Tutorial, info, news, help on end-users Free and OpenSource Mac software
Wednesday, January 24, 2007
Open Source Mac
A Simple list of Free, open-source software for Mac OS X
Free and open-source software is good for you and good for the world. This is the best OS X software that we know of and the links to download them.
Free and open-source software is good for you and good for the world. This is the best OS X software that we know of and the links to download them.
iWork '07 nears release with new spreadsheet app
iWork '07 nears release with new spreadsheet app
By Ryan Katz, Senior Editor
January 5, 2007 - Apple's launch of iWork '07 next week is expected to be touted as one of the company's more significant product launches of the year, most notably due to the addition of a new spreadsheet application. This third component will better enable Apple to compel Mac users to forgo Microsoft Office and consider its offerings instead. |
As first reported by Think Secret in July, the application, referred to internally as Lasso and expected to be titled Numbers or Charts, will offer more than 200 hundred functions and full support for importing and exporting Microsoft Excel documents.
In addition, countless templates will offer easy, first-rate options for many popular categories, from personal planning and finance to business marketing and sales.
Since our initial and follow-up reports on Lasso, sources have managed to provide images of the application's icon and default blank interface. It is uknown, however, from what stage of Lasso's development these images date from, and sources caution the final shipping version may differ considerably.
Sources have also passed along additional notes regarding features in Lasso, including many that will transcend all iWork applications, such as conditional formatting in spreadsheets, enabling images to be treated as content in table cells, and an iPhoto-like "heads-up display" interface offering image editing options. Other improvements will focus on the interface, improving how documents are viewed and navigated and allowing multiple inspectors to be snapped together and moved as a group.
OS X Leopard will create no new jobs
OS X Leopard will create no new jobs but Microsofts Vistsa will create 100,000 in tech support and helpdesks!!
APC magazine, 13th December 2006 by Tim Gaden
Researchers have discovered that Apple's new operating system, codenamed Leopard, will create 0 new jobs when it is launched early next year.
This research (which was not commissioned by Apple) stands in sharp contrast to the findings of an industry report (commissioned by Microsoft) that Vista's release will create 100,000 new jobs in tech support and help desk positions.
Commenting on the impact Vista will have, Senior Vice President of Software Engineering at Apple Bertrand Serlet was not surprised:
"...underneath it's still Windows. It still has the registry at its core. It still has DLL hell and it still has this well-loved feature called activation. If you can't innovate, you have to imitate, but it's never quite as good."
Apple CEO Steve Jobs took a similar view ("Our friends up north [Microsoft] spend over five billion dollars on research and development and all they seem to do is copy Google and Apple") but was more charitable, finding the root cause in a lack of vision and life experience on the part of Microsoft's CEO:
"I wish him the best, I really do. I just think he and Microsoft are a bit narrow. He'd be a broader guy if he had dropped acid once or gone off to an ashram when he was younger."
While Vista seems set to impact on the economy by creating more IT support jobs to fix the broken or frozen computers of other employees, research shows that Apple will take a different path.
Apple is well known for its award-winning innovation. With Leopard's release Apple will continue an innovative strategy of impacting on the economy by increasing individual productivity. It will let people get more of their own work done, faster and smarter, without the need for endless calls to tech support, compatibility hassles, driver problems or time wasted defending their PCs from viruses and trojans.
A spokesperson for Apple was unable to say how this on-going productivity boost for every Mac owner compared to the US$ 70 billion ($89 billion) Vista is expected to inject into the economy.
APC magazine, 13th December 2006 by Tim Gaden
Researchers have discovered that Apple's new operating system, codenamed Leopard, will create 0 new jobs when it is launched early next year.
This research (which was not commissioned by Apple) stands in sharp contrast to the findings of an industry report (commissioned by Microsoft) that Vista's release will create 100,000 new jobs in tech support and help desk positions.
Commenting on the impact Vista will have, Senior Vice President of Software Engineering at Apple Bertrand Serlet was not surprised:
"...underneath it's still Windows. It still has the registry at its core. It still has DLL hell and it still has this well-loved feature called activation. If you can't innovate, you have to imitate, but it's never quite as good."
Apple CEO Steve Jobs took a similar view ("Our friends up north [Microsoft] spend over five billion dollars on research and development and all they seem to do is copy Google and Apple") but was more charitable, finding the root cause in a lack of vision and life experience on the part of Microsoft's CEO:
"I wish him the best, I really do. I just think he and Microsoft are a bit narrow. He'd be a broader guy if he had dropped acid once or gone off to an ashram when he was younger."
While Vista seems set to impact on the economy by creating more IT support jobs to fix the broken or frozen computers of other employees, research shows that Apple will take a different path.
Apple is well known for its award-winning innovation. With Leopard's release Apple will continue an innovative strategy of impacting on the economy by increasing individual productivity. It will let people get more of their own work done, faster and smarter, without the need for endless calls to tech support, compatibility hassles, driver problems or time wasted defending their PCs from viruses and trojans.
A spokesperson for Apple was unable to say how this on-going productivity boost for every Mac owner compared to the US$ 70 billion ($89 billion) Vista is expected to inject into the economy.
Is Steve Jobs Too Dangerous For Apple’s Future?
Just as Bill Gates steps aside as head of Microsoft, Apple’s Steve Jobs reaches a zenith of near-cult popularity.
What price glory for the man who IS Apple? Is Steve Jobs too dangerous for Apple’s future?
Most of us who claim the position of Apple watcher, Mac user, and techno pundit shudder at the thought of Steve Jobs leaving Apple.
Greedily, we worry about the resulting stock price crash, with recent estimates of a 30-percent drop should Steve leave Apple.
Mac faithful look forward to Jobs’ Macworld keynotes as much as zealous followers of a religion look forward to words on high from a spiritual master.
You know something has changed in the public psyche when a non-entertainer such as Steve Jobs becomes fodder for episodes of Saturday Night Live.
Such has been the case a few times the past year or so as parodies of Steve Jobs have appeared a couple of times on Saturday Night Live, and on MadTV.
I’m not tracking such appearances but managed to see all three and drew a singular conclusion. The bits are funny, somewhat accurate, but not good for Apple’s future.
Why not? After all, Bill Gates as head of Microsoft and the world’s richest man is arguably more well known throughout the world than Apple’s co-founder Steve Jobs.
Microsoft’s fortunes are not tied to Bill Gates in the same was as Apple’s fortunes are to Steve Jobs. Gates appointed Steve Ballmer as CEO and no one blinked.
Who’s the heir apparent at Apple? There is none.
Some say that Apple is Jobs. Jobs is Apple. In a way, I am forced to agree.
No other company of such prominence in the tech industry has a CEO who retains such micro control over a company’s character and product line.
Jobs believes that art and technology are one and the same and Apple exudes that personal combination in the Mac, Mac OS X, the iPod, even the not-yet-released iPhone.
If all good things come to an end, is it possible that Steve Jobs, elevated to parody material as a Zen-influenced Svengali on popular comedy shows, is dangerous to Apple’s future? Yes.
The issue is not “if” Job leaves Apple, it’s “when” Jobs leaves, and under what circumstances. As it stands now, the company’s fortunes are too intertwined in Jobs’ mesmerizing and now highly public leadership persona.
Elevated higher in the public’s consciousness, Jobs could even detract buyers from Apple’s products, not wanting to be associated with a “religious” purchase from those “Apple fanatics.”
With no successor in sight, with Apple riding a huge wave of popular products, record sales and profits, is Steve Jobs becoming too dangerous for Apple’s future? Yes, we’re headed in that direction.
Share your concerns, insights, perspective with other Mac360 readers in the Comments section below.
Worthless Widgets. Until Now. I See The Light.
Worthless Widgets. Until Now. I See The Light. My routine for Mac OS X’s Dashboard Widgets has been simple and pure. Avoid them at all costs.
2,600 Widgets make for worthless utility shopping; much ado over not much. Until today. Finally, A Widget that’s worthwhile.
Allow me to back up a moment. I’m not a fan of Mac OS X’s ubiquitous eye candy utilities-- Dashboard Widgets. Why? What’s to like?
Most Widgets don’t do much, certainly not as much as regular Mac utilities, and they take up valuable system resources. Yes, your mileage may vary.
I’ve devoted little time to Widgets other than weather maps, current temperatures, and stock prices. Out of over 2,600 Widgets, that’s about the best I’ve seen.
Widgets are coming to Apple’s new iPhone, too. That tidbit of knowledge lit a little fire under my curiosity buttock, and I thought I’d take a look at recent Widgets.
The one thing I like about the Dashboard and Widgets is the ability to assign a ”hot spot” on my Mac’s screen. All I need do is move my mouse pointer to the upper left corner, and it’s Widget Heaven.
Of course, there’s not much there. Weather. Weather radar. Stock prices. Calendar. Watch Mouse. Package Tracker. Say Cheese (daily dose of Dilbert).
Hmmm. Come to think of it, that’s almost half a screen full on a 23-inch Cinema Display. Still, I’m into efficiency and don’t want worthless Widgets to get in the way of my productivity.
It’s a flick of the wrist, a quick glance here and there, and back to work.
That’s the way God intended Widgets to behave.
Widgets on the iPhone are a natural extension of tools we could use, as much for visual stimulation as information. That’s what got me to thinking…
What else is out there that could benefit from my ”flick the wrist” motion to invoke the few Widgets that meet The Mincey Seal Of Approval?
Here’s one that smacked me in the face. VoteWatch.
As with most Widgets, VoteWatch is free. It’s also descriptively titled. VoteWatch tracks the recent votes on various bills in the US Senate and House of Representatives.
Enter a zip code and you get a statewide view of how your Senators and Congresspeople voted on specific bills. At the right time of year, that could be handy for the politically minded.
What’s next? Poll results for the presidential runs by Clinton, Obama, McCain, Romney, Guiliani, and company? Why not? Widgets will be wonderful during elections.
This one Widget got me to thinking about iPhone. Weather? Sure. Stocks? Naturally. How about a traffic Widget for current conditions by zip code? Would that be cool in an iPhone, or what?
Forget terrestrial radio in your car. Forget XM and Sirius satellite radio in your car? What about a radio Widget in your iPhone? See where this is going?
I’m the Mac360 Darth Vader of Widgets. I don’t care for them, don’t use many, haven’t found much value-- until now. Added to an iPhone, Widgets open up new avenues of value.
Let’s not argue over the value of Widgets to Mac OS X. We all have a favorite or two, and plenty we hate and would never use. But, the iPhone opens up a whole new mobile world of Widget Mobility™ right?
What kind of Widgets would you like to see on an iPhone? As usual, your wisdom and perspective are appreciated and ready for public promotion via the Comments section below.
• Category: Widget Watch
Wednesday, January 17, 2007
What To Do With A Broken Mac
What To Do With A Broken Mac
By Jon@Smalldog.com
"I'm sick of this evil computer - put it out of it's misery and mine - get my data off and have it SCRAPPED!" Yes, we (Small Dog) do sometimes hear this, even about Macintosh computers.
However, many people don't know that, depending on the machine's
specific failure, it might possibly qualify for the Apple Repair
Extension program.
If your Mac dies and it's out of warranty, the first step should be
to arm yourself with knowledge. Visit Apple's website and discussion boards to see if your Mac's failure is common.Depending on how common the problem is, Apple might have a repair extension program that allows you to get your machine fixed as though it was still in warranty. This program is cleverly called the "Repair Extension Program."
Apple lists all the current REPs, Repair Extension Programs, at the following URL;
http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=500338
Posted by Cyndi
By Jon@Smalldog.com
"I'm sick of this evil computer - put it out of it's misery and mine - get my data off and have it SCRAPPED!" Yes, we (Small Dog) do sometimes hear this, even about Macintosh computers.
However, many people don't know that, depending on the machine's
specific failure, it might possibly qualify for the Apple Repair
Extension program.
If your Mac dies and it's out of warranty, the first step should be
to arm yourself with knowledge. Visit Apple's website and discussion boards to see if your Mac's failure is common.Depending on how common the problem is, Apple might have a repair extension program that allows you to get your machine fixed as though it was still in warranty. This program is cleverly called the "Repair Extension Program."
Apple lists all the current REPs, Repair Extension Programs, at the following URL;
http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=500338
Posted by Cyndi
Dashboard widget is a virtual data destroyer
Widget of the Week
Simply called Shredder, this OS X Tiger Dashboard widget is a virtual data destroyer. Got a file you no longer need? Simply click and hold on it, press F12, or your custom keystroke for engaging the Dashboard, and drag the selection to the Shredder.
There are three levels of "trashing" your files through this virtual paper eating machine; low, medium, and high. Ever heard of the 35 pass Gutmann algorithm for erasing data? It's five times more aggressive in destroying data than the US Dept of Defense 7 pass minimum.
To find the link for this really neat utility offered by
Interdimension Media, click here;
http://www.apple.com/downloads/dashboard/business/shredder.html
Pretty cool
posted by Cyndi
Simply called Shredder, this OS X Tiger Dashboard widget is a virtual data destroyer. Got a file you no longer need? Simply click and hold on it, press F12, or your custom keystroke for engaging the Dashboard, and drag the selection to the Shredder.
There are three levels of "trashing" your files through this virtual paper eating machine; low, medium, and high. Ever heard of the 35 pass Gutmann algorithm for erasing data? It's five times more aggressive in destroying data than the US Dept of Defense 7 pass minimum.
To find the link for this really neat utility offered by
Interdimension Media, click here;
http://www.apple.com/downloads/dashboard/business/shredder.html
Pretty cool
posted by Cyndi
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