Low End Mac Editorial Archive

September/October 2001

The digital hub gets rolling, Stephen Van Esch, Mac Scope, 10.31. It's good to see Apple creating a device for the digital lifestyle, not just the hub.
Two years on a $5 Mac, Dan Sniadoski, My First Mac, 10.31. A Mac Plus for $5 in 1993 - and it lasted a good two years.
Portables replacing desktops in users' plans, Charles W Moore, Miscellaneous Ramblings, 10.30. PowerBooks and iBooks "best choice" for more and more Mac users.
Windows is watching, Steve Watkins, The Practical Mac, 10.30. Windows tracking Mac users? Computer security in the Internet Age.
Performance or productivity?, Victor Panlilio, My Turn, 10.30. Which is more important, raw horsepower or simply getting the job done?
Why the Mac OS logo has two faces, Jeff Adkins, The Lite Side, 10.30. What the two faces in the Mac OS logo are saying to each other.
The best browser for older Macs, Evan Kleiman, Mac Daniel, 10.29. Choosing the best browser for an older Mac.
The power user minority, Michael Zuhlke, My Turn, 10.29. Former PC tweaker notes PC "power users" a minority, their hot rod PCs not comparable to Macs.
MR Mailbag, Charles W. Moore, Miscellaneous Ramblings, 10.29. TypeIt4Me, SpellTools, free email, freeware, shareware, and more.
iPod Considered, Adam Robert Guha, Apple Archive, 10.26. The combination of features could make the iPod a good value.
Macs, PCs, and power users, Dan Knight, Mac Musings, 10.26. Looking at the differences between PC power users and Mac power users.
Tech Week in Review 2001.10.26, Chris Lawson, Tech Reflections. Unplayable CDs, FBI Internet snooping, Internet Exploder update, AAPL pro and con, the iPod, and MS blocks non-MS browsers at MSN.com.
The 'Book Review 2001.10.26, Charles Moore. TiBook and other bargains, pink screened Pismos and Lombards, AC adapters, drive options, and lots more.
Starting a computer loan program, Jeff Adkins, Mac Lab Report, 10.25. Loaning out old Mac systems to those who can't afford them.
XP ballyhoo builds to a crescendo, Charles Moore, Miscellaneous Ramblings, 10.25. Windows XP™: What all the fuss is about.
iPod and other digital devices for pundits, Jeff Adkins, The Lite Side, 10.25. Pundit-Proof™ product Apple should release that pundits won't be able to gripe about.
Why PCs are better for power users, Tino, My Turn, 10.25. Complete choice over components makes PCs a superior choice for power users.
iPod: Yawn or Wow?, Dan Knight, Mac Musings, 10.24. Is Will the iPod be the next iMac or the next Cube?
Projecting with a PowerBook, Korin Hasegawa-John, Mac Daniel, 10.24. How to connect your PowerBook to a digital video projector for big presentations.
Building a Web presence on a shoestring, part 2, Steve Watkins, The Practical Mac, 10.23. Choosing the right free or low-cost host for your website.
The little Quadra that could, Brett Bell, My First Mac, 10.23. $10 yard sale bargain lead PC user in the Macintosh way.
Slide shows then and now, part 2, Matthew Urban, Matt's Mac, 10.23. Displaying images - old fashioned slides vs. digital images.
Hello, Newton, Anne Onymus, Rumor Mill, 10.23. Why Apple's new "not-a-Mac" will be a resurrected Newton for the 21st century.
Power Mac 5200 and the Single Man, Jason Allen, My Turn, 10.22. Five years with the much-maligned Performa 5200 - it's really not so bad.
101 uses for an unwanted Dell computer, Jeff Adkins, The Lite Side, 10.22. 101 innovative uses for the industry's most innovative brand of computers.
Tech Week in Review 2001.10.22, Chris Lawson, Tech Reflections. Computer bugs, Legos and Rubik's Cube, priority cellphone use, Apple at war with Microsoft, PC users are weenies, OS X vs. malware, the overlords of the RIAA, and a great OS X review.
The Internet past and present, Adam Robert Guha, Apple Archive, 10.19. From AOL on a Mac Plus to today's Internet.
Three Mac OS enhancements, Evan Kleiman, Mac Daniel, 10.19. Improving the Apple Menu, text on your screen, and the overall Mac appearance.
The 'Book Review 2001.10.19, Charles Moore. A look at the new TiBooks and iBooks, Apple's new AC adapter, handles for TiBooks and iceBooks, compact CD-RW, bargain 'Books, and more.
OS X: stability or usability?, Dirk Pilat, Mac UK, 10.18. OS X 10.1 works and is stable, but does using it have to be so much work to get it working?
A teacher explains technology integration, Jeff Adkins, Mac Lab Report, 10.18. If computers aren't helping your students, maybe you shouldn't have them in the classroom.
Saving time, space, and privacy in email, Beverly Woods, Acoustic Mac, 10.18. Advice on configuring your email program, forwarding messages, when to use BCC, and setting up an email list.
PowerBook deathmatch, Eric Schwarz, The Power of Mac, 10.18. The author's PPC-upgraded 540c vs. a friend's 5300cs - which is the better machine?
Gambling on Apple, Stephen Van Esch, Mac Scope, 10.17. "Here's a news flash for would be investors: The stock market is a crapshoot."
Configuring four popular Mac email clients, Charles W Moore, Miscellaneous Ramblings, 10.17. Step-by-step instructions for setting up accounts in four email clients for the Mac.
The new 'Books, Dan Knight, The 'Book Page, 10.17. Reflections on the new PowerBook and iBook models.
Building a Web presence on a shoestring, Steve Watkins, The Practical Mac, 10.16. Low cost and no cost solutions for designing a single page or a whole website.
The therapeutic Mac, jobaron, My First Mac, 10.16. On old Mac helps in a time of loss.
Is Microsoft the enemy?, Dan Knight, Mac Musings, 10.15. Is Microsoft's dominance of personal computing a bad thing? If so, what can we do about it?
Other things Dell did first, Jeff Adkins, The Lite Side, 10.15. Important Dell firsts - besides the first portable with integrated wireless networking.
The 'Book Review 2001.10.12, Charles Moore. Portable mouse, TiBook hinge repair, BlueChip fix, APM Tuner, cases, a contest, and bargain 'books.
Tips on buying a new computer, part 2, Adam Robert Guha, Apple Archive, 10.12. Suggestions for configuring your new Mac and bringing in your old files.
Tech Week in Review 2001.10.12, Chris Lawson, Tech Reflections. Security holes, missing servers, copyright, OS stability, Web standards, styled email, Apple sued again, Megahertz Myth, Microsoft hubris, and Dell is behind it all.
Hands on: Mimio for the Macintosh, Jeff Adkins, Mac Lab Report, 10.11. Possible uses for a whiteboard tool for USB Macs - and your chance to win one.
Squeezing the most out of StuffIt Deluxe, part 2, Michel Munger, iBasics, 10.10. Some of the powerful features of StuffIt Deluxe 6.5.
PC users are not the enemy, Dan Knight, Mac Musings, 10.10. Friendly Windows users are potential converts; antagonists will rarely switch sides.
Some little programs that keep me using OS 9.x, Charles W Moore, Miscellaneous Ramblings, 10.09. A couple very helpful productivity tools not yet available for Mac OS X.
BIAX vs. Apple, Part 2, Steve Watkins, The Practical Mac, 10.09. Is Apple the right target for the BIAX suit - and what about prior art?
How good a value is the $799 iMac?, Dan Knight, iMac Musings, 10.09. Is the $799 CD-ROM iMac a better value than the $999 CD-RW iMac?
Cause and effect: Apple's stock price, Jeff Adkins, The Lite Side, 10.08. A humorous guide to why Apple's stock always drops in value.
To Qwerty or not to Qwerty, Jason Lo, My Turn, 10.08. Some alternatives to the traditional QWERTY keyboard for text input.
The 'Book Review 2001.10.08, Charles Moore. TiBook and other PowerBook bargains, combo drive for WallStreet, cases, and more.
Tips on buying a new computer, Adam Robert Guha, Apple Archive, 10.05. Guidelines for deciding if your Mac is too old and picking your new Mac.
Tech Week in Review 2001.10.05, Chris Lawson, Tech Reflections. Wireless freenets, MS viruses for Macs, Dell vibrant while Apple doomed, the significance of OS X, and the ultimate SETI number cruncher.
Squeezing the most out of StuffIt Deluxe, Part 1, Michel Munger, iBasics, 10.04. An introduction to the power and flexibility of StuffIt Deluxe.
Back in the day, Eric Schwarz, The Power of Mac, 10.04. Ten great things about older Macs, and how to give your Mac a retro appearance.
The case for an Apple PDA, Kevin Webb, The Mac Webb, 10.04. The importance of a PDA in growing Apple's mind share and market share.
11 things you might not know your Mac can do, Jeff Adkins, Mac Lab Report, 10.04. Helpful tips to make you a more efficient Mac user.
Slide shows then and now, part 1, Matthew Urban, Matt's Mac, 10.04. Slide shows in the age of film and the age of digital cameras.
The Tanzania motherboards, Dan Knight, Online Tech Journal, 10.04. Overview of the Tanzania motherboards used in the Power Mac 4400 and several clones.
Evangelists unite!, Stephen Van Esch, Mac Scope, 10.03. It's time for Mac evangelists to learn OS X and preach the alternative to Microsoft dominance.
Using the X10 system with your Mac, Evan Kleiman, Mac Daniel, 10.03. Motion detectors, AppleScript, video cameras, and more controlled by your Mac.
Freakin' awful, Jeff Adkins, My Turn, 10.03. MacAddict is shooting themselves in the foot charging developers to put content on The Disc.
Free POP 3 email services, Charles Moore, Miscellaneous Ramblings, 10.02. Mac users have several options for free POP 3 email (most offer Web-based access as well).
Full circle Mac Plus, Aaron Stillman, My First Mac, 10.02. A first Mac comes home to become a current Mac.
BIAX vs. Apple, Part 1, Steve Watkins, The Practical Mac, 10.02. Does the BIAX suit against Apple have merit?
Gaps people really care about, Jeff Adkins, The Lite Side, 10.01. Beyond the gender gap - gaps that are important in the real world.
Product support is an oxymoron, James Champlin, My Turn, 10.01. What's an OS X user to do when his new HP printer won't print under OS X?
The 'Book Review 2001.10.01, Charles Moore, 10.01. Bargain 'Books, BlueChip price drop, new cases, protective covers for iceBook.
Macs vs. PCs, David Pierce, My Turn, 09.28. How a four-year-old G4-upgraded Power Mac compares with a 1 GHz Wintel machine.
Radio design and the Mac, part 2, Adam Robert Guha, Apple Archive, 09.28. The best radio and computer designs strive for simplicity, not complexity.
Tech Week in Review 2001.09.28, Chris Lawson, Tech Reflections. OS X 10.1, Netscape a real option, RIAA vs. CDs on your computer, stupid cookie tricks, abandonware, and Microsoft hubris.
USB, curmudgeons, ESD, and browsers, Charles W Moore, Miscellaneous Ramblings, 09.28. Reader feedback on USB, curmudgeons and OS X, ESD, and the WannaBe browser.
Reader tips on email, Beverly Woods, Acoustic Mac, 09.27. Tips on selective quoting and archiving email messages.
Things they don't tell you about the iBook, Jeff Adkins, Mac Lab Report, 09.27. Some interesting discoveries, pro and con, on the 2001 iBook.
Porting Mac OS X to Intel, Kevin Webb, The Mac Webb, 09.27. Porting Mac OS X to Intel is the last thing Apple should do.
The Mac's little friend, Eric Schwarz, The Power of Mac, 09.27. Texas Instruments graphing calculators as PDAs and Mac peripherals.
Connecting a Palm and a Mac, Korin Hasegawa-John, Mac Daniel, 09.26. How to get your Mac and Palm OS handheld talking to each other.
Think different about justice, Victor Panlilio, My Turn, 09.26. Justice calls for the terrorists to be found and tried for crimes against humanity in the same way that the Nazis were tried at the end of World War II.
More in love each day, Jim Williams, My First Mac, 09.25. "I fall in love with the OS more every day as I use it and become more and more familiar with it."
Good-bye Macs, hello OS X, Dirk Pilat, Mac UK, 09.25. Farewell to older Macs, hello to OS X - and some questions.
Apple's dirty little secret, Steve Watkins, The Practical Mac, 09.25. One more way in which Apple is very different from Microsoft.
Vintage Mac 400k floppy drive repeating click of death, A. Daniel King, Online Tech Journal, 09.25. The cause and cure of the repeating click of death in the old 400k Mac floppy drives.
Tech Week in Review 2001.09.24, Chris Lawson. Microsoft can't lose, Googol and the Web, alternative browsers, the H-Paq merger, and four degrees of Kevin Bacon.
The 'Book Review 2001.09.24, Charles Moore. Pocket DigiDrive, Laptop Laidback, USB hubs, G4 screen protector, new carrying cases, and hot deals on older iBooks, PowerBooks.
Computers for Dimwits, Jeff Adkins, The Lite Side, 09.24. The parts of a computer and what can go inside 'em.
Making the Crescendo/7200 more attractive, James Kachel, My Turn, 09.24. Dear How Sonnet could make the Crescendo/7200 a more attractive upgrade.
Introduction to the X10 system, Evan Kleiman, Mac Daniel, 09.24. An introduction to home automation using X10 modules.
Thinking different about school computers, Adam Robert Guha, Apple Archive, 09.21. A high school student thinks strategically about his school's computer situation.
Was I ready to write about OS X?, Eric Schwarz, The Power of Mac, 09.21. Yesterday's article was under-researched, as several readers pointed out.
The past is not an abstraction, Chris Lozaga, My Turn, 09.21. Lasting peace comes from strength, not just good intentions.
Is OS X ready for me?, Eric Schwarz, The Power of Mac, 09.20. OS X 10.0.4 isn't quite ready for prime time. Ten ways to improve it.
Astronomy Software Review: TheSky, Jeff Adkins, Mac Lab Report, 09.20. A real workhorse program for serious amateur astronomers that has much to offer beginners.
Service and freedom, Dan Knight's Soapbox, 09.20. A second look at mandatory national service to build a stronger America.
Browsers.alt, Charles W Moore, Miscellaneous Ramblings, 09.19. Three alternatives to Internet Explorer for Mac users.
Processor envy, Stephen Van Esch, Mac Scope, 09.19. With the G5 waiting in the wings, it's only going to get harder to keep my hands off my wallet.
Super stuck in pencil stupor, Broderick Sagacious, The Lite Side, 09.19. Superintendent declares pencils passé, erasable ink wave of the future.
Visions of the Past: A historical perspective on peace and war, Michael Munger, My Turn, 09.19. "War and enemies are like the flu. We fight them and win, but they always come back...."
Why OS X matters, Steve Watkins, The Practical Mac, 09.18. With the stability of Mac OS X, Apple leapfrogs all the improvements in Windows stability.
128K and beyond, Nick Canterucci, My First Mac, 09.18. Recovery and restoration of an original Macintosh, the author's first Mac.
The new 'normal', Dan Knight's Soapbox, 09.17. It's time to consider mandatory national service to build a stronger America.
A modest request of Apple Computer, A. Daniel King, My Turn, 09.17. Dear Apple, please release old system software to the public domain.
The ABC's of Apple, Jeff Adkins, The Lite Side, 09.17. Now I've done Mac ABC's. Next time don't you buy PCs!
The 'Book Review 2001.09.17, Charles Moore. Compact auto/air adapter, PCI for PowerBooks, cases, good deals on older 'Books, and more.
How should the U.S. respond?, Michel Munger, My Turn, 09.14. The U.S. does not stand alone in the war against terrorism.
"It can't happen here", Adam Robert Guha, Apple Archive, 09.14. We know better now - it can happen here.
Tech Week in Review, Chris Lawson, Tech Reflections, 09.14. Rants about juvenile and self-serving responses to the terrorist attack.
Why can't we be friends?, Eric Schwarz, The Power of Mac, 09.13. A student's response to Tuesday's terrorist attacks.
Reflections, Matthew Urban, Matt's Mac, 09.13. Reflections on the terrorist attack and the need to move forward.
Class act, Mac web, Dan Knight, Mac Musings, 09.12. Kudos to the Mac-related websites that suspended Mac news to help us focus on Tuesday's terrorist attack.
9/11, Dan Knight's Soapbox, 09.12. The terrorists have succeeded in their goal of sowing terror in America.
A Tale of Two Vendors, Kiernan, My Turn, 09.12. How one online vendor lost a potential sale, but another found it.
What is a beige G3 good for?, Korin Hasegawa-John, Mac Daniel, 09.12. Who should consider a beige G3 - and who should avoid it?
Some mindless entertainment, Steve Watkins, The Practical Mac, 09.11. No in-flight movie, but watching a couple IT guys try to run a DVD on their Dell was entertaining enough.
Linux: The tragic flaw?, Jonathan Ploudre, Back & Forth, 09.11. Why open source can be both a blessing and a curse.
iBook advice: Reader input on iBook issues, Dirk Pilat, Mac UK, 09.11. Restarting the iBook, cleaning stains, trackpad alternatives, and how to avoid overheating.
Hello again, Valjean Robidoux, My First Mac, 09.11. That first Mac was unlike any other computer - and the iMac brought back those old feelings.
Mixed bag mail bag, Charles W Moore, Miscellaneous Ramblings, 09.11. Pig Latin, faxing & DSL, sublaptops, portable CD burners, StarMax & SuperMac advice, navigation, and more.
Cross-platform benchmarking: Be careful what you wish for, Peppermint Pademelon, My Turn, 09.10. How cross-platform benchmarks could backfire on the Mac.
Strategic upgrades, Dan Knight, Mac Daniel, 09.10. A guide for making reasonable, informed upgrade vs. replacement decisions.
64 MB SIMMs on 68K Macs, Chris Lawson, Online Tech Journal, 09.10. Apple doesn't support 'em, but some users say they work. In depth investigation uncovers the truth about 64 MB 72-pin SIMMs on 030- and 040-based Macs.
OS Wars: The Winpire Strikes Back, Jeff Adkins, The Lite Side, 09.10. The Empire has spared no expense, but can the rebels exploit XP and bring down the entire Imperial Network?
The 'Book Review 2001.09.10, Charles Moore. G4 hard drive upgrades, hot deal on Mac OS 9.0.4, new cases, and good prices on used iBooks and PowerBooks.
Best Buy: Power Mac G3 (beige). State of the Mac art four years ago, the beige G3 has become very affordable in recent months, making it an excellent value.
Apple and the gray market, Dan Knight, Mac Musings, 09.07. What is the gray market? Is it a bad thing?
Antique radio design and the Mac, Adam Robert Guha, Apple Archive, 09.07. The best designs go beyond 'form follows function' to exhibit style.
Repositioning the 'Books, Kevin Webb, My Turn, 09.07. How Apple could overhaul the PowerBook and iBook lines to increase their market.
Tech Week in Review 2001.09.07, Chris Lawson, Tech Reflections. Copyright Office loves DMCA, Motorola breakthrough and Mac rumors, thoughts on the H-Paq merger, another frivolous suit against Apple, Apple copies Microsoft, and more.
Reclaiming the MHz lead, Stephen Van Esch, Mac Scope, 09.06. Motorola's silicon and gallium arsenide breakthrough could mean Macs that smoke the Wintel world - even in MHz.
The little Mac that could, Chris Lozaga, My First Mac, 09.06. How could a little 20 MHz Mac IIsi possibly compare with a big powerful 200 MHz Pentium?
Hands on: Iomega Value-Line USB Zip drive, Jeff Adkins, Mac Lab Report, 09.06. A look at Iomega's low-cost USB bus-powered Zip drive.
Stop the upgrade insanity, Chris Edwards, My Turn, 09.05. People are fed up seeing their computers "obsolete" after just a few months.
The Mac as a business solution, Steve Watkins, The Practical Mac, 09.04. The Mac finds a home in real estate and banking.
Low end Linux?, Jonathan Ploudre, Back & Forth, 09.04. Why Mac OS X isn't a low-end solution, but Linux can be.
Make Windows more reliable, Jeff Adkins, The Lite Side, 09.04. A foolproof way for Microsoft to distribute patches and updates - based on the way real Windows users work.
Early Lisa user and beyond, Frank Acevedo, My First Mac, 09.04. Memories of computers past - and today's low-end solution.
Benchmarks: Power Mac 6100. We updated this page over the weekend to include results with a 1 MB level 2 cache.