[MyAppleMenu] Jan 19, 2001

[applesurf at myapplemenu.com]

MyAppleMenu Newsletter

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

 Make Your Next Notebook A Mac? (I Think I Might) (ZDNet AnchorDesk)
<http://www.zdnet.com/anchordesk/stories/story/0,10738,2676078,00.html>
And if you are willing to spend $2,600 to $3,600 on a notebook, shouldn't you get something snazzy for your money?

 Emulation Is The Sincerest Form Of Flattery (Washington Post)
<http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A15563-2001Jan18.html>
If a computer can simulate a Learjet or a black-diamond slope at Vail, what's so hard about simulating another computer? A lot, as I've been reminded while testing Virtual PC 4, the latest PC emulator for the Macintosh developed by Connectix Corp.

 NeXT Computer: When Cool Wasn't Enough (vnunet.com)
<http://www.vnunet.com/Features/1112630>
If nothing else, the way the NeXT story ended was vindication for Jobs. "He earned redemption in the eyes of the public and the industry," says Linzmayer.

 Fans, Ask Yourself This: Is Mac Really Better? (Los Angeles Times)
<http://www.latimes.com/business/cutting/features/ces2001/lat_wilson010118.htm>
Your cause might be better served with a little less fanatical devotion and a little more tolerance. Can't we all just get along?

 Apple Revs Mac OS Server Update (ZDNet)
<http://www.zdii.com/industry_list.asp?mode=news&doc_id=ZD2676031>
Though the desktop version of Apple Computer's Mac OS X has been in the limelight last year, Mac OS X Server--an industrial-strength version of the operating system designed for Web, mail and multimedia serving duties--will receive a technical and cosmetic facelift early this year.

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

 Homebrewed Solutions On Vintage Macs (MacEdition)
<http://www.macedition.com/feat/feat_biz_20010119.shtml>
Why are Distrivin and VINEXPERT fully Mac-oriented? Primarily, it’s a matter of cost. As Michel notes, the simplicity of the MacOS means lower cost-of-ownership.

 Emulation Is The Sincerest Form Of Flattery (Washington Post)
<http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A15563-2001Jan18.html>
If a computer can simulate a Learjet or a black-diamond slope at Vail, what's so hard about simulating another computer? A lot, as I've been reminded while testing Virtual PC 4, the latest PC emulator for the Macintosh developed by Connectix Corp.

 NeXT Computer: When Cool Wasn't Enough (vnunet.com)
<http://www.vnunet.com/Features/1112630>
If nothing else, the way the NeXT story ended was vindication for Jobs. "He earned redemption in the eyes of the public and the industry," says Linzmayer.

 Report Reiterates PC Slowdown (CNET News.com)
<http://news.cnet.com/news/0-1003-200-4531388.html?tag=st.ne.1430735..ni>
Though Apple Computer was not listed among the world's top PC vendors, it played a role in the industry's decline, the report noted. Apple's fourth-quarter shipments fell by 50 percent in the United States and 40 percent worldwide, dragging the entire industry's U.S. sales growth rate down by almost two percentage points.

 Apple Shares Rise On Prediction Of 1st-Quarter Profit (San Francisco Chronicle)
<http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/2001/01/18/BU181636.DTL&type=tech_article>
Apple shares edged upwards in after-hours trading yesterday after the company reported that its once-bloated inventories are back to normal levels and reiterated that it expects to return to profitability this quarter.

 In Hot Pursuit Of Driver (Apple)
<http://www.apple.com/games/articles/2001/01/driver/>
Ah, the 70s. Knee-length tube socks. Hideous plaid suits. Vans decorated in psychedelia and shag carpeting. And car chases. Lots of car chases.

 For Mac Fans, The Fervor Has Died, But The Devotion Remains (Los Angeles Times)
<http://www.wired.com/news/business/0,1367,41292,00.html>

 AOL Names New Netscape resident (CNET News.com)
<http://news.cnet.com/news/0-1005-200-4521784.html?tag=st.ne.1430735..ni>
America Online announced Thursday that a five-year AOL veteran would replace Jim Martin as the new president of Netscape in one of its first major management changes since officially merging with Time Warner last week.

 Apple Revs Mac OS Server Update (ZDNet)
<http://www.zdii.com/industry_list.asp?mode=news&doc_id=ZD2676031>
Though the desktop version of Apple Computer's Mac OS X has been in the limelight last year, Mac OS X Server--an industrial-strength version of the operating system designed for Web, mail and multimedia serving duties--will receive a technical and cosmetic facelift early this year.

 Evolution In Action (MacAddict)
<http://www.macaddict.com/content/news/2001/01/18/24895>
Besides the new Pro Mouse-weilding Mouse panel and the Eeepless Alerts (stay tuned for a related - and wacky - contest), Energy Saver - now tabbed and multi-paned - has an option to Restart automatically after a power failure. It won't help if your Mac crashes, but now if the lights go out, your Mac can come right back up with them.

 The New PowerBook G4 -- Gaming On The Go (MacCentral)
<http://www.maccentral.com/news/0101/18.pbgamer.shtml>
As a full-featured portable workstation that plays awesome games, the PowerBook G4 is elegant, powerful and full-featured -- a portable combination that's hard to beat.

 Melissa Virus On The Mac? (MacWEEK.com)
<http://macweek.zdnet.com/2001/01/14/0118melissa.html>
It appears that the infamous Microsoft Word Macro virus known as Melissa may now be a threat to the Mac. At least two virus detection resources have reported that a new strain of the virus may have the potential to infect users of Microsoft's Office 2001 software for the Mac.

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

 Make Your Next Notebook A Mac? (I Think I Might) (ZDNet AnchorDesk)
<http://www.zdnet.com/anchordesk/stories/story/0,10738,2676078,00.html>
And if you are willing to spend $2,600 to $3,600 on a notebook, shouldn't you get something snazzy for your money?

 Political Correctness Aims At The Mac Community: Is It Intolerant To Think Different? (Applelust.com)
<http://www.applelust.com/HTML/Editorials/html/Archives/ed_political_correctness.shtml>
Well: Please don't preach to us, Windoltyes, and please don't try to impose your morality of conformity on us. It's offensive and downright politically incorrect to us.

 Beyond The Digital Hub (The Mac Observer)
<http://www.macobserver.com/columns/thebackpage/2001/20010119.shtml>
Other computer companies can chase the Digital Convergence in the form of making portable devices that do more. Some can try and capitalize on the MP3 revolution. I think Apple will be sitting in the right place with the right technology and the right vision to truly take the computer where we want it to go.

 Free iTunes From Apple Is A Steal (Chicago Sun-Times)
<http://www.suntimes.com/output/worktech/ecol18.html>
Apple's essentially giving away $200 of commercial software here. That's almost literally true, too: Much of iTunes' source code is based on existing, popular apps. But it's no rehash. ITunes has replaced my former flotilla of music apps because unlike everything I've seen for both Mac and Windows, it's impeccably clean and simple.

 Mission: Impossible (MacOPINION)
<http://www.macopinion.com/columns/tangible/01/01/18/index.html>
Are computers really this complicated? I thought. How did she have the patience? She must think this is like over-the-phone brain surgery or something. I surely could never put up with someone walking me step-by-step through this maddening process.

 Good News For Once (MacOPINION)
<http://www.macopinion.com/columns/intelligence/01/01/18/index.html>

 Fans, Ask Yourself This: Is Mac Really Better? (Los Angeles Times)
<http://www.latimes.com/business/cutting/features/ces2001/lat_wilson010118.htm>
Your cause might be better served with a little less fanatical devotion and a little more tolerance. Can't we all just get along?

 A Toy Store For Geeks (MacWEEK.com)
<http://macweek.zdnet.com/2001/01/14/0118jcwprodone.html>
Macworld Expo is a computer geek's toy store, and this last one was no exception, even for network managers, who tend to not be part of the crowd that's into the "blinkenlitzen" end of the product scale.

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

 Sim Theme Park (Applelinks.com)
<http://www.applelinks.com/reviews/simthemepark.shtml>
Like most non-combat sims, a lot of the fun in this game comes from setting things up and watching what happens.

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

 Investment Income On The Outs At Intel, Microsoft (CNET News.com)
<http://news.cnet.com/news/0-1003-201-4532433-0.html?tag=st.ne.1430735..sf>
Intel's investment-income well has run dry, thanks to a bunch of bad dot-coms in its portfolio. Microsoft's gains from investments are better, but the software giant's investment income is slipping. Falling investment income could hurt the companies' ability to deliver upside surprises.

 MS' Antitrust Backup Plan: Net Monopoly (The Register)
<http://www.theregister.co.uk/content/4/16216.html>
If the appeals process should ultimately decide that Microsoft really does have to be broken up to rectify its software monopoly, the company - or companies, in that case - can always seek to monopolize something else crucial to computer users: access to software.

 Microosft Proves A Lure After Interent Stints (New York Times)
<http://www.nytimes.com/2001/01/19/technology/19MICR.html>
The world's largest software maker is certainly not immune to the ferocious slump that has hit the high- technology industry. But as Internet companies lay off workers or even close their doors altogether, Microsoft has recently gone on something of a hiring and acquisition binge.

 Analysts Warn On Microsoft Licensing  Changes (Silicon.com)
<http://www.silicon.com/public/door?REQUNIQ=979825210&6004REQEVENT=&REQINT1=42106&REQSTR1=newsnow>
Analysts have condemned Microsoft's decision to cancel all volume licensing deals, except for Windows 2000, in an attempt to speed adoption of the operating system.

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

 Investment Income On The Outs At Intel, Microsoft (CNET News.com)
<http://news.cnet.com/news/0-1003-201-4532433-0.html?tag=st.ne.1430735..sf>
Intel's investment-income well has run dry, thanks to a bunch of bad dot-coms in its portfolio. Microsoft's gains from investments are better, but the software giant's investment income is slipping. Falling investment income could hurt the companies' ability to deliver upside surprises.

 Report Reiterates PC Slowdown (CNET News.com)
<http://news.cnet.com/news/0-1003-200-4531388.html?tag=st.ne.1430735..ni>
Though Apple Computer was not listed among the world's top PC vendors, it played a role in the industry's decline, the report noted. Apple's fourth-quarter shipments fell by 50 percent in the United States and 40 percent worldwide, dragging the entire industry's U.S. sales growth rate down by almost two percentage points.

 MS' Antitrust Backup Plan: Net Monopoly (The Register)
<http://www.theregister.co.uk/content/4/16216.html>
If the appeals process should ultimately decide that Microsoft really does have to be broken up to rectify its software monopoly, the company - or companies, in that case - can always seek to monopolize something else crucial to computer users: access to software.

 Microosft Proves A Lure After Interent Stints (New York Times)
<http://www.nytimes.com/2001/01/19/technology/19MICR.html>
The world's largest software maker is certainly not immune to the ferocious slump that has hit the high- technology industry. But as Internet companies lay off workers or even close their doors altogether, Microsoft has recently gone on something of a hiring and acquisition binge.

 Developers Cry Foul Over New Microsoft Language (CNET News.com)
<http://news.cnet.com/news/0-1003-201-4523043-0.html?tag=st.ne.1430735..sf>
Developers are worried that Visual Basic.Net is so different from the Visual Basic they have come to know and understand that upgrading will pose a major hurdle. Some say the .Net version bears so little resemblance to Visual Basic 6.0 and previous versions of the language that Microsoft shouldn't continue the name.

 Intel Delaying Office Construction Amid Downturn (Bloomberg News)
<http://news.cnet.com/news/0-1003-200-4527220.html?tag=st.ne.1430735..ni>
Intel is putting on hold nearly all of its office building projects as the company copes with a drop in sales.

 The Whole Business World Is Watching Microsoft (TheStreet.com)
<http://www.thestreet.com/tech/software/1261656.html>
There will be no reason for applause because Microsoft already bumped its projections down for the quarter in mid-December. The company blamed an overall decrease in information technology spending and sagging consumer personal computer sales for the shortfall. It was only the second time Microsoft lowered earnings expectations in its 14-year history as a public company.

 Analysts Warn On Microsoft Licensing  Changes (Silicon.com)
<http://www.silicon.com/public/door?REQUNIQ=979825210&6004REQEVENT=&REQINT1=42106&REQSTR1=newsnow>
Analysts have condemned Microsoft's decision to cancel all volume licensing deals, except for Windows 2000, in an attempt to speed adoption of the operating system.

 Economists: Depressed Microsoft Stock Costs Region Billions (Associated Press)
<http://www.oregonlive.com/newsflash/index.ssf?/cgi-free/getstory_ssf.cgi?o1354_BC_WA--Microsoft-Economy&&news&newsflash-oregon>
Microsoft workers, who led the region's economy to an enormous boom, are sobering up after their stock tumbled 60 percent over the past year.

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

 Sports Leagues' Nightmare: The Fan In The Stands (Content Exchange)
<http://www.content-exchange.com/cx/html/newsletter/2-17/sp2-17.htm>
Here's the scenario: Somewhere in the stands, lost among the hordes of screaming fans, a lone super-fan talks into a mobile phone, providing a mix of some game detail and a lot of highly opinionated commentary.

 Hotmail Spam Filters Block Outgoing E-Mail (CNET News.com)
<http://news.cnet.com/news/0-1005-201-4523924-0.html?tag=st.ne.1430735..sf>
Ben Johnson has been sending e-mail for months from his Hotmail account, but he just discovered that some of them were diverted to the trash before arriving at their destination.

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

 Sports Leagues' Nightmare: The Fan In The Stands (Content Exchange)
<http://www.content-exchange.com/cx/html/newsletter/2-17/sp2-17.htm>
Here's the scenario: Somewhere in the stands, lost among the hordes of screaming fans, a lone super-fan talks into a mobile phone, providing a mix of some game detail and a lot of highly opinionated commentary.

 Dot-Com Castoffs In Demand (San Francisco Chronicle)
<http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/2001/01/18/MNS183509.DTL&type=tech_article>
For all the failures, there has been a steady stream of winning companies, some dot-coms, but an even greater number of companies in all aspects of the high-tech industry.

 Call To Expand Napster (San Francisco Chronicle)
<http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/2001/01/18/BU99693.DTL&type=tech_article>
A San Francisco attorney is asking a judge to grant class-action status to up to 60,000 independent musicians whose work has been traded without consent by users of the popular Napster file-sharing program.

 Free-Speech Advocates Fight Filtering Software In Public Schools (New York Times)
<http://www.nytimes.com/2001/01/19/technology/19CYBERLAW.html>

 From The Internet Springs Life Eternal (Salon)
<http://www.salon.com/tech/feature/2001/01/19/net_culture/index.html>
Online dinosaurs never go extinct -- instead, they thrive, jostling with their descendants for our attention.

 AOL Names New Netscape resident (CNET News.com)
<http://news.cnet.com/news/0-1005-200-4521784.html?tag=st.ne.1430735..ni>
America Online announced Thursday that a five-year AOL veteran would replace Jim Martin as the new president of Netscape in one of its first major management changes since officially merging with Time Warner last week.

 Hotmail Spam Filters Block Outgoing E-Mail (CNET News.com)
<http://news.cnet.com/news/0-1005-201-4523924-0.html?tag=st.ne.1430735..sf>
Ben Johnson has been sending e-mail for months from his Hotmail account, but he just discovered that some of them were diverted to the trash before arriving at their destination.

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

 Has IBM Hijacked Linux? (vnunet.com)
<http://www.vnunet.com/News/1116627>
IBM is poised to gain a 'stranglehold' over the Linux community, Gartner warned today.

 VA Linux -- Easy Come, Easy Go (San Francisco Chronicle)
<http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/2001/01/18/BU175984.DTL&type=tech_article>
While VA Linux has become a poster child for the Silicon Valley downswing, its employees -- who view their company as part of a larger computing revolution -- are remarkably stoic. Despite their heavy dose of shock therapy, VA Linux employees seem to be holding up just fine.

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

 Has IBM Hijacked Linux? (vnunet.com)
<http://www.vnunet.com/News/1116627>
IBM is poised to gain a 'stranglehold' over the Linux community, Gartner warned today.

 The Future Of Linux (Linux Magazine)
<http://www.linux-mag.com/2000-11/future_01.html>
Linux right now is moving into a dizzying array of new places -- from watches to scientific cluster farms, to the everyday computer desktop, and while the industry seems to agree that it holds great potential, there remains a lot of work to be done before the penguin really does change the world.

 VA Linux -- Easy Come, Easy Go (San Francisco Chronicle)
<http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/2001/01/18/BU175984.DTL&type=tech_article>
While VA Linux has become a poster child for the Silicon Valley downswing, its employees -- who view their company as part of a larger computing revolution -- are remarkably stoic. Despite their heavy dose of shock therapy, VA Linux employees seem to be holding up just fine.

 Painting Linux Blue (TheDeal.com)
<http://www.thedeal.com/cgi-bin/gx.cgi/AppLogic+FTContentServer?pagename=FutureTense/Apps/Xcelerate/Render&c=TDDArticle&cid=TDD4DE2J3IC&preview=true>

 Liux Virus Infection Fears (BBC News)
<http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/sci/tech/newsid_1123000/1123827.stm>
Virus writers are starting to target web computers running the Linux operating system.

 Linux Contender Penguin Computing Names New CEO (CNET News.com)
<http://news.cnet.com/news/0-1003-200-4524740.html?tag=st.ne.1430735..ni>
Penguin Computing has hired a new, more experienced chief executive to try to grapple with its main competition, VA Linux Systems, and sagging investor enthusiasm for Linux.

 Linuxcare Follows Red Hat With Online Support Service (CNET News.com)
<http://news.cnet.com/news/0-1003-200-4525498.html?tag=st.ne.1430735..ni>
Linuxcare has released its long-awaited computer administration service, an effort that gives some competition to a similar offering from Red Hat.

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

 New President To Debut As A Man Of Few Words (Washington Post)
<http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A9665-2001Jan17.html>
President-elect Bush plans an inaugural address of 10 to 12 minutes, his aides said, one of the more succinct opening-day addresses in history and one that will mark the departure of one of the most loquacious of the modern presidents.

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

 Apple's Titanium Notebook, Others Come To Singapore (CNET Singapore)
<http://singapore.cnet.com/news/2001/01/18/20010118av.html>
A week after showing off its latest products at the Macworld Expo in San Francisco, Apple launched a few new additions to the Singapore market.

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

 PAP Lines Up At Least 3 More Potential Election Candidates (Channel NewsAsia)
<http://sg.dailynews.yahoo.com/headlines/singapore/cna/article.html?s=singapore/headlines/010119/singapore/cna/PAP_lines_up_at_least_3_more_potential_election_candidates.html>

 More Singaporeans Drive To Work (Channel NewsAsia)
<http://sg.dailynews.yahoo.com/headlines/singapore/cna/article.html?s=singapore/headlines/010119/singapore/cna/More_Singaporeans_drive_to_work.html>
Affluence has driven up the percentage of Singaporeans who travel by private car to work.

 Sexy Singapore? (Time)
<http://www.time.com/time/asia/asiabuzz/2001/01/16/>
Yes, Sammyboy is a porn site, aimed very directly at the country which arguably least tolerates porn: Singapore. Which is all very well except Official Singapore has yet to close it down.

 Power Supply Adjusts Tariffs (Business Times Singapore)
<http://business-times.asia1.com.sg/5/news/nsing03.html>
Power Supply noted that fuel prices climbed from August to November but retreated in December. However, the lower fuel prices are insufficient to offset the under-collection for the low-tension users.

 Night Clinics Won't Affect GPs: Minister (Straits Times)
<http://straitstimes.asia1.com.sg/primenews/story/0,1870,18290,00.html?>
Night polyclinics do not duplicate services provided by general practitioners and expenditure on this was 'resources well spent', contrary to the stand taken by the SMA in a position paper two weeks ago.

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

 Apple's Titanium Notebook, Others Come To Singapore (CNET Singapore)
<http://singapore.cnet.com/news/2001/01/18/20010118av.html>
A week after showing off its latest products at the Macworld Expo in San Francisco, Apple launched a few new additions to the Singapore market.

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

 Compass Rose To Close For Renovations (Business Times Singapore)
<http://business-times.asia1.com.sg/5/news/nsing08.html>
The Compass Rose, one of Singapore's most well-known restaurants, will be closed for six months from March 15 for major renovations.

 MediaWorks Bags Deals Worth $2m (Straits Times)
<http://straitstimes.asia1.com.sg/singapore/story/0,1870,18277,00.html?>
In a show of confidence in the fledgling station, several major clients have signed deals to advertise on MediaWorks' two channels, TV Works and Channel U.