intel-based laptop. This is my tale.
Well, perhaps it's not that dramatic, but hopefully I can
provide an interesting perspective on the role of Apple in today's
technology world, how great product design can overcome the little
annoyances that make switching far more difficult than it should
be, and how the MacBook Pro may not be perfect but is absolutely
worth the investment despite a few key shortcomings. Before
delving in to the story and review I'd like to thank Adam for
allowing me to write this article under a pseudonym. My job in the
IT industry ties my name closely with my employer, and a pen name
allows me the extra freedom to express personal opinions safely.
**Early Days** -- I've never been overly religious about my
operating system of choice. In the third grade I started on
Commodore PETs, used my best friend's Apple ][ (mostly to play
Wizardry), and owned a Commodore 64. We loved that you could open
up the Apple ][ and see the intestinal circuitry, but back then
we were far too timid to touch anything. I still remember the
excitement when the original Macintosh finally appeared in our
school and I delighted in explaining to the uninformed masses
that the little 3.5-inch disk was, in fact, still a floppy
(not a hard disk) despite the lack of flop. Needless to say,
I never dated until college.
It was back in college that Apple lost me. Even with the
educational discounts, Apple's products were out of my price
range (as were many food items). The operating system was no
longer the bastion of usability it once was, application support
was diminishing, and the enterprise world was slowly slipping
into the clutches of the boys and girls from Redmond. Worst
of all, my freshman roommate insisted on playing games on his
Mac late into the night. With the sound on.
When I started working in IT at a university I learned to hate
Macs - they were far more difficult to manage and integrate into
our existing network than other options. It was fine if you went
all Apple, like some of the labs did, but Macs back then didn't
fare well in a mixed environment. Still, I admired Apple's early
laptops, lusted after a Newton, and still held a soft spot for
Apple as a company.
**Enter the iPod** -- Flash forward nearly a decade. I had just
left my nice Archos MP3 player on a flight back from Japan and
it was gone for good. I'd recently purchased a new desktop PC
from Dell despite pressure from Chris Pepper, a frequent TidBITS
contributor and close friend. We discussed how I just couldn't
justify the thousands of dollars for a Mac with less processing
power than a $600 Dell, despite the Mac's superior design.
I was happy with the music and image editing software available
for Windows, and due to careful management didn't suffer the
performance or security issues that bedevil many home users.
Then I bought a third-generation iPod to replace the Archos
and started down the path that lead to the MacBook Pro.
The design of the iPod amazed me. I'd turn the lights off so
I could see the cool orange glow of the backlit keys. This is
when I realized that Apple created unmatched consumer experiences.
I had used every gadget and operating system available, but the
iPod experience was something I hadn't felt since experimenting
with that first Macintosh. It was clean, usable, and didn't feel
like a bunch of parts and standards cobbled together in whatever
plastic case was lying around. I was hooked, and the halo effect
started. I also started a new long-distance relationship and added
an AirPort Express to my arsenal to support my new multi-home
lifestyle. Next came a Mac mini - priced lower than my last car
repairs and passing the future spouse test with its diminutive
size. Apple had finally produced a Mac I could afford and easily
integrate at home.
But what really surprised me was that Mac OS X blew me away.
You just can't get the full feel of Mac OS X playing with it
at an Apple Store; it's only when you use it every day that you
really appreciate its benefits. Stability was good, but not that
unusual for me since my Windows systems are pretty stable. It was
the feel of Mac OS X, the tight integration across applications
(especially the iLife suite), the Unix command prompt, and
the wonders of AppleScript that finally sold me. I propped
that little Mac mini on top of my Dell tower and never looked
back. It became our primary system. I started programming in
AppleScript. And next thing I knew it became my home intranet
server, managing our calendars, providing local weather and
traffic, distributing music, and even enabling me to dabble in
home automation. But the Mac mini always felt a bit crippled -
video conversion wasn't worth the effort, iPhoto crawled, and
Microsoft Office lagged. It was time for something better, but how
could I justify yet another computer? As I was no longer single,
this wasn't just a rhetorical question.
**Switching Chips** -- Intel was the answer. First came the
announcement of Apple's move to using CPUs from Intel, which meant
far more than just a performance boost. The enterprise world is
rapidly moving towards large-scale virtualization, abstracting
an entire operating system, configuration, and applications and
running them within another operating system, even on incompatible
hardware. Consider Microsoft's Virtual PC, which makes a "virtual"
Windows system (called a "virtual machine") think it is running on
a PC when it is in fact running on a Mac. If you're not familiar
with the inner workings of large IT shops, the virtualization
revolution is just starting to hit, and the benefits are immense.
On the server side, virtualization enables better segregation,
simplified management, and improved licensing (imagine running
four different servers, each configured separately, each isolated
from the other, on a single hardware system). On workstations,
virtualization will enable enterprises to install a locked-down,
secure image on pretty much any piece of hardware while still
allowing employees to destroy the rest of the operating system
with bad behavior. The enterprise is protected, support costs
remain manageable, and users still have the freedom to download
spyware-laden weather applications without causing problems.
We're not there yet, but it's close.
As I'm sure many of you know, virtualization across hardware
platforms seriously degrades performance. There's an extra
translation layer where every instruction needs to be converted
from one chipset to another. That's why Virtual PC struggles on
even the fastest Power Mac G5. But with a consistent hardware
base - x86-compatible processors - virtualization becomes a better
option by reducing the number of translations needed to get to
the CPU. Using VMware (a Windows and Unix virtualization product
like Virtual PC) on that Dell of mine, I can comfortably run two
virtual machines and expect reasonable performance. Apple was
excluded from the virtualization game because all versions
of Windows and most versions of Linux are locked onto Intel
hardware. But with Macs also using Intel CPUs we can expect
equal or greater performance than running virtual machines on
Windows. The practical upshot? I'll be able to use a Mac for all
my personal computing needs while running a virtual image of my
corporate system - with all my corporate applications - in a
little window in the corner of my screen. Unless you rely on
some odd heavy client-server application, you'll be able to run
Microsoft Outlook or Lotus Notes natively in that virtual window,
without compromising corporate security or increasing support.
In fact, support becomes easier since that corporate image can
be locked tighter than the average user desktop and easily reset.
Not that my company supports any of this yet, but there's always
a way.
**Switching to the MacBook Pro** -- And thus the last barrier to
switch crumbled under the stomp of the Intel bunny-suit. I started
having problems sleeping. I felt crippled when on the road and
isolated from the elegance of Mac OS X. Then came the Jobsnote
with the MacBook Pro as that "one more thing". But could I justify
it? With an impending wedding (every geek gets his day!), a couple
of grand is no small commitment. I hemmed and hawed until my
fiancee asked if it was tax deductible. That was probably a
mistake on her part, as I slammed the Buy button so hard I poked
a hole in my mouse. Weeks of anticipation passed, and finally
the slim MacBook Pro box arrived at my door.
Despite its clumsy name, the MacBook Pro is an excellent piece
of design and engineering. Unlike many TidBITS readers, this is my
first Apple laptop, and I love the PowerBook design. The keyboard
is compact yet easy to navigate, the ports are well positioned,
and it has a solid feel. The backlit keys and ambient light sensor
are a very nice touch (okay, so I'm a sucker for cool lights),
as are the small LED on the Caps Lock key and the charge indicator
on the MagSafe power connector. The built-in iSight camera is
barely noticeable yet provides solid image quality in a variety
of lighting conditions. MagSafe works exactly as advertised and
is easier to plug and unplug than a regular power cord. It's just
a good looking and good feeling machine. But it isn't perfect.
On the hardware side there are some definite shortcomings.
The MacBook Pro runs hot; it's the hottest system I've ever
used. This morning the power key was uncomfortably hot to the
touch. The AC adapter is big, larger than an AirPort Express.
(All this makes me wonder a bit about Apple's performance-per-watt
claims; all that heat has to be coming from somewhere.) The
ExpressCard slot will undoubtedly be useful in the future, but at
the moment I have a stack of wireless cards I can't use (and still
need to use). I hear a slight buzzing when the LCD is turned on,
although it's usually not very noticeable. Battery life is
reasonable, but not exceptional; I get only about 3.5 hours
of normal use with wireless turned on and the display slightly
dimmed. Coming from the dual-button PC world as I do, the single-
button trackpad is a real annoyance and needs that second button,
but two-finger scrolling works much better than I expected.
Again, the MacBook Pro's hardware isn't perfect, but it's far
superior to anything in the PC world that's similarly priced.
In terms of raw bang-for-the-buck, it will be hard to beat the
MacBook Pro, and it's great to see an Apple laptop that's more
competitive than the over-priced systems from just a few years
ago.
Software-wise, the MacBook Pro is nicely responsive - I won't go
into benchmarks. It boots in less than 30 seconds and comfortably
handles whatever I've thrown at it so far. While I'm writing this
article in Mail, I'm also listening to iTunes, have iMovie and
iPhoto running in the background, and have both Firefox and Safari
active. Despite that, I don't feel like anything is lagging,
which wouldn't have been true on my Mac mini. The iSight works far
better than I expected it would - iChat video chats work just like
those video chats in the movies, even all the way to Australia
(I checked). You know, the kind of quality you never get on your
expensive corporate system.
Not everything has been sweetness and light. On my very first day
with the MacBook Pro, I discovered the risks of jumping onto a new
platform. The custom VPN client for our corporate network doesn't
run on Intel-based Macs, so I can't use Entourage to check my work
mail. Fink is still updating to be a universal binary; KisMAC
isn't quite universal yet; I can't get Tor running; and I had
to download a special version of Firefox (Deer Park). All these
compatibility nits will fade in time, but it's frustrating that
I might still have to lug my ThinkPad around when traveling
for work. Virtualization sounds close using QEMU, but it's not
available yet. Some applications are fine with Rosetta, but others
can be painfully slow at times. Microsoft Office runs faster than
on the Mac mini, but I use RapidWeaver for managing some personal
Web sites and it can crawl painfully when dealing with photos.
<http://fink.sourceforge.net/>
<http://kismac.binaervarianz.de/>
<http://tor.eff.org/>
<http://www.mozilla.org/projects/deerpark/>
<http://fabrice.bellard.free.fr/qemu/>
<http://qemu.dad-answers.com/viewforum.php?f=6>
<http://realmacsoftware.com/rapidweaver/>
Despite these hardware and software shortcomings, I highly
recommend the MacBook Pro for most users. It's one of the best
systems I've ever used, and it's a pleasure to work on. Pro users
(the Adobe crowd) or system geeks needing specialized applications
might want to wait until the tools they need are universal
binaries, but for most users there will be few limitations.
I don't have another PowerBook to compare it to, but compared
to my 1.42 GHz Mac mini, it's like jumping into a Corvette after
years in a sturdy VW Bug (the old Bug). There is a lot of talk on
the Web about dual booting these machines, but dual-booters might
consider virtualization instead. Unless you have special needs,
you should be able to run your Windows desktop inside Mac OS X
as a virtual machine within six months. Personally I don't care
about dual-booting; I'd rather work in the superior look and feel
of Mac OS X and just open that Windows window when needed.
**A Big Leap** -- Overall, switching was a positive experience,
but one filled with small frustrations that would stymie the
average user. As much as I'd like to, I can't even completely
leave Windows for my personal computing, much less work. You see,
I'm one of those users who falls between the elegant, yet totally
closed, aspects of the Mac OS X experience and the powerful,
open-source Darwin core.
On the proprietary side, Apple provides a clean, usable experience
without the complexities normally involved in personal computing.
The operating system just works. The applications just work, and
more than that, they work together seamlessly. Most core consumer
features (music, photos, video, chat, email, calendar) are built
in and easy to use, which helps maintain stability and security.
On the open side, Apple gives us the power of the Unix command
line along with shipping versions of open-source stalwarts like
Apache, Samba, PHP, and various programming languages. Drop to
the command line in Terminal, and you're in the world of consoles
and scripts, which, while it might not be easy or intuitive,
offers unparalleled power in knowledgeable hands.
But it's in the middle where Apple fails, and where switching
becomes daunting. Mac OS X is all or nothing. Either you turn
yourself over to Apple completely or gain the skills of a
sysadmin. For example, I have yet to figure out how to convince
my Epson R200 to print borderless photos from iPhoto, so I print
all my pictures on my Windows box. My wireless settings are lost
between sessions, and although I know there must be a way to
store my home settings, it's not readily apparent. To print from
my wireless print server I must use the command line. Mail and
iCal stubbornly refuse to accept or send Outlook-compatible
meeting invitations, so I had to write a custom AppleScript script
so my fiancee and I can add entries to our home calendars from
work. While .Mac has a Web-enabled email interface, it lacks
an interactive calendar, a constant source of frustration since
I can't choose what operating systems we use at work. I'm sure
I will figure out ways around these problems, but I could never
explain them to my parents over the phone.
What I've learned is if you go Apple, you better go all Apple,
all the time, unless you're a power geek and willing to spend
plenty of time on the details. Everything from Apple or built
for Mac works perfectly and easily, but be prepared for pain
if you fall into the middle. I agree with Steve Jobs's mantra of
simplification, but not when simplification increases complexity.
Every Windows user is used to two buttons on a mouse, so stop
trying to change those habits if you want us to switch. Let us
use Outlook/Exchange at work and still exchange appointments
with iCal at home. Let us use Control-C to copy if we want,
right during setup.
I'm slowly converting my entire family to Macs, but it's hard
to move past their preconceptions. I'll probably have to pay for
their machines all myself. Luckily, my family members want to use
their computers for only a few activities, and these happen to
be the tasks the Mac excels at: music, photos, email, calendars,
Web browsing, and general family communications. I live over 2,000
miles from my family, and the Mac will be the tool that erases
that distance. Video chats with the nephew who (right now) barely
knows me. Photocasting with my Mom. Sleeping soundly at night
knowing their computers aren't infected twelve ways to tomorrow.
Even knowing my sister can still play World of Warcraft with her
gaming-addicted husband. The just-released Intel-based Mac minis
might be just the ticket, despite the slightly higher price,
especially if I can find some cheap iSights.
As for me, I'm firmly in the camp, if not the cult, of Mac. I know
I can work through most of the restrictions that frustrate me so.
Once I can get a virtual PC running my corporate life in a window
and after I can connect to my IR-enabled heart rate monitor I'll
be totally satisfied. As it is, I see myself leaving the ThinkPad
at home, even knowing it cuts me off from the corporate lifeline.
What the heck, I still have my Blackberry, and maybe on that next
flight I can edit a movie of our last vacation instead of just
deleting old email messages or watching a stuttering DVD.
Switching is good. But it could (and should) be easier.
Take Control News/13-Mar-06
---------------------------
by Adam C. Engst <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
**Keep Your Mac Running Smoothly** -- Everyone agrees that regular
maintenance is the best way to avoid nasty problems and to ensure
your Mac runs at peak performance, but it's hard to know what you
should do and when to do it, and even harder to fit it into your
schedule. If that describes you, check out Joe Kissell's newest
ebook, "Take Control of Maintaining Your Mac." In it, Joe applies
his commonsense approach to the task of maintaining your Mac.
You'll find out how to start on the right foot; what you should
do daily, weekly, monthly, and yearly; and how to prepare
for Mac OS X updates. Joe's suggestions are based on hard-won
experience, so he covers not only what you should do but also
what you should know about commonly suggested panaceas that seldom
actually help. You'll also learn how to monitor your Mac's health
so you can detect problems before they cause trouble, and find
out where to turn if trouble does raise its ugly head. Of course,
opinions vary on some of these tasks, so the ebook contains
conversations with experts about what they do in particular
situations. The ebook even includes a one-page checklist you
can post near your computer to remind you of maintenance tasks.
Also, don't miss Joe's interview with Chuck Joiner of MacVoices
for additional maintenance tips and utility advice.
<http://www.takecontrolbooks.com/maintaining-mac.html?14!pt=
TRK-0032-TB820-TCNEWS>
<http://www.macvoices.com/archives/2006/641.html>
**"Take Control of Apple Mail in Tiger" Translated to Dutch** --
Our team of industrious Dutch translators have once again brought
a Take Control ebook to the Dutch-speaking Macintosh community
with a translation of Joe Kissell's "Take Control of Apple Mail
in Tiger." The 194-page ebook teaches you how to customize your
incoming mail view, display slideshows of attached photos, find
messages with Spotlight, and create smart mailboxes. You'll also
find advice about importing from other programs, creating rules,
parental controls, and the Previous Recipients list. Learn how
to solve connection problems, fix damaged mailboxes, and make
Spotlight see messages it isn't finding properly. This Dutch
translation costs $15 so there's a share for the translators,
and it comes with a copy of the English version so readers can
learn of updates before they're translated.
<http://www.takecontrolbooks.com/nl/tiger-apple-mail.html?14!pt=
TRK-0028NL-TB820-TCNEWS>
Hot Topics in TidBITS Talk/13-Mar-06
------------------------------------
by TidBITS Staff <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
The first link for each thread description points to the
traditional TidBITS Talk interface; the second link points to
the same discussion on our Web Crossing server, which provides
a different look and which may be faster.
**SquirrelMail vs. 10.4.5 Server** -- Applying the latest Mac OS X
Server update can make SquirrelMail stop working. (2 messages)
<http://db.tidbits.com/getbits.acgi?tlkthrd=2914>
<http://emperor.tidbits.com/TidBITS/Talk/748/>
**Drawing program for an 11-year-old child?** A young Mac user has
outgrown KidPix, so what's a parent to do? Read on for several
suggestions. (7 messages)
<http://db.tidbits.com/getbits.acgi?tlkthrd=2915>
<http://emperor.tidbits.com/TidBITS/Talk/749/>
**Keychain susceptible to phishing attacks?** What appears to be a
fault in Keychain turns out to be an issue with Safari's autofill
feature, reminding us that it's best to keep a sharp eye when
filling out Web forms. (3 messages)
<http://db.tidbits.com/getbits.acgi?tlkthrd=2919>
<http://emperor.tidbits.com/TidBITS/Talk/752/>
**la la: Netflix meets Napster meets half.com** -- A few services
offer the capability to mail your unwanted CDs (and DVDs) to
people who request them, and vice-versa. And what does the RIAA
think of this? (4 messages)
<http://db.tidbits.com/getbits.acgi?tlkthrd=2921>
<http://emperor.tidbits.com/TidBITS/Talk/754/>
**No internal CompactFlash for MacBook Pro** -- The MacBook Pro's
new ExpressCard slot, while forward-thinking, is making it
difficult for people who already own PC Card adapters.
(3 messages)
<http://db.tidbits.com/getbits.acgi?tlkthrd=2922>
<http://emperor.tidbits.com/TidBITS/Talk/755/>
**Destroying optical media** -- Paper shredders are inexpensive
and invaluable these days, but what's the best way to get rid
of CDs and DVDs? (16 messages)
<http://db.tidbits.com/getbits.acgi?tlkthrd=2923>
<http://emperor.tidbits.com/TidBITS/Talk/757/>
$$
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