Martin Russ takes stock of price drops, takeover rumours, and in some cases, the end of the line.
The usual Spring 'model replacement' bargain season is here. With the remarkable increases in processor clock speed, there are many sub‑200MHz machines at very affordable prices. This might be the time to make that final move from 68K to PowerPC — and with rumours about the imminent demise of the Performa line, I'm increasingly tempted by the 6400.
Correction
Statistics are dreadful things: too easy to misinterpret, and yet too influential to ignore. I fell into the trap in the March issue of Apple Notes, where I mentioned a well‑publicised figure for the number of Internet servers that are Macs. Reader Paul Findon emailed me from Japan to point out that the actual figure is probably closer to 36%, and that the number of people producing Web content using Macs is probably where the 62% figure comes from. I'm happy to set the record straight. Thanks, Paul.
As a result of exchanging email with Paul, I'm making a few changes to Apple Notes. Feedback does work — and I welcome email from SOS readers.
Operating Systems
After several months of a rather fluid strategy for their operating system, Apple seem to be firming up their approach. Rather than repeat all the technical detail that you might find in Mac‑specific magazines, I'm going to try to condense the information into the stuff that matters.
MacOS 7.6 is now here, and the long‑awaited MacOS 8 (albeit in a very different form) will be here late in the year. MacOS 8 apparently promises more of the 3D/rectilinear look that has gradually been appearing — the new Extensions Manager in 7.6 may be a preview. Late in 1997 or 1998, the 'Premier' release of Rhapsody will appear. 'Rhapsody' (a code‑name, not the real name) is the result of merging the Mac and NeXT operating systems, and is solely for PowerPCs; 68K Macs will continue along the MacOS path only.
Rhapsody includes two ways of joining the 'advanced Macintosh look and feel' user interface to the underlying microkernel OS and hardware: the Yellow Box and the Blue Box. The Yellow Box is based on OpenStep, the NeXT OS; the Blue Box is the MacOS compatibility box. The first release of Rhapsody will not have complete MacOS compatibility — this will appear in mid‑1998, when Allegro and the 'Unified' Rhapsody are released. Both Rhapsody and MacOS are due to continue in parallel.
The End Of The Line
MacOS 7.6 signals the end of the line for some Macintoshes, and some familiar bits of MacOS System software. Although I've mentioned before that MacOS 7.5 was likely to be the last operating system for some models, the details are only now emerging.
Although the latest MacOS Operating System supports the ageing 68030 (some Mac IIs) and 68040 (Quadras and Centrises) processors as well as the more recent PowerPC chips, some of the older models of Macintosh will not be able to run MacOS 7.6. Because of their processor, any Mac with a 68000, 68010 or 68020 is now stuck at MacOS 7.5: the Mac XL (Lisa); Mac 128K; Mac 512Ke; Mac Plus; Mac SE; Mac Portable; Mac Classic; PowerBook 100; Mac LC; Mac SE/30. The Mac IIx and Mac IIcx won't be able to run 7.6 even though they have 68030 processors, which is a pity, because the IIcx was one of the most expandable, compatible and popular of the Mac II series.
In the System Folder, AppleTalk (aka LocalTalk) is no longer an option. MacOS 7.6 now insists on using the more modern Open Transport networking software. This may be bad news for anyone who shares a printer using AppleTalk... And until a software fix comes along, the OpenDoc and LiveObjects componentware extensions won't work on 68030 or 68040‑based machines.
The final nail in the coffin is the memory requirement for MacOS 7.6 — at least 8Mb of RAM for itself, with an additional 8Mb of either RAM or virtual memory (hard disk). Since using your hard disk as virtual memory seriously degrades the performance of the computer, this effectively means that you need at least 16Mb of RAM memory, and probably more for good performance. Another interesting example of creeping expansion is the size of hard disk required: a typical installation of MacOS 7.6 will apparently use about 70Mb of hard disk space. And I can remember when a 40Mb drive was more than enough for a system and all your working files...
How It Works: Shortcuts
This month's topic is a reminder about some useful shortcuts. The prime consideration for inclusion here is that I can't remember how to do these, and I assume that I'm not the only one!
- OPTION KEY
Copying files from one disk to another, instead of merely moving them, requires the Option key to be held down before you click and drag.
To close all the windows on the Desktop, hold down the Option key, and then click in the 'go‑away' box at the top left‑hand corner of the window.
Forcing the Trash/Wastebasket to empty: hold down the Option key before going to the Special menu.
- SHIFT KEY
To turn off all your Extensions when the Mac starts up (useful for checking if an Extension is causing crashes), hold down the Shift key when the computer boots up.
To select (or deselect) more than one file at once, hold down the Shift key before clicking on them. Often, it is easier to drag‑select lots of files and then shift‑click to remove the ones that you don't want.
- COMMAND KEY
The Command key is the one with either an Apple logo, a four‑leaf clover symbol, or both on it.
To see the folder hierarchy for a window, hold down the Command key and click in the title bar of the window. A pop‑up menu will show the nested folders and allow you to navigate back up through them.
To rebuild the Desktop (this can cure some minor problems): hold down the Command and the Option keys when the computer boots up.
Apple News In Brief
- ASK THE ORACLE
It has been reported in the financial press that Oracle, champions of the Network Computer alternative to 'a PC on every desktop', have offered a billion dollars for Apple Computer. Now every other takeover rumour like this has so far come to nothing, but Oracle are one of the most powerful of the 'anti‑PC' companies. Also, Oracle, Sun and Apple are already partners in several alliances, and so with a failed Sun attempt to buy Apple last year... - GOODBYE TO...
The videoconferencing support built into QuickTime will continue, but Apple are discontinuing their own products that take advantage of this.
Quickdraw GX will not be used for printing in the future, although many of the features available in GX will be included in the Rhapsody OS.
After many years of background existence, AIX, Apple's own UNIX implementation, is finally to be dropped. This will probably only affect specialist and high‑end server users.
Apple are apparently planning to lay off about a third of their workforce, just over 4000 people. Second quarter results for 1997 are likely to reflect the costs of this, plus the purchase of NeXT, and some other contract cancellation charges and asset write‑offs.
On The Net
For lots of information about MacOS 7.6 and Rhapsody, a virtual visit to Apple's own web site is an excellent idea. The only downside is the number and size of the graphics images used — users of 14.4 and 28.8K modems should surf early on Sunday mornings!
Tip Of The Month
As a heavy mouse user, I've a piece of advice that I give often enough to count as a tip: replace your mouse and mouse mat regularly. I've seen people struggle on with a mouse that no amount of cleaning will fix, and a mouse mat that adds more fluff and dirt each time the mouse moves across it. Now is a good time to assess your essential rodent and take action!
Having used many different varieties (breeds?) of mice over the years, I've settled on the standard Apple Desktop Bus Mouse II. After a difficult time a couple of years ago when Apple ill‑advisedly tried to reduce the weight of the ball itself, all has been restored and it now offers the best compromise of price, performance and ease of use. The micro‑switch does need some initial playing in, rather like a guitar string, but after that it's fine. It's the mechanics of the ball movement that tend to die, not the microswitch, although with long‑term frantic clicking, the action does tend to become very light.
You can clean a mouse in two ways: via the rotating user access cover; or by disassembling the mouse itself. Although it's sometimes possible to remove quite a lot of the fluff and muck that accumulates on the rollers without opening the whole thing up, there's no substitute for really good access. Opening a Bus Mouse II requires you to find the small cross‑head self‑tapping screw (some models have two screws) which is concealed underneath the self‑adhesive plastic label near the head or front part of the mouse.
Mouse mats come basically in two varieties: with a fabric top and with a plastic top. Those with fabric tops have good grip, but they shed lint and are hard to clean; the fabric will eventually fray and unstick from the rubber, and you need to remember to throw them away when the grime becomes too bad. The plastic‑topped variety are easier to clean, but the sharp edges can annoy hands and they tend to suffer from accidental damage when something gets dropped onto them — the plastic deforms and is then almost unusable.
There is a third type which isn't usually commercially available, and it's actually a variation on the underlying rubber itself. Electronics engineers use a special type of rubber sheeting which has a built‑in conductive layer designed to prevent damage to chips from static electricity. The top surface of this sheeting is tough and rippled, rendering it extremely mouse‑hostile, but the bottom layer is a soft, dense vinyl foam which has a smooth surface which is ideal for a mouse to live on: split apart the special anti‑static sheeting and you can use just the lower foam layer upside‑down. It works perfectly with most mice, and is rugged and very hard‑wearing. But I've never seen a commercial mouse‑mat made using it!