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...a thinly disguised proposal for an instant messaging monopoly.

Right now there are lots of IM protocols floating around (AIM, MSN, ICQ, Jabber, etc). This is a good thing. Why? Because each service provides different options, allowing people to choose which client fits their needs. Competition creates better products.

Sure, you could ask each of the different developers to follow a universal protocol. This would ensure a marketplace in which each product succeeded or failed on the merits of its features. But you aren't gonna get MSN or AOL to abandon anything proprietary. Why? Because they don't stand to gain from such a move (you think people want to use bloated, ad-ridden software?).

Besides, this is somewhat of a moot point for those of us running OS X. Anyone who needs to juggle clients can use Proteus or Fire. I suspect such software exists for other platforms as well.

Apple laptops are effectively unusable for unix users.

I am a long-time Unix user. That means I need to have the Ctrl key to the left of the A key. This is a genuine need , not merely a want; it is based upon ergonomics. The Ctrl key is heavily used in unix, and it must be easily accessable. It cannot be off in the lower left corner of the keyboard where it is difficult to get at, and where it distorts the position of your left hand such that you can't easily type other keys while holding the Ctrl key down.

Apple desktop keyboards are now all USB. They are all OK. The CapsLock key can be re-mapped into a Ctrl key.

Unfortunately, even in this modern age, all Apple laptops have built-in ADB keyboards. The ADB keyboard is broken-by-design. It is, in general, not possible to remap the CapsLock key into a Ctrl key.

There are some exceptions, but they are horrible kludges. They are horrible kludges because the original design of the ADB keyboard was a horrible kludge. The correct solution would be for Apple to re-design their laptop motherboards to use built-in USB keyboards. This hasn't happened yet. If you run Linux, use Debian's solution. For Mac OS X users, uControl claims to work. There are no solutions (that I know of) for either NetBSD or OpenBSD. Please note once again that the "solutions" above are in fact kludges, because of the original bad design of the ADB keyboard.

Apple is (currently) ignoring Unix users! This is not merely speculation on my part. In an on-going email exchange I am having with an Apple employee (whom I won't name) in their marketing department, the Apple marketing person directly stated to me that Apple was catering to their historic Mac customers, and is purposely ignoring the Unix market. He also claimed that Apple would soon start paying more attention to the Unix market. I won't hold my breath. Apple has been ignoring Unix users for more than 10 years. I expect that trend to continue. (Also note that my Apple contact indicated that Macs would never ship with a 3-button mouse, even though Apple intended to port almost all X-window software and deliver it either on a CD/DVD or installed directly on each Mac's hard drive. How Unix friendly is a 1-button mouse with X programs that often require 3 buttons?)

Apple has now lost two opportunities to sell me hardware. I really wanted an Apple laptop for their superior battery life, and for the PowerPC with Altivec CPU. (The Altivec is vastly superior to the x86 line for DSP.) Because I can't live with the broken-by-design built-in ADB keyboard in all Apple laptops, Sony and IBM sold me laptops instead. If Apple fixes this problem, they will sell me a PowerBook next year; if they don't, I'll still be running OpenBSD on x86 hardware, and wishing I could use a Mac.

Apple Laptop Hardware Managers: I'm not the only unix user out here. Are you listening?

I'm just trying to make everyone's life a little easier by saving a couple of clicks... ;-)

Both VideoLan Client and the MPlayer OSX port will let you play DivX files under OSX without having to doctor the file first. Sound works too!

Here's an example of the versatility offered by the Powerbook/iBook/OS X combination. I can run my shell scripts, PHP and Perl while retaining a GREAT UI and use my favorite editor, BBedit. I can graphically monitor my remote Unix systems and database server WITH X11 forwarding (I have XDarwin and Gnome running alongside the Aqua UI). And, I've added virtual desktops to the Aqua desktop. It's a good development platform.

http://ems.music.uiuc.edu/p/pics//screen2.png

How easy is it to remap keys in Mac OS X?
...
I'm not looking for any huge modifications, but I will not buy a laptop if I cannot have the caps lock button act as control...

I've been trying like hell this weekend to get some of my divx files to play on my new iBook. By and large the most prevalent problem is seeing a correctly timed video stream, but having the audio cut off a few seconds in. I think this is because the audio stream is encoded using veriable bit rate MP3, which QT can't handle. The best solution I've found is to run the divx files through DivX Doctor (available at VersionTracker) and using the 3ivx codec (also available at VersionTracker) to play them. You can set up DivX doctor to be the default application for running, say, .divx or .avi files and have it automatically play them in QuickTime when it's done doing it's magic. Works pretty well, other than the 30 second processing time up front.

Looks like M$ is trying to weed out the pirated copies of Office X by killing all known pirated serial numbers when you install this update. Either that or there are some serious bugs with the installer. See some complaints here.

Sure, it's called Versiontracker Pro. This will keep track of all your updates for you, but you have to pay. The logistics of Apple keeping track of updates for every single program out there for OS X would be a Good Thing to Have (tm), but the logistics of storing every single update for every single app would be overwhelming. We're talking a hugely bigly massive pipe and a few terabytes of storage here, all for a free service. You thing OS X is expensive now? Add in your piece of the updater cost pie.

Be sure you leave the installed .app in the Applications folder. I tried to move it to a subfolder and File > Export stopped working!

Creating web-ready collections for your website is an absolute joy with BetterHTMLExport 1.6.

My only remaining gripe about iPhoto is that its so damn slow. I was hoping they'd iron out that 'implementing the mouse click you made 20 seconds ago' problem.

The Dock is just another application in OS X. A search at VersionTracker shows four pages of results for "Dock". A half dozen of those items are replacement docks, most of the rest are "docklings" (little apps that display in the Dock and do things like show CPU activity or allow settings to be changed - neat stuff). So it's replaceable, or it can be turned off. I have mine on the right side of the screen, autohiding and pretty small. it doesn't get in the way over there and it's pretty useful.

MacOS X is superior in every way

Until OS X has a tool comparable to FinderPop , it is not strictly superior to OS 9. It's that simple.

p.s. Navigation in the OS X file dialog is freaking miserable. What are the keyboard shortcuts? AFAICT, any key other than Tab or Return is linked to the command "jump to random location that the user doesn't want".

Actually, I'd use an applescript or a utility such as A Better Finder Rename. The lack of a command line does not mean the lack of scripting tools for repetitive tasks.

While you're talking about doing that and figuring out graphics for installers, I have got...

ten thousand copies of the GPL onto Macintoshes with my CD mastering program, Mastering Tools

Three hundred and seventy copies of the GPL onto an entirely different set of Macintoshes with Filmpaper, a new program I just put out a couple days ago, for screenwriting.

Both of these are seriously hardcore programs aimed at markets that are jammed with software so proprietary that in some cases it uses dongles and key disks. Both pro audio and professional screenwriting are full of relentlessly un-free, user-hostile software- some of the best apps in terms of performance have some of the worst copy-protection. Every copy of one of my programs that goes into such a market goes with source, 'COPYING' and a glimpse of another world- a world where you aren't jerked around by 'godlike software developers' but are allowed to take matters into your own hands if you need to, a world where you could take an active instead of a passive role with the software you use- not to mention a world where your software won't expire, annoy or selfdestruct.

It's pretty funny, actually, when you think about it- lots of Linux open source coders, deities at kernel hacking and C++ multiple inheritance, capable of coding back-end that REALLY WORKS, sitting around trying to figure out why GFX tweaks aren't loving The GIMP or why Windows consumers aren't rushing to grab ISO images of Linux for free. It's simple- DO WHAT YOU LOVE. And if all you love is heavy-duty code-monkeying, do back-end coding. But if you want free software to really build up steam, get passionate about something other than coding and apply your coding skills to it.

The important thing is to have the ONE BEST PROGRAM in any given situation be a Free Software program. I have done this in part with my CD mastering software- the area where it beats anything else out there is output sound quality, so far I can't get other aspects up to professional quality (like workflow, realtime audio and response to control adjusting). Someday I'll have that stuff together too.

You will never, never get to be the 'new Photoshop' by targetting the 'masses'. Ever. Not happening. Forget it. Guy Kawasaki had it figured out back when he was getting the Mac started- you target the TWEAKS. Do everything to target the uber-tweak heavy hitters, the early adopters, the influencers. If you are writing an OSS 'Pro Tools', talk to people in LA and Nashville- better still, BE one of the people in LA and Nashville, and code what YOU need, only then will you get it right. You have to be coding what you personally will need to put hours of use on.

We gotta find more reinassance-geeks. Biotech, robotics- I have sound engineering pretty well covered, but don't use a DAW- if you're writing a spreadsheet it had better be because YOU need to make heavy, heavy use of a spreadsheet, not because 'people in offices use these!'

This pep talk has been brought to you by Chris Johnson, who's placed over 10,000 copies of the GPL on computers where it had never been seen. He's going to continue doing this whatever you do- but if you want to show some freaking support, don't be paying for the SOFTWARE, instead go look into some of the stuff Chris cares about a lot, like his music... be totally unlike most people and buy a CD while you're at it, or just download + rate tunes left and right. Or please yourself- but that would be a BIG help

While you're talking about doing that and figuring out graphics for installers, I have got...

ten thousand copies of the GPL onto Macintoshes with my CD mastering program, Mastering Tools

Three hundred and seventy copies of the GPL onto an entirely different set of Macintoshes with Filmpaper, a new program I just put out a couple days ago, for screenwriting.

Both of these are seriously hardcore programs aimed at markets that are jammed with software so proprietary that in some cases it uses dongles and key disks. Both pro audio and professional screenwriting are full of relentlessly un-free, user-hostile software- some of the best apps in terms of performance have some of the worst copy-protection. Every copy of one of my programs that goes into such a market goes with source, 'COPYING' and a glimpse of another world- a world where you aren't jerked around by 'godlike software developers' but are allowed to take matters into your own hands if you need to, a world where you could take an active instead of a passive role with the software you use- not to mention a world where your software won't expire, annoy or selfdestruct.

It's pretty funny, actually, when you think about it- lots of Linux open source coders, deities at kernel hacking and C++ multiple inheritance, capable of coding back-end that REALLY WORKS, sitting around trying to figure out why GFX tweaks aren't loving The GIMP or why Windows consumers aren't rushing to grab ISO images of Linux for free. It's simple- DO WHAT YOU LOVE. And if all you love is heavy-duty code-monkeying, do back-end coding. But if you want free software to really build up steam, get passionate about something other than coding and apply your coding skills to it.

The important thing is to have the ONE BEST PROGRAM in any given situation be a Free Software program. I have done this in part with my CD mastering software- the area where it beats anything else out there is output sound quality, so far I can't get other aspects up to professional quality (like workflow, realtime audio and response to control adjusting). Someday I'll have that stuff together too.

You will never, never get to be the 'new Photoshop' by targetting the 'masses'. Ever. Not happening. Forget it. Guy Kawasaki had it figured out back when he was getting the Mac started- you target the TWEAKS. Do everything to target the uber-tweak heavy hitters, the early adopters, the influencers. If you are writing an OSS 'Pro Tools', talk to people in LA and Nashville- better still, BE one of the people in LA and Nashville, and code what YOU need, only then will you get it right. You have to be coding what you personally will need to put hours of use on.

We gotta find more reinassance-geeks. Biotech, robotics- I have sound engineering pretty well covered, but don't use a DAW- if you're writing a spreadsheet it had better be because YOU need to make heavy, heavy use of a spreadsheet, not because 'people in offices use these!'

This pep talk has been brought to you by Chris Johnson, who's placed over 10,000 copies of the GPL on computers where it had never been seen. He's going to continue doing this whatever you do- but if you want to show some freaking support, don't be paying for the SOFTWARE, instead go look into some of the stuff Chris cares about a lot, like his music... be totally unlike most people and buy a CD while you're at it, or just download + rate tunes left and right. Or please yourself- but that would be a BIG help

In the last few weeks, my hosting co's ftp software has been randomly giving me errors that suggest it doesn't know how to list a directory, put or get a file. Not that I need any of those features anyway, so I did some research and ended up installing ncftp (Mac OS X installer pkg). I realize ncftp's not a new program, but I am amazed.

It has everything I've ever wanted in an FTP client: speed, easy-to-use "bookmarks" (no more dumping passwords into clear .netrc files or entrusting them to Apple's security-hole-prone Keychain), status reports on transfers, and I can even use wildcards to up/download a whole mess of files at once without having to sift through ftp's man pages. Everything works intuitively, and I suspect there is much more I will discover just by using the tool.

I guess that's what a great UI is -- one that you can use and learn without having to RTFM.

(Before you reply in defense of the RTFM concept, I agree that there are types of software that should not be used until one has RTFM, but it doesn't hurt to give the FM a great UI.)

Recently, I'd been having some performance issues with Mac OS X on my titanium Powerbook 500. (256 meg of ram on 10.1.4)

The problem was that EVERYTHING gave me spinning beach ball. File operations, minimizing Finder windows, you name it...Even scrolling in MOzilla and IE were affected. Then I read on MacAddict that OS X needs to be left running all night so that various "cleanup" tasks can run.

Anybody who has OS X should consider leaving there machine up all night so these run... It will resolve a great many problems that you're having, and allow us to go back to bashing MS and Oracle instead of Apple...

Unix people familiar with cron should have no problem with editing the cleanups to run at a more reasonable hour than 3am, 4am, and 5am (like one when your machine will be running)... (I think the file to edit is /var/run/cron.pid, but don't quote me...)

Alternately, if you're a regular mac user and don't feel like mucking about with the terminal, hit Version Tracker and pick up MacJanitor. It's a friendly GUI that lets to schedule your daily, weekly, and monthly jobs, or trip them manually on demand.

Since I'd used the machine, it had never been awake all night (I close the lid when I go to bed, usually before 3am...) so cron had never done anything to optimize my machine.

Now? All better. Faster than I remember 10.1.1 being...

Those who do, replace IE (a plenty viable browser for causual surfing) with the speed demon known as Chimera.

One of these products should probably help. And most are freeware too...

Minesweeper games - Your choice (cue awwws): Mega Minesweeper.

Minesweeper games - Your choice (cue awwws): Mega Minesweeper.

Minesweeper games - Your choice (cue awwws): Mega Minesweeper.

Minesweeper games - Your choice (cue awwws): Mega Minesweeper.

You can't download IE for OS X at Apple's website, however you can use the application Pacifist. It can open an extract files from .pgk's.

It's documents explain how to extract single files from the OS X CD. Just grab IE, put it into /Applications, and then run Software Update to get the update.

Along these lines, it would also be nice to have an easier way to start gui apps as an admin - sort of a graphical sudo. Of course I can do something like sudo open /path/to/Finder.app or whatever but it's a pain.

There is indeed such a graphical application that will allow you to start an application with root privs. It's called Pseudo.

No, it's not like you insulted my mother, it's
more like ya pissed in my cheerios. =)

I use the tools that are right for the job as well.
Fortunately, for a good chunk of the stuff I do,
those tools have mostly been Macs. Don't get me
wrong, Macs aren't all I use either, I've got
multiple 'doze and *nix boxen sitting in my
apartment raising the ambient temperature and
serving all sorts of functions, from firewalls to
test environments.

As far as animated menus and anti-aliased text are
concerned I've long since killed all of that stuff.
Version Tracker's got a bunch of third
party stuff to reduce the glossy overhead.

Lastly, Maya on the dual GHz is pretty snappy, I
do have problems running it on the TiBook though,
so you do have a point there.

1. Installed the new palm desktop into my TitG4 just fine. hooray.
2. Went to synch my palmVx, previously only backed up via PalmCopy - thankyou palmCopy. Started the HotSynch and it found my Palm via IR and recognsied me as user. So far this is better than the beta.
3. I went off to make some tea, came back at distress sound from my palm. The synch connection broke while trying to install some new OS upgrade.
4. annoyed, I surfed about on /. and Mac/ to see if others had experienced the same probs. they had and advocated trashing the OS3.5.3 folder from the OS updates folder.
5. I moved the offending system update and tried my synch again. No luck, the synch jammed up on trying to identify the user.
6. so, having experienced this before with the beta I logged out and in again, then performed a synch. - voila, it worked and for the first time in almost a year the contact list on my mac is in synch with my palm - now if only I could simpyl synch palm desktop, address.app, ipod and palmVx in one go...
7. not content, I updated some of the contact info via palm desktop and then went to resynch. - no luck as now it can't identify the user.
8. so once again logged out, logged in and tried to resynch. same result - can't identify the user.
9. so full reboot - try again - no luck.
10. fiddle about, reboot, try again - no luck.
11. give up in disgust and look for someone at palm to flame - no luck. the last person i spoke to at palm emphaticalyl told me that th emac was not supported and certainly not hotsynching via IR - idiots

• Here's what I want.
• To synch my palm with my address books and ipod
• A freeware OS independent shared calendar that works like an instant messenger that I can synch my palm with.
• shared to-do lists
• Oh hell, I want my Newton back

dave

• A search for microsoft security on versiontracker.com yields such results as: Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.01 Incorrect VBScript Handling Can Allow Web Pages to Read Local Files Q318089
• Microsoft REALLY has not been famous for code security. I'm sure some would debate that with me, but I would rather not get into that /too much/.
• If Microsoft consistently develops insecure programs with major security holes, why should we trust them to develop a very secure application framework?
• There is already one documented virus for the .NET framework. I believe it's documented on their virus alerts page.

• A search for microsoft security on versiontracker.com yields such results as: Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.01 Incorrect VBScript Handling Can Allow Web Pages to Read Local Files Q318089
• Microsoft REALLY has not been famous for code security. I'm sure some would debate that with me, but I would rather not get into that /too much/.
• If Microsoft consistently develops insecure programs with major security holes, why should we trust them to develop a very secure application framework?
• There is already one documented virus for the .NET framework. I believe it's documented on their virus alerts page.

"I never said you need TinkerTool to see file extensions..."

So, let me get this straight; you mentioned TinkerTool, totally unrelatedly, to make people think you had heaps of OS X experience? Bravo, genius. I have friends that were using TT after owning a Mac for 4 hours. For the record, it's no elite secret guru tool.

"just like you thought I didn't have or know (i could) how to turn on file extensions..."

Perhaps if your writing didn't portray you as an idiot, people wouldn't treat you that way?

"hey I even have a nice toolbar that I set up the way I want..."

Woah dude, your skills just keep sounding better and better! Do you mean you've found the legendary VersionTracker? Wow, I thought a site full of applications and utilities to make Mac OS X do extra things was nothing more then an absurd liberal myth.

"after all you just might learn something..."

The only thing you're teaching is how to use too many full stops in one post.

"I am more than willing to bet I have used OS X far longer than you... heck I go back to the Server X 1.0 days..."

/me glances at his NeXT Cube, then at you, then back at his NeXT Cube.

Whatever dude, whatever you want to think. There are people out there with more experience with you, just remember that.

As for your .sig

"Linux users are usually confused; they adopt Linux because it's popular "and cool" and hide their ignorance."

Ignorance hides best behind knowledge. You lack knowledge, and try hiding behind poorly written drivel instead.

I personally have not used a Linux system for well over a year, but I find your .sig to describe yourself more then the Linux admins I know.

Next time you feel like insulting people, try getting out in the real world sometime. Oh, and brushing up on your writing skills wouldn't be the worst thing you could do either.

Er, sorry? By that logic the number of Linux apps beats any OS out there by miles because any Windows app can be run under Wine (not true of course).

Wine is a pain to get working too. By this path you could say that OSX is more compatible since VirtualPC runs a lot more Windows apps than Wine does (albeit probably slower).

To run a Linux app under OS X you must be a guru at recompiling (unless it's been prepackaged: not very frequent), which very few OS X users are, basically only those that migrated from Linux.

First off, I often find I have to compile things I download for Linux as well. Second, with Fink, downloading and installing is as easy as fink install [package]. I did this on my iBook yesterday with GnuPG and it works flawlessly.

You must invariably be running an X Server. I have tried XDarwin at my Mac-lover friends house, and it'd scare the living daylights out of most Mac users. Sure, it has an installer program, but when you run it what pops up? TWM with three xterms. Most Mac users won't want to place XDarwin (which is huge) onto their systems, and keep it running in the background just to run a Linux app.
...
Linux apps don't have the Aqua look, and there are large numbers of OS X users out there who were 'inspired' shall we say by its looks. You give them a GTK+ or Qt app and they'll puke.


With OroborOSX, you can run X11 apps that look like native aqua apps. It's a very nice package that is easy to use and can be launched with a simple double-click. I agree that the bloat of X11 is never desirable, but Linux has it as well.

Now don't get me wrong, I like OS X. But saying it has more apps than Linux or Windows is ridiculous. Actually you often can't even count Classic apps either, I know that the fact that you had to run Photoshop in classic has held back widespread OS X adoption by old-skool mac users for a long time, and my friend hates running Classic apps, would often rather wait until it's been ported in fact

Well, you can count or not count whatever you want. The fact is that OSX has most of the apps on Linux, plus many of the apps on Windows, plus thousands of native MacOS X apps. For people who need Classic, it is fast and quite stable. The important thing is that OSX has all the apps that 95% of the world would ever need if they bothered to look. Everything from MS Office to a dozen email apps, best-of-class web browsers, great development environments and tools, a fast Java runtime, and tons of fun games are on the Mac (lots of stuff businesses need that they can't get for Linux). One of these days I am going to put Windows back on my Linux box, because with OSX on my G4 and my iBook I don't ever use Linux anymore for UNIX stuff.

1. Mouse Buttons: Apple is never going to make a multi-button mouse. Thousands of usability studies have demonstrated that the new user (a large part of Apple's target market) is confused by a second button! If you want a two button mouse, there are hundreds of USB mice, for really cheap. Which brings me to my next point:

2. Price! I don't believe how many people bitch and moan about how expensive the Mac is, and how they would only buy one if it wasn't so damn expensive. Do you listen to yourselves? Its like bitching about how expensive Lexus or BMW are. Apple is the BMW of the computer world. People are happy to pay a premium for quality! If you can only afford a piece of shit Ford Focus, of course you're not going to get a fully loaded luxury car! Duh!! And if you are part of the 2% of the population that builds your own computer, Apple doesn't give a rats ass about you. You will never be happy with a pre-built box, and you're too small of a market.

3. Boxen: Apple will never license the Mac OS again. They tried it once, and the only thing it accomplished was to cannabalize Mac Hardware Sales. Repeat after me: Apple makes its money from hardware. Everything else (including OS X) is just bonus features to sell more hardware! With a business model like that, it would be totally idiotic to let anyone clone your hardware, or port your OS to x86. If Steve Jobs ever tried this, as a shareholder, I would personally have his head in a guillotine. (More beheadings at shareholders meetings, I always say). It will never happen again. The only reason they licensed the OS in the 90s was because they didn't have the balls to stand up to the bitching and moaning of morons who don't get it! And finally:

4. Applications There are almost 20,000 Mac Apps listed here, and thousands more (including very high quality shareware and freeware here. How many application do you fucking need people? How many can you run at once? What task do you need to do that cannot be done on a Mac?

I think that people who use these excuses are covering for their bigotry. If you hate Macs, grow some balls and just come out and say it! Stop making up bullshit excuses, pretending that you would buy a Mac, if only they were cheaper, and came with a two button mouse. Bullshit. You probably have a deep seated fear of change, and maybe other psychological issues. Come to think of it, if you are a Mac Bigot, you better go see a shrink, because you are pretty fucked up. Nobody in their right mind would buy anything else.

Don't fret, you can go to Versiontracker.com and search for Samba, there are some browsers.

apple+shift+0, 1, or 3: apple+shift+number pad are all available on the right side of the keyboard.
apple+e: Use "eject" key on right side of Apple Pro keyboard to eject selected disks. Use "F12" to eject all removeable media.
apple+z, c, v, x, and a: available by right(control)-clicking in most applications.
apple+y: not used in OS X

These next few could be difficult to do with the right hand instead of the mouse-
apple+option+escape: in apple menu.
apple+w: click the red close button in a window. Close all by holding option while doing this.

Check the OS X page of VersionTracker. It's second on the list.

To reply to my own original post:

I did some research, and it turns out Apple implimented the contact feature much better than anyone else has previously. The other poster was correct to say that it now runs off of vCards. Very cool.

Also, to reply to what someone else said. The new iPods (and all the old ones updated by the new iPod firmware) can indeed support Ogg Vorbis. Very cool!

And everyone developing plug-ins for iPhoto, it will just add to the functionality.

And here's a good article on digital photo goodies for Mac OS X.

I'd be interested to know whether or not it will run Mac OS X. On one hand, Apple built into their operating system a list of computers that it can run on. They did this so non-G3 users wouldn't try to do an install.

On the other hand, there are several utilities available that override Apple's settings. I've personally used one to get OS X running on my Power Mac 7300. One such utility is XPostFact, http://www.versiontracker.com/moreinfo.fcgi?id=111 68&db=mac. Although it's not the one I used, you can see that as an example.

Does anybody with more knowledge than me have any insight?

There is an excellent Java-plugin for Netscape/Fizilla for OS X. I use it with Mozilla 0.9.9 for OS X and it works great !

You can download it here at VersionTracker.com.

There is an excellent Java-plugin for Netscape/Fizilla for OS X. I use it with Mozilla 0.9.9 for OS X and it works great !

You can download it here at VersionTracker.com.

And *BSD is dying, right?

If you wanna find out how much of a troll this is, check here.

As others have pointed out there are a number of VNC options for OS X.

• Macfixit
• AFP548
• Maccentral
• MacNN
• MacMinute
• As The Apple Turns
• MOSR
• Mac OS X Hints
• Versiontracker
• MacSlash

I have to say that I'm very disappointed in MacPerl.

MacPerl was the first tool I used to write MacOS (<10) apps, and I used it a lot to build applications written in Perl that used native Mac widgets/dialogs and did lots of cool regexp stuff (IMHO, always the biggest reason for using Perl) that would have been much slower to develop with other languages. I've been a longtime BSD user, and MacPerl was a fantastic tool under MacOS 8-9.

However - and please PLEASE development folks forgive me if I'm wrong or mischaracterizing this - as I followed the MacPerl mailing list and more and more people asked about OS X, the answer seemed to be, "that would be a huge amount of work, we're not using it, and that's just not something we're prepared to do."

That's certainly fair - I can't complain since I haven't contributed any work towards porting MacPerl to OS X. I don't know C++ and I'm not a good enought programmer to pick up Objective C quickly, which is both the reason I haven't worked on Carbonizing MacPerl or porting a version to Cocoa, as well as much of why I was using MacPerl in the first place. BUT it unfortunately removes my primary reason for using MacPerl, which was creating native apps using Perl. Of course, I can still create command-line-based apps using the standard *nix Perl that is part of MacOS X. But I can no longer use it to create native apps (to OS X; I no longer automatically launch the Classic environment, since I have the Photoshop 7 beta and the only Classic apps I use anymore are older games), which was my main reason for using MacPerl.

Again, I have no real right to complain, since I haven't done any work to fix this. But I really do wish that MacPerl's maintainers had been "on board" about migrating to the MacOS's best hope for catching up and beating the alternatives, OS X. Right now, the only alternative is OSXMacPerl 0.2, a Perl module that implements some of its important features (like DoAppleScript) but leaves out most of MacPerl's abilities to create real native Mac apps with native widgets, dialogs, etc.

I love the Mac, but I'm firmly convinced that the future is OS X, and thinking otherwise (there will be plenty of pre-OS X Macs around for a long time, but I'm talking about what we must do to advance and evolve) is just hiding your head in the sand. I'm just hoping that at some point either the current MacPerl developers (or a new group of developers) come in with enough interest to make MacPerl native to OS X. I'll still use Perl, and I'll still use Mac OS X; but it would be so nice to see them really merged, the way that MacPerl once did.

However, my new employer uses mostly Macs with OS 9 (many of our apps don't work in OS X classic mode). I've found that if you're actually using Mac OS and you slap a nice 4 button USB mouse on there, the extra mouse buttons really don't do you much good, since the OS is more-or-less designed for only one button. Hence, there isn't anything for the extra buttons to do.

However, my new employer uses mostly Macs with OS 9 (many of our apps don't work in OS X classic mode). I've found that if you're actually using Mac OS and you slap a nice 4 button USB mouse on there, the extra mouse buttons really don't do you much good, since the OS is more-or-less designed for only one button. Hence, there isn't anything for the extra buttons to do.

Their site: http://www.hamrick.com/vsm.html

If you're unsure, read the 662 user comments at VersionTracker before installing.

versiontracker, learn it, love it.

The dot thing is annoying. Make sure you contact apple and let them know.

Skeleton Key will let you run things as root. It's not perfect, but it works.

Use the 'open' command in Terminal to open something in the GUI.

You've got to remember, this is a very young operating system. It's only going to get better.

There's an incredibly fast Sherlock replacement called Locator (freeware) which puts a GUI on the OS X locate database. Searches in Locator take all of a second or two. Plus no channels, no big GUI overhead, just hella fast searches. Plus if you use a program called Keyboard Maestro in it's free form you can reassign Command+F to point to Locator instead of Sherlock. Speed speed speed!