I realized after I read through the whole link that you had already
covered it.
One thing I have noticed with 10.2 in general is that repairing disk
permissions is vital after every software update - I have had all kinds
of mysterious AirPort & application issues disappear just as
mysteriously after repairing disk permissions, so much so that I run it
after every software install and software update now.
Sounds tedious, but it doesn't take too long, and it can run in the
background.
Optimizing the hard drive is probably a good plan; I'm sure you've
heard all the warnings about Norton & OS X in terms of drive
optimization.
I haven't had the time to optimize the hard drive yet. I'd planned
on using Norton Speed Disk, which has special settings for OS X
and mixed OS volumes. I hadn't heard of any problems with Speed Disk
and X.
And I agree that repairing disk permissions seems to be a crucial step
after OS updates these days. Apple should address that. Macs have
always been about ease of use.
Note, if you want the functionality of .Mac and don't want to spend
$100, you might keep your eyes open for sales on it. Apple was selling
it for $69 earlier this year. I too would like to see the cost of .Mac
stay closer to $50/year than $100. I also think the real problem we are
talking about is secrecy. Apple tries to keep things under wraps too
much some times to protect sales of their hardware, but there is no
reason to do this with their software. Everyone knows that 10.3 will
ship between July and September, but nobody knows how much it will
cost. If they don't want to hurt 10.2 sales, they can announce that it
will be free, announce a free upgrade period, or offer discounts to
people who purchase 10.2. Hell, they could even offer a subscription
service tied to .Mac (I'd pay my $100+/year happily, or $250 for the
household (with 2 .mac accounts + $50/ additional up to 5).
My guess is that more sales are lost, because people wait for
announcements to purchase ether the next great thing (at a price that
will stay for 6+ months) or they purchase the product that just dropped
$1000 because of the next great thing. Apple has to lower bar for
buyers remorse. Losing $1000 in value in 6-9 months is bad enough, but
that is just the industry. Losing $1000 in a month because Apple
doesn't want to hurt sales, probably has the opposite affect.
I'll have to keep my eyes open for .mac bargains. Since I use it
almost exclusively for email, I can only justify $49 for the first year
on the assumption that Apple is catching most of my spam for me. That
seems to be the case, and by saving my 5-10 minutes per day deleting
spam, it provides a decent return on the investment.
We'll probably have to wait until September to learn the fee structure
for Panther. I would prefer to pay a single annual fee for .mac and OS
upgrades, too.
Well Disk Warrior fixes the directory plain and simple. And that
usually is the only fix someone needs in the case of a ? disk. I have
more than enough evidence to say that Norton though creates many of
those flashing ? disk cases in the first place. And for people without
a backup that can even be more traumatic.
Fixing individual files can be all very well and nice, assuming it
didn't accidentally wipe out the directory, too. It is better to
recover from backup, delete preference files that go bad, and run Disk
Warrior than risk my disk on Norton.
I wasn't talking about using Norton to repair a damaged file, only
using it to discover the damaged file so I'd know which one(s) to
replace. The versions of Disk Warrior and TechTool I've used so far
can't do that.
Norton remains a useful tool, but after my bad experience, it's my tool
of last resort. If nothing else has discovered the source of the
problem, then I'll take my chances with Norton.
I'm someone who has only switched because of OS X. I only have a
previous version of Mac OS because I needed it to install OS X on
my Sonnet G3 card.
Some comments...
1. "Linux is . . . the only cross-platform OS going
today".
Not so. BSD is not only available on at least as many platforms as
Linux, it's also the biggest selling cross-platform OS on the market
today - thanks to Mac OS X. It's also the only version of Unix
sold by Microsoft (Interix, part of Windows Services for Unix, seems to
be pretty much a port of OpenBSD to run on top of the NT kernel).
2. "Microsoft . . . only dings you every two years"
This is a fair cop. Microsoft provides service pack upgrades that
let you run newer software on older versions of Windows. The upgrade
treadmill works the other way: If you upgrade [the OS], you find you
need to upgrade Office, and then you have to upgrade all the other
versions of Office in the building.
Apple needs to either provide a less expensive upgrade path for
OS X or service packs.
One other problem - you don't need to chain installs to get your new
version of Windows installed. You only need to switch CDs during the
install to demonstrate you have the older CD.
Apple really needs to do everything they can to get people off the
hoary old Mac OS onto Mac OS X. Like I said, if it wasn't for Mac
OS X, I wouldn't be using a Mac now. The old System just feels so
klunky for someone used to Unix and Amiga....
3. I don't see Apple giving up control by porting Mac OS X to
an Intel platform. With the Open Source Darwin as a base, it wouldn't
take an enterprising programmer that long to come up with a way to boot
Mac OS X on commodity Wintel platforms, the way OWC managed to get
it running on my 7600.
OS X 10.1 CD+License from OWC: $30
Okay, $155 is more than $130, but you get a heck of a lot more for
your money. No, it's not Jaguar, but it's miles beyond 9.1.
My second Mac is a 7200/120, which is pretty good for
a 7200, but it's completely OS X-incapable. I wish I had too put up
with a 7300/200 (or, I should say, a 7300/400-to-be).
The classic Mac OS may feel klunky for someone used to Unix or
Amiga, but to those who have worked with Macs for 5, 10, or 15 years,
it's a comfortable old shoe. It's far from perfect, but it's pretty
stable, pretty fast, and very familiar to millions of Mac users.
Mac OS X may feel slow and look full of "eye candy" to longtime Mac
users, but it's remarkably stable (one kernel panic here - during an OS
upgrade) and creates new types of efficiencies (faster waking from
sleep, less need to reboot and wait for that, etc.).
I don't see Apple porting to Wintel hardware, but I wouldn't rule out
OS X running on Itanium or AMD's x64 processors. No, it wouldn't
be able to run current Mac software, but it could become the leading
*nix for those new hardware platforms. Vendors could decide which
OS X apps were worth porting to the new CPUs. If Apple were to do
this, I suspect we'd eventually see OS X versions of software
designed to install on different types of hardware.
I have to agree with you on the value of G3 upgrades. We have three
SuperMacs in the house with G3 upgrades. They range from 250 MHz to 400
MHz. I'm hoping to try an unsupported installation of OS X on the
one I use for network backup, since that will allow me to RAID two
FireWire drives together and create a huge backup set.
Still, although I'm sold on OS X, not everyone has the hardware for it,
nor would every Mac user profit by upgrading until there's a compelling
reason (usually a program, sometimes just the need for an up-to-date
computer) to do so.
PowerBook Screen Problems
After reading How to Survive While
Your Mac Is Gone for Repair, Charles Eicher comments:
I think I have the same problem as you. I call this problem "the
Pink Screen of Death" because the darkened areas have a pink tinge. You
might not see the pink, but I'm a color retoucher, so I'm really
picky.
My understanding is that it's a problem with the ribbon cables that
carry power to the LCD: They get crimped and don't conduct electricity
properly. My suspicion is that some assembly line workers torqued down
on some internal screws a bit more than required and a whole slew of
Pismos went out with
damaged ribbon cable yokes.
The problem is where the flat cable goes through the hinge, and to
fix it you need to disassemble the hinge and clutch and replace the
flat cable. I hear it's a real bitch to repair, even though the parts
aren't too expensive. But I've heard a lot of different things about
this problem.
I think there was some discussion of uneven screen brightness on
Pismo PowerBooks somewhere like MacInTouch, I started developing this
problem on my Pismo about 1 month past the 1 year warranty, so I got
screwed.
The latest info I have is that Apple does a flat-rate fix-anything
deal on Pismos for about $350, but there are some limitations. I was
told major parts, like a new LCD, aren't covered in the flat rate (call
800-SOS-APPL for the details). Both my batteries (main and internal
clock bat) are dead, so if I need to buy $200 of batteries on top of a
$350 repair, I don't think it's worth sinking that money into a G3/500.
What do you think?
I've never noticed a color tinge or fringing around the dimmer
section of my screen, but there is an annoying darkening just left of
center - and a more subtle darkening to the left of that (see photo
above). I don't know the cause; I'll let Apple figure it out.
PowerBook batteries are one thing that hasn't become cheaper over the
years, but unless you plan to replace your Pismo with a newer 'Book,
it's probably worth the cost to keep it going for another year or
two.
Not Linux, OS X
After writing that he didn't plan on buying a new Mac for a while
(see New Mac Plans on Hold), Ken
Cavaliere-Klick changed his mind:
Update to all my soft ranting: Just as I was about to order up
Yellow Dog Linux, the Bondi fried yet another analog board. My fallback
computer is my old IBM running Windows 95, and Tekserve is not all that far from
me. Of course, Windows 95 can't do a thing with a Mac anything. I was
caught between a rock and a hard place.
In went the Bondi for a new board that was fortunately covered by
the last repair warranty. But a week is a long time to wait when you're
in the middle of something Mac. Hauling the Bondi with a healing
dislocated shoulder made me realize how heavy that thing is. I also
realize how pointless it was to keep the old IBM around.
Long story made short: I came home with an "orphan" iBook. So much
for Linux, I'm on X. And the Bondi is back. Backpedaling a wee bit, I
can see the age in the Bondi a bit better now. It still zips along in
9.2.2 just fine. Jaguar is okay - not great, but okay. I can come up
with a decent list of areas that need improvement now. Things
that are no trouble in 9.2.2 are big issues in Jaguar. But this is all
old news.
At my last job, when I compared the cost of a Power Mac and 17"
monitor with that of the then-current PowerBook, I came to the
conclusion that if there was any chance the user might ever have to
take a computer home, to a trade show, or elsewhere in the field, it
made more sense to buy a PowerBook than a desktop computer.
With today's 1024 x 768 iBook displays, that's more true than ever. I'm
sure part of the reason Power Mac sales are down is the affordability
of the iBook and power of the PowerBook G4. Unless you need dual
processors, a big screen, or a lot of internal drives, it's harder than
ever to justify a Power Mac these days.
Anyhow, congratulations on your iBook and moving to OS X. It may
take several weeks (or even months) to get used to it, but once you
have hardware that really up to the OS, Jaguar is wonderful. But it's
definitely different enough that most Mac users take a while to
adjust.
More on Complainers
Responding to my reply in his Rant
Against Complainers, Jim Harris writes:
Hmmm, seems to me the one complaining here was you and the people
who posted comments on the site. I'm trying to make you people realize
that we live on planet earth, not la-la land. Check your sources and
back up your complaints properly:
- eMacs were fixed under warranty and still are being fixed under
warranty for video problems.
- 10.2.4 was updated by 10.2.5 for free fixing the issue of
date and time!
- Pathetic 3% market share? Do you have any idea what .5% of the PC
market share is worth?
- Disgruntled users? Since you seem to only meddle with that type of
person, that is all you will see. I, fortunately, mostly see those who
are content users, and many switchers to boot. The number of
success stories far outweigh those who had problems (and those who had
problems, for the most part, were resolved to the user's
satisfaction).
- Apple products are worthy of their cost: All I have to do is
mention their entire product line to prove that. And all the 'free'
software we get.
- Check the latest data. Apple ranks very high in customer service
and quality.
By the way, an investment is something that will yield a greater
return than invested or something that will retain its value. Computer
hardware and software continually depreciate until it becomes obsolete.
Not an investment.
When you pay more for an Apple (which is a whole other debate) you
do get more! If you don't think so, I hear Dell has great deals.
Lastly and once again, for your own sake, listen to what you are
complaining about and try to live happier lives. Which is my point in
its entirety.
So we shouldn't complain about video problems that afflict a high
number of eMacs because they're being fixed under warranty?
The fix for the annoying date/time bug was free, so nobody should
complain about it?
Should we rejoice because Apple has been marginalized from the days
when they accounted for over 10% of all new computers sold to the point
where they barely manage to keep selling a constant 3 million units per
year? Apple's stated goal is to grow market share, not shrink it.
I know a lot of content Mac users, many of whom participate on our email lists helping others solve their
problems. But some are disgruntled - not just frustrated - when they
run into one problem after another, especially the techs who support
Macs for a living.
The question isn't how well does Apple handle problems after they
occur, but why should there be such a spate of problems at all. Why
should so many eMacs have video problems? How does a date/time bug get
through OS development - one that didn't exist in 10.2.3?
Computer hardware is an investment that can yield great returns.
Although it may depreciate in terms of dollar value, its value is as a
tool that allows one to be productive. A mechanic invests in good
tools; so does a writer. An investment need not be something that
returns economic benefit in and of itself; it can also enable one to
earn more.
On that topic, I guess my Apple stock isn't an investment, either,
since it has neither appreciated in value (it's down about $10 per
share from when I bought it) nor is it retaining its value.
For those of us who don't live in la-la land, reliable hardware and a
reliable operating system are important things. They should be reliable
from the box, not requiring a video fix or software update. Apple build
a reputation for offering quality that was worth a premium price;
recent problems undermine that decades-long reputation.
Regarding Panther
Larry Rosenstein writes:
Regarding Panther...
Paul Lee comments:
Also, Jaguar still has a lot of life left in it. So even if Panther
is technically ready by July, the marketing aspects might cause Apple
to hold back on the launch.
I think Paul has it reversed. The technical aspects of Panther will
tend to hold it back, and the marketing aspects will tend to ship it
sooner.
The reason is that OS upgrades are a major source of revenue for
Apple. So from the marketing side, sooner is better. From the technical
side, the issue is getting the bugs out, which always takes longer than
expected.
I don't think Panther will be ready by July, however. WWDC in June
will be the first developer release, and I think Apple will want a
couple of month of developer feedback before finalizing it.
In response to my correction in You don't pay much attention to
history, Doug Petrosky writes:
I will grant you that my memory slipped a bit with 7-7.6, but are you
really trying to tell me that 8.1, 8.6, 9.1, 9.2, 10.1 where all minor
updates? Apple has never charged for bug fixes and for over 5 years
they have not charged for mid release OS's.
10.3 will be free!
I'm certain (as certain as anyone outside of Apple can be) that
Apple will charge for Panther upgrades, for the reason mentioned above.
The most telling sign is that the name is different, which indicates
that this won't just be another release of Jaguar.
You can't extrapolate from 10.0 -> 10.1 -> 10.2 to say that
10.3 will be free. Remember that Apple was going to charge for 10.1; it
was only because of user outcry over the quality of 10.0, that Apple
relented and made the 10.1 upgrade free. 10.2.1 through 10.2.5 were the
free bug fix upgrades, and 10.3 will definitely be paid upgrade.
Gigabit Ethernet Cards
Ed Hurtley writes:
Hi, I have searched high and low for a PCI gigabit ethernet card
that is both copper (1000Base-T) and has OS X drivers. I have yet
to find one. I was wondering if you (or any other LEM readers) know of
any gigabit cards that work with OS X.
I have a beige G3 that is still using its built-in 10Base-T
connection, and it will soon be used as a server, and I would like to
plan ahead by putting gigabit in. (Initially it will use a crossover
cable to a new Mac with built-in gigabit, with the 10Base-T going to a
10/100Base-T switch. In the future, when gigabit switches drop in
price, it will end up on a gigabit network.)
I'm still living at the low-end of the network curve with a
10Base-T and 100Base-T network, so I haven't researched gigabit (1000
Mbps) ethernet at all. I'll post this in hopes that a reader can answer
your question.
Girly 
iBook
Having stumbled across The BarbiBook,
Kate Gregory wonders:
Do you know where I could purchase the Dvorak Edition?
Thanks for a good laugh. I'd almost forgotten about the
"BarbiBook." If it had actually existed, I'm sure Reese Witherspoon
would have used one in Legally Blonde.
;-)
Thanks for the Tips
Mark Hooker writes:
Thanks for the personal response. I saw it in "Mail Bag" as
well.
I very much appreciate the tip on the tax programs. You might want
to repeat that next year. Why not write TurboTax and see if they will
sponsor a banner or give you a free "Review copy" of the program next
year (every little bit helps). Tell them who your audience is and that
support for 8.1 is a big plus for that audience.
I am collecting parts to build myself a beige G3. It will probably end
up in an ATX case, really it will be whichever case I can find locally
in somebody's back room. Some of the rest of the parts will come from
eBay (prices there have dropped to the point that I can think about
it). Some will come from my own "junk box."
I did look at the iBox kit project but decided I would have to wait
until the prices drop a bit more. Once Panther and the IBM PowerPC 970
chip and the Mach 5.0 BSD kernel hit the market, prices will start to
fall again. I can wait. My "low end Mac" lets me do what I need to do
just fine (and will do so a little longer now, thanks to your tax
tip).
Thanks again and cheers.
Great timing. There's a discussion on Slashdot today that should
interest you and anyone else interested in repackaging Mac motherboards
in other cases,
ATX Power Supply Adapter for Macs?
As for reviewing TurboTax - well, let me just say that I have a
terrible tendency to put off doing taxes as long as possible. Before I
can do personal taxes, I have to figure out how much Cobweb Publishing
made or lost, and I hate working with accounting software. (I'd pay
someone to do it, but there's no money in the budget for that.)
Then again, it might provide an incentive for me to do my taxes earlier
next year. I'll give it some thought.
Third Tray on HP LaserJet
After reading about my frustration accessing the third tray on my
LaserJet 2100TN, Jill writes:
Thought you might like to know that I did resolve the issue
eventually! :) In Jaguar I opened up the Print Center and then did "get
info" on the printer. There I found in one of the dropdown menus a menu
called optional installs, or something like that. (This is from memory
unfortunately because the computer isn't right in front of me.) There I
was able to install the 3rd tray. Hopefully that will work for you
too!
Print Center has got to be the most counterintuitive part of Mac
OS X. It really makes me miss the good old Chooser. For instance,
right now Print Center on my Mac shows my LaserJet twice:
I have no idea why. And it has two listings for my Epson Stylus Photo
870 - one using the Apple supplied drivers and the other tied to the
latest drivers from Epson. But there's no way I can tell which is
which, nor will it let me use the delete button to delete the outdated
entry.
Anyhow, I followed your advice, found Printer Info under the Printer
menu in Print Center, selected Installable Options, and enabled Tray 3
- but it would be so much nicer if Apple didn't hide these things so
well. Better yet if they could poll the printer to see what's
installed.
Oh well, at least now I know how to have access to all my printer trays
in OS X. Thanks!
Another dozen down. Dozens more to go. Come back tomorrow for the
next edition of the Low End Mac
Mailbag.
