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Mac OS X Zip Expanding Utility

Firefox (and possibly other applications) may ask you what you want to do with .zip archives that you download from the Internet. If you want to expand them with Mac OS X (rather than StuffIt Expander), you may be unsure of which application actually does the job. You're looking for Archive Utility (in Leopard) or BOMArchiveHelper (in Tiger). In either case, the application is stored in Hard Drive/System/Library/Core Services/. Don't move it from there, though, or you'll confuse matters.

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Tech News | 18 Jun 2008 | Listen   | Print Printer-Friendly Version of This Article

TidBITS Watchlist: Notable Software Updates for 23-Jun-08

by Adam C. Engst Send Email to Author

  • Growl 1.1.4 from the Growl Team is a minor update to the system-wide notification utility that provides highly customizable notifications of events from a wide variety of applications. Growl 1.1.4 fixes a few problems related to updating from the 1.1.3 version and failed installations in Leopard. Version 1.1.3 provided more interesting changes, including support for Safari 3.0 in the GrowlSafari plug-in, better compatibility with Leopard (particularly via the GrowlMail plug-in), the capability to show notifications in every Space, and some fixes to stop major memory leaks. (Free, 4.4 MB)
  • ConceptDraw Office from CS Odessa uses the company's new InGyre technology to provide a seamless workflow between ConceptDraw Mindmap, ConceptDraw Project, and ConceptDraw Pro. The idea is to integrate brainstorming, project management, and CS Odessa's flagship business graphics and diagramming software. ConceptDraw Office costs $499, but that's nearly $150 less than buying all three programs separately. ($499 new)
  • Xserve EFI Firmware Update 1.1 from Apple claims to fix "several issues to improve the stability of Xserve computers." I suppose we have to take Apple's word for it, though a bit more detail would have been nice, such as the fact that this update applies only to Intel-based Xserves. Because this is a firmware update, you can't just install it willy-nilly, especially since Xserves are often run without monitors or in co-location facilities. After you download the update, locate the Xserve EFI Firmware Update application in /Applications/Utilities and launch it, then follow the directions (Apple provides more generic directions as well). If your Xserve lacks a monitor, Apple provides separate directions for headless updating, but note that if you cannot access your Xserve physically (to push the power button), you'll have to wait to install this update until someone can lay hands upon the machine. (Free, 1.6 MB)
  • CrossOver Mac 7.0 from CodeWeavers enhances the WINE-based utility for running select pieces of Windows software under Mac OS X. CrossOver Mac 7.0 includes many of the elements of the just-released WINE 1.0, including significantly enhanced support for ActiveX controls in Internet Explorer. Other improvements in CrossOver Mac 7.0 include support for Microsoft Office 2007, newer versions of Quicken, and Adobe CS and CS2 (particularly Photoshop). Standard and Pro versions of CrossOver Mac 7.0 differ in that the Pro version has a longer support period and includes a copy of CrossOver Games with a variety of Windows games. (New copies: $39.95 Standard/$69.95 Pro)

 

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