BBS in a Box 2/BBS in a box - Trilogy II.iso/Files/Mag/M-O/MacIndex Sampler/MI Sampler text

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MI Title    MI Label    MI Author/Reporter    MI Date    MI Year    MI Publication    MI Pages    MI Keywords    MI Summary    MI Notes
PowerPoint needs fix on new Macs    news        Dec. 7    1992    MacWEEK    10    repairs, troubleshooting, presentations, PowerBooks, Duos, IIvx    PowerPoint 3.0 has a few problems with new PowerBooks (160 and 180), the Duos, and the Mac IIvx. Contact Microsoft’s PowerPoint Product Support Line: 206/635-7146. [Correction: According to p. 6 of MacWEEK 12/14/92, the correct number for the PowerPoint Product Support Line is 206/635-7145.]
Franklin package brings goals into focus    product announcements        Dec. 7    1992    MacWEEK    19    time management, training, address-list managers    Values Quest combines goals planning (according to “Personal Productivity Pyramid”) with phone and address-list manager. $49.95 from Franklin Quest Co.’s Technology Department: 801/975-1814, 800/877-1814; fax [phone].
Ergonomic help from padware    product announcements        Dec. 7    1992    MacWEEK    26    ergonomics, input, keyboards    Padware Mouse Cover ($9.95), Mouse Pad ($9.95), and Wrist Rest ($14.95) are soft accessories for mice and keyboards that may reduce repetitive strain injuries. Jones & Vining: 617/848-7310; fax [phone].
Mouse Shadow cradles wrists    product announcements        Dec. 7    1992    MacWEEK    26    ergonomics, health    Mouse Shadow keeps a mouse user’s arm in a more healthful straight position by cradling the wrist on a padded device that rolls on three balls. $14.99 from ShadowTech International: 405/536-7108, 800/392-1402; fax [phone].
Apple reaches out to hearing-impaired with TDD    news        Dec. 7    1992    MacWEEK    26    Apple, customer service, customer support    Apple now offers direct technical support for hearing-impaired users through a TDD at the Customer Assistance Center. TDD line is 800/833-6223.
Companies bundle contact-manager, job-search app    product announcements        Dec. 7    1992    MacWEEK    26    PIMs, contact management, address-list managers    Info-Mation 1.1 information management program ($189) and ResumExpert resumé program ($95) have been bundled for job-seekers at a special $99 price. P.I.M. Inc.: 510/559-4211, 800/444-4746; fax [phone].
Grammar checker designed for health-care industry    product announcements        Dec. 7    1992    MacWEEK    26    grammar checkers, style checkers, spelling checkers, medicine, language    Correct Grammar Medical highlights problems in medical language and uses 115,000 medical-specific words from Stedman’s Medical Dictionary. It incorporates style standards from various medical and psychology references. $199 from WordStar International: 415/382-8000, 800/523-3520; fax [phone].
Pacer adds DAL server for DEC Ultrix    product announcements        Dec. 7    1992    MacWEEK    36    DAL, database servers    Pacer’s DAL Server for Ultrix ties Macs into DEC Unix-based data-management systems. Versions for HP, SPARC, and RS/6000 platforms are also available. $4000 to $12,000 from Pacer Software: 619/454-0565; fax [phone].
Courier modem prices drop by $200    product announcements        Dec. 7    1992    MacWEEK    36    modems, fax modems    Courier V.32bis FAX and V.32bis modems have been reduced $200 each, to $695 and $795, respectively. 28.8-Kbps upgrade is free as soon as it’s available. U.S. Robotics: 708/982-5010, 800/342-5877; fax [phone].
Morning Star low-cost wide-area router due    product announcements        Dec. 7    1992    MacWEEK    36    router, TCP/IP, PPP, AppleTalk    Macs with PPP client can send AppleTalk packets at speeds up to T1 with new MiniRouter, which employs PPP as wide-area protocol. About $2000 from Morning Star Technologies: 614/451-1883, 800/558-7827; fax [phone].
From modeling to mapping: Learning how to speak in 3-D    overview        Dec. 7    1992    MacWEEK    58, 59    3-D, modeling, rendering, animation    Glossary of key 3-D modeling, rendering, and animation terms, from “anti-aliasing” to “Z-buffer.”
HP profits plunge, job cuts on the rise    news        Dec. 7    1992    MacWEEK    78    earnings    Hewlett-Packard’s 46 percent drop in quarterly earnings was caused by competition, product changes, and restructuring.
Apple’s board approves repurchasing plan    news        Dec. 7    1992    MacWEEK    78    Apple, earnings    Apple will dip into its $1.4 billion cash reserve to buy back some of its common stock.
U.S. Robotics sales, earnings up for year    news        Dec. 7    1992    MacWEEK    78    earnings, sales, IPOs    U.S. Robotics had sales of $112.4 million for fiscal 1992, up 43 percent.
Chip switch revs PowerBook 140    product announcements        Dec. 7    1992    MacWEEK    171    accelerators, PowerBooks    PowerBook 140 F/25 Upgrade replaces PowerBook 140’s 16-MHz main processor chip with a 25-MHz 68030 and includes Motorola’s 68882 math coprocessor. $399 (with installation, shipping, and handling) from Digital Eclipse: 510/547-6101; fax [phone].
ZiffNet conference: QuickTime for Windows    news        Dec. 14    1992    MacWEEK    4    QuickTime, Windows, online services    A ZiffNet online conference during Dec. 14-18, 1992, will discuss QuickTime for Windows. For information: 617/252-5000.
Dialog brings business database to CD-ROM    product announcements        Dec. 14    1992    MacWEEK    9    CD-ROM, reference databases    Dialog OnDisc Corporate America, a CD-ROM of demographic and other info about one million U.S. businesses, will cost $1995 per year ($1197 for nonprofit organizations). Dialog Information Services: 415/858-7025, 800/334-2564; fax [phone].
ATTO adds SCSI caching    product announcements        Dec. 14    1992    MacWEEK    12    cache memory, SCSI-2    SiliconCache goes between SCSI port and storage device to provide large memory cache that delivers access times shorter than 0.03 milliseconds. Prices are $7995 and up. ATTO Technology: 716/688-4259, fax [phone].
Excel tax templates revised    product announcements        Dec. 14    1992    MacWEEK    13    spreadsheets, taxes, templates    Heizer Tax Series, tax preparation templates including 20 state forms, supports versions of Excel from 2.2 through 4.0. Prices are $49 to $99 from Heizer Software: 510/943-7667, 800/888-7667; fax [phone].
Fast Pitch gets optimized for HyperCard Player    product announcements        Dec. 14    1992    MacWEEK    18    HyperCard, multimedia, presentations    New version of HyperCard-based multimedia presentation program, Fast Pitch 2.0 Pro, supports new HyperCard Player. Price ranges from $10 to $299, depending on number of users and site license agreement. OBjectic Systems: 206/271-6864.
MacAcademy adds FileMaker Pro 2 to video library    product announcements        Dec. 14    1992    MacWEEK    18    training    New training videos from Florida Marketing International cover FileMaker Pro 2.0 (four videotapes) and WordPerfect 2.1 (two tapes). $49 each, plus $3 per order and $1 per tape. Florida Marketing International: 904/677-1918, 800/527-1914; fax [phone].
APS adds DiskFit Direct to all new drives    product announcements        Dec. 14    1992    MacWEEK    18    hard disks, hard drives, backup    APS Technologies will ship all new hard drives with DiskFit Direct, $49.95 backup software from Dantz Development. Drives are $259 to $2899 from APS Technologies: 816/478-8300, 800/645-5401; fax [phone].
Iomega expects lower earnings    news        Dec. 14    1992    MacWEEK    56    earnings    Iomega said fourth-quarter 1992 earnings will be quite a bit lower than the same quarter one year ago.
Software piracy down 41 percent, SPA says    news        Dec. 14    1992    MacWEEK    56    piracy, computer crime    Software Publishers Association report shows software piracy is down, but one of five programs in use is still an illegal duplicated copy.
Merry Christmas and a busy New Year    news        Dec. 14    1992    MacWEEK    56    economics    Major Silicon Valley companies are asking some employees to work overtime to meet the high demand for products, a big change from a year ago, when overcapacity was the problem.
Novell denies Apple merger    news        Dec. 14    1992    MacWEEK    179    Apple, Novell, mergers, Microsoft    Apple won’t comment on possible merger with Novell, while Novell flatly denies the report.
MacBulletin [December 1992]    news        December    1992    Macworld    23    PowerBooks, troubleshooting, page layout, DTP, service bureaus, Apple, marketing, scripting, color calibration, manufacturing, DAL, servers, Photo CD, standards, trapping, modeling, rendering, PIMs    Early PowerBook 100s are being recalled. Version 3.2 of Quark XPress has service bureau, color calibration options. Retail prices of Macs are being cut 11 to 36 percent. Apple closed its Fremont, California, factory. Apple has introduced Data Access Language Server to give Macs access to IBM AS/400 series computers. Kodak and Apple will cooperate on Photo CD venture. IslandTrapper can graphically trap EPS files for output. Version 1.5 of Alias Sketch has new file format support, links to other programs. First Things First, a to-do list and reminder manager, is being upgraded to version 3.0 and will include a copy of DynoPage Lite.
Beta Wait [December 1992]    information        December    1992    Macworld    173    databases, page layout, DTP, word processing, programming tools    Status of Acius’s 4D Server, Interleaf 5, Claris’s MacWrite Pro and FoxPro/Mac.
Bug Report [December 1992]    information        December    1992    Macworld    187        Information on bugs found in M.Y.O.B. acounting software, DeltaGraph Professional 2.0, Aldus FreeHand 3.1, and TouchBase 2.0.
Survey: Graphics Accelerators    survey        December    1992    Macworld    189    accelerators    Results of a survey asking subscribers whether they use a graphics accelerator board and how satisfied they are with its performance.
Art Beat [December 1992]    information    Cathy Abes    December    1992    Macworld    47, 50    illustration, art, image manipulation, photography    Article is a description of how photographer Charly Franklin used a Mac and Photoshop to create a composite photo from pictures he shot.
Plenty of product choices in the third dimension    overview    Eric J. Adams    Dec. 7    1992    MacWEEK    57, 58    3-D, modeling, rendering, animation, illustration, distributed processing    Overview of 3-D modeling, rendering, and animation programs, from $199 Adobe Dimensions to $7495 ElectricImage Animation System. Article includes handy table showing major features of 3-D programs.
High noon: Big players ready for video showdown    analysis    Eric J. Adams    Dec. 14    1992    MacWEEK    46, 48, 50    standards, video, multimedia, QuickTime, Apple, Microsoft, cross-platform, Windows, developers, programming tools, image compression, JPEG    Apple’s QuickTime and QuickTime for Windows are dueling with Microsoft Video for Windows as video development and playback standards. Each standard has its strengths, but most experts agree that QuickTime is the clear winner as a multimedia authoring tool, while Microsoft Video for Windows will be widely used for playback because there are millions of Windows-based computers that can run it. Includes sidebar (p. 48) on Intel and SuperMac’s compression and decompression technology.
Generic CADD 2.0    software reviews    James K. Anders    December    1992    MacUser    56    CAD, drafting, engineering, file translation    While it lacks an intelligent interface or a programming language, Generic CADD 2.0’s high-precision floating-point database, ability to open AutoCAD files, and ease of use make it a four-mouse-winning CAD program. $495 from Autodesk: 800/228-3601, 206/4887-2233.
StatView 4.0    software reviews    Clay Andres    December    1992    MacUser    73, 74    statistics, visualization, graphs, data analysis, presentations    Ideal for use through the entire statistical reporting process, StatView 4.0 has nearly seamless integration between management, statistics, graphics, and drawing features. It includes built-in templates that store a series of instructions to re-create an entire analysis process. 4 mice, $595 from Abacus Concepts: 510/540-1949.
Expert Astronomer    software reviews    Jeffrey Gordon Angus    December    1992    Macworld    268    astronomy, science, education    Although its interface is slightly cluttered for beginners and black-and-white displays make interpretation harder, Expert Astronomer is a great educational tool and is useful for expert astronomers. It’s considered a great value. 3 stars, $49.95 from Softsync: 305/444-0080.
Art and Letters    information    Janet Ashford    December    1992    MacUser    195, 196, 198, 200, 202    art, design, illustration, DTP, typography, type, fonts, PostScript, type manipulation, clip art collections, font creation    Decorative letters and initial caps can add interest to your designs. Article covers techniques for using standard raised caps, standard drop caps, and hanging initial caps, and creating your own letters from PostScript type, clip art, and custom type.
Adding Color Textures    information    Janet Ashford    December    1992    MacUser    204, 205    art, illustration, design, textures, color    Article describes and illustrates how Glenn Mitsui used Photoshop to achieve an embossed-looking image from black-and-white line art.
PhonePro    software/hardware reviews    Peter Baum    December    1992    MacUser    58    ISDN, telephones, communications, voice mail, voice recognition, voice synthesis, e-mail    An icon-based programming system for creating dedicated telecommunications applications, PhonePro suffers from several limitations in this, its first release. It can’t send faxes and it doesn’t support time-scheduled events, but it can develop voice-based systems right now and has more potential than the competition. 3 mice, $950 from Cypress Research Corp.: 408/752-2700.
PowerPort/Gold    hardware/software reviews    Mel Beckman    December    1992    Macworld    248, 250    fax modems, telecommunications, PowerBooks    PowerPort/Gold, 9600 bps fax/14,400 bps data fax modem installs in PowerBooks and supports multiple data compression and error-correction protocols. Its phone connections are built in and it has a software status bar for on-screen monitoring. It can have a problem in compression mode with some other modems and the partial-fax sending feature still requires a total resend. 4 stars, $649 from Global Village Communications: 415/390-8200.
MacBreadboard 1.1    software reviews    Mel Beckman    December    1992    Macworld    266    electronics, education, engineering    MacBreadboard simulates the operation of digital circuits with on-screen “breadboard” that includes multiple chip types, switches, power supply, wires, LEDs, and other parts. Its only drawbacks are its limited breadboard size and lack of additional chip sets. 4 stars, $59.95 from Yoeric Software: 919/644-1620.
The Mouse Yoke    hardware/software reviews    Mel Beckman    December    1992    Macworld    284    joysticks, mouse alternatives, games, simulations    The Mouse Yoke clamps to your desk and lets you attach your mouse for realistic-feeling control of flight simulation programs. It’s made of quality materials and has good tracking and centering, but doesn’t work well for programs that use the mouse button as a firing control. However, it’s considered a good deal. 4 stars, $34.95 from Colorado Spectrum: 303/225-6929.
Grade Machine 5.0; Making the Grade 2.0    software reviews    George Beekman, Kay Stephens    December    1992    Macworld    263, 264    education, schools    Two student-grading database programs, Grade Machine 5.0 and Making the Grade 2.0. Both programs allow tracking of student progress, but Grade Machine is preferred for its clean interface, networking capabilities, optional Classroom Attendance module, and less annoying copy protection. Grade Machine (4 stars, $79, $99 with Classroom Attendance option, site licenses available) is from Misty City Software: 206/828-3107; Making the Grade 2.0 (3 stars, $99.95, volume discounts available) is from Jay Klein Productions: 719/591-9815.
The MacUser 100    information    Victoria von Biel, Roman Victor Loyola    December    1992    MacUser    93-97, 100-103, 116, 117, 120, 121, 124, 125        The authors of this MacUser article select 100 products they consider practical, entertaining, or strange. See the actual magazine for contact info and product descriptions. • General Interest: 1. Amazing Universe (CD), 2. The American Heritage Dictionary, 3. Baseball’s Greatest Hits (CD), 4. Beyond CyberPunk, 5. Cathy Daily Planner, 6. ConstructionMac, 7. Creepy Crawlies (CD), 8. Diet Balancer, 9. The Digital Gourmet, 10. Expanded Books, 11. Expert Home Design, 12. The Family Doctor (CD), 13. Funny: The Movie in QuickTime (CD), 14. HyperBole, 15. MacAuthority Software Connection, 16. macClaimChek, 17. Master Tuner, 18. Nolo’s Living Trust, 19. 1001 Fun Posters and More (CD), 20. Personal Font, 21. Roger Ebert’s Movie Home Companion (CD), 22. Sports Illustrated CD-ROM Sports Almanac (CD), 23. Sprout!, 24. Sun Clock 3.0, 25. The View from Earth (CD), 26. Visions. • Best Buys for Beginners: 27. America Online, 28. ClarisWorks, 29. DeskPaint and DeskDraw, 30. FontHaus Fonts, 31. The Little Mac Book, 32. Mac-magazine subscription, 33. Publish It! Easy, 34. 3 in Three, 35. TouchBASE, 36. User-group membership. • Books: 37. The Apple Macintosh Book, 38. Danny Goodman’s Macintosh Handbook Featuring System 7, 39. The Dead Mac Scrolls: How to Fix Hundreds of Hardware Problems Without Going Bankrupt, 40. Design Essentials, 41. Dr. Macintosh, 42. Ecolinking, 43. The Mac Made Easy, 44. The Mac Shareware 500, 45. The Macintosh Dictionary, 46. Zen and the Art of Resource Editing. • Best Home-Office Products: 47. BiPlane, 48. BizPlanBuilder, 49. Brother P-touch III, 50. Dynodex, 51. First Things First, 52. Now Up-to-Date, 53. On Location, 54. Paper Direct, 55. Quicken, 56. Retrospect. • Kids and Education: 57. Aesopolis (CD), 58. Berlitz Think & Talk (CD), 59. French Reading Lab 1: 3 by Maupassant, 60. Headline Harry and the Great Paper Race, 61. Kid Pix Companion, 62. Kid Works 2, 63. KidDesk, 64. Kidz Mouse, 65. Living Books (CD), 66. Millie’s Math House, 67. The Orchestra: The Instruments Revealed (CD), 68. Picture It!, 69. Rodney’s Wonder Window (CD), 70. Where in America’s Past is Carmen Sandiego?, 71. Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego (Deluxe Edition). • Best PowerBook Accessories: 72. BookEndz, 73. Carrying Case, 74. Lind External Battery Charger, 75. PhoneNET StarConnector, 76. Power Adapter, 77. PowerPad, 78. PowerSwap, 79. Utility collections. • Games: 80. Battle Chess CD-ROM Enhanced (CD), 81. Creepy Castle, 82. Diamonds 2.0, 83. 4-D Boxing, 84. Mouse Yoke, 85. Mutant Beach, 86. Prince of Persia, 87. Red Baron, 88. Sherlock Holmes, Consulting Detective (CD), 89. Super Tetris, 90. Surgeon 3: The Brain, 91. Wordtris. • Diversions: 92. Art of Darkness: The After Dark Companion, 93. Auto Mouse, 94. Insanity 1.0, 95. Intermission, 96. Kaboom!, 97. Mr. SoundFX, 98. SimBush, 99. Smack It/Data Dog/Mini Mood, 100. Totally Rad Mac Programs. • Sidebar article by Bob Levitus and Andy Ihnatko recommends: MacEKG, In Control, Help!, Hard Disk ToolKit, Drive7, Adobe Type Manager, ResEdit and MacsBug, System 7, StuffIt SpaceSaver, Last Resort.
Low-Cost Color Printers    advice    Victoria von Biel    December    1992    MacUser    251    inkjet printers, ink-jet printers, color printers, maintenance    Suggestions on how to buy and what to look for in inkjet color printers.
Power Tools [December 1992]    product announcements    Victoria von Biel    December    1992    MacUser    253    databases, training, programming tools, document distribution, document management, DOS, file transfer, PowerBook 100, modems, telecommunications, System/Finder, System 7, utilities, security    Dimensions magazine helps teach ACIUS’ 4th Dimension to novices. Other 4D programming books available: 800/424-4855; 507/452-0023. UpDiff from KyZen (609/354-3683) can generate a “difference file” from old and new copies of a file, then creates a new file for a remote user  using only the difference file and an old file. For automatic file comparison, check out DocuComp II, $179.95 from Advanced Software: 408/733-0745. Laptop Liberator is $195 software and cable which moves files between PowerBook 100 and DOS PC. Interruption Blocker, telephone plug gizmo that stops interruptions from other phones being picked up, is $14.95 from Design Tech: 703/866-2000. Xtras for System 7 book/disk combo has 13 utilities for System 7 users, including security programs. $24.95 from Addison-Wesley: 617/944-3700.
Letters on Computers and Education [letters]    letter    Peter Bierman, others    December    1992    Macworld    39, 40, 42, 44    education, children, schools, ethics, US government, economics, politics    Numerous readers respond to Macworld’s September issue, which focused on computers in American education.
Personal Best: Finding Good Help    information    Steven Bobker    December    1992    MacUser    235, 236, 239, 241    customer service, technical support, dealers, repairs, user groups, power supplies, floppy drives, data recovery, rental, printing, data compression, file translation, file formats    First section of article covers options for Mac repairs, parts, and service, including dealers, user groups, independent repair places, and rental companies. Numerous specific names and phone numbers are given. Additional sections of article briefly discuss the Print2Pict utility, StuffIt Deluxe 3.0, and “Easter eggs” hidden in software.
An Interview with Manny Menéndez    interview    Jerry Borrell    December    1992    Macworld    155, 160, 162, 167    developers, marketing, Apple, distributors, distribution, software, Windows, standards, System 7, QuickDraw GX, object-oriented    Jerry Borrell interviews Deneba Software president Manny Menéndez about the origins of his company, the marketing challenges he has faced, his feelings toward Apple, and his hopes for the future.
System 7 Takes on the World    overview    Henry Bortman    December    1992    MacUser    162-167, 170    System 7, System 7.1, QuickTime, WorldScript, QuickDraw GX, OCE, AppleScript, fonts, type, TrueType, font managers, security, Finder replacements, Finder enhancements    System 7.1 continues the evolution of System 7. It offers WorldScript for non-U.S. languages, a Fonts Folder, QuickTime 1.5, and System Enablers to upgrade System 7 for specific Mac models. Apple has also introduced At Ease, a Finder overlay to make the Mac interface easier for beginners and less prone to security breaches.
Bridges [December 1992]    product announcements    Henry Bortman    December    1992    MacUser    207    NeXT, AppleShare, floppy disks, floppy drives, AppleShare, video conferencing, groupware, screen sharing, Ethernet, cross-platform, print servers, print spoolers, telecommunications    NeXT system software (NeXTstep 3.0) has AppleShare client software, Mac disk-reading ability, connectivity to AppleTalk printers. ShareView Plus is a pair of NuBus cards, video camera, and telephone that can do video/voice/data/fax sending and document sharing over ordinary phone lines. $3999 (or $999 without video feature) from ShareVision: 408/428-0330. K-AShare is AppleShare-compatible file server for UNIX-based SGI machines. $595, $895 for K-Spool (PostScript print spooler for SGI computers) from Xinet: 510/845-0555. Ethernet cards now cost only $139.99-$189.99 from Focus: 617/938-8088. MacIntercomm can do background file transfers while handling foreground work. $199.95 from Mercury Systems: 310/553-0881.
Mobile Mac: Ubiquitous Computing    information    Henry Bortman    December    1992    MacUser    243, 244, 248, 249    PowerBooks, telecommunications, fax modems, travel, ICTI, telephones, wireless communications, LocalTalk, power supplies, batteries, PCMCIA, LANs    Applied Engineering (800/554-6227, 214/241-6060) is going to introduce cellular-phone interface for PowerBooks, followed by internal voice/data/fax modem with CommPhone software and a communications microcontroller. Other companies are working on spread spectrum communications and infrared networking. In other news, a device called PowerSwap lets PBs 140, 145, 170, 160, and 180 avoid a complete shut-down during a battery swap by supplying the machine with 9 volts (with a 9-V battery) through the AC jack. It’s $39.95 from Utilitron: 214/727-2329.
Just Grandma and Me    mini reviews    James Bradbury    December    1992    MacUser    89, 90    interactive stories, electronic books, animation    Just Grandma and Me is an animated story (about “Little Critter” and his grandma) that children and their parents don’t get tired of quickly. 5 mice! $49.95 (requires CD-ROM drive) from Brøderbund Software: 800/521-6263, 415/382-4400.
Personal Macintosh [December 1992]    information    James Bradbury    December    1992    MacUser    233    sound, audio, science, physics, simulations, education, courseware, families, information management, personal records, QuickTime, humor, sound, audio    MacStereo broadcasts Macs stereo sound to FM receiver. $119.95 from Acrotech: 818/449-3256. The original Interactive Physics is being sold as Fun Physics ($99), while Interactive Physics II (no price given) is now shipping: 415/553-8153. Animated Relativity is illustrated multimedia version of Einstein’s theory for $199 (call 212/674-1958). Families can track genealogy with Reunion 3.0 for $169 (call 717/697-1378). Personal RecordKeeper 3.0 records personal possessions, now has export to Quicken. $34.96 from Nolo Press. New QuickTime “beeps” show Star Wars clips (no price given) from Sound Source Unlimited: 805/595-9996.
Conspicuous Consumer: The Upgrade Express    information    Deborah Branscum    December    1992    Macworld    67, 68, 72    upgrades, customer service, sales, marketing, technical support, developers    Software upgrades generally fall into the categories of major, minor, and silent upgrades. Branscum gives advice on how to plan for and maximize your return on software purchases and upgrades.
Successful Startups    advice    Cristopher Breen    December    1992    MacUser    254, 255    System/Finder, troubleshooting, repairs, extension managers, INIT managers, maintenance, diagnostic tools, sound    Article provides detailed descriptions of a Mac’s startup and shutdown routines, with sidebars on Macintosh startup sounds and a directory of extension managers, maintenance and repair software, and diagnostic software.
Home-grown programmers need only tools, ability to learn [letter]    letter    Robert H. Brueckner    Dec. 7    1992    MacWEEK    83    training, education, programming, HyperCard    Brueckner, who wrote an earlier letter to MacWEEK about Don Crabb’s column on programming, expresses his differences with Crabb’s reply column on what makes a “good programmer.”
Style à la Dvorak [letter]    letter    Dr. Rudoph Burger, Joe A. Dale    December    1992    MacUser    18    design, art, presentations, visualization    Dr. Burger argues with assertions about style that John Dvorak made in his August column, particularly in reference to an article which Dr. Burger wrote in another publication. Dale says Dvorak’s column showed insight about data presented with style.
The play’s the thing: MacWEEK toys with games    software reviews    Kurt Carlson, and others    Dec. 7    1992    MacWEEK    85-87, 90-94, 96, 98, 100, 102    games, simulations, joysticks, art, QuickTime, CD-ROM    MacWEEK’s comprehensive roundup of games covers the following: Lemmings, MicroLeague Baseball, Cogito, Hellcats Over the Pacific, Mouse Yoke, Red Baron, MouseStick, Railroad Tycoon, A-Train, Kid Pix Companion, KidWorks 2, Minotaur, SimLife, Storybook Weaver, Prince of Persia, Poetry in Motion, Creepy Castle, Swamp Gas Visits Europe, S.C. Out, The Tinies, Super Tetris, Time Treks, Wordtris, BattleChess, Falcon MC, Spectre Supreme, L-Zone, Museum or Hospital, Grandma and Me, Arthur’s Teacher Trouble, Sherlock Holmes, Baseball’s Greatest Hits, Cosmic Osmo. Also includes sidebars on alternative input devices such as joysticks and the “Mouse Yoke.”    P. 85 of MacWEEK 12/14/92 refers readers of this article to QuickTime-based supplement to this article available online.
Presentation Monitors    hardware reviews    Darryl Chan    December    1992    MacUser    190, 191    color monitors, presentations    Large monitors tested: Mitsubishi Diamond Pro 37 earns 3.5 mice and costs $7900-$9995 (from Mitsubishi Electronics America: 800/843-2515, 714/220-2500, fax [phone]). Sony RVP-6000Q earns 4 mice and costs $22,000 (from Sony Business and Professional Group: 800/523-7669, 201/930-1000; fax [phone]).
The Castle of Dr. Brain    software reviews    Matthew R. Clark    December    1992    Macworld    270    games    The Castle of Dr. Brain, a collection of puzzles ranging from simple to complex, has top-rate graphics and sounds. It offers three levels of play. 3 stars, $49.95 from Sierra Online: 209/683-4468.
TechWorks NetUtilities    software reviews    Matthew R. Clark    December    1992    Macworld    278    network administration, diagnostic tools    TechWorks NetUtilities, a set of Macintosh network administration tools, provides network device scanning, data timing, device monitoring, laser printer management, and electronic network conferencing. 4 stars, $129 from Technology Works: 512/794-8533.
System 7 MultiPack ships; volume policy still not set    news    Raines Cohen    Dec. 7    1992    MacWEEK    3    Apple, System 7.1    New System 7 MultiPack is $499 CD-ROM that has ten-user license and collection of System Enablers for System 7.1. However, a policy for volume 7.1 purchases has not yet been set. Apple System 7.1 upgrade line: 800/769-2775. Also includes sidebar on 7.1 discount for user group members.
Extreme takes SE card to 33 MHz    product announcements    Raines Cohen    Dec. 7    1992    MacWEEK    22    accelerators, video cards, warranties    Extreme Systems now has two accelerator/video combo cards: 33-MHz 68030-based Vandal with 68882 math coprocessor ($699) and 50-MHz version for $1285. Video output supports many third-party monochrome displays. Warranty upgraded to three years and 30-day MBG remains in effect. Extreme Systems, division of Engineering Solutions: 206/575-2524, 800/995-2334; fax [phone].
Logica offers trade-in    product announcements    Raines Cohen    Dec. 14    1992    MacWEEK    12    cache cards, accelerators    Users of IIci or IIsi cache cards can trade in their current card for the 68030-based LogiCache accelerator, which costs $1039-$1199. Buyers only need to pay the difference in retail prices. Logica Research: 512/836-2168, 800/880-0988; fax [phone].
HyperApp builds object-oriented apps    product announcements    Raines Cohen    Dec. 14    1992    MacWEEK    13    programming tools, object-oriented, HyperCard, HyperTalk    HyperApp application-building environment relies on HyperCard externals created in the THINK C compiler or other HyperTalk-language compilers. $100 from Daniels & Mara Inc.: 512/288-2511; fax [phone].
Heizer updates compiler to go beyond externals    product announcements    Raines Cohen    Dec. 14    1992    MacWEEK    13    programming tools, object-oriented, HyperCard, HyperTalk    Version 2.5 of the CompileIt! HyperTalk-language compiler can create HyperCard external commands, externals for Frontier, WindowScript, and interface-control elements. It includes Double-XX/Lite application development tool. $149 (upgrades: free-$79) from Heizer Software: 510/943-7667, 800/888-7667; fax [phone].
PowerBook 180, with new display, is now the fastest Mac on your lap    hardware reviews    Dale Coleman    Dec. 14    1992    MacWEEK    84, 85    CPUs, PowerBooks, Apple    PowerBook 180 portable computer gets raves for its improved RAM minimums, excellent screen, external video output, beefed-up battery, improved PowerBook control panel software, and fine documentation and support. Overall rating: 4 diamonds, $4229 from Apple.
UpDiff    mini reviews    Dale Coleman    Dec. 14    1992    MacWEEK    98, 99    developers, programming tools, document distribution    UpDiff utility compares two files, then generates a difference file that can be used to recreate a newer file from an older file. Source files can be almost anything, including applications and documents. A sophisticated differencing algorithm works quickly. The program could be valuable for updating large graphics files, particularly over modems and online services. No overall rating given. $169 from KyZen Corp.: 609/354-3683; fax [phone].
New Products [December 1992]    product announcements    Evan Cooper    December    1992    Macworld    291-296        Hardware: AsantéPrint, DCS 200ci, Ether10-T Starlet, FastCache Quadra, Impala 24/96, MaCNet-NU-420, Max, NB-DSP2305, NoteBook KeyPad, PowerBase I, PowerModem III, Quad Cache, Quicktel 9624LP, Vandal, Ven-Tel Pocket Modem 24 with Fax, ViewPort. • Software: AXA WaterColor, BlackJack Trainer, Bola32 2.0, ColorPrinter Software, Disk Go, Expanded Book Toolkit, Exploring the Estuary, LapTrack, MacProject Pro, MapArt Vol. 1, Update ‘92, metal, Nok Nok A/S, The Online Bible, PowerPalettes, Passport Producer, Real Estate Connections, Special Delivery, Stingers, VideoMaker+. • CD ROMs: Expo CD, The Family Doctor, The World of U.S. Manga Corps. • Accessories: Custom Laser Greetings Card Kit--Holiday Edition, Mouslounge, Traveler • Books: The Color Mac: Design & Production Techniques, Cool Mac Animation, Cool Mac Sounds, Desktop Marketing with the Macintosh, Everything You Wanted to Know About the Mac, The Mac Shareware 500, Plain English Computer Dictionary, Prides’ Guide to Educational Software, Programmer’s Guide to MPE, Volume II, and Your Mac Can Do That.
Searching for Shareware [letter]    letter    Faith Cormier    December    1992    MacUser    16    shareware, user groups    Cormier asks where to get shareware, aside from online services. MacUser then lists user groups which may be able to help.
Dear John: Please overhaul price, distribution policies    commentary    Don Crabb    Dec. 7    1992    MacWEEK    83    Apple, distribution, marketing, sales, System 7.1, software, Windows    Crabb makes suggestions to Apple about how to make the distribution and pricing of its software more reasonable and fair. Specifically, he calls for reinstating site licenses, right-to-copy licenses and user-group licenses.
Keeping Apple focused on the task, not technology    commentary    Don Crabb    Dec. 14    1992    MacWEEK    61    Apple    As the year ends, Don Crabb proposes solving problems with better technology, rather than trying to figure out how to apply hot technology to problems it might solve. [Editor’s note: What?]
The Mac Workshop: Upgrading the Mac IIci    advice    Don Crabb    December    1992    MacUser    261    Mac IIci, upgrades, memory, accelerators    Don Crabb discusses upgrade options for the Mac IIci, including RAM, accelerators, Quadra 700 upgrade, video cards, new hard drives, and cache cards.
Spiffy Space Saver [letter]    letter    Jay Crosby    December    1992    Macworld    37    data compression, idle-time compression    Crosby takes issue with a review giving three stars to Autodoubler, a program which the writer considers better than StuffIt.
FlowChart Express    mini reviews    Shelley Cryan    December    1992    MacUser    89    flowcharts    FlowChart Express automates flowchart creation, streamlining the process of drawing boxes and keeping text and connector lines in the right places. For complex hierarchical processes, consider this publisher’s TopDown program. 3 mice, $149 from Kaetron Software: 713/890-3434.
CompuServe Information Manager 2.0.1    software reviews    Bernard J. David    December    1992    Macworld    242, 244    online services, front ends, news services, e-mail, terminal emulation    As a front end to CompuServe, CompuServe Information Manager does make the online service easier and faster to access. However, not all capabilities follow Apple’s human interface guidelines (pointing, key commands, pull-down menus), some forums return to terminal emulation, and it’s tricky finding info about the 1700 databases and their pricing. 3 stars, $49.95 ($25 or $10 for current members) from CompuServe: 614/457-8600, 800/848-8199.
I Told You So!!!    commentary    John C. Dvorak    December    1992    MacUser    376    politics    Dvorak humorously discusses various approaches a columnist such as himself can take when writing about a presidential election which hasn’t taken place yet as he writes, but will have already taken place by the time his article appears in print. [MacIndex editor’s note: Read this! It’s funny.]
Mixed-site user disappointed at FileMaker net requirement [letter]    letter    Robert Eberhardt    Dec. 7    1992    MacWEEK    83    Windows, cross-platform, Claris, databases    Eberhardt expresses his disappointment that FileMaker Pro 2.0 for Windows must be running PhoneNET to get true cross-platform compatibility with the Mac version of FileMaker.
Hard Drive Rx    information    Robert C. Eckhardt    December    1992    Macworld    212-217    hard drives, hard disks, repairs, troubleshooting, maintenance, System/Finder, INIT managers, extension managers, SCSI, termination, viruses, anti-viral programs, data recovery, hard drive formatting software, drive management, technical support    Hard drive problems are indicated by four obvious symptoms and several more subtle ones. Six steps follow, providing increasingly more in-depth techniques on how to revive a sick hard drive. Article covers drive formatting software, starting up with a floppy disk, checking for system software problems, SCSI connection information, SCSI termination, and data recovery techniques.
Looking Down the Line    information    Cheryl England    December    1992    Macworld    208-211    Mac Classic II, Mac LC II, Mac IIsi, Mac IIci, Mac IIvx, Mac Quadra 700, Mac Duo Dock, Mac Quadra 950, Mac PowerBook 145, Mac PowerBook 160, Mac PowerBook 180, Mac PowerBook Duo 210, Duo 230    Article is an overview, with brief specifications and prices, of all Macs offered for sale at the time of publication. See keywords field for model names.
Sexual harassment an issue on the high-tech frontier    information    Reese Erlich    Dec. 14    1992    MacWEEK    20, 21    law, lawsuits, e-mail, privacy    Overview of sexual harassment in high-tech workplaces shows that high ratio of female employees, educated work force and “techno-camaraderie” are no guarantee against many alleged forms of sexual harassment. Includes sidebars on e-mail-based harassment and “What experts suggest for managers.”
Comic Strip Factory 1.6, Megatoons    software reviews    Jim Feeley    December    1992    Macworld    282    humor, illustration, art, paint    Draw comic strips using the body parts provided with Comic Strip Factory 1.6, or import your own from MacPaint files with the included application, PartMaker II. Megatoons is a collection of 600 Phil Frank illustrations that can be modified. Comic Strip Factory is considered good for adding humor to office communications, while Megatoons is the choice for ready-made comics. Comic Strip Factory earns 3 stars and is $69.95 from Foundation Publishing (612/445-8860), while Megatoons gets 3 stars and costs $199 on CD ROM, $219 on floppy disks, from Creative Media Services: 510/843-3408.
Nisus claims first place in race to WorldScript compatibility [letter]    letter    William Flinn, Edwina Riblet    Dec. 14    1992    MacWEEK    61    System 7.1, WorldScript, developers, Apple, languages, international, word processing    Nisus representatives Flinn and Riblet write to MacWEEK to claim the title of “first to market with multiscript word processing product,” rather their competitor, WordPerfect.
Collecting loose ends as the new year nears    advice    Ric Ford    Dec. 7    1992    MacWEEK    108    drive management, diagnostic tools, System 7.1, system enablers, databases, printer drivers, fonts, type, font managers, online services, front ends, programming languages    Ric Ford gives info on Disk First Aid 7.1, system enablers, FileMaker Pro 2.0v2, DMM LaserWriter Stuff, Adobe Type Manager 2.03 and 3.0, CompuServe Navigator, and the THINK C update.
IIvx handicaps hamper its multimedia muscle    advice    Ric Ford    Dec. 14    1992    MacWEEK    114    Mac IIvx, sound, audio, MIDI, multimedia, troubleshooting, SCSI, termination, music, keyboards, wiring    Ford reveals quirks about the Mac IIvx’s audio capabilities, SCSI throughput, on-board video, and SCSI termination. He recommends the book “Music and Sound Bible” and suggests S-video cables as extensions for ADB devices.
Boom or Bust    news    Ann Garrison    December    1992    Macworld    177    DSP, sound, science, mathematics, data analysis, health, medicine    NASA-funded scientists are studying sonic booms with Macs and off-the-shelf digital signal processing boards.
Imaging the Heart    product announcements    Ann Garrison    December    1992    Macworld    189    health, medicine, visualization, education, training, multimedia, animation, science    Yale and Cedars-Sinai Medical Center have come up with a multimedia atlas of nuclear imaging of the heart. It can be used as a training tool for nuclear imaging in heart assessment. Contact Yale University’s Center for Advanced Instructional Media, c/o Patrick Lynch, Biomedical Communications, 333 Cedar St., New Haven, CT  06510. No telephone number given.
Microsoft bashing isn’t constructive: Let’s give it a rest    commentary    Jean-Louis Gassée    Dec. 7    1992    MacWEEK    82    Microsoft, marketing, developers, customer service, Windows, DOS    As a company, Microsoft has done plenty to complain about. But maligning this dominant industry player does no good and recognizing its strengths can teach Apple and other companies a few things.
The real motives behind the AOL and Apple deal    commentary    Jean-Louis Gassée    Dec. 14    1992    MacWEEK    60    Apple, online services, licensing, AppleLink, e-mail    Gassée asserts that Apple wants to control its own server, protocol, and client in its agreement with America Online, rather than just turning AppleLink over to America Online.
Personal Thanks [letter]    letter    Bobbi Geyer    December    1992    MacUser    16    LANs, connectivity    Geyer thanks Steven Bobker for the suggestion on how to easily network two Macs.
AutoCAD Release 11    software reviews    Daniel M. Gonzales    December    1992    Macworld    250, 252    CAD, drafting, cross-platform, file translation, modeling    AutoCAD Release 11 has good cross-platform file exchange and modeling capabilities, but there’s little third-party add-on support, the program is a monster to install and learn, the DOS lineage is obvious, and the online help isn’t as good as some competitors’. 2 stars, $3500 ($495 for Advanced Modeling Extension) from Autodesk: 415/332-2344.
Top Mac models still scarce    news    Jon Swartz and Andrew Gore    Dec. 7    1992    MacWEEK    1, 171    Apple, marketing, sales    Customers are frustrated by Apple’s inability to meet the demand for its newest and hottest computers, such as the Quadras and high-end PowerBooks. Reasons: surge in new-product sales, underestimating of demand, and aggressive new product delivery schedule.
Apple outlines plans for future OS add-ons    news    Andrew Gore    Dec. 14    1992    MacWEEK    1, 179    OSs, System 7.1, Apple, distribution, marketing    Apple will continue to sell its core system software, as well as separate “toolboxes” (such as Macintosh PC Exchange), system and network enhancers (such as Appleshare), and “catalysts” (such as the QuickTime Starter Kit). A new System 7.1 site-license plan is still being formulated.
About MacUser: Covert Operations    information    Nancy Groth    December    1992    MacUser    10    PowerBooks, Duos    Author describes how MacUser project leader Mark Bieler coordinated coverage of the new Mac PowerBooks, including the complexity of overseeing testing while System 7.1 was being updated.
Apple’s Dynamic Duo    product announcements    Jim Heid    December    1992    Macworld    192-199    Duos, docking stations    Apple has introduced the Macintosh PowerBook Duo system, which combines mobile computing convenience with desktop expandability. The main components are the PowerBook Duo 210 and Duo 230, Duo Dock “docking station,” Duo MiniDock, and Duo Floppy Adapter. Article provides extensive details on the design, engineering, and configuration of Duo systems.
Downloading Freeware and Shareware    information    Jim Heid    December    1992    Macworld    305    shareware, online services, telecommunications, protocols, BBSs    Article is an overview of shareware, freeware, and the online services CompuServe and America Online. Also included is detailed information about downloading and decompressing files using various popular telecommunications programs.
Apple extension will bridge app gap, open foreign docs    news    Robert Hess    Dec. 7    1992    MacWEEK    1, 171    standards, file translation, document distribution, System/Finder    Apple is working on Translation Manager, a System-level extension that offers application substituion, document format conversion, transportable data conversion, and enhanced Open dialogs. Price and distribution not set yet.
Symantec ships its PB essentials    product announcements    Robert Hess    Dec. 7    1992    MacWEEK    4    utilities, PowerBooks, file synchronization    Norton Essentials for PowerBook is new laptop utility for controlling battery life, file synchronization and other features of portable Macs. The product was originally announced as Guy’s Utilities for Macintosh. $129 ($99 before Dec. 31, 1992) from Symantec: 408/253-9600; fax [phone] or 408/252-4694.
Long-delayed SuperDisk! 2.0 ships    product announcements    Robert Hess    Dec. 7    1992    MacWEEK    10    data compression    SuperDisk! 2.0 is an update that merges SuperDisk! 1.0 with the More Disk Space background compression utility. Features include manual or automatic compression/decompression, self-extracting files, delayed compression, DataPress support, and more. $119.95 (upgrades $9.95 to $29.95) from Alysis Software
Updated Square One launcher offers new views, Apple events    product announcements    Robert Hess    Dec. 7    1992    MacWEEK    10    System/Finder, Finder replacements, macros, Finder enhancements, utilities, scripting, Apple events    Square One utility update to version 1.5.1 has new palettes, floating application window, scripting support, and more. Program includes Finder-automating keyboard shortcuts and icons. $69 from pbm software: 415/508-1536; fax [phone].
Tbx gives 4D developers access to Mac Toolbox    product announcements    Robert Hess    Dec. 7    1992    MacWEEK    22    developers, programming tools, databases    Tbx System for 4th Dimension allows 4D developers to access about 90 percent of Mac Toolbox routines, saving time and avoiding the use of other programming techniques to develop externals. $250 ($160 through February) from Tuesday Software: 805/962-7889; fax [phone].
New Apple net installer helps clear up confusion    product announcements    Robert Hess    Dec. 14    1992    MacWEEK    24, 26    AppleTalk Phase 2, compatibility, standards, installers    Version 1. 5 of the Apple Network Software Installer has an updated version of AppleTalk (v. 58.0), new Network control panel, Ethertalk and TokenTalk (and their drivers) and A/ROSE. Get the Network Software Installer on AppleLink.
Trik’s Lookout! puts more info in Apple’s Chooser    product announcements    Robert Hess    Dec. 14    1992    MacWEEK    24    Chooser utilities, AppleShare, servers, security, network administration    Lookout! Chooser utility adds icons to file server names and indicates if guest access is enabled. Its companion product, Nok Nok, can identify “owners” of AppleShare servers. About $50 from Trik Inc.: 617/933-8810, 800/466-8745; fax [phone].
Apple ships DAL server linking Macs to IBM AS/400 computers    product announcements    Leonard Heyman    Dec. 7    1992    MacWEEK    34    DAL, cross-platform, SQL    DAL-compatible Mac apps can tap SQL AS/400 databases with DAL Server. APDA is selling the software at $4250-$20,000 for various numbers of concurrent users, or site licenses that cost $115,000 to $200,000. Apple: 408/862-3385, APDA: 800/282-2732.
Cayman debuts GatorLink ARA server at half price    product announcements    Leonard Heymann    Dec. 7    1992    MacWEEK    38    remote access servers, network security    Three-port GatorLink server is temporarily being priced at $945, half off the normal $1895 price. It can incorporate a high-level security option, SecurID, for $495. Users are enthusiastic about security feature. Cayman Systems: 617/494-1999; fax [phone].
NetWorks to monitor SNMP, IPX    product announcements    Leonard Heymann    Dec. 14    1992    MacWEEK    24    IPX, SNMP, DECnet, TCP/IP, pagers, e-mail, network administration, diagnostic tools, maintenance    New version of NetWorks (3.0) will support Novell IPX, SNMP, DECnet, SMTP, a device test calendar for network service, and device test priority for individual devices or groups of devices. $995 ($149 upgrades, $295 for NetWorks Jr. (upgrades $89)) from Caravelle Networks: 613/596-2802, 800/363-5292; fax [phone].
Novell to release MacIPX next spring    product announcements    Leonard Heymann    Dec. 14    1992    MacWEEK    24    IPX, Windows, DOS, cross-platform    Macs can act as peers of Windows or DOS clients on a Novell IPX network with new MacIPX stack for Mac. It allows cross-platform, peer-to-peer applications. Licensing fees haven’t been set yet. Novell Inc.: 801/429-7000, 800/453-1267; fax [phone].
Lab Notes: Stretching a PowerBook’s Battery Life    information    Mark Hurlow    December    1992    Macworld    145, 148    PowerBooks, batteries, power supplies, maintenance    Article explains what proportion of battery power PowerBook components consume, how to lengthen battery life, and the future of lower-power PowerBook components.
The Power to Flunk Your Test [letter]    letter    Matthew Hutson    December    1992    MacUser    14, 16        Reader questions Bob LeVitus’ power-user test (September issue), whose scoring was partially calculated by hard disk size and the software running on their machine.
Words with Himself [letter]    letter    Andy Ihnatko    December    1992    MacUser    13    word processing, file formats, standards    Ihnatko writes a letter to MacUser about his own previous column, admitting that Microsoft Word 4 and Word 5 formats are compatible.
Murder by Chapter 11    commentary    Andy Ihnatko    December    1992    MacUser    29,3 0    customer service, bankruptcy    Ihnatko provides hints and tips on how to get back money or hardware you own from a company that appears to be faltering or has already filed bankruptcy. For example: Get your foot in the door by claiming to be a caller from a bank that has loan info they need.
New on the Menu [December 1992]    product announcements    Russell Ito    December    1992    MacUser    47    Powerbooks, security, ink-jet, inkjet, color printers, portable printers, thesaurus, spelling checkers, backup    Various new product announcements: SonicPRO Alarm AP128 ($99.95) sets off alarm if PowerBook is stolen. Hewlett Packard DeskWriter 550C ($1099) does black and white and color printing, while GCC Technologies’ WriteMove II portable printer ($599) produces 360-dpi output on plain paper with a thermal ribbon. BigThesauraus by Deneba Software has been upgraded to version 2.0 ($99). Deneba’s Spelling Coach Professional has been upgraded to version 3.1. FastBack Plus Mac is now in version 3.0 ($189 from Fifth Generation Systems).
HP’s New Printer Standard    product announcements    Russell Ito    December    1992    MacUser    48    laser printers    LaserJet 4M printer from Hewlett Packard has 600-dpi output, RISC chip, Adobe PostScript, multiple ports, Ethernet option, bigger paper trays, and a small footprint. $2999 from HP: 800/752-0900.
The Latest Word    product announcements    Russell Ito    December    1992    MacUser    48    word processing, tables, graphs    Microsoft Word 5.1 has tool bar, table and chart tools, text annotation, improved spelling and grammar, and more. $495 ($14.95 upgrade from Word 5.0) from Microsoft: 800/426-9400, 206/882-8080.
PowerPoint Redux    product announcements    Russell Ito    December    1992    MacUser    49    presentations, cross-platform, outliners, draw, graphs    PowerPoint 3.0 presentation package has cross-platform (Mac/Windows) file exchange, presentation automation, outline view, draw tools, graphing module, automatic builds, and QuickTime support. $495 from Microsoft: 800/426-9400, 206/882-8080.
Apple Slashes Prices Again    news    Russell Ito    December    1992    MacUser    49    Apple, CPUs, marketing, sales    The prices of all Apple CPUs, from The Classic II to the Quadra 950, have been cut from $460 to $1510. Apple Computer: 800/776-2333, 408/996-1010.
IBM to Build PDAs    news    Russell Ito    December    1992    MacUser    49    PDAs, IBM, wireless communications, portables    IBM will introduce portable computers, including PDAs. Release dates not announced.
Apple Closes Fremont Plant    news    Russell Ito    December    1992    MacUser    49    Apple, manufacturing, international    Apple will close its Fremont, California, manufacturing facility. Some jobs will be transfered to other plants, other jobs will be lost altogether by June, 1993.
IBM Gives PCs Own Company    news    Russell Ito    December    1992    MacUser    49    IBM, manufacturingd    IBM will spin off PC manufacturing, creating the leaner and meaner (but still huge) IBM Personal Computer company.
The Multimedia Mac: The Macintosh IIvx    product announcements    Russell Ito    December    1992    MacUser    126-131    Mac IIvx, Apple, multimedia    Apple’s new Mac IIvx is intended as a midrange, multimedia-oriented Mac which may eventually replace the IIci. The biggest differences between the IIvx and IIci are the IIvx’s 32-MHz 68030, built-in 32K cache, and a drive bay for the speedy new AppleCD 300i high-speed CD ROM drive or other storage device. Pricing on IIvx varies by configuration from $2949 on up. Includes performance chart comparing IIvx to Quadra 700 and Macintosh IIci.
Presenters’ Portables: the PowerBook 160 and 180    product announcements    Russell Ito    December    1992    MacUser    134-140    Mac PowerBook 160, Mac PowerBook 180, PowerBooks, System 7.1, LCD displays    PowerBook 180 has 33-MHz 68030, 68882 math coprocessor, 4 MB RAM, and active-matrix grayscale display. PowerBook 160 has 25-MHz 68030 (no math coprocessor), 4 MB RAM, and passive-matrix grayscale display. Both new models have video-out ports, grayscale displays, ability to function as SCSI devices, security slots, and built-in microphones. Includes sidebars on new System 7.1 software that supports new PowerBook features, explanation/illustration of how active and passive matrix displays work, and charts showing performance of new PowerBooks compared to PowerBook 170.
The Convertible Mac: The Macintosh Duo System    product announcements    Russell Ito    December    1992    MacUser    144-152, 154, 156, 161    Duos, docking stations    Apple has introduced the Macintosh PowerBook Duo system, which combines mobile computing convenience with desktop expandability. The main components are the PowerBook Duo 210 and Duo 230, portable computers, Duo Dock “docking station,” Duo MiniDock, and Duo Floppy Adapter. Article includes extensive sidebars on Duo system configuration options, what’s inside a Duo Dock, features of the Duo 210 and 230, the Duo MiniDock and Floppy Adapter, how PowerLatch works, third-party Duo products, performance charts, and “Which Mac Should I Buy?”
AbraTrak busy following job applicants    product announcements    Ian G. Jacobs    Dec. 7    1992    MacWEEK    15    databases, office management    AbraTrak Mac Version 4 stores job applicant and employee-related info, searchable by various criteria. Word processing is integrated into app for form-letter generation and it can even compile affirmative-action statistics . . . This program was used by Bill Clinton inauguration team (see article for details)! $1295 for single user, $995 for additional networked users, maintenance program is $295 to $490 per year. Abra MacDabra: 408/737-9454; fax [phone].
CAD program helps design cantilever retaining walls    product announcements    Ian G. Jacobs    Dec. 7    1992    MacWEEK    26    engineering, architecture    RetainWall calculates effects of active, passive, or distributed loads to a cantilevered wall. It allows users to decide how the program should handle the orientation and placement of loads. $195 from Daystar Software: 816/221-1401. [Correction according to p. 6 of MacWEEK 12/14/92: This company’s phone number is actually 816/741-4310.]
Tree    mini reviews    Timothy E. Johnson    Dec. 14    1992    MacWEEK    94, 98    draw, paint, illustration, visualization, rendering, architecture    While the current version of the program renders tree models at only 72 dpi, Tree provides the first way to generate slightly randomized trees (following a user’s preferences for tree characteristics) for architectural renderings and illustrations. No overall rating given. $295 from Onyx Computing: 617/876-3876; fax [phone].
Giving a Fig About Newton [letter]    letter    Richard Klein    December    1992    MacUser    18    PDAs, PCMCIA, wireless communications    Klein disagrees with John Dvorak’s assertion that Apple’s Newton PDAs will be a failure.
Amiga/Mac Confusion [letter]    letter    Cristopher Kohler    December    1992    Macworld    38    modeling, rendering, video production    Kohler clarifies what the Video Toaster has to do with video work on the Macintosh.
Office Manager 2.1    software reviews    Dave Kosiur    December    1992    Macworld    280    office management, word processing, contact management, time billing, address-list managers, HyperCard    An integration of address-list management, time billing, and word processing, Office Manager 2.1 provides a quick way to write a letter, dial the phone, and do mail merges. However, its reliance on HyperCard is a limitation. 3 stars, $99 ($79 for Office Manager Remote, $149 for Office Manager plus Mail Manager) from White Crow Software: 802/658-1270.
Unanswered PCPC Calls [letter]    letter    Sandy Lavin    December    1992    Macworld    38    customer service, technical support    A reader complains of PCPC’s poor customer service and technical support.
New technologies may push the limits of throughput into billions per second    analysis    George Lawton    Dec. 14    1992    MacWEEK    32, 34    standards, networks, fiber optics, ATM, distributed processing, supercomputers    Researchers are determining what standards will carry the next generation of network to extremely high bandwidths. The High Performance Parallel Interface (HIPPI) is used to carry data between supercomputers and other proposals such as fiber channel, SONET, and ATM may have a place in the high-speed future. Includes sidebar, “What good will a gigabit do us in the real world?”
Document-imaging systems help solve office paper glut    information    George Lawton    Dec. 14    1992    MacWEEK    108, 110    document management, document imaging, archiving, cataloging, OCR, data security    Document-imaging systems can cut down on paper-based storage and offer faster, more secure access to a company’s documents. Article discusses various approaches available for document-imaging, particularly those now being integrated around the Mac: ArcImage from First Financial Technology, MARS from Micro Dynamics Ltd., and Optix from Blueridge Technologies Inc.
High-volume network printers: Speed is similar, features differ    hardware reviews    Rick LePage    Dec. 14    1992    MacWEEK    100, 102    laser printers, PostScript fax    Review compares four printers: Pagemarq 15 from Compaq ($3999 and up), LZR 1560 from Dataproducts ($3395 and up), RealTech Laser 400 from Hardware That Fits ($3195 for dual-tray model), and LaserJet IIIsi from Hewlett-Packard Co. ($6429). The Pagemarq 15 leads the group with its combination of expansion capabilities, impressive performance, and 400 x 800-dpi resolution. The LZR 1560/RealTech Laser 400 (same printer, different nameplates) has good 400-dpi print quality but lacks expansion and Ethernet connection options. The HP LaserJet IIIsi gets high marks for high-quality type output, but seems a little pricey for what it offers. Contact info given in article.
Intergraph rewrites MicroStation to take advantage of Mac interface    product announcements    Charles Levin    Dec. 7    1992    MacWEEK    9    CAD, 2-D, 3-D, architecture, file translation, QuickTime, modeling    MicroStation Mac 4.2 has been completely rewritten, offering a Mac/other platform interface choice, configuration tool, graphics exporting, new companion app (MicroStation Review, $795), and free MicroStation Nexus QuickTime-based visualization program. Intergraph Corp.: 205/730-8302, 800/345-4856; fax [phone].
Bedrock Framework running on track for 1993 release [letter]    letter    Steve Levine    Dec. 14    1992    MacWEEK    61    cross-platform, developers    A product manager from Symantec disputes a quote in an earlier MacWEEK story which implied that the Bedrock Application Framework is not going to ship in 1993.
Retrieve It!    software reviews    Bob LeVitus    December    1992    MacUser    90    file searching, cataloging, archiving    Retrieve It! can locate not only file names, but words or phrases within files on any volume. It’s fast and has search “operators” for multi-word searches. 4.5 mice, $129 from MVP Software: 415/599-2704.
PowerBook and SCSI Display Adapters    hardware/software reviews    Bob LeVitus    December    1992    MacUser    172-175, 182-185, 188    SCSI display adapters, PowerBooks, color    Article analyzes and tests six display adapters for computers without video output options. Three are internal PowerBook display adapters (for first-generation PowerBooks) and three connect to a Mac’s SCSI port. Internal: Envisio NoteBook Display Adaptor, Envisio NoteBook Display Adapter 030, and Computer Care BookView Imperial. SCSI: Outbound Outrigger Intelligent Monitor, Sigma Power Portrait, and Radius PowerView. Recommended for PB 140, 145, 170, or Classic II users who want color output: Radius PowerView. Recommended for those who only need monochrome: Sigma Power Portrait and Outbound Outrigger Intelligent Monitor. Recommended (but with several reservations) for those who must have an internal display adapter: Computer Care BookView Imperial. Top recommendation for those who must have video output on PowerBooks: Sell your original PowerBook and get a new PowerBook that has a video-out port. Includes sidebar on other recently announced display adapters: Aura Systems’ ScuzzyGraph and ScuzzyView, Lapis Technologies’ PowerBase I and PowerBase II, SuperMac’s SuperView, Envisio ColorBook 16, Computer Care BookView Imperial with 16-bit color, Mirror PowerVision, Lifetime Memory Video+, Mirror Technologies’ ViewPort and RasterOps ClearVue/SD21. Contact and pricing info in article.
My Favorite Things    advice    Bob LeVitus    December    1992    MacUser    257-259    utilities, System/Finder, backup, hard drive formatting software, drive management, disk optimization, games, font managers, time management, PowerBooks, macros    Bob LeVitus selects his favorite utilities released (or made widely available) in 1992: Wallpaper (Finder enhancement) from Thought I Could, Retrospect (backup program) from Dantz Development: 510/849-0293, Hard Disk Toolkit (hard disk formatting software) from FWB Software, MacTools 2 (“data-protection”) from Central Point Software, Diamonds (game) from Varcon Systems, ALSoft Power Utilities (utility package) from AlSoft, Guaranteed Undelete (trashed file recovery) from Utilitron, First Things First (appointment reminder) from Visionary Software, CPU (Connectix PowerBook Utilities, PowerBook utility package) from Connectix, Retrieve It! (file searching) from MVP Software, StuffIt Deluxe (data compression) from Aladdin Systems, QuicKeys 2 (macro program) from CE Software, and Now Utilities 4.0 (utility package) from Now Software.
Help Folder [December 1992]    advice    Bob LeVitus, Andy Ihnatko    December    1992    MacUser    269, 270, 272    System/Finder, sound, audio, Mac IIsi, ethics, copyrights, printing, PostScript    Andy and Bob give advice on: System 7 Finder resource editing (including description of Adam Stein’s System 7 Pack), floppy ejection under System 7, avoiding “color bleeding” when pasting icons, sound problems with the Mac IIsi, finding classroom courseware about computer ethics, and what “Faster Bitmap Printing” really does.
The Iconoclast: Trouble in Finder City    commentary    Steven Levy    December    1992    Macworld    53, 54, 56    Finder replacements, Finder enhancements, System/Finder, Apple, DOS, marketing    While the Mac’s Finder started out simple, the complexity of the numerous INITs and utilities added to it has prompted the need for At Ease, Apple’s new Finder shell. Levy questions whether such a Finder shell is really for everyone.
The 1992 Macintosh Game Hall of Fame    overview    Steven Levy    December    1992    Macworld    226-231    games, simulations, joysticks, art, QuickTime, CD-ROM    Steven Levy and his panel select the best games of the year in various categories: Spectrum HoloByte’s Wordtris, Brøderbund Software’s Prince of Persia, Maxis’ SimAnt, Graphic Simulations’ Hellcats Over the Pacific, Velocity Development’s Spectre, Amtex Software Corporation’s Tristan, Three Sixty’s V for Victory, Casady & Greene’s Mission Thunderbolt, and LucasArts Games’ The Secret of Monkey Island.
Managing Your Money 5.0    software reviews    Darryl Lewis    December    1992    MacUser    53    personal finance, accounting, investments, personal finance, bookkeeping, taxes    Managing Your Money 5.0 now has an improved interface, new Quicken 3 import facility, better check-printing features, and extensive financial and investment tracking. 4.5 mice, $79.95 from MECA Software: 203/256-5000.
The Diet Balancer 1.0, Nutri-Calc Plus 1.2    software reviews    Rita Lewis    December    1992    Macworld    276    health, diet    Two nutrition information programs reviewed: While both programs have food databases and show the nutritional values of meals, The Diet Balancer 1.0 offers better personalized weight planning tools and Nutri-Calc Plus 1.2 allows for detailed meal design. The Diet Balancer may be better for personal diet planning (4 stars, $69.95 from Nutridata Software Corporation: 914/298-1308), while Nutri-Calc Plus is more useful for professional nutritionists (3 stars, $225 from Camde Corporation: 602/926-2632).
Brain Drain    product announcements    Dan Littman    December    1992    Macworld    169    health    Interactive Brainwave Visual Analyzer ($995-$1595) picks up the brain’s electrical activity for biofeedback, games, and art. Psychic Lab: 212/353-1669.
Pastel’s New Colors    product announcements    Dan Littman    December    1992    Macworld    169, 171    PIMs, calendars, schedulers    New 2.0 version of DayMaker personal information manager separates events, improves reminders and recurring events scheduling, and has better printing. $129 from Pastel: 212/941-7500.
Artists’ Rosetta Stone    product announcements    Dan Littman    December    1992    Macworld    171    color calibration, image manipulation, scripting, document management, file conversion    DeBabelizer is a graphics conversion and digital image manipulation program that offers batch processing, palette conversion, scripting, and macro recording of internal functions. $299 from Equlibrium: 415/332-4343.
For Local Area Viruses    product announcements    Dan Littman    December    1992    Macworld    171    viruses, networks, network administration    Version 4.0 of Virex will add network features to virus-protection software, allowing network administrators to configure protection remotely. $99.95 per user (quantity pricing available) from Microcom’s Utility Products Group: 919/490-1277.
Scitor Updates Project Manager    product announcements    Dan Littman    December    1992    Macworld    173    project management    New Project Scheduler PS5 has link dependencies across projects, Hammock task constraint, and more flexible report generation and resource task assignments. $695 from Scitor: 415/570-7700.
Traveler’s Geography    product announcements    Dan Littman    December    1992    Macworld    173    travel, reference databases, maps, geography    $100 program code-named PinPoint will have $25 data packs that help travelers find various resources in many cities. Strategic Mapping: 408/970-9600.
Up-to-Date Again    product announcements    Dan Littman    December    1992    Macworld    177    calendars, groupware, schedulers    Now Up-to-Date version 2.0 has new way of categorizing events, reconciling for shared calendars, a to-do list, AlarmsClock module, and better printing. $99 (multiuser versions available) from Now Software: 503/274-2800.
Money News    product announcements    Dan Littman    December    1992    Macworld    177    personal finance, investments, online services    Version 2.0 of WealthBuilder helps users determine their investment goals, then connects to online service to track investment performance. $169.95 (online time extra after first month) from Reality Technologies: 215/387-6055.
Mainstay Stays the Course    product announcements    Dan Littman    December    1992    Macworld    177    groupware, archiving, document management, document imaging, voice annotation    MarkUP 2.0 multiuser document-editing tool lets individual or groups work with documents in various layers and annotate voice notes and QuickTime files. $195. Marco Polo archives and searches documents and allows input of voice and QuickTime data. Mainstay: 818/991-6540.
Mac as Camera?    product announcements    Dan Littman    December    1992    Macworld    181    QuickTime, video editing, screen capture, training, sound, audio, presentations    Spectator utility can capture screen action as a QuickTime movie, add titling and sound, and edit everything into standalone playback document. $149.95 from Baseline Publishing: 901/682-9676.
Data Insights    product announcements    Dan Littman    December    1992    Macworld    181    data analysis, cross-platform    CrossTarget package, consisting of Data Integrator, Builder, and Diver components, offers a variety of data extraction, cross-referencing, analysis, and examination capabilities, regardless of the data’s origin. Diver is $750 for the Mac. Pricing for other components varies. Dimensional Insights: 617/229-9111.
Publish It Easy, Color It Revised    product announcements    Dan Littman    December    1992    Macworld    185    DTP, page layout, pressure-sensitive, image manipulation, paint    Publish It Easy 3.0 ($199.95) has new things like more drawing tools, paragraph styles, and alignment controls. Color It 2.0 supports pressure-sensitive tablets, provides virtual-memory scheme and has direct scanner support. $299.95 from Timeworks: 708/559-1300.
The Macintosh Telephone    product announcements    Dan Littman    December    1992    Macworld    185    ISDN, telephones, communications, voice mail, voice recognition, voice synthesis    PhonePro is an iconic programming-based system for creating dedicated telephone applications such as voice mail, fax response, and order entry. $950 for software and hardware for analog systems ($450 more for ISDN card, if needed). Cypress: 408/752-2700.
New Telecom    product announcements    Dan Littman    December    1992    Macworld    187    telecommunications, file transfer, scripting, terminal emulation    MacIntercomm is new telecommunications app with background file transfer, large screen buffers through virtual memory, 4-bit ANSI emulation, and smart-dial feature. $199.95 from Mercury Systems: 310/553-0881.
Three Major Backup Programs Revised    product announcements    Dan Littman    December    1992    Macworld    187    backup    Upgrades are being released for three backup programs: Retrospect 2.0, $249, Dantz Development: 510/849-0293; FastBack Plus 3.0, $189, Fifth Generation Systems: 504/291-7221; Redux Deluxe, $129, Inline Design: 203/435-4995.
Instant Trees    product announcements    Dan Littman    December    1992    Macworld    187    draw, paint, illustration, visualization, rendering, architecture    Tree, a modeling and rendering program that creates trees with user-defined characteristics, allows exportation to other 3-D visualization programs. Onyx Computing: 617/876-3876; fax [phone].
New Add-Ons for Microsoft Word    product announcements    Dan Littman    December    1992    Macworld    189    word processing, calculators, spelling checkers, thesaurus, dictionaries, languages    MasterWord adds tool bar and new features to Word 5.0, such as paragraph-bulleting, simplified table interface, and envelope-printing command. Other add-ons also available: spelling dictionaries, thesaurus, hyphenation files. $99.95 each from Alki Software: 206/286-2600.
Star Trek: The Screen Saver    product announcements    Dan Littman    December    1992    Macworld    185    screen savers, humor    Star Trek: The Screen Saver includes Trek-oriented modules and a trivia quiz for fans. $59.95 from Berkeley Systems: 510/540-5535.
SnapBack    mini reviews    Roman Victor Loyola    December    1992    MacUser    90    backup, network administration    No network administrator is needed to back up user archives easily with SnapBack. It works with all media except floppies and tape, allows users to set their own backup preferences, provides easy access to backed-up files, and saves archives in standard Finder format. 3.5 mice, $129 from Golden Triangle: 800/326-1858, 619/279-2100.
Excel-lent!!! (Not!) [letter]    letter    Steven E. MacIntyre, Albero I. Roca    December    1992    MacUser    14    spreadsheets, Microsoft    MacIntyre blasts MacUser for giving a favorable rating to Microsoft Excel, a program he feels is too big and too slow. Roca complains of Excel’s Clipboard abnormalities, urging others to call Microsoft’s “wish list” line: 206/936-9474.
Dear Mr. Sculley . . . [letters]    letter    MacUser    December    1992    MacUser    13    upgrades, System 7, upgrades, HyperCard    In this subcolumn of the letters column, readers react to MacUser questions about upgrade prices and which products are gathering dust on the shelf. Answers include: System 7, HyperCard, Word 5.0.
Don’t forget the high end    editorial    MacWEEK    Dec. 7    1992    MacWEEK    82    Apple, marketing, sales, CPUs    Apple has increased its market share for low-end PCs, but it must now dramatically lower the prices of its top models, such as the Quadras, to compete with cheap DOS-based PCs. Otherwise, Apple risks losing market share on the high end.
Direct-slot card will turn Quadra into speedy server    news    MacWEEK    Dec. 14    1992    MacWEEK    1, 180    Quadra 950, file servers, A/UX, AppleShare, Unix, accelerators, SCSI-2, RAID    Apple’s high-performance server, scheduled to ship in May, 1993, will have beefed-up memory and storage, plus a PDS card with performance-enhancing circuitry. It will run A/UX and new version of AppleShare (or Oracle 7). Workstation capabilities include SCSI-2, RAID, and a secondary RAM cache. Price will be $10,000 and up.
WorldScript: Unfulfilled promise    editorial    MacWEEK    Dec. 14    1992    MacWEEK    60    System 7.1, WorldScript, developers, Apple, languages, international    Apple needs to live up to its promise to deliver the WorldScript extensions and language modules that were to be part of System 7.1. Such software could give the Mac a big edge over its competitors in domestic sites that require such multiple-language capabilities.
Editors’ Choice: Diamond Awards    information    MacWEEK    Dec. 14    1992    MacWEEK    65-73        MacWEEK honors outstanding Macintosh products based on suitability, usability, and innovation. See article for summary of each product and listing of date the product was reviewed. Network hardware: LanRover/L, Shiva Corp.; Business graphics: Canvas 3.0.4, Deneba Software; CPU accelerator: PowerCache 50, DayStar Digital; Telecommunications: MicroPhone II 4.0, Software Ventures Corp.; Electronic Mail: cc:Mail 2.0, Lotus Development Corp.; Scheduling: Now Up-to-Date 1.0.1, Now Software, Inc.; Backup: Retrospect Remote 1.3, Dantz Development Corp.; Illustration: Aldus Freehand 3.1, Aldus Corp.; Presentation: Microsoft PowerPoint 3.0, Microsoft Corp.; Color printer: Phaser III PXi, Tektronix, Inc.; Graphing: DeltaGraph Professional 2.0, DeltaPoint Inc.; OCR: TypeReader 1.0, ExperVision Inc.; Spreadsheet: Microsoft Excel 4.0, Microsoft Corp.; File server: NetWare for Macintosh 3.11, Novell Inc.; Flat-file database: FileMaker Pro 2.0, Claris Corp.; Contact management: Dynodex 2.0, Portfolio Software Inc.; Mobile computing: PowerPort/Gold, Global Village Communication Inc.; Integrated software: ClarisWorks 1.0, Claris Corp.; System enhancement: Now Utilities 4.0.1, Now Software Inc.; Image editing: Adobe Photoshop 2.01; Data analysis: Muse 1.0, Occam Research Corp.; Word processing: Microsoft Word 5.1, Microsoft Corp.; Data recovery: MacTools Deluxe 2.0, Central Point Software Inc.; Page layout: QuarkXPress 3.1, Quark Inc.; Workgroup printer: Pagemarq 15, Compaq Computer Corp.; Relational database: 4th Dimension 3.0, ACI US Inc.; Networking tool: GraceLAN Pro Series, TechWorks Inc.; Scanner: ScanJet IIc, Hewlett-Packard Co.; Multimedia: Adobe Premiere 2.0, Adobe Systems Inc.
Revamped 4D stays at the top of its field    software reviews    Mel Male    Dec. 14    1992    MacWEEK    77, 78, 80    databases, servers, programming tools, compatibility    Version 3.0 of the 4th Dimension relational database development application is praised for its graphically oriented design tools, powerful scripting and procedural language, and time-sliced multitasking. 4D Server, a multi-user version of 4th Dimension, gets high grades for its efficient client-server architecture. Overall value: 5 diamonds, $895 (upgrades $195-$295). 4D Runtime 3.0 is $195 ($25 upgrade). 4D Server/4D Client costs from $1495 to $15,000, depending on number of clients. Includes sidebar: “ACI US releases stir up compatibility questions.” ACI US: 408/252-4444; fax [phone].
Talking Back to a Mac [2 letters]    letter    Chris Martell, Shelton Lankford    December    1992    Macworld    37    voice recognition, voice synthesis, interface, future, artificial intelligence, mouse alternatives, Casper    Martell and Lankford chide Steven Levy for his September column on efforts to incorporate voice recognition and speech synthesis into future computers. Both writers applaud the efforts of Apple to make Macs more life-like.
New PowerBooks: The 145, 160, and 180    product announcements    James A. Martin    December    1992    Macworld    200-205    PowerBook 145, PowerBook 160, PowerBook 180    Apple has introduced new portable PowerBooks, models 145, 160, and 180, replacing the previous 100, 140, and 170. Processor speeds range from 25MHz to 33 MHz, prices from $2149 to $4229. Article covers details about the features and specifications of all new models, including a table comparing them with the original PowerBooks and new PowerBook Duos.
An array of concerns raised by drive vendor [letter]    letter    Charles F. McConathy    Dec. 14    1992    MacWEEK    84, 85    hard drives, hard disks, Quadra 950, System/Finder, file copying, RAID, arrays, striping, memory, cache memory, SCSI    The president of MicroNet Technology writes to correct MacWEEK on the name and address of his company, as well as to offer corrections of an earlier article about drive arrays and disk striping. MacWEEK replies in response to the issues of file copying, disk cache, hard disk block size, and SCSI port configuration.
New Radius Color Pivot screen displays in multiple resolutions    product announcements    Neil McManus    Dec. 7    1992    MacWEEK    4    monitors, display cards    PrecisionColor Pivot color monitor offers its 15" multiple-orientation features for both IBM PCs and Macs. It replaces the Color Pivot/LE and costs the same price, $1149. It requires the $599 Radius Color Pivot video adapter card for use with some Mac models. Radius: 408/434-1010; fax [phone].
Mobius Speedster ‘040 card accelerates Macs up to 40 MHz    product announcements    Neil McManus    Dec. 7    1992    MacWEEK    4    acclerators, FPUs    Mobius is announcing line of 68040-based accelerators, the Mobius Speedsters, priced from $799 to $1499, for all Mac models. Accelerators have PDS expansion slots for additional acceleration later. Mobius: 510/654-0558; fax [phone]. [Correction from p. 6 of MacWEEK 12/14/92: The company’s phone number is actually 510/654-0556.]
Specular opens BackBurner API to third parties    product announcements    Neil McManus    Dec. 7    1992    MacWEEK    10    programming tools, distributed processing, rendering    The application programming interface used to do distributed rendering for BackBurner, Specular’s 3D program, will be made available to third-party developers to use with their own processor-intensive applications. Pricing hasn’t been set yet. Specular: 413/549-7600; fax [phone].
SuperMac’s DigitalFilm board inputs, outputs full-motion video    product announcements    Neil McManus    Dec. 7    1992    MacWEEK    48    video editing, video production, image compression    DigitalFilm system can display, output, and capture full-motion, full-screen video. It offers JPEG image compression, audio recording and SuperMac’s Thunder technology to speed QuickDraw up to 2300 percent. It has a breakout box for hooking up video components. $5999 from SuperMac Technology: 408/245-2202; fax [phone].
TitleMan renders Type 1 fonts, EPS to video    product announcements    Neil McManus    Dec. 7    1992    MacWEEK    50    video production, video titling, fonts, type, anti-aliasing, PostScript    TitleMan functions as a PostScript type-rendering, video titling and illustration environment, with the capability to grab frames, output RGB (plus sync), and adjust timing of downstream video equipment. $7995 (NTSC) or $9995 (PAL) from Digital F/X: 415/961-2800; fax [phone].
Some graphic artists following key applications to Windows    news    Neil McManus    Dec. 14    1992    MacWEEK    1, 179    page layout, DTP, color separation, cross-platform, Windows    Popular graphics applications such as Quark XPress, Adobe Illustrator, and Photoshop are being made available for Windows-based PCs, but many analysts recognize that graphics users still prefer the ease of configuration and maturity of the Mac platform.
Radius moves to full-screen video    product announcements    Neil McManus    Dec. 14    1992    MacWEEK    4    video production, video editing, image compression, JPEG    Radius’ DigitalMedia Studio is $3999 video production system based on the company’s VideoVision System. It can capture, display, and output video in real time at full size. The new system includes both a NuBus card and a connector panel for outputting images to videotape. The bundle includes Premiere and VideoFusion software. VideoVision now consists of three new packages priced from $1999 to $2399. Radius: 408/434-1010; fax [phone].
Latest Thunder card will put Mac graphics on HDTV displays    product announcements    Neil McManus    Dec. 14    1992    MacWEEK    4    television, HDTV, touchscreens, 24-bit, color    SuperMac has introduced Thunder II HDTV video card, which works with HDTV monitors, for $9,999. The SuperMac SmarTouch displays will be available in touch-sensitive 17-inch ($3000) and 20-inch ($5000) sizes. SuperMac Technology: 408/245-2202; fax [phone].
SuperPaint upgrade to draw on new tools, textures, templates    product announcements    Neil McManus    Dec. 14    1992    MacWEEK    38    paint, illustration, textures    New version of SuperPaint adds a copy brush, new tools, templates, new textures, QuickTime frame copying, improved System 7 support, TWAIN scanner support, and ImageWriter 24-bit color support. $199 (upgrades $25-$45) from Aldus Corp.’s Consumer Division: 206/628-2320; fax  [phone].
The Decline of the Desktop Macintosh    editorial    Adrian Mello    December    1992    Macworld    27, 28    portables, PowerBooks, Duos, docking stations, marketing, Mac IIvx, Apple    As PowerBook computers and docking stations continue to increase in power, expandability, and versatility, midrange desktop Macs will begin to decline. When Apple clears out its remaining inventory of Mac IIsi and IIci units, the IIvx will be the only midrange Mac left.
Timbuktu breaks into Windows    news    Steve Michel    Dec. 7    1992    MacWEEK    1, 9    cross-platform, Windows, interoperability, file transfer, screen sharing, file servers, printing    Farallon introduced Timbuktu screen-sharing software for Windows and updated Timbuktu for Mac to 5.0 and PhoneNET PC to version 3.0. The new software offers screen sharing on or between platforms, file transfer, security options, and PC access to Mac print and file services. Pricing information on p. 35 story of this issue. Farallon Computing: 510/596-9000; fax [phone]. Includes sidebar: “PhoneNET PC a winner for PC minority on Mac nets.”
StuffIt Deluxe update does it all    software reviews    Steve Michel    Dec. 14    1992    MacWEEK    89    data compression, file translation, file formats, AppleLink, scripting    New version of StuffIt Deluxe, v. 3.0.2, proves itself again as the most comprehensive data compression and decompression program around. In this version, new compression types are included, the program is open to scripting, the Magic Menu and SpaceSaver control panels have been added, and drag-and-drop compression and decompression is now possible. Overall rating: 4 diamonds, $120 (upgrades free-$25) from Aladdin Systems: 408/761-6200; fax [phone].
New approaches to creating applications within HyperCard    information    Steve Michel    Dec. 14    1992    MacWEEK    115    HyperCard, programming tools, scripting, multimedia, developers    Creating double-clickable applications is about to become easier with products from Claris, Daniels & Mara (HyperApp, Hyper Programmer’s Workshop, HyperLib, HyperDev), and Heizer Software (Double-XX, CompileIt!, and WindowScript). Contact info in article.
RasterOps Builds Video Wall    product announcements    Tom Moran    December    1992    Macworld    169    video, monitors    The Wall, a bank of up to 16 video monitors, is run by WallBoard NuBus cards to create large convention displays. $4995 and up from RasterOps: 408/562-4200.
HP DeskWriter 550C    product announcements    Tom Moran    December    1992    Macworld    169    ink-jet, inkjet, color printers    DeskWriter 550C has both color and black ink cartridges, an improvement over the older DeskWriter C. It has 35 scalable fonts and costs $1099 (DeskWriter C now $779, down from $1095). Hewlett-Packard: 800/752-0900.
QMS 32-ppm Printer    product announcements    Tom Moran    December    1992    Macworld    171    laser printers    QMS-PS 3200 Print System produces up to 32 pages per minute, 300 dpi, multiple interface options, hard-drive options, 45 typefaces, 16 MB RAM, high-speed RISC chip, and more. $19,995 from QMS: 205/633-4300.
ACIUS’s New Dimension    product announcements    Tom Moran    December    1992    Macworld    171    databases, servers, programming tools, multitasking    New release of 4th Dimension, 3.0, has preemptive multitasking, modeless operation, and other improvements. It works with 4D Server, whose price varies with number of users. 4D 3.0 is $895 from ACIUS: 408/252-4444.
Fiber Optics for the Desktop    product announcements    Tom Moran    December    1992    Macworld    171    fiber optics, color prepress    The Retriever Plus, two fiber-optic-equipped NuBus boards and 25' fiber-optic cable, facilitates transfers over 1 MB  per second between Macs, making it especially suitable for large prepress files. $4800 from Augment systems: 617/271-0230.
Adobe PixelBurst Processor    news    Tom Moran    December    1992    Macworld    171    chips, imagesetters, RIPs, Adobe, PostScript    PixelBurst technology from Adobe will provide chip-basd, high-speed, dedicated PostScript processing to output devices. It will probably be incorporated into devices before end of 1992.
DayStar’s 68040 TurboStar    product announcements    Tom Moran    December    1992    Macworld    173    accelerators, 68040    TurboStar 68040-based accelerator from DayStar Digital runs at 33 MHz and fits in a variety of Mac II-series machines. $1999 from DayStar: 404/967-2077.
Higher-Capacity Optical Drive    product announcements    Tom Moran    December    1992    Macworld    173    erasable optical drives    256REM erasable optical drives stores 256 MB on 3.5" disks. DGR 128Turbo stores half that much but offers speedy performance. $1699 and $1299 from DGR: 512/476-9855.
InfoTAC Personal Communicator    product announcements    Tom Moran    December    1992    Macworld    173    pagers, modems, wireless communications, e-mail    InfoTAC wireless data communicator functions as standalone two-way pager or portable computer modem. $1350 from Motorola: 800/247-2346.
Hard Drives with Clout    product announcements    Tom Moran    December    1992    Macworld    181    hard drives, hard disks, SCSI-2    Quantum’s high-capacity ProDrives store from 525 MB to 1.225 GB and cost $1145 to $1795. All work with SCSI-2 boards. No contact info given.
PLI 120MB Drive for PowerBooks    product announcements    Tom Moran    December    1992    Macworld    181    PowerBooks, hard drives    PLI 120MB 2.5" Turbo fits inside PowerBooks 140 and 170 and offers 25ms average access time, 1.8MB per second data-transfer rate and 32K buffer. $999 from PLI: 510/657-2211.
SCSI-2 Board for Radius Rocket    product announcements    Tom Moran    December    1992    Macworld    181    SCSI-2, accelerators, storage    Radius’ SCSI-2 Booster is a piggyback board for Radius Rocket accelerators, designed to increase data-transfer speed to 7MB  per second. Radius: 408/434-1010.
Turkey Shoot [December 1992]    information    Tom Moran    December    1992    Macworld    181    keyboards, fax modems, Japan, PowerBooks    Column points out design flaws in various Mac products: An Apple System 7 keyboard command conflicts with standard key combination used by FreeHand and Illustrator. Apple PowerBook Modems can’t send faxes from Japan, except by resetting jumper on internal circuitry, thus voiding the product’s warranty.
Starlight’s Video Network    product announcements    Tom Moran    December    1992    Macworld    185    video prodution, networks, AppleShare, Unix, QuickTime, RAID, JPEG, MPEG    StarWorks software supports a digital video network from a 486-based DOS machine. It works with existing network and is compatible with many video standards. High-speed data transfer is possible. $9950-$18,495 from Starlight: 415/967-2774.
SuperMac’s Dye-Sub Printer    product announcements    Tom Moran    December    1992    Macworld    185    dye-sublimation printers, color calibration    ProofPositive Full-Page Printing System ($9999) and ProofPositive Two-Page Printing System ($19,499) connect to host Mac (which does the processing) through a SCSI interface board. SuperMac: 408/245-2202.
3M Projection Panels    product announcements    Tom Moran    December    1992    Macworld    185    projection panels, color    LCD-based projection panels: Model 5300 ($6795) and 5900 ($8995) show 24,000 and 227,000 colors, respectively. Devices work with Macs or PCs. Company is 3M: 800/328-1371.
Lapis Monitors    product announcements    Tom Moran    December    1992    Macworld    187    video interface, SCSI, monitors, displays, PowerBooks, grayscale    New adapters and monitors from Lapis: PowerBase I (SCSI video adapter for PowerBooks, $599); Dual Page Gray Scale Display (74 dpi, 256 shades of gray, $1049). Lapis: 510/748-1600.
Fast PowerBook Fax Modem    product announcements    Tom Moran    December    1992    Macworld    189    fax modems, PowerBooks    PowerModem IV, an internal PowerBook modem, supports numerous protocols as it sends and receives data and faxes at 14,400 bps. $799 from PSI: 408/559-8544.
External Fax Modems    product announcements    Tom Moran    December    1992    Macworld    189    fax modems    Fax modems, all of which send and receive faxes at 9600 bps, data at speeds listed: TelePort/Bronze (2400 bps data, $249); TelePort/Silver (9600 bps data, $449); TelePort/Gold (14,400 bps, $649). Global Village: 415/390-8200.
Taxan Ships Flat-Square Monitor    product announcements    Tom Moran    December    1992    Macworld    189    monitors, color    MultiVision 875 Plus is a 17" monitor with 1280 x 1024 resolution and dual Mac/DOS compatibility. $1899 from Taxan America: 408/748-0900.
Desktop Librarian: Books on Shareware    product announcements    Tom Moran    December    1992    Macworld    189    books, shareware    Two books help users sort through copious shareware options: The Mac Shareware 500, $39.95 from Ventana Press: 919/942-0220; The Mac Shareware Emporium, $34.95 from Brady Publishing: 800/428-5331.
Warlords    software reviews    Tom Moran    December    1992    Macworld    280    games    A strategy game set in a medieval fantasty world, Warlords has great color graphics, good sounds, and detailed information reporting. The goal sounds challenging: to conquer everything on the map. But serious war-gamers may not find the computer a challenging enough opponent (playing aginst human opponents also possible). 3 stars, $59.95 from Strategic Studies Group: 904/494-9373.
Glyphic Script creates object applications    product announcements    David Morganstern    Dec. 14    1992    MacWEEK    21    object-oriented, programming tools, programming languages, cross-platform    Glyphic Script, an object-oriented direct programming environment, is now being demonstrated. The language is based on the Unified Object Model, which supports direct access to objects. No pricing or release date given. Glyphic Technology: 415/341-4473; fax [phone].
Tape Backup Bounty    overview    Tom Negrino    December    1992    Macworld    218-225    tape drives, DAT, backup, data compression    Comprehensive overview of tape drives covers main formats of drives available (DC2000, DC6000, Teac, DAT and 8mm helical), data compression options, and backup software. Top picks:  Personal Backup (up to 150 MB): APS Teac 155 ($499) by APS; Midrange Backup (150 MB to 600 MB): Vista 600 Tape ($779) by Relax Technology, hammerTape 525 ($1469) by FWB; and High-Capacity Backup (1 GB and beyond): APS Compression DAT ($1699) by APS.
UpDiff 1.0    software reviews    Tom Negrino    December    1992    Macworld    282    developers, programming tools, document distribution    UpDiff utility compares two files, then generates a difference file that can be used to recreate a newer file from an older file. The program is considered extremely easy to use, although difference files can sometimes be larger than originals. Highly recommended for those who frequently update large documents. $169 (two-pack for sender and receiver) from KyZen Corp.: 609/354-3863.
Optima drives up internal storage of Mac IIvx, IIvi    product announcements    Henry Norr    Dec. 7    1992    MacWEEK    172    hard drives, cartridge drives, DAT, tape, magneto-optical    Optima has begun shipping IIvx and IIvi-targeted storage products. The V Series includes two DAT drives ($2195 and $2695), SyQuest drives ($649 and $849), a $1495 3.5" magneto-optical drive, and hard drives of 126 MB to 1.6 GB, priced from $595 to $3995. Optima Technology: 714/476-0515; fax [phone]
Polybus brings Peace of Mind diagnostic package to latest Macs    product announcements    Henry Norr    Dec. 14    1992    MacWEEK    4    diagnostic tools, repairs, maintenance, chips, SCSI    Peace of Mind update, version 1.2.1, can do almost 150 diagnostic tests on Macs and some peripherals. It can identify problems in ROM, memory, processor, mouse, and keyboard. $149 ($99 introductory price during December) from Polybus Systems: 508/649-9600; fax [phone].
Aladdin releases upgrades to StuffIt line    product announcements    Henry Norr    Dec. 14    1992    MacWEEK    6    data compression, file translation, encryption    StuffIt Deluxe 3.03 does data compression faster and offers automatic file segmentation and script-controllable features ($120, $45 sidegrade from other products). SpaceSaver 1.0.2 has new System 7 features and costs $59.95 ($25 sidegrade). Magic Menu 3.0.3 allows encrypted archives and offers additional archive info. Drop•Stuff 3.03 provides more control over Stuffit preferences. Aladdin Systems: 408/761-6200; fax [phone]. Includes sidebar on new updates and additions to Aladdin’s freeware and shareware products: StuffIt Expander 3.0, StuffIt Lite 3.0.3, CPT2SIT, and UnStuffPC.
Surf City dives into disk formatting with new Lido 7 utility package    product announcements    Henry Norr    Dec. 14    1992    MacWEEK    6    hard disk formatting software, drive management, data security    Lido 7, a universal drive formatting package, can handle any disk storage device of any size or type, including removable disks and cartridges. It offers one-button formatting, resizable partitions, password protection, and more. No price given for new product, but upgrades are $20. Surf City Software: 714/289-8543; fax [phone].
Insignia ships stand-alone formatter    product announcements    Henry Norr    Dec. 14    1992    MacWEEK    12    hard disk formatting software, drive management, data security, hard disk drivers, cross-platform    RapidTrak disk-formatting package offers five different schemes to cache data from drives for more rapid recall and adds support for DOS removable media when used with Apple’s Macintosh PC Exchange. $99.95 from Insignia Solutions: 415/694-7600; fax [phone]. [Editor’s note: Phone numbers are entered correctly here as shown in article. However, you will note that the telephone number prefixes have two numbers inverted, and this may be an error as shown in the article.]
AutoDoubler and SpaceSaver put squeeze on hard disk files    software reviews    Henry Norr    Dec. 14    1992    MacWEEK    88, 90, 91    data compression, idle-time compression    Article compares features and performance of Fifth Generation Systems’ AutoDoubler and Aladdin Systems’ SpaceSaver, both idle-time disk compression utilities. AutoDoubler earns respect for its fine control of automatic operations, faster performance, and better safeguards. But manual control over compression is limited. Overall rating: 4 diamonds, $89.95 from Fifth Generation Systems: 504/291-7221, 800/873-4384; fax [phone]. SpaceSaver has automated compression, also, but offers better manual control. Overall rating: 4 diamonds, $59.95 from Aladdin Systems: 408/761-6200; fax [phone]. Includes lengthy sidebar on how programs were tested.
Font packs come in all shapes, sizes    product announcements    Kirsten L. Parkinson    Dec. 7    1992    MacWEEK    52    fonts, type, typography, languages, international, TrueType, multimedia, presentations    New font collections announced: The Beautiful Faces Collection from Font World has international alphabets priced from $99 to $399. (Font World: 716/235-6861; fax [phone].) Facelift Fonts from Ransom Electronic Media is a collection of anti-aliased screen fonts for multimedia and presentation programs. (Educorp: 619/536-9999, 800/843-9497; fax [phone].) The FoundryExclusives Collection from FontHaus adds eight new fonts priced from $25 to $79. (FontHaus: 203/846-3087, 800/942-9110; fax [phone].)
CMS lines up storage options for PBs    product announcements    Kirsten L. Parkinson    Dec. 7    1992    MacWEEK    10    hard drives, PowerBooks    New drives from CMS: Mighty Lites store from 40 to 240 MB and cost $533 to $1436. Mighty Lite external cabinet (with power supply) is $99 but can be purchased with drive for $50. CMS Enhancements: 714/222-6000; fax [phone].
Turbo Python stores up to 8 Gbytes of data on tape    product announcements    Kirsten L. Parkinson    Dec. 7    1992    MacWEEK    14    DAT, DDS-DC, tape    Turbo Python tape mechanism supports DDS-DC format and stores up to 8 GB on 90-meter tape. Three models are available to OEMs: 3.5" internal ($1100), 5.25" internal ($1100), and 3.5" external ($1300). Turbo Python will be integrated with DiamondBack 4584NP auto-loader. Ardat, division of Archive Corp.: 714/641-2117, 800/327-8827; fax [phone].
ClienTrac keeps tabs on clients, offers calendar, word processor    product announcements    Kirsten L. Parkinson    Dec. 7    1992    MacWEEK    22    HyperCard, PIMs, contact management, address-list managers, word processing, calendars    ClienTrac, HyperCard-based contact-management program, tracks clients or customers (with categories for searching and sorting) and features an integrated calendar and word processor. $135 from Whiskey Hill Software: 415/851-8702; fax [phone].
Adobe takes 2-D to new Dimensions    product announcements    Kirsten L. Parkinson    Dec. 7    1992    MacWEEK    48    illustration, modeling, rendering    Adobe Dimensions can import two-dimensional objects from drawing programs like Illustrator or FreeHand and has drawing capabilities within the program itself. It also has 3-D mapping and rendering features. $199 ($99 through March 1, free with Illustrator until then) from Adobe Systems: 415/961-4400; fax [phone].
Passport mixes audio and graphics    product announcements    Kirsten L. Parkinson    Dec. 7    1992    MacWEEK    51    audio, multimedia, sound editing, QuickTime    Multimedia presentations can be assembled with Passport Producer’s muliple file formats, SMPTE timecode, and built-in audio and video editing. Passport Producer Player allows standalone playback of presentations. $395 until Jan. 1 (1992), $495 thereafter from Passport Designs: 415/726-0280; fax [phone].
Dynodex 3.0 offers built-in memos, data syncing, enhanced formatting    product announcements    Kirsten L. Parkinson    Dec. 7    1992    MacWEEK    4    file synchronization, address-list managers, PIMs, office management    Version 3.0 of Dynodex adds file synchronization and a customizable memo writer to its address storage features. $89.95 (upgrades are free or $24.95) from Portfolio Software: 408/252-0420, 800/729-3966; fax [phone].
ProVUE packs multiple functions into its new Power Team PIM    product announcements    Kirsten L. Parkinson    Dec. 14    1992    MacWEEK    4    PIMs, address-list managers, accounting, word processing, calendars    Power Team personal information manager will have scheduling, word processing, report, address book, and accounting features. Its calendar shows schedules in a variety of formats. $149.95 from ProVUE Development Corp.: 714/892-8199; fax [phone].
Now calendar more Up-To-Date    product announcements    Kirsten L. Parkinson    Dec. 14    1992    MacWEEK    6    calendars, schedulers, groupware    Now Up-To-Date 2.0 has been released, adding a new reminders feature, integrated to-do lists, and off-line editing. Workgroups can share scheduled event info over a network. No price info given. Now Software: 503/274-2800; fax [phone].
Mass Micro unveils MASSterDrive line    product announcements    Kirsten L. Parkinson    Dec. 14    1992    MacWEEK    9    hard disks, hard drives    Mass Microsystems’ MASSterDrive line now offers internal and external drives from 510 MB to 2.8 GB and prices of $2095-$8195 (internal) and $2295-$8595 (external). Mass Microsystems: 408/522-1200; fax [phone].
Microtech bundles internal drives for Duo Docks with Inline Sync    product announcements    Kirsten L. Parkinson    Dec. 14    1992    MacWEEK    9    file synchronization, hard drives, hard disks, Duos, docking stations    Duo Docks get new drive options: 204-MB Athena 200i ($1499) and 435-MB Athena 400i ($2299). Both drives ship with Inline Sync file-synchronization software. Microtech International: 203/468-6223, 800/626-4276; fax [phone].
Painter 2.0 extends tool palette    product announcements    Kirsten L. Parkinson    Dec. 14    1992    MacWEEK    38    paint, illustration, special effects    Version 2.0 of Painter has tear-off paletes, a Magic Wand tool, saved color sets, effect previews, recording and playback of actions, and new special effects. $399 (upgrades are free or $79) from Fractal Design Corp.: 408/688-4210; fax [phone].
Delta Tao brushes up Monet, adds features    product announcements    Kirsten L. Parkinson    Dec. 14    1992    MacWEEK    40    paint, illustration, special effects    Version 2.0 of Monet special effects paint program will have new features such as creating a painting from scratch, improved Undo performance, new background options, additional file formats, and faster speed. Delta Tao: 408/730-9336; fax [phone].
Opcode adds to its MIDI chorus    product announcements    Kirsten L. Parkinson    Dec. 14    1992    MacWEEK    42    music, MIDI, sound, audio, sound editing    New music, MIDI, and sound-editing products from Opcode Systems: Studio Vision 1.4 ($995, various upgrades available) has new real-time editing and waveform viewing; Studio 4 ($495) MIDI hardware interface that supports up to 128 channels; and Galaxy Plus Editors modules ($99 for set of four) which work with Galaxy Plus Editors program. Opcode Systems: 415/856-3333; fax [phone].
Desktop Publishing [December 1992]    product announcements    Pamela Pfiffner    December    1992    MacUser    193    DTP, color calibration, pressure sensitive, art, paint, illustration, books, design, fonts, type, typography, papers    TruMatch ColorPrinter software provides quick color-matching between screen and color printer output. $98-$133 from TruMatch: 212/351-2360. WaterColor, a painting program, supports pressure-sensitive stylus. $79 from AXA: 714/757-1766. Sketcher, a painting program, specializes in full-toolbox black-and-white illustration even with small screens. $149 from Fractal: 408/688-5300. Designers on Mac book shows Mac-designed stuff by top designers. $79.95 from Gingko Press: 707/579-8772. The ITC Directory of New Typefaces is quarterly release of font specs. $75-$120 per year from ITC: 212/371-0699. Wide variety of laser papers in Drexler Collection features textures, architectural details, pastoral scenes. $6.25-$30 from Ars Antigua: 310/396-5011.
ACI US delivers 4D Server and 4th Dimension 3    product announcements    Lisa Picarille    Dec. 7    1992    MacWEEK    1, 171    databases    With the release of version 3.0 and the 4D Server, ACI US has split its popular 4th Dimension database program into two components: server and stand-alone program. $895 for 4D, $1495 for 4D Server. ACI US: 408/252-4444, 800/235-5335; fax [phone]. Includes sidebar on the underlying dedicated database program of 4D Server.
IconAuthor presentation system migrating to Mac    product announcements    Lisa Picarille    Dec. 7    1992    MacWEEK    14    multimedia, developers, cross-platform, programming tools, animation, video, QuickTime, Windows, Unix    IconAuthor’s Presentation System for the Macintosh is multimedia player that can read presentations created by IconAuthor on Windows or Unix machines. Price: about $50 from AimTech: 603/883-0220, 800/289-2884; fax [phone].
WordPerfect learns Japanese with WorldScript word processor    product announcements    Lisa Picarille    Dec. 7    1992    MacWEEK    15    word processing, languages, Japan, WorldScript, System 7.1    Japanese WordPerfect 2.2 is first WorldScript-using word processor, capable of creating multiple language documents without switching OSs. Program is $695 from WordPerfect Corp.: 801/225-5000, 800/451-5151; fax [phone].
Nisus reformats programmers editor    product announcements    Lisa Picarille    Dec. 7    1992    MacWEEK    19    word processing, programming tools, Unix, Apple events    QUED/M (Quality Editor with Macros) 2.5 gives programmers the ability to manipulate, compare, and mark up large documents quickly. System 7 and MPW features have been enhanced. $149 (upgrades $30 to $50) from Nisus Software: 619/481-1477, 800/922-2993; fax [phone].
Prescience Theorist generates new table, graphing features    product announcements    Lisa Picarille    Dec. 7    1992    MacWEEK    19    charts, graphs, mathematics, tables, visualization, data analysis, QuickTime    New Theorist 1.5 (symbolic-algebra program) features include speedy large data set reading, function precalculation, flexible table value input options, new graph types (for a total of 22 types), QuickTime support, Apple events support, and math coprocessor support. $449.95 (upgrades $49.95-$69.95) from Prescience Corp.: 415/543-2252; fax [phone].
MacIS managers talk to Microsoft    news    Lisa Picarille    Dec. 7    1992    MacWEEK    76, 78    information systems, user groups, Microsoft, cross-platform, interoperability, Windows    MacIS (Managing Apple Computers in Information Systems) conference members recently complained to Microsoft about the company’s perceived lack of interest in the Mac platform, despite enormous profitability from the platform. Microsoft defensively replied, however, that their Mac commitment is strong.
Apple revises education channel, cuts consultants    news    Lisa Picarille    Dec. 7    1992    MacWEEK    76    Apple, marketing, education, customer service, technical support, sales, distribution    Apple is significantly revising the way it sells and supports computers in the education market. Probably only about 100 of the current 400 Apple Education Sales Consultants will remain after new plan goes into effect on April 5.
Midrange Mac glut is a matter of markets    news    Andrew Gore and Lisa Picarille    Dec. 7    1992    MacWEEK    76    Apple, marketing, Performas    The increasing number of midrange Macs confuses some consumers, but Apple is committed to further targeting identical (such as Performa 400 and LC II) and sometimes customized Macs to specific markets.
Objective delivers innovative analysis tool    product announcements    Lisa Picarille    Dec. 14    1992    MacWEEK    3    data analysis, spreadsheets, databases    SpreadBase combines a relational database with a spreadsheet for a program that performs sophisticated data analysis on multiple views of the same data. $695 from Objective Software: 415/324-3333; fax [phone].
PROmotion app advancing to 1.1    product announcements    Lisa Picarille    Dec. 14    1992    MacWEEK    40    multimedia, presentations, animation, QuickTime, illustration    Multimedia and presentation program PROmotion adds new features in 1.1 upgrade: additional QuickTime support, faster playback, better memory managment for screen saver animations, and  a simplified media controller. Also expected: CD-ROM titles on cartooning and animation techniques. Version 1.1 is $395 from Motion Works: 604/685-9975; fax [phone].
Venture-capital well dry this year    news    Lisa Picarille    Dec. 14    1992    MacWEEK    56    venture capital, developers, economics, IPOs    Both high-tech startups and established Mac developers are looking for infusions of cash from venture capitalists, whose $220 million funding is at its lowest quarterly level since 1986.
2-D, 3-D go hand in hand    commentary    C. David Piña    Dec. 7    1992    MacWEEK    71    modeling, rendering, animation, illustration, art, 2-D, 3-D    Long-time videographics designer C. David Piña argues that 3-D graphics is an important new development, but it will not replace 2-D graphics as some designers believe.
PowerKey 2.0    hardware/software reviews    David Pogue    December    1992    Macworld    274    backup, remote access, PowerBooks    PowerKey 2.0 is a grounded, switched power strip designed to connect to the ADB port of Macs that don’t normally start up from an Apple keyboard’s “power on” button. It also offers automatic powering on of a Mac for functions such as backup (using software included) and remote “wake-up” with the $49 PowerKey Remote device. 4 stars, $119 from Sophisticated Circuits: 206/485-7979.
The Desktop Christmas    information    David Pogue    December    1992    Macworld    287, 288    screen savers, CD-ROM, electronic books, QuickTime, accessories, keyboards, ergonomics, physics, templates, spreadsheets, HyperCard, System 7, utilities    David Pogue suggests Christmas gifts for Mac users: Berkeley Systems’ After Dark, Surge Reactor Remote (remote-controlled power strip), “From Alice to Ocean” (book and CD-ROM), AutoMouse (mouse cover that looks like a car), Wrist Rescue III/Wrist Saver/Mouse Paw (ergonomic keyboard aids), Fun Physics 1.2 (animated physics demonstrator), Heizer Templates (for Excel and HyperCard), System 7 Pack (shareware System 7 utilities), Beyond CyberPunk (HyperCard stack), and a box of real apples.
Your Computer Revealed: Expanding the System    information    Lon Poole    December    1992    Macworld    232-239    CD-ROM, System/Finder, hard disks, hard drives, storage, printing, QuickDraw, ink-jet, inkjet, SCSI, modems, laser printers, networks, protocols, e-mail    The third in a series of Macworld articles on “Your computer revealed” covers the basics of how storage devices, printers, and networks work. Includes illustrations with explanations of retrieving stored information, printing, and communicating with other computers.
Questions and tips from Macworld Readers [December 1992]    advice    Lon Poole    December    1992    Macworld    297-302    sound, power supplies, color separation, multimedia, System/Finder, memory, 32-bit, background printing, dot-matrix printers, word processing, illustration, draw, tables    Tips on: how to suppress startup sounds; voltage requirements of various Apple products; creating registration marks in FreeHand; combining Mariah multimedia databases; avoiding System heap/stack problems; doing background printing with a StyleWriter; using printers that have IBM-style parallel connectors with a Mac; Word 5’s “drag and drop” feature; allocating memory for non-32-bit-clean programs on machines with more than 8 MB; creating a scalloped border with Adobe Illustrator; and tinting tables in QuarkXPress.
Rating and Raving [letter]    letter    Brian Raineri    December    1992    MacUser    16    ink-jet, inkjet, laser printers    Raineri questions rating of StyleWriter compared with the DeskWriter. McClue, product marketing manager at NewGen, wishes to clarify review points about his company’s products.
Schools thankful for leftovers    advice    David Ramsey    Dec. 7    1992    MacWEEK    108    education, schools, recycling, hard drives, hard disks, SCSI, termination, Duos, PowerBooks    David Ramsey suggests uses for an unneeded 20 MB hard drive and ruminates on LaserWriter II font storage and the design of the new PowerBook Duos.
Can I get mail-order service?    advice    David Ramsey    Dec. 14    1992    MacWEEK    114    customer service, repairs, distribution, sales, PowerBooks, modems, telecommunications, troubleshooting, hard disks, hard drives    David Ramsey gives the lowdown on ordering Macs by mail order; problems with Apple’s older PowerBook modem; and reformatting a hard drive that crashes the Mac upon startup (hold down Command-Option-Shift-Delete while starting up from a floppy).
There’s a difference between RAID systems and arrays [letter]    letter    Anton Rang    Dec. 14    1992    MacWEEK    61    RAID, striping, arrays, hard drives, storage    A software VP clarifies the differences between array drives and RAID systems, in response to a Nov. 2 article.
Tapping Institutional Memory    product announcements    Daniel W. Rasmus    December    1992    Macworld    187    expert systems, idea generators, artificial intelligence    Case-based reasoning, not a conventional expert system, is at the heart of ReMind. It gives end users the power of artificial intelligence without programming. $3000 for development systems, $2000 for optional C libraries, $1000 per user run-time. Cognitive Systems: 617/742-7227.
Fed’s spy agencies look toward privatized intelligence sources    analysis    Mitch Ratcliffe    Dec. 14    1992    MacWEEK    26    security, law, privacy, US Government, encryption    The CIA and other spy agencies may increasingly turn to private intelligence organizations to enhance their own efforts. U.S. software companies object to the government controlling the level of security that can be legally incorported into encryption software.
Up-to-Date in Network City    information    John Rizzo    December    1992    MacUser    209, 210, 212, 214, 216, 219, 220, 222    network administration, diagnostic tools, network inventory, network upgrades, security, privacy    Asset managers, programs that can gather information about networked Macs from a central location, are reviewed in this article. Some of the programs also have the ability to update software on remote Macs over a network, store a database of information about them, create topological and physical maps, and notify network managers through various alarm functions. Programs compared are: TechWorks’ GraceLAN bundle, MacVONK’s NetOctopus 1.1, CSG Technologies’ Network SuperVisor 2.1, Sonic Systems’ Radar 2.0, ON Technology’s Status•Mac 3.0, and Trik’s NetDistributor Pro. Includes sidebars on user privacy/data security and other upcoming products of this type, such as Apple’s Likewise and Trik’s Mercury technology.
Mac to PC: Translation Tricks    information    John Rizzo    December    1992    MacUser    225, 226, 229, 230    cross-platform, file translation, file formats, standards, DOS, Windows    File translation can be accomplished through the use of cross-platform applications, built-in translation within a program’s “save” command, or specialized translation software. Article covers specific techniques and programs suggested for cross-platform file translation.
Putting CD-I on the Mac    commentary    Steve Rosenthal    Dec. 7    1992    MacWEEK    72    CD-I, multimedia, video, MPEG, image compression    Apple should consider Philips’ Compact Disc-Interactive format for future multimedia players that require interactivity and full-motion video on compact disc. Philips’ upcoming decompression and decoder system can produce a full hour of video from one compact disc!
Still little resolution on CRT emission risks    news, analysis    Steve Rosenthal    Dec. 14    1992    MacWEEK    15    safety, health, emissions    While Apple and other computer/monitor makers say they don’t believe electric and magnetic fields from their products represent a health danger, they are working to lower emissions and are funding research into the effects of monitor usage. Includes sidebar on Scandinavian radiation studies.
Clarifying problems with Special Delivery [letter]    letter    Peter Rosenthal    Dec. 14    1992    MacWEEK    85    multimedia    VP of Interactive Media reacts to MacWEEK’s Oct. 5 review of his company’s product, Special Delivery. He points out that the software was designed for mainstream users to create interactive multimedia and gives contact information for the company: Interactive Media Corp., P.O. Box 0089, Los Altos, CA  94023-0089, phone [phone].
Cachet 1.0    software reviews    Steve Roth    December    1992    Macworld    240-242    image manipulation, color calibration, color separation, color prepress, halftones    Cachet 1.0 is a color editor that doesn’t eliminate data from an edited image until saving or printing. It has well-organized tools and “clipping alarms” that notify you of areas that are pure white or black or outside the color gamut of your printer. Color matching is good and the separations it makes are high-quality. However, it’s slow, limits you to one open image, and its sharpening needs help. 3 stars, $595 from Electronics for Imaging: 415/742-3400.
JobTracker 2.02    software reviews    Steve Roth    December    1992    Macworld    252, 263    schedulers, project management    While it doesn’t allow more than 50 tasks per job, its cost tracking isn’t integrated, and the interface isn’t the greatest, JobTracker is worth a try for people needing to manage publishing production schedules and budgets. $395 to $6670 (depending on version and number of people) from InfoSolutions: 814/355-2983.
Ofoto 2.0 to focus on color    news    Matthew Rothenberg    Dec. 7    1992    MacWEEK    1, 172    scanning software, flatbed scanners, color calibration, image manipulation    New 2.0 version of Ofoto scanning software has one-step scanning, scanner calibration, image manipulation, new tools, background scanning, command queues, and more. Software will be bundled with new Apple Color OneScanner. No contact info given.
BGL makes new links with 15-ppm laser printer    product announcements    Matthew Rothenberg    Dec. 7    1992    MacWEEK    19    laser printers    LaserLeader 9215 printer from BGL has: 15 ppm laser engine, tabloid size, 400 dpi, PostScript emulation, multiple active ports, optional interfaces (EtherTalk, TCP/IP, Novel, DECnet, FDDI), 80486DX2 processor, 8 MB RAM, floppy drive, internal SCSI drive, 250-sheet tray, and prices from $5995 to $6595 (depending on number of trays). BGL Technology: 805/987-7305; fax [phone].
Olympus printer boasts high-speed imaging    product announcements    Matthew Rothenberg    Dec. 7    1992    MacWEEK    19    laser printers    IS2030 laser printer from Olympus: 20 ppm, proprietary imaging engine, letter size, TrueImage interpreter, 80960CA RISC processor, 4 MB RAM, multiple active interfaces, additional interface boards, and higher-capacity paper tray options: $6995 from Olympus Imaging Systems: 714/753-5935, 800/347-4027, ext. 4480; fax [phone].
Brother International introduces 10-ppm, PS-compatible laser printer    product announcements    Matthew Rothenberg    Dec. 7    1992    MacWEEK    22    laser printers    New HL-10PS laser printer from Brother has 10 ppm speed, letter or legal-size printing, PostScript emulation, 37 fonts, multiple auto-sensing interfaces, expansion slots, 2 MB RAM, 250-sheet paper tray. $2395 from Brother International: 908/356-8880; fax [phone].
NewGen’s latest controller board enhances HP LaserJet II printers    product announcements    Matthew Rothenberg    Dec. 7    1992    MacWEEK    22    laser printers, controller boards    ImageUP! is RISC-based controller board for HP LaserJet II printers. It has 25-MHz RISC chip, 6 MB RAM, automatic interface switching, optional Ethernet card, 600 dpi output (through interpolation), PostScript emulation, and Image Enhancement Technology. NewGen Personal and Pro series printers have also been reduced in price. ImageUP! is $1095 from NewGen Systems: 714/641-8600; fax [phone].
LaserMaster preps Mac thermal    product announcements    Matthew Rothenberg    Dec. 7    1992    MacWEEK    48    color printers, thermal-wax printers, thermal transfer printers    203-dpi color printer from LaserMaster can output up to 2.5 letter-size images every minute with its thermal engine and software rasterizer. $1795 for the unnamed printer. LaserMaster: 612/944-9457; fax [phone].
Lasertechnics gray-scale printer hones continuous-tone output    product announcements    Matthew Rothenberg    Dec. 7    1992    MacWEEK    51    printers    Enhanced continuous-tone printer, the DIR/Direct Drive Gray Scale Printer, now has more consistent output, better paper path, international power supply, and more. Resolution is 2048 by 2772 dpi. No price set yet. Lasertechnics Imaging Systems Division: 505/822-1123; fax [phone].
UMAX raises resolution on 600-dpi scanner    product announcements    Matthew Rothenberg    Dec. 7    1992    MacWEEK    52    scanning software, flatbed scanners, color    UMAX UC630 is 600-dpi flatbed scanner that now goes to 1200 dpi resolution (both directions) through new software interpolation. SCSI-2 interface and Photoshop 2.01 are included for $1795. UC840 is 800-by-400-dpi color flatbed for $1995. UMAX Technologies: 408/982-0771, 800/562-0311; fax [phone].
Caere set to master faxes    product announcements    Matthew Rothenberg    Dec. 14    1992    MacWEEK    3    fax modems, OCR, image compression, spelling checkers    FaxMaster sends faxes and can turn received faxes into editable text with its OCR capabilities. It will feature fax compression and a spell checker. It is expected to be about $149. Caere: 408/395-7000; fax [phone].
Star Micronics fires off 5-ppm Fuji laser    product announcements    Matthew Rothenberg    Dec. 14    1992    MacWEEK    8    laser printers    New laser printer from Star Micronics has 300-dpi Fuji engine, PostScript emulation, RISC chip, 2 MB RAM, simultaneously active ports, and 250-sheet paper cassette, all for $1499. The engine is the same one Apple is expected to put in new Personal LaserWriter. Star Micronics: 212/986-6770; fax [phone].
Zedcor compiler gives boost to BASIC    product announcements    Matthew Rothenberg    Dec. 14    1992    MacWEEK    18    programming languages, programming tools    FutureBASIC programming language has Mac Toolbox support, a built-in editor, source-level debugger, MacsBug debugging software, on-line help system, third-party extensibility, and the raves of BASIC experts. $299.95 (upgrades are $99.95 to $149.95) from Zedcor: 602/881-8101, 800/482-4567; fax [phone].
Util helps programmers steer bus    product announcements    Matthew Rothenberg    Dec. 14    1992    MacWEEK    18    SCSI, diagnostic tools    SCSI View utility lets developers of hardware and software analyze SCSI port data. It can perform many SCSI tracking functions that used to require a hardware analyzer. $165 ($175 for SCSI Tool, software that sends commands through the SCSI Manager) from Arborworks: 313/747-7087, 800/346-6980; fax [phone].
Tektronix preps fast thermals    product announcements    Matthew Rothenberg    Dec. 14    1992    MacWEEK    38, 40    thermal-wax printers, color calibration    Plain-paper thermal-wax printing can be achieved with special coating process used by Tektronix on Phaser 200i ($5995) and Phaser 200e ($3695) 300-dpi color printers. Both have Adobe PostScript, LocalTalk interfaces (optional TCP/IP and DECnet), RISC processors, expandable RAM, built-in fonts, and more. Tektronix: 503/682-3411, 800/835-6100; fax [phone].
Sharp’s latest stab at Mac color: Dye-sub printer, flatbed scanner    product announcements    Matthew Rothenberg    Dec. 14    1992    MacWEEK    40    flatbed scanners, dye-sublimation printers, transparency scanners    JX-7000 dye-sublimation printer costs $7500 and outputs QuickDraw images at 300-dpi resolution on paper up to legal size. It has RISC processor, 8 MB RAM, SCSI-2 interface, and 50-sheet input cassette. JX-610 CCD-based scanner costs $13,500 and captures art up to tabloid size as optimized 24-bit color. It comes with SCSI-2 and GPIB interfaces and Photoshop 2.01. JX-320 scanner is now $949-$1995 (depending on bundle). Sharp Electronics: 201/529-9593; fax [phone].
Sharp hones res with 600-dpi laser    product announcements    Matthew Rothenberg    Dec. 14    1992    MacWEEK    179    laser printers    Sharp JX-9600PS laser printer prints up to 8 pages per minute at 600 dpi, using RISC-based processor, PostScript emulation, 2 MB RAM (expands to 9 MB), and LocalTalk, Centronics parallel, and RS-232 connections. $1745 from Sharp Electronics: 201/529-9593; fax [phone].
Tip Sheet [December 1992]    advice    Philip Russell    December    1992    MacUser    263, 264, 267        Tips on: error codes, Word 5.0 Find File feature, QuickTime startup documents, getting rid of unwanted folders, interpreting application memory window, HyperCard documentation, doing backup with DiskTop, mailing floppy disks, making more (or fewer) words fit on PageMaker line, making a to-do list with folders, making an on-screen ruler, initializing bad floppies, grounding against static, moving tiny objects, shutting down your Mac, using your mouse on left or right side, getting around System floppy requests (“Please insert disk . . .”), changing what the Finder says while making copies or moving things, AutoDoubler techniques, transporting Excel files between two Macs with different screen sizes, changing text more easily in paint programs, stripping styles out of Word 5.0 files, and switching between open applications with QuicKeys.
Pixar Typestry and StrataType 3d    software reviews    Sean Safreed    December    1992    MacUser    50, 51    fonts, type, type manipulation, modeling, rendering, illustration    Two programs which output type outlines as 3-d illustrations: Pixar Typestry is missing critical type-handling features, but produces exceptional output (4 mice, $299 from Pixar: 510/236-4000). StrataType 3d has good beveling controls and attractive textures, but it has only a single light source and its output quality isn’t quite as good as Typesetry (3 mice, $295 from Strata, Inc.: 801/628-5218.
Storm squeezes flurry of features in compression-software upgrade    product announcements    Carolyn Said    Dec. 7    1992    MacWEEK    50    JPEG, image compression, QuickTime, scripting, PostScript Level 2, image manipulation    PicturePress 2.5 has fast JPEG engine to create EPS-JPEG files that can be decompressed by PostScript Level 2 printers. It includes Photoshop plug-in module and QuickTime 1.5 and is available for $999 with PicturePress Plus, a DSP-based board that speeds up compression. $199 (upgrades $59) from Storm Technology: 415/691-6600; fax [phone].
MacWrite Pro due--someday    news    Carolyn Said    Dec. 14    1992    MacWEEK    1, 179    word processing, DTP, integrated page-layout, tables, voice annotation    MacWrite Pro (rewrite of MacWrite II) will have desktop publishing features, System 7 support, a different interface, table-creation tool, automatic backup feature, text and sound annotation, add-on modules, and word count/document info command. No contact info given. Pricing expected to be under $250.
Ready,Set,Go! 6.0 on its mark for March release    product announcements    Carolyn Said    Dec. 14    1992    MacWEEK    38, 40    DTP, page layout, presentations, QuickTime    Version 6.0 of Ready,Set,Go! page layout program has improved interface, 26 right and left master pages, new magnification and color options, a presentations mode, improved typography, and enhanced System 7 support. $395 from Manhattan Graphics: 914/725-2048; fax [phone].
Not So Useless [letter]    letter    Steven C. Schaffer    December    1992    Macworld    37, 38    PowerBooks, accessories    The product manager of a PowerBook bundle gets David Pogue to admit that the PowerBundle, one the products he dismissed as “mostly useless,” was really a standout.
Kodak Renaissance    software reviews    Jim Schmal    December    1992    Macworld    246, 248    page layout, DTP, graphics, draw    While offering some innovations as a page layout program, Kodak Renaissance is quirky, not good for documents of many pages, doesn’t follow Mac conventions, and has inadequate documentation. The program is not likely to draw many people away from the current page layout and illustration leaders. 3 stars, $695 from Eastman Kodak: 716/724-4000.
Let the Games Continue [letter]    letter    Joe Scirica    December    1992    MacUser    16, 18    games, copy protection    A company that publishes games for the Mac agrees with MacUser writer about the copy protection issue.
The Macintosh IIvx    product announcements    Charles Seiter    December    1992    Macworld    206, 207    Mac IIvx, Apple    Apple’s new Mac IIvx features the same case and 32 MHz processor as the Performa 600. However, it also has a 68882 floating-point chip and 32K of cache memory. It will be offered with or without an AppleCD 300i high-speed CD ROM drive. The Macintosh Color Display ($599) is a 14-inch monitor that replaces Apple’s other 13 and 14-inch color displays. Pricing on IIvx varies by configuration from $2949 on up. Includes performance chart comparing IIvx to Quadra 950, Macintosh IIci, Performa 600, and Classic/SE.
Omnis 7 1.1    software reviews    Charles Seiter    December    1992    Macworld    244, 246    databases, programming tools, cross-platform, Windows, SQL    Omnis 7 1.1, a cross-platform database-development product, now has a debugger, variable-passing between procedures and external programs and Omni, faster performance, and an Instant Report option. 3 stars, $250 to $2500, depending on product, from Blyth Software: 415/312-7100.
Simulink 1.2    software reviews    Charles Seiter    December    1992    Macworld    268    mathematics, simulations, science, analysis, graphs, electronics, programming tools, programming languages    With a complete tool set for digital simulation, Simulink 1.2 stands apart from other icon-based simulators. It can save work as MATLAB M-files or MEXfiles. 3 stars, $3995 from The MathWorks: 508/653-1415.
Interactive Physics II 1.0    software reviews    Charles Seiter    December    1992    Macworld    272    simulations, science, physics, education, engineering    Interactive Physics II 1.0 gets a boost from new simulation objects, input options, and output displays. While it’s not particularly fast, it gets 4 stars for features such as good QuickTime support and huge experimental scales. 4 stars, $399 from Knowledge Revolution: 415/553-8153.
Sequencher 2.0    software reviews    Charles Seiter    December    1992    Macworld    274    science, biology    With its manual or automatic “contig-finding” and terrific speed, Sequencher 2.0 is the ideal DNA research software for labs sequencing more than 1500 bases per week. 4 stars, $2200 from Gene Codes Corporation: 313/769-7249.
Go Master 5.0    software reviews    Charles Seiter    December    1992    Macworld    278    games    Go Master 5.0 is excellent for learning strategy of the ancient game of “go.” It offers modem play, replays of advanced games, visual aids, and a running strategic commentary in a text window. Recommended for those interested in games or just computer science. 4 stars, $69 from Toyogo: 808/396-5526.
Power Menus 1.0    software reviews    Wendy Sharp    December    1992    Macworld    266    System/Finder, System 7    Power Menus 1.0 creates hierarchical submenus to the Apple menu and lets you change the font and type size of the Apple menu. It may be useful for people who hate clutter. 4 stars, $39.95 from Kiwi Software: 805/685-4031.
Headline Harry and the Great Paper Race    software reviews    Wendy Sharp    December    1992    Macworld    270    games, education, geography, history, QuickTime    This game, Headline Harry and the Great Paper Race, gives aspiring journalists the chance to gather facts and write “stories” based on U.S. history. While it’s not the pinnacle of educational games, it’s fun and entertaining. 3 stars, $59.95 from Davidson & Associates: 310/793-0600.
More Words on Word [letter]    letter    David Shaw    December    1992    MacUser    13, 14    word processing, spelling checkers, dictionaries, thesaurus    Shaw sternly takes issue with MacUser for recommending Microsoft Word over T/Maker’s WriteNow 3.0, particularly in the areas of speed, price, and capabilities.
Interactive Physics II    software reviews    Steve Shepard    December    1992    MacUser    70    physics, science, visualization, education, simulations, engineering    Interactive Physics II (formerly Fun Physics) shows on-screen physics experiment simulations, which may be played back from included examples or drawn on-screen by the user. It animates the experiments, making it a valuable educational aid for high-school or even college-level physics courses. 4.5 mice, $399 from Knowledge Revolution: 415/553-8153.
Building a city center    information    Stuart Silverstone    Dec. 7    1992    MacWEEK    66    modeling, rendering, animation, architecture, visualization, illustration    San Francisco architectural-simulation company and service bureau, View by View, used Macs and a variety of Mac software to create 3-D images of proposed downtown Civic Center. This article describes in detail how they did i t.
Pen-based computer gets model design    information    Stuart Silverstone    Dec. 7    1992    MacWEEK    68    modeling, rendering, visualization, design, illustration, manufacturing, CAD    Article is a case study on how Design Edge (industrial design firm) of Austin, Texas, used Presenter Professional and ElectricImage Animation System to prototype a pen-based computer.
Mime troupe poster’s design mimics printmaking style    information    Stuart Silverstone    Dec. 14    1992    MacWEEK    46    art, illustration    Artist Steve Lyons, whose background is in plate etching, used Adobe Illustrator and a Mac to create poster for San Francisco Mime troupe. This feature tells how he did it.
EtherPrint, EtherPrint Plus, Ether Write    hardware/software reviews    Joel Snyder    December    1992    Macworld    264    routers, Ethernet, LocalTalk    Three “minirouters” compared, all of which offer Ethernet-to-LocalTalk connectivity. For a single printer, EtherPrint (2 stars, $499, Dayna Communications: 801/531-0600) is okay, but reviewer recommends EtherPrint Plus (3 stars, $649, Dayna (see previous info)) for multiple printers and Ether Write (4 stars, $695, Compatible Systems Corporation: 303/444-9532) for its security options.
Resorcerer    software reviews    Stephan Somogyi    December    1992    MacUser    71    programming tools, developers    Casual users of RedEdit, a freebie, will probably not need a resource-editing program as powerful for programmers as Resorcerer is. Its advantages over ResEdit include a dialog editor, hex/code editor, a wide range of templates, and time-saving tools. 4.5 mice, $256 from Mathemaesthetics: 617/738-8803.
How To: Lotus 1-2-3 for Macintosh    information, advice    Philip Stein    December    1992    Macworld    311, 312    spreadsheets, presentations, graphs, file transfer    Hints and tips on how to get the most out of Lotus 1-2-3 for Macintosh: using data entry form screens; splitting the screen for maximum data display; creating graphs from table data; making the interface transition to 1-2-3 for Macintosh if you’re familiar with Excel or 1-2-3 for DOS or Windows; transferring work from Excel into 1-2-3., and simultaneously manipulating multiple spreadsheets that are part of the same data file.
Learning basics of creating 3-D    overview    Larry Stevens    Dec. 7    1992    MacWEEK    59, 62    3-D, modeling, rendering, animation, illustration, textures, distributed processing    Article is an overview of creating images using Mac 3-D programs, with detailed information on various methods available for modeling, adding textures, rendering, ray tracing, and using distributed processing.
A new dimension in PostScript art    overview    Larry Stevens    Dec. 7    1992    MacWEEK    60, 62    PostScript, modeling, rendering, illustration    New 3-D tools such as Adobe Dimensions and Ray Dream’s AddDepth allow 2-D artists and illustrators to easily extrude their illustrations into shaded three-dimensional objects without the investment of time or money that a full-blown 3-D modeling and rendering program requires.
Vendors join forces in AppleTalk forum    news    April Streeter    Dec. 7    1992    MacWEEK    3    AppleTalk, routers, protocols, TCP/IP, AURP, standards    AppleTalk Networking Forum is a consortium of companies collaborating on future enhancements for AppleTalk. Vendors involved had come up with their own AppleTalk encapsulation method but decided to work with Apple instead.
Timbuktu peers into Windows    product announcements    April Streeter    Dec. 7    1992    MacWEEK    34, 36    cross-platform, Windows, interoperability, file transfer, screen sharing, file servers, printing, PowerBooks    Farallon introduced Timbuktu screen-sharing software for Windows and updated Timbuktu for Mac and PhoneNET PC The new software offers screen sharing on or between platforms, shared applications, and Dynamic Link Library support. Mac version of Timbuktu and Timbuktu for Windows are $199 (upgrades $39, 100-user pack is $5500) from Farallon Computing: 510/596-9100; fax [phone]. Note: Also see article on p. 1, 9 of same issue: “Timbuktu breaks into Windows.”
Point-to-Point Protocol may usurp AppleTalk Remote Access in ‘93    analysis    April Streeter    Dec. 7    1992    MacWEEK    34, 42    remote access, standards, protocols, SLIP, TCP/IP, AppleTalk, PPP, Internet    Due to AppleTalk Remote Access’s inability to work with TCP/IP, and SLIP’s inability to deal with AppleTalk, a new protocol standard is emerging: Point-to-Point Protocol (PPP). Includes sidebar: “Reviewing the ABCs of PPP.”
Helios upgrades EtherShare to run on latest generation of workstations    product announcements    April Streeter    Dec. 7    1992    MacWEEK    34    Unix, file servers, network administration    EtherShare/2000 version 2.0 is Unix-based server software that lets Macs use file and print services on RISC-based workstations. The platform is touted as good for QuickTime and other space and processor-intensive tasks. $5995 for unlimited number of users (upgrades $1200) from Helios USA, division of Helios Software GmbH: 408/864-0690; fax [phone].
Fetch searches and retrieves far-flung graphics    product announcements    April Streeter    Dec. 7    1992    MacWEEK    48    archiving, cataloging, Photo CD, QuickTime, image management, QuickTime    Fetch is new app for cataloging and browsing media databases. A wide variety of image formats are supported, plus QuickTime movies. The program shows thumbnails of images in palettes and can prompt user for the proper disk to retrieve a found image. $295 from Aldus: 206/622-5500; fax [phone].
Digital Ocean lets PBs ride wireless currents    news    April Streeter    Dec. 14    1992    MacWEEK    1, 180    wireless networks, PowerBooks    Grouper radio transceivers will emulate LocalTalk network connections for desktop Macs, portables, or any network device within about 250 feet of each other. Groupers will be about $450 from Digital Ocean: 913/338-1596, ext 537; fax [phone].
GDT’s PowerPrint/LT package puts parallel printers on AppleTalk nets    product announcements    April Streeter    Dec. 14    1992    MacWEEK    8    printing, AppleTalk, dot matrix, inkjet, ink-jet, laser printers, QuickDraw    PowerPrint/LT package consists of adapter cable and QuickDraw drivers for over 900 parallel printers. Printers are selectable through the Chooser. $399 from GDT Software: 604/291-9121, 800/663-6222; fax [phone].
3Com scheme could cut cost of remote routing    product announcements    April Streeter    Dec. 14    1992    MacWEEK    24, 26    routers, network administration, AppleTalk Phase 2, TCP/IP, DECnet    Boundary Routing technology, to be introduced in products from 3Com, allows remote bridging with the additional benefit of filtering out extra traffic. It also reduces the complexity and expense of setting up remote sites. The NetBuilder II router, not yet available, will maintain routing tables and path management.
New MultiGate SNMP monitors via TCP/IP    product announcements    April Streeter    Dec. 14    1992    MacWEEK    30    TCP/IP, SNMP, network administration, diagnostic tools    SNMP device monitoring has been added to version 4.0 of MultiGate Manager SNMP. The program can now monitor and manage even non-NRC devices as long as they support SNMP. $995 (free with NRC’s 24-port 10BASE T hub, $3495, through end of January) from Network Resources Corp.: 408/263-8100; fax [phone].
AppleTalk swinging wide with latest protocol, AURP    analysis    April Streeter    Dec. 14    1992    MacWEEK    32    AURP, protocols, standards, routers, AppleTalk, Internet, TCP/IP, security    This overview explains how AppleTalk Update-based Routing Protocol goes beyond what AppleTalk was originally designed to handle. AURP includes packet encapsulation (tunneling), new router information protocols (RTMP and ZIP), and additional network security. Includes sidebar on how AURP fits into overall evolution of AppleTalk.
Applications That Fit    commentary    Michael Swaine    December    1992    MacUser    41, 42    groupware, developers, information systems, programming tools, object-oriented, distribution    Swaine traces the historical background of shrink-wrapped software marketing and wonders how the move to personalized, object-oriented programming will change the nature of software distribution.
Momentum to offer multiplatform accounting    product announcements    Jon Swartz    Dec. 7    1992    MacWEEK    26    accounting, management, cross-platform, SQL, Windows, Unix    Momentum accounting and business-management package will be released for Windows, Windows NT, OS/2, Unix, and Mac. It supports SQL relational databases and has a variety of add-on modules for things like cash-flow analysis, inventory management, sales-order processing, and job cost. $500 to $1500 (about $10,000 for high-end SQL products) from State of the Art: 714/753-1222; fax [phone].
Central Point Software reorganizes, cuts jobs    news    Jon Swartz    Dec. 7    1992    MacWEEK    76, 78    utilities, developers, Windows    Central Point Software has a new president and is undergoing reorganization (and job layoffs) to improve market share and accelerate product cycles.
TrueType erodes Adobe’s type sales    news    Jon Swartz    Dec. 7    1992    MacWEEK    78    TrueType, Adobe, sales, marketing, Microsoft, fonts, type, earnings    Microsoft’s TrueType fonts for Windows have been hugely profitable, eroding Adobe’s font sales and earnings expectations.
A Performa 600 for Christmas? Not. Try to buy it as a Valentine    news    Jon Swartz    Dec. 14    1992    MacWEEK    54    Performas, marketing, Apple, distribution    Apple could lose customers because it can’t supply enough Performa 600s to meet customer demand during the holiday selling season.
E-Machines copes with growing pains    news    Jon Swartz    Dec. 14    1992    MacWEEK    54, 56    marketing, business, manufacturing, docking stations, Duos    E-Machines, manufacturer of Mac peripherals, is experiencing excellent sales thanks to an exclusive bundling agreement with Apple and recent introduction of an Ethernet-equipped Duo dock.
Outbound is downbound after it shuts down all of its operations    news    Jon Swartz    Dec. 14    1992    MacWEEK    54    Mac-compatibles, PowerBooks    Outbound, a maker of Mac-compatible portable computers, has ceased operations. The company was defeated by the success of Apple’s PowerBook portable computers and the shortage of Mac Plus ROMs.
IntelliDraw    software reviews    Eric Taub    December    1992    MacUser    52    draw, illustration, cross-platform    Entry-level drawing program IntelliDraw provides unique features such as links among aligned objects, simultaneous automatic updating of lines and fills, and the Symmetrigon tool for creating symmetrical shapes. However, it has crude curve-editing tools, it won’t export editable EPS, and the Links Browser is hard to learn to use. 4 mice, $299 from Aldus: 206/628-2320.
MasterWord    mini reviews    Eric Taub    December    1992    MacUser    89    word processing, printing, tables, screen savers, calculators    MasterWord enhancement package for Microsoft Word 5.0 adds a custom on-screen tool bar, GREP command, printing and formatting improvements, and 3 handy desk accessories (calculator, proportion wheel, and file finder). 4 mice, $99.95 from Alki Software: 206/286-2600.
This Month on ZiffNet/Mac [December 1992]    information    Ben Templin    December    1992    MacUser    277    online services, System/Finder, printing, personal finance, spreadsheets, 3-D, modeling, games, templates, reference databases, PowerBooks, file synchonization, cataloging, QuickTime    Programs available as shareware or freeware on ZiffNet/Mac are profiled in this section: Mac Makeover (Finder colorizer), Which Mac Should I Buy? (expert system for Mac CPU shoppers), Easy Envelopes+ (DA for printing envelopes), Loan Calculator Spreadsheet (spreadsheet template for loan calculation), MacConcept (3-D CAD drawing program), MacSokoban (game), Pro Series (FileMaker Pro templates and U.S. database), Zync (file synchronization utility), and EasyPlay (QuickTime player/cataloger).
Cordless SuperMouse    hardware/software reviews    Franklin S. Tessler    December    1992    Macworld    284    mouse alternatives, mice    For cordless on-screen pointing, the SuperMouse offers easy ADB hookup, convenient recharging stand, programmable buttons, and a spare battery. However, it only recharges when the Mac has power on. 3 stars, $99 from Z-Nix Company: 714/629-8050.
Electronic bulletin boards help companies communicate    information    Jeff Ubois    Dec. 7    1992    MacWEEK    28, 30    BBSs, customer service, technical support, e-mail, security    Article is an overview of the uses of corporate BBSs, including information on how to set one up. It covers software updates, supporting a sales staff, and configuring the BBS for security.
Expressionist 3.0 & MathType 3.0    software reviews    Dave Valiulis    December    1992    MacUser    77, 78    mathematics, equations    Both equation editors reviewed in this article handle mathematical-formatting tasks with special symbols, templates, and file export. Expressionist is complex, very customizable, and has context-sensitive dialog boxes. However, MathType is easier to use and has a straightforward, intuitive interface. Expressionist: 3 stars, $199.95 from Prescience Corp.: 415/543-2252; MathType: 4 stars, $199 from Design Science: 310/433-0685.
Solid wax puts crayons to paper    hardware reviews    Sean Wagstaff    Dec. 14    1992    MacWEEK    94, 96    solid-wax printers, PostScript Level 2, color calibration    Two solid-wax printers are compared: $6995 Jolt PS earns 3 diamonds with its letter-size output, good print engine, and decent print quality. But the $9995 Phaser III earns almost unqualified praise (5 diamonds) for tabloid extra-size printing, fast speed, accurate color rendition, great software control, and wide range of accepted paper types. Jolt PS comes from Dataproducts: 818/887-8344, fax [phone]. Phaser IIPXi is from Tektronix: 503/682-7377, 800/835-6100; fax [phone].
Opening the gateways for cross-platform E-mail    overview    Mitzi Waltz    Dec. 14    1992    MacWEEK    107, 112, 113    e-mail, gateways, cross-platform, connectivity, SMTP, X.500, X.400, standards, OCE, WANs, network administration, Unix, Internet, mail servers    Article is an overview of ways to attain gateway-based e-mail connectivity. It discusses products available for one-to-one gateways, gateway-backbone setups, and mail servers, and includes comments from users of various products. Extensive product directory shown on p. 113.
PersonalFont    software reviews    Tim Warner    December    1992    Macworld    272    fonts, type, typography, font creation, TrueType    PersonalFont is a service that creates fonts based on your handwriting. The results are good, but the limitations of TrueType 1.0 means that characters are not connected (PostScript Type 3 version also included). 3 stars, $179.95 from Signature Software: 408/458-0241.
SnapBack 1.0    software reviews    Tim Warner    December    1992    Macworld    276    backup, network administration    SnapBack 1.0 network backup software has a simple interface that lets users determine the time or interval for regular backups and allows mounting a backup volume as easily as a server volume. 4 stars, $129 (6 more users, $229; 12 more users, $329) from Golden Triangle Computers: 619/279-2100.
TypeReader    software reviews    Gregory Wasson    December    1992    MacUser    81, 85    OCR    Although it’s a newcomer to the optical character recognition arena, TypeReader has impressive font recognition capabilities and an attractive and intuitive interface. 4 mice, $695 from ExperVision, Inc.: 408/428-9444.
The Ultimate Buyer’s Market [letter]    letter    Bruce Watson    December    1992    MacUser    14        Watson wants a complete list with all products reviewed in MiniFinders. MacUser responds that the Ultimate Buying Guide is being sent to subscribers.
RightWriter    mini reviews    Ethan Watters    Dec. 14    1992    MacWEEK    99    grammar checkers    RightWriter’s grammar-checking capabilities allow it to occasionally spot subtle problems like noun/verb agreement, but overall it offers so many suggestions that it’s tedious to consider them all. No overall rating given. $99.95 from Que Software: 317/573-2500, 800/992-0244; fax [phone].
Mac security software safeguards your data    overview    Bob Weibel    Dec. 7    1992    MacWEEK    105, 106    data security, encryption, privacy, computer crime, DES, DSS, remote access, data recovery, standards    Security software falls into broad categories such as password-protected drive partitions, folder and file locking, and encryption. Article is an overview of security software available and includes sidebars on hardware encryption, encryption and data recovery, and an overview of encryption standards. [Correction: In reference to this article, p. 6 of MacWEEK 12/14/92 says that the company name given as “DiskSavers” is actually called “DriveSavers.”]
Putting a 3-D spin on Winter Olympics    information    Lynda Weinman    Dec. 7    1992    MacWEEK    70    modeling, rendering, animation, illustration, art    Designer Dale Herigstad used Mac software, in conjunction with a Silicon Graphics workstation running Wavefront software, to create 3-D graphics for the XVI Olympic Winter Games. This article provides a detailed look at how he did it.
Key Tronic keys up ergonomic input devices    product announcements    Nathalie Welch    Dec. 7    1992    MacWEEK    10    input, mice, mouse alternatives, trackballs, ergonomics, health    New ergonomic input products: $149 Trakmate (wrist pad with trackball), $79.95 PaceMate (wrist pad and work-pace module), $149 Abacus (key pad with calculator functions and other keys), all from Key Tronic: 509/928-8000; fax [phone].
Lapis graphics boards bring 24-bit color to Mac LC line    product announcements    Nathalie Welch    Dec. 7    1992    MacWEEK    14    Mac LC, video cards, 24-bit color, display cards    New 8 and 24-bit video cards for Mac LC series: ProColorServer 24x ($699), ProColorServer 24 ($599), ProColorServer 8•16 ($499), ProColorServer 8 ($399), all from Lapis Technologies: 510/748-1600; fax [phone].
Liken revision supports E-mail    product announcements    Nathalie Welch    Dec. 7    1992    MacWEEK    34, 36    e-mail, Unix, cross-platform, Mac emulation    Liken 1.3 now does more than allow Unix workstations to emulate a Mac: It has added many e-mail packages to its supported list of software, reducing Unix users’ dependence on SMTP mail tools. $695 to $895 ($5980 to $7495 for ten-packs) from Xcelerated Systems: 619/576-3080; fax [phone].
StarNine to synchronize directories    product announcements    Nathalie Welch    Dec. 7    1992    MacWEEK    36    e-mail, gateways    Mail*Link Directory Services 2.0 makes e-mail directory access available to Mac and non-Mac users. SYNC modules available for QuickMail and cc:Mail. No price given. StarNine Technologies: 510/548-0391; fax [phone].
Supra adds high-speed PB fax modems    product announcements    Nathalie Welch    Dec. 7    1992    MacWEEK    36    fax modems, PowerBooks    PowerBooks get two new internal fax modems from Supra: SupraFAXModem 144PB ($349.95) and 144PB Plus ($449.95, with flash memory for software upgrading). Also new: firmware for SupraFAXModem V.32 and V.32bis. $49 caller ID option is available. Supra: 503/967-2400; fax [phone].
ZyXEL USA offering cellular-modem option for high-speed line    product announcements    Nathalie Welch    Dec. 7    1992    MacWEEK    38    fax modems, wireless communications, wireless networks, wireless modems    U1496+ and U1496E+ external modems now have a $200 option to do cellular communications at speeds up to 9600 bps. When not cellular, modems support V.32bis and V.17 fax standards and proprietary data transfer speed of 16.8 Kbps. ZyXEL USA: 714/693-0808; fax [phone].
Sigma ships 17" display system for NuBus    product announcements    Nathalie Welch    Dec. 14    1992    MacWEEK    14    color, monitors, display cards, PowerBooks    New from Sigma: ErgoView 17 display, which offers resolutions up to 1024 by 768 pixels for $1499; ColorMax Turbo, a 24-bit multifrequency vido card that has accelerated QuickDraw, multiple resolutions and refresh rate combinations for $1299; and a combination of the two for $2499. Both SCSI-based PowerPortrait systems for PowerBooks and other compact Macs have been reduced to $749. Sigma Designs: 510/770-0100; fax [phone].
SoftArc targets corporate E-mail    product announcements    Nathalie Welch    Dec. 14    1992    MacWEEK    26    e-mail, BBSs, gateways, standards, SMTP, Internet, pagers    FirstClass 2.0 bulletin board system can support networked or dial-up clients and is $395 for 100 dial-up users or five networked users. Gateways to link other e-mail systems are free for limited time: PostalUnion/QM bidirectional gateway is free until Feb. 1. QM<->MS, a QuickMail-to-Microsoft Mail gateway, will work free until Mar. 1. PostalUnion Deluxe ($1995) has SMTP and UUCP support. $495 PostalUnion Lite gives AppleTalk users a UUCP Internet connection. Information Electronics: 607/868-3331; fax [phone]; SoftArc Inc.: 416/299-4723; fax [phone].
Da Vinci spruces up MacAccess    product announcements    Nathalie Welch    Dec. 14    1992    MacWEEK    26    e-mail, interface    The user interface of MacAccess MHS-based mail service has been improved with pop-up menus, automatically opening windows, keyboard shortcuts, and more. $395 for five-user pack ($95 upgrades) from Da Vinci Systems: 919/881-4320; fax [phone].
Cayman colors XGator windows    product announcements    Nathalie Welch    Dec. 14    1992    MacWEEK    30    X Window, workstations, TCP/IP, cross-platform    XGator 2.0 adds new features to software that lets users of X terminals or workstations control a Mac screen over TCP/IP: color, a zoom feature, speed improvement, IP address identification, auto session restart, and more. $295 ($2495 for ten users), including MacTCP 1.1.1, from Cayman Systems: 617/494-1999; fax [phone].
Display Tech encoder puts Mac output on TV    product announcements    Nathalie Welch    Dec. 14    1992    MacWEEK    42    television, video adapters    Mac DisplayLink video encoders display Mac output on regular video monitors and projectors by converting RGB to flicker-free NTSC, S-Video or PAL video signals. $449 or $649 (for PAL) from Display Tech: 510/676-9362, 800/578-8546; fax [phone].
Apple, AOL ink licensing agreement    news    Nathalie Welch    Dec. 14    1992    MacWEEK    54    Apple, online services, licensing, AppleLink    Apple has licensed software technology from America Online, allowing the company to incorporate the technology into future versions of its own online service, AppleLink, and other information services.
Computer prose and politics is not a very good mix [letter]    letter    Paul Wilfong    Dec. 7    1992    MacWEEK    83    politics    Wilfong objects to a guest commentary in which the author used the phrase “pulling a Clinton” to indicate dishonesty.
Not Just for Grammar [letter]    letter    Jeanmarie Wozniak    December    1992    Macworld    37    grammar checkers, education, schools    A teacher says that schools would appreciate grammar checkers that people don’t want anymore, if only to use them for checking “the number of syllables per 100 words.”
Unix, bell-bottoms and LANs    analysis    Margie Wylie    Dec. 7    1992    MacWEEK    42, 45    networks, Unix, LANs, operating systems, workstations, cross-platform, AppleShare, A/UX, Windows NT, servers    Five years ago, Unix was touted as the ultimate operating system for serious network computing. While vendors strive for Unix compatibility today, the OS hasn’t made nearly as big an impact as expected and Microsoft is attempting to out-do Unix with its upcoming multiplatform operating system, Windows NT.
New MemManager code library helps apps handle memory    product announcements    Margie Wylie    Dec. 14    1992    MacWEEK    14    memory, developers, programming tools    MemManager allows programmers to simply allocate memory, without dealing with handles. It includes a debugger to locate memory errors in code. It’s $750. Price hikes have been made on other DataPak products, including the WordSolution Engine, Matrix Engine, On-Line Help Construction Kit, and LusterPIC. DataPak Software: 206/573-9155, 800/327-6703; fax [phone].
A Ghost of Macintosh Past    commentary    Jon Zilber    December    1992    MacUser    23    Apple, developers, future, Windows, DOS, System 7, operating systems    In an allegorical “Christmas Carol” (variation on Charles Dickens), a ghostly Steve Jobs chastises Apple for hurting developers and encourages the company to evangelize the Mac operating system and develop a version of the Mac OS for Windows.