[MyAppleMenu] Sep 14, 2000

[applesurf at myapplemenu.comapplesurf]

MyAppleMenu Newsletter

== AppleSurf (Top Stories) ==============

How Mac OS X Can Reshape Computing (Pfeiffer Report)
<http://www.zdnet.com/zdnn/stories/comment/0,5859,2628107,00.html>
The market segment Apple is catering for exists: People have always been willing to pay a bit more for a good mixture of style and quality -- and they'll love it if it extends into the user interface.

Lining Up For Mac OS X (MacWEEK.com)
<http://macweek.zdnet.com/2000/09/10/0814paristwo.html>
Most customers seem to be power users--some of whom admitted to being frequent early adopters--and curious consumers. Surprisingly, none of the buyers we spoke with considered it a bold step to install a beta operating system. The confidence is a testament to Apple's marketing and Steve Jobs' well received demonstration of the software. But Apple could be taking a chance here. This is, after all, an OS that's still under development.

"Oops... One More Thing" -- PowerBooks Updated Quietly (MacCentral)
<http://www.maccentral.com/news/0009/14.powerbook.shtml>
In an un-announced move, Apple Tuesday increased hard drive capacity on its entire line of PowerBook G3 laptops and added iMovie 2 pre-installed, MacCentral has learned.

Apple Breaks The Mold (New York Times)
<http://www.nytimes.com/2000/09/14/technology/14APPL.html>
"If Mac OS X succeeds, it will once again put the Macintosh in a class of its own. Not only will the operating system look significantly different — and in a consumer market, looks do count, as Apple has proven with the iMac — it will also be the first consumer OS based on a solid Unix foundation."

Apple Beefs Up iBook WIth DVD, More Storage (CNET News.com)
<http://news.cnet.com/news/0-1006-200-2765274.html?tag=st.ne.1430735..ni>
Apple Computer today added brawn to its colorful line of iBook notebooks, beefing up storage, offering speedier processors and adding a DVD drive to the high-end model.

Apple Peels Open Mac OS X Beta (CNET News.com)
<http://news.cnet.com/news/0-1006-200-2766043.html?tag=st.ne.1430735..ni>
Apple today released the long-awaited public beta, or test version, of its upcoming Mac OS X operating system. Unfortunately, a significant number of Apple users won't be able to use it without upgrading their hardware.

== AppleSurf (News) ==============

The BTO Dilemma (MacWEEK.com)
<http://macweek.zdnet.com/2000/09/10/0914radeon.html>
Apple's decision to offer ATI's Radeon controller in its G4 systems finally gives customers a choice of graphics cards. But Apple is still not offering other vendors' boards as build-to-order options, a key issue now that 3dfx has announced an AGP version of the Voodoo5.

Lining Up For Mac OS X (MacWEEK.com)
<http://macweek.zdnet.com/2000/09/10/0814paristwo.html>
Most customers seem to be power users--some of whom admitted to being frequent early adopters--and curious consumers. Surprisingly, none of the buyers we spoke with considered it a bold step to install a beta operating system. The confidence is a testament to Apple's marketing and Steve Jobs' well received demonstration of the software. But Apple could be taking a chance here. This is, after all, an OS that's still under development.

A Look At Public Beta (MacWEEK.com)
<http://macweek.zdnet.com/2000/09/10/0913betalaunch.html>
With Apple's release on Wednesday of Mac OS X Public Beta, ordinary Mac users--not just developers--now have a chance to sample the operating system that Apple hopes will carry the Mac well into the 21st Century. 

Jobs: OS X Impact In Q2; Cube Sales Looking Good (MacCentral)
<http://www.maccentral.com/news/0009/14.jobs.shtml>
In an interview with CNBC, Jobs said he doesn't expect incredible amounts of people to buy Mac OS X public beta and that most people will wait for version 1.0 that is expected by the end of March.

"Oops... One More Thing" -- PowerBooks Updated Quietly (MacCentral)
<http://www.maccentral.com/news/0009/14.powerbook.shtml>
In an un-announced move, Apple Tuesday increased hard drive capacity on its entire line of PowerBook G3 laptops and added iMovie 2 pre-installed, MacCentral has learned.

Could Mac OS X Be 'Holy Grail'? (Wired News)
<http://www.wired.com/news/technology/0,1282,38736,00.html>
"The best is yet to come. We're going to see a second renaissance on the Mac."

Apple Breaks The Mold (New York Times)
<http://www.nytimes.com/2000/09/14/technology/14APPL.html>
"If Mac OS X succeeds, it will once again put the Macintosh in a class of its own. Not only will the operating system look significantly different — and in a consumer market, looks do count, as Apple has proven with the iMac — it will also be the first consumer OS based on a solid Unix foundation."

Apple Shares Up As It Releases Beta OS (Upside)
<http://www.upside.com/Money/39bf95f30.html>

Office Announcement Upsets Apple Cart (Silicon.com)
<http://www.silicon.com/public/door?REQUNIQ=968901998&6004REQEVENT=&REQINT1=39718&REQSTR1=newsnow>
The Mac faithful may not like it, but Apple's ongoing relationship with Microsoft is essential if the company is to continue its quest for market share. Apple is a market leader in hardware design, but it still needs to build consumer confidence by aligning itself with the Microsoft brand.

Apple Beefs Up iBook WIth DVD, More Storage (CNET News.com)
<http://news.cnet.com/news/0-1006-200-2765274.html?tag=st.ne.1430735..ni>
Apple Computer today added brawn to its colorful line of iBook notebooks, beefing up storage, offering speedier processors and adding a DVD drive to the high-end model.

Apple Peels Open Mac OS X Beta (CNET News.com)
<http://news.cnet.com/news/0-1006-200-2766043.html?tag=st.ne.1430735..ni>
Apple today released the long-awaited public beta, or test version, of its upcoming Mac OS X operating system. Unfortunately, a significant number of Apple users won't be able to use it without upgrading their hardware.

Key Lime Or Graphite? (MacWEEK.com)
<http://macweek.zdnet.com/2000/09/10/0913ibook.html>
With Apple's new iBooks, there's now a quantifiable difference between the base model and the Special Edition, MacWEEK contributor Andrew Shalat reports from Paris. He also notes that the French have taken a liking to Key Lime.

== AppleSurf (Opinions) ==============

How Mac OS X Can Reshape Computing (Pfeiffer Report)
<http://www.zdnet.com/zdnn/stories/comment/0,5859,2628107,00.html>
The market segment Apple is catering for exists: People have always been willing to pay a bit more for a good mixture of style and quality -- and they'll love it if it extends into the user interface.

C'est Jobs! (Macworld)
<http://macworld.zdnet.com/2000/09/13/reax.html>
The biggest reaction came when the machines rose through the floor on rotating stands. Of course, those cheers could have been gasps of pain as the glow off the key lime iBook scorched people's retinas.

== AppleSurf (Reviews) ==============

iBook (MacNN)
<http://www.macnn.com/feature.php?id=137>
Simply put, Apple has done a stellar job updating the iBook.

iBooks (Applelinks.com)
<http://www.applelinks.com/articles/2000/09/20000913134149.shtml>
It looks like plain old Lime left over from the pre-July-2000 iMacs, and since it was the least popular color for the iMac, why does Apple think it will be more successful on the iBook?

New iBooks A Better Value? (Low End Mac)
<http://www.lowendmac.com/ibook/ibook2.html>
Once you factor in video output, FireWire, and a 6x DVD-ROM drive, the new iBook SE is definitely a better value today than the older iBook SE was in January.

== The Wintel Empire (Top Stories) ==============

We Install Windows Me -- And Survive! (ZDNet)
<http://www.zdnet.com/zdnn/stories/comment/0,5859,2628109,00.html>
If you want to buy the new OS and install it for fun, like I did, then more power to you. But you're not going to get much more than a PC that boots up more quickly. And that's a good thing -- because you'll be rebooting a lot. 

Beta Testers Urged To Fix ZD Poll, As WinME Retail Push Kicks Off (The Register)
<http://www.theregister.co.uk/content/1/13255.html>
The last one does appear to emanate from Microsoft, but we trust it's just freelance activity by some low-level operative, rather than high level corporate policy.

Windows Me: Windows 98 All Over Again? (CNET News.com)
<http://news.cnet.com/news/0-1006-200-2770550.html?tag=st.ne.1430735..ni>
Consumers who want to see dramatic changes in an OS will have to wait until next year, when Whistler is scheduled to arrive. Whistler, which will target both the home and business computing markets, is the next version of Windows 2000, Microsoft's OS for offices.

Reports Of Windows Me Bugs Already Rolling In (CNET News.com)
<http://news.cnet.com/news/0-1006-200-2770983.html?tag=st.ne.1430735..ni>
The first reports of Windows Me bugs are rolling in on the eve of the official launch of Microsoft's new operating system for home PC users.

== The Wintel Empire (News) ==============

We Install Windows Me -- And Survive! (ZDNet)
<http://www.zdnet.com/zdnn/stories/comment/0,5859,2628109,00.html>
If you want to buy the new OS and install it for fun, like I did, then more power to you. But you're not going to get much more than a PC that boots up more quickly. And that's a good thing -- because you'll be rebooting a lot. 

Windows ME Bugged By Flaw (Wired News)
<http://www.wired.com/news/technology/0,1282,38784,00.html>
Computers running the Web TV for Windows program can be hacked into from the Internet. The problem existed in Windows 98, and has not been corrected in Windows ME.

Windows Lincenses Can Cost Extra For Small Businesses (CNET News.com)
<http://news.cnet.com/news/0-1003-200-2774067.html?tag=st.ne.1430735..ni>
A change to Microsoft's licensing agreements may save bigger customers some money, but businesses with fewer than 500 PCs could still be asked to pay twice for copies of Windows 95, 98 and 2000.

Intel Broadens Its Linux Investment Strategy (CNET News.com)
<http://news.cnet.com/news/0-1003-200-2776207.html?tag=st.ne.1430735..ni>
Intel has invested in a Linux company that's helping to bring the open-source operating system to Intel's XScale chips.

Microsoft Adjusts Sign-On Feature To Patch Windows 2000 (CNET News.com)
<http://news.cnet.com/news/0-1003-200-2777379.html?tag=st.ne.1430735..ni>
Microsoft said it will release a software patch later today to fix a hole in its Windows 2000 operating system that could leak usernames and passwords to unauthorized individuals.

Beta Testers Urged To Fix ZD Poll, As WinME Retail Push Kicks Off (The Register)
<http://www.theregister.co.uk/content/1/13255.html>
The last one does appear to emanate from Microsoft, but we trust it's just freelance activity by some low-level operative, rather than high level corporate policy.

Windows ME: Is It For You? (Wired News)
<http://www.wired.com/news/technology/0,1282,38725,00.html>
Rather than revamping the underpinnings of the OS, the company focused on putting a better face on Windows 98.

Windows Me: Windows 98 All Over Again? (CNET News.com)
<http://news.cnet.com/news/0-1006-200-2770550.html?tag=st.ne.1430735..ni>
Consumers who want to see dramatic changes in an OS will have to wait until next year, when Whistler is scheduled to arrive. Whistler, which will target both the home and business computing markets, is the next version of Windows 2000, Microsoft's OS for offices.

Microsoft Lauches New Consumer Windows Program (Reuters)
<http://dailynews.yahoo.com/h/nm/20000914/tc/microsoft_windowsme_dc_1.html>
Microsoft Corp. on Thursday formally launched the latest version of its Windows operating system for home users, and by stuffing the software with new music, movie and Internet features, it is echoing a strategy that has already landed it in legal hot water.

Bill Gates Says Health More Important Than Tech (Reuters)
<http://dailynews.yahoo.com/h/nm/20000914/tc/health_gates_dc_1.html>
Software baron Bill Gates, whose personal wealth of around $50 billion makes him the world's richest man, said Thursday that technology was not as important to him as health.

A Peek At Office Upgrade (PC World)
<http://www.pcworld.com/pcwtoday/article/0,1510,18462,00.html>
This very early edition features Web tools, workgroup functions, and speech recognition.

Another Microsoft Exec Walks (TechWeb)
<http://www.techweb.com/wire/story/TWB20000913S0030>
One of the key executive figures in the historic antitrust trial against Mircosoft Corp., Paul Maritz, Microsoft's group vice president of the platforms and strategies group, is stepping down, the Redmond, Wash. software giant said late Wednesday.

Office Announcement Upsets Apple Cart (Silicon.com)
<http://www.silicon.com/public/door?REQUNIQ=968901998&6004REQEVENT=&REQINT1=39718&REQSTR1=newsnow>
The Mac faithful may not like it, but Apple's ongoing relationship with Microsoft is essential if the company is to continue its quest for market share. Apple is a market leader in hardware design, but it still needs to build consumer confidence by aligning itself with the Microsoft brand.

Microsoft Quietly Shadows Web Surfers Across MSN Sites (CNET News.com)
<http://news.cnet.com/news/0-1005-200-2768545.html?tag=st.ne.1430735..ni>
Days after acknowledging a privacy problem with its Internet Explorer browser, Microsoft said today that it does not disclose how it identifies people who travel across its network of Web sites.

Ballmer: Antitrust Case Shifts Microsoft's Political Tack (Associated Press)
<http://news.cnet.com/news/0-1003-200-2765270.html?tag=st.ne.1430735..ni>
The chief executive officer of Microsoft said the federal antitrust case against his company has altered the way Microsoft approaches politics, including contributions to candidates.

Reports Of Windows Me Bugs Already Rolling In (CNET News.com)
<http://news.cnet.com/news/0-1006-200-2770983.html?tag=st.ne.1430735..ni>
The first reports of Windows Me bugs are rolling in on the eve of the official launch of Microsoft's new operating system for home PC users.

Gates Denis Snubbing Malaysia's High-Tech Zone (Reuters)
<http://news.cnet.com/news/0-1003-200-2767526.html?tag=st.ne.1430735..ni>
Microsoft chairman Bill Gates said today his no-show at Malaysia's recent gathering of top technology chiefs was no snub to the country's ambitious high-tech zone.

== Breaking Barriers (Top Stories) ==============

Privacy Advocates Write Web Bug Rules (CNET News.com)
<http://news.cnet.com/news/0-1005-200-2767582.html?tag=st.ne.1430735..ni>
A privacy group today issued a new set of industry guidelines to regulate the use of invisible technology that keeps tabs on Web site visitors.

Microsoft Quietly Shadows Web Surfers Across MSN Sites (CNET News.com)
<http://news.cnet.com/news/0-1005-200-2768545.html?tag=st.ne.1430735..ni>
Days after acknowledging a privacy problem with its Internet Explorer browser, Microsoft said today that it does not disclose how it identifies people who travel across its network of Web sites.

== Breaking Barriers (News) ==============

Groups Drop Amazon Over Privacy Policy (USA Today)
<http://www.usatoday.com/life/cyber/tech/cti523.htm>
Charging that Amazon.com's new privacy policy does not adequately protect customers' personal data, two consumer privacy groups have ended business relationships with Amazon.

Olympic Ads: Traditional Companies Using Traditional Media (San Jose Mercury News)
<http://www.mercurycenter.com/svtech/news/indepth/docs/oly091400.htm>
Judging by how and where corporate America is choosing to advertise for the 27th Olympiad, you'd think the Internet and other advanced technologies had never been invented.

Plans For Big Dot-Com Complex In S.F. Scrapped (San Jose Mercury News)
<http://www.mercurycenter.com/svtech/news/indepth/docs/armor091400.htm>
The Mission district project that sparked a near riot at City Hall last week is no more: Developers have deserted plans to convert the abandoned Mission Armory building into a multimedia office complex, opting instead for a much less intensive telecommunications facility in the working-class neighborhood.

Privacy Advocates Write Web Bug Rules (CNET News.com)
<http://news.cnet.com/news/0-1005-200-2767582.html?tag=st.ne.1430735..ni>
A privacy group today issued a new set of industry guidelines to regulate the use of invisible technology that keeps tabs on Web site visitors.

Microsoft Quietly Shadows Web Surfers Across MSN Sites (CNET News.com)
<http://news.cnet.com/news/0-1005-200-2768545.html?tag=st.ne.1430735..ni>
Days after acknowledging a privacy problem with its Internet Explorer browser, Microsoft said today that it does not disclose how it identifies people who travel across its network of Web sites.

== PenguinSurf (Top Stories) ==============

Linux Seller Red Hat Narrows Losses (CNET News.com)
<http://news.cnet.com/news/0-1003-200-2777420.html?tag=st.ne.1430735..ni>
The leading Linux seller reported an adjusted net loss of $1.9 million, or 1 cent per share, on revenues of $18.5 million for its quarter ended Aug. 31.

== PenguinSurf (News) ==============

Intel Broadens Its Linux Investment Strategy (CNET News.com)
<http://news.cnet.com/news/0-1003-200-2776207.html?tag=st.ne.1430735..ni>
Intel has invested in a Linux company that's helping to bring the open-source operating system to Intel's XScale chips.

Linux Seller Red Hat Narrows Losses (CNET News.com)
<http://news.cnet.com/news/0-1003-200-2777420.html?tag=st.ne.1430735..ni>
The leading Linux seller reported an adjusted net loss of $1.9 million, or 1 cent per share, on revenues of $18.5 million for its quarter ended Aug. 31.

The AIX And Pains Of 64-Bit Computing (Linux.com)
<http://www.zdnet.com/zdnn/stories/comment/0,5859,2627455,00.html>
I imagine that, by now, some folks at Caldera have noticed the fact that their company is involved with no less than six operating systems.

== The AppleSurf Reader ==============

Grilled over RATS (New York Times)
<http://www.nytimes.com/2000/09/13/opinion/13DOWD.html>
Republicans are icky W blowing it A big Time goof no graphic is without intent.

A Kinder, Gentler Death (Time)
<http://www.time.com/time/magazine/articles/0,3266,54410,00.html>
Dying is one of the few events in life certain to occur--and yet one we are not likely to plan for. We will spend more time getting ready for two weeks away from work than we will for our last two weeks on earth. Consequently, says Frank Ostaceski, who runs a San Francisco home for the dying, "we have more preparation for how to operate our VCRs than we do for how to die."

== SingaporeSurf (Top Stories) ==============

"Dirty" Food Center In The Runing For Cleanest Title (Straits Times)
<http://straitstimes.asia1.com.sg/singapore/sin6_0914.html>
Rated lowly in an ST survey last week, the Ang Mo Kio food centre has been chosen by another panel to vie for this year's cleanest food-centre award.

== SingaporeSurf (News) ==============

>From Where Did Taxman Get Statistics On Smokers? (Straits Times)
<http://straitstimes.asia1.com.sg/forum/for9_0915.html>
Denis Distant: Does any ministry have the statistics on the smuggling and black-marketing of chewing gum since the ban? I do not smoke or chew gum. Nor do I blindly swallow statistics! 

Isn't Smoking Worse Than Chewing Gum? (Straits Times)
<http://straitstimes.asia1.com.sg/forum/for8_0915.html>
Philip Khoo Teng Hock: The chewing-gum ban was to reduce or eliminate nuisance and damage to facilities. Surely human lives are equally, if not more, valuable considerations for a smoking ban.

Why Should PAP Voters Suffer In Potong Pasir? (Straits Times)
<http://straitstimes.asia1.com.sg/forum/for2_0915.html>
Jeffrey Law Lee Beng: It is a paradox that those who voted for the opposition in a PAP-held ward are enjoying all the upgrading programmes while those who backed the ruling party in opposition wards are not.

"Social Costs" Of More Maids Explained (Straits Times)
<http://straitstimes.asia1.com.sg/forum/for1_0915.html>
Elaine Swinn-Tan, Assistant Director, Corporate Communications for Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Manpower: The management of a large number of FDWs and finding amicable solutions to the various problems  require substantial costs which are not only borne by the employers of FDWs, but also by the public. 

SingTel's Earlier Payout "Too Low" (Straits Times)
<http://straitstimes.asia1.com.sg/money/sinb1_0915.html>
The reasoning, it said, was simple: The explosive growth of the Internet has created new revenue opportunities which were non-existent before.

"Dirty" Food Center In The Runing For Cleanest Title (Straits Times)
<http://straitstimes.asia1.com.sg/singapore/sin6_0914.html>
Rated lowly in an ST survey last week, the Ang Mo Kio food centre has been chosen by another panel to vie for this year's cleanest food-centre award.

Regular LTA Reviews To Improve Transport (Straits Times)
<http://straitstimes.asia1.com.sg/forum/for3_0914.html>
Han Liang Yuan, Manager, Media Relations Land Transport Authority: The survey revealed that most respondents were of the opinion that we had a good transport system. That not 100 per cent of the respondents shared this view is an indication to us that there is room for improvement.

== SingaporeSurf (Technology) ==============

Gates Denis Snubbing Malaysia's High-Tech Zone (Reuters)
<http://news.cnet.com/news/0-1003-200-2767526.html?tag=st.ne.1430735..ni>
Microsoft chairman Bill Gates said today his no-show at Malaysia's recent gathering of top technology chiefs was no snub to the country's ambitious high-tech zone.

== SingaporeSurf (Entertainment) ==============

MediaCorp Bonds Sharon Au (Straits Times)
<http://straitstimes.asia1.com.sg/life/life3_0915.html>
Overseas scholarship in popular host's new contract, signed yesterday, comes with a six-year bond.

Kool Jazz At Chijmes (Asia E!Online)
<http://asia.eonline.com/newsgossip/stories/content/0,2591,4757,00.html>

The Necessary Stage Goes To Town With New Play (Asia E!Online)
<http://asia.eonline.com/newsgossip/stories/content/0,2591,4785,00.html>
After successful runs at the Marine Parade Community Club, The Necessary Stage will stage its next production at the prestigious Victoria Theatre.

TCS 5 Announces Line-Up Of Award-Winning Shows (Channel NewsAsia)
<http://www.channelnewsasia.com.sg/articles/2000/09/14/singaporenews16717.htm>
Not coming to local TV screens though are Emmy nominee, Sex and the City, and Emmy winner, Will & Grace. Explicit sexual themes and the portrayal of alternative lifestyles like homosexuality, which, if shown, would breach Singapore's programming regulations.

Evelyn Quits But Sharon And Chow Meng Stay On (Straits Times)
<http://straitstimes.asia1.com.sg/life/life3_0914.html>
The popular TCS 8 artiste has been offered a three-year scholarship to study International Relations at New York University.