Macintosh / Apple blog

various | March 20, 2005, first day of Spring | 'Civ

[SunkenCiv]

This is a 'blog for Mac and Apple stuff. IOW, not a 'blog for how wonderful and innovative Dull and Windulls is.

[SunkenCiv]

Emulation is also fun.

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[SunkenCiv]

some links from my links page (Aladdin has changed its name, but I'm not going to look it up for this post:

Mac: Aladdin d/l area
ftp://members.aol.com//aladdin/pub/mac/

Mac: Aladdin d/l area (PC)
ftp://members.aol.com//aladdin/pub/pc/

Mac: bus error at startup caused by Enternet broadband extension
http://www.macfixit.com/article.php?story=20030826075011860&query=bus+error

Mac: Computer Questions: Ethernet, Spyware, Viruses
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/986526/posts

Mac: Macs A Key Part Of Controversial Anti-Bush Ads
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1071442/posts

Mac: Mozilla / Mozilla Firefox Spoofing Vulnerability
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1182819/posts

Mac: Mozilla / Mozilla Firefox Vulnerability
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1182819/posts

Mac: Netscape d/l area
ftp://ftp.netscape.com/pub/

Mac: software d/l archive
http://www.info-mac.org/

Unclassified: Why Prescription Coverage Is Soooo Needed (#1)
http://www.freerepublic.com/forum/a382649d531f1.htm

Unclassified: Why Prescription Coverage Is Soooo Needed (#2)
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1149061/posts

Unclassified: Why Prescription Coverage Is Soooo Needed (#3)
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1071442/posts

[SunkenCiv]

more fun:

http://googlex.foxified.info/

acts like the X Dock.

[xcamel]

When the smart turn geek, apple turns to BSD.

Apple: Linux for dummies.

[mwyounce]

(Aladdin has changed its name, but I'm not going to look it up for this post

It's Allume Systems.

[SunkenCiv]

"RePorter puts two USB ports, FireWire 400 and 800, and audio in and out ports wherever they're easy to get to on your desk. Or on your laptop when you're traveling. It's a simple idea, and a simple design. And you'll wonder how you got along without it."

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(handy, but at $59, a little pricey if you ask me)

[SunkenCiv]

"I got some new Altoids tins, borrowed a Dremel tool from Mitchell, and purchased brand new firewire connectors from NTC. Here's my second, cleaner, tighter, much nicer attempt at a sweet external battery pack for iPod. Once, again, credit goes to Drew Perry for the design and inspiration. His is made inside a deck of cards, mine is in an Altoids can. This one is way better than the first one I tried, and my soldering is getting better - not really."

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"After receiving much attention and many comments about the last version of the Altoids battery pack, decided to do something a little different for the next version. I was inspired by Griffin Technology's TuneJuice emergency battery pack for the iPod. The elgant, little, white pack provides up to 4 hours of power to the iPod if the internal battery is fully drained, and uses only a standard 9 volt alkaline. So I though to myself, "Shit! A 9V battery can be power the iPod." Then I thought, "Altoids makes some stuff other than Altoids, like Altoids gum!" Two great tastes that taste great together. You can see the results below: One 9V battery, one firewire connector, and one Altoids chewing gum tin = better than before. Enjoy."

(not a commercial product, just a project)

[SunkenCiv]

"SmartDeck is more than just a cassette adapter for iPod; it achieves truly seamless integration between iPod and cassette deck. Use the cassette deck's forward and rewind buttons to advance to the next or prior songs in the iPod playlist. Pause and stop buttons do what pause and stop buttons are expected to do. Hit the cassette deck's Eject button or switch from Cassette to Radio, and Griffin's SmartPlay technology automatically pauses the iPod."

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(like most of these links, it came from the April 2005 issue of "MacWorld")

[SunkenCiv]

"PatchBurn is a tool to patch existing CD/DVD-drivers (under Mac-OS X 10.2.x) or to generate and install new device profiles (under Mac-OS 10.3.x and later). It allows many, otherwise unsupported burners to be used directly with Mac-OS X, iTunes and DiscBurner."

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[SunkenCiv]

I need some RAM. Self-ping.

iMac 233 512MB kit
http://datamem.com/parts_that_fit_list.asp?M=iMac+233&MF=Apple&C=

PowerMac 7600/132
http://datamem.com/parts_that_fit_list.asp?M=Power+Macintosh+7600%2F132&MF=Apple&C=

[SunkenCiv]

"WireTap Pro allows you to record any audio, saving it to a file for later listening or processing. Streaming Internet audio, sound snippets of a DVD movie, voice notations/narration, audio from a game, digitized audio from a line-in... WireTap Pro does it all... WireTap Pro's simple but powerful interface allows you to record audio from any running applications, as well as from any microphone, line-in, headset, and even your radioSHARK... WireTap Pro can save your digital recordings in the popular .mp3, AAC, QuickTime, and AIFF file formats, saving them to your hard drive for later processing/listening. WireTap Pro can also save your recordings directly into iTunes, or onto your iPod or other iTunes-compatible .mp3 player. You have total control over the file format, compression, and quality of your recordings."

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(the owner and chief programmer of Ambrosia is conservative, judging from his forum posts at the site)

[SunkenCiv]

"6i isolator earphones are designed specifically for use with the Apple iPod and other small portable players, offering 8 dB higher overall sensitivity and slightly more bass than the ER-6 isolator earphones."

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(one last link gleaned from the April 2005 issue of "MacWorld")

[SunkenCiv]

Thanks.

[SunkenCiv]

Here it is:

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Linux for Dummies (6th edition) by Dee-Ann LeBlanc

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Apple computers are for those who want to use technology, not work on it.

[Swordmaker]

This PING! is to an area for Mac and Apple users... it is not for platform wars.

Please respect SunkenCiv's request.

If you want on or off the Mac Ping list, Freepmail me.

[Swordmaker]

This PING! is to an area for Mac and Apple users... it is not for platform wars.

Please respect SunkenCiv's request.

If you want on or off the Mac Ping list, Freepmail me.

[antiRepublicrat]

Apple: Linux for dummies.

I've always thought OS X is what Linux would be if any of the supporting Linux companies knew anything about making a good GUI or providing good usability.

[xcamel]

You havn't tried KDE then - carbon is based on kde & xorg

[solitas]

recheck the iMac ram - I have a 600mhz G3 iMac at work and it only has TWO slots in it. I have 512meg PC100's in each and the gig works nicely. Check out a local computer store for their 'old ram' - PC100 was common on PCs and not in vogue anymore, you ought to be able to get a better deal.

Know any place I can get a cheap slot-feeding DVD reader for it? 'Pulls' are hard to come-by these days (it's gotta have Apple ROMs on it so it'll be bootable)...

[SeaDragon]

Sometimes, handy is well worth the price.........

[SunkenCiv]

I've heard that *some* of the iMacs will take the 512mb in both slots (I think over on http://www.LowEndMac.com/ ) but have been reluctant to take this apart. I have the book "My iMac" which shows how to take apart and put together for RAM and hard drive upgrades, and presumably for Harmoni, which is getting cheaper suddenly. A couple of companies made internal CD burners for the "mezzanine", tray-loading iMacs such as I have, and a few months back I found a source of at least one type.

Probably the best bet is to upgrade the PowerMac 7600 across this room. Sonnet makes an 800 Mhz G4 upgrade, and I found an online source which is selling it with a Firewire, or FW/USB adapter, as a bundle. I want to use the ADS Dual Drive case (which got hard to find all of a sudden; it is FW/USB and comes with Mac software) and plunk in a DVD burner, probably from Sam's. Backing up drives won't be such a chore then.

[SunkenCiv]

:') Since it's likely that each of the ports will be needed in a different locale, it would probably be cheaper and more practical to just get some separate extensions. However, it wouldn't be as pretty. ;')

[Yehuda]

Great stuff!

[SunkenCiv]

Thanks!

[Hoplite]

it is not for platform wars

You just need to trade up to better equipment, rather than ruling out discussions which will ultimately come down to your need to reboot.

[antiRepublicrat]

You havn't tried KDE then

I've tried KDE, nowhere near OS X.

[xcamel]

I have OSX - Fedora core 3 and a well tuned system kicks everything apple can throw out - including dual G5's

I'm freeping on a dual opteron 250, with 2GB memory, full smp, and not hindered a bit.

[antiRepublicrat]

I have OSX - Fedora core 3 and a well tuned system kicks everything apple can throw out - including dual G5's

But it's not as cohesive and user-friendly as OS X. BTW, that's one smokin' system.

[SunkenCiv]

CD (not DVD) slot-loading burner for original iMacs:

http://www.mcetech.com/imacrw.html

http://www.technowarehousellc.com/incddrivfori.html

DVD burners for your iMac:

internal:
http://www.mcetech.com/dvdrwimacsl.html

external:
http://store.mcetech.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=SD16FWUSB2-D&Category_Code=STORFWCDDVDRW&Product_Count=2

[SunkenCiv]

http://www.ambrosiasw.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=93862

[solitas]

cool! thanks - I'll check 'em out.

I'm looking for a slot-loading DVD reader for the iMac 'cause I already have a NEC ND-2510A dual-layer burner (was a $80 stealdeal from outpost.com(?) a few months ago, via dealmac) in a firewire case (too bad media is still big $$$ for these).

[SunkenCiv]

Good idea, checkin' DealMac. Also, the LaCie website has a garage sale section that has a lot of stuff go through, some new but discontinued (model end), some refurbed but warrantied.

I've got my eye on the ADS dual USB/FW case, but I think I said that before. It's about $64, comes with Mac software, and I can throw any IDE device in there.

[jpsb]

Is OS X system 5 or BSD based? Either blow the doors off Linux.

[solitas]

Hey - check it out: http://www.vr-3.com/vr3_fmmod.html

I picked one up at Costco yesterday for $24.59. Wanna see how well it plays from a USB keychain-drive (an unusual and noteworthy feature for anyone who doesn't own an MP3 player yet OR doesn't want to always drive with it).

[SunkenCiv]

heeeey, nice...

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[solitas]

How ATA security functions jeopardize your HD data
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/1376364/posts

[antiRepublicrat]

Is OS X system 5 or BSD based? Either blow the doors off Linux.

FreeBSD on a Mach kernel.

[jpsb]

Mach kernel, wasn't that the kernel that NextStep used in there OS? Never got to play with a Next box but I heard all kinds of good stuff about it.

I am not yet sold on micro kernels as opposed to a monolithic kernel, but then OS's is not my thing.

[antiRepublicrat]

I am not yet sold on micro kernels as opposed to a monolithic kernel, but then OS's is not my thing.

Microkernel architectures are usually more robust, and generally a more elegant architecture, but there can be a performance hit. One cool thing is that the Mach kernel was born on multiprocessor machines, and that coupled with the G5 chip's "mother" being originally designed for multi-core, multiprocessor setups means the Mac is one hell of an SMP box.

[jpsb]

I am going to have to get myself a mac. I've got a PowerPC RS6000 that I haven't used in well over 5 years. OS, is obsolete (Aix 1.25) and Aix is up to 4.xx something or other. Sad to see it sitting unused in my closet, I'll bet with a good OS it would still be a useable computer. That could run my web server if nothing else. I liked Linux years and years ago, but it's pretty much a bloated, OS these days and dog slow on the computers I have, P1s. I once put Linux on a old Sun box (Sparc 1+) and totally ruined it. FreeBSD might be OK, tried a couple of times to get a download to put on one of my old P1s, but never could find a PC install.

I'm happy Mac decided to go Unix for an OS, that puts Macs back on my radar screen and thier $500 box is in my price range too.

I'll get mac one of these days.

[SunkenCiv]

CompactFlash from 64 MB to 4 GB:
http://www.sandisk.com/retail/cf.asp

the latest Popular Science has a release about the SanDisk Ultra II SD Plus, a secure digital format card with a USB 2.0 plug built in (just unfold it). S'cool looking.

[SunkenCiv]

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/1349037/posts?page=40#40

and...

Your first "Killer APP" (vanity)
Posted on 04/13/2005 9:18:26 PM PDT by gilor
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/1383337/posts

[SunkenCiv]

a ping to "car-puting" fans. my mac buddy who now lives in Rochester emailed this link, s'cool.

http://moro.fbrtech.com/~tora/EVDO/index.html

[SunkenCiv]

Apple II hardware links --

Working Apple II Links: Vendors
http://home.triad.rr.com/dtouvell/vendorsites.htm

Especially noteworthy sites in subsequent messages.

[SunkenCiv]

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[SunkenCiv]

The CompactFlash product would be kinda cool to have -- instant booting, but of course, with a backup on CD or some other media. Check out the link to the 4GB cards here:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/bloggers/1366688/posts?page=41#41

Also, I screwed up one link in the preceding message:

MicroDrive/Turbo IDE adapter Card:
http://www.wbwip.com/shh/microdrvturbo.html

[SunkenCiv]

prettier re-post of link:

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uh-oh, I hear the black helicopters comin'...

[CheneyChick]

I wonder if it will work with the iPod Shuffle.

[SunkenCiv]

So, how did it work with a USB keychain drive (could be an excellent idea, by the way, particularly for those who don't want to "invest" in an iPod).

[solitas]

If the device has a regular 3.5mm stereo headphone jack in it - it will work. I'm using my MPIO FL-100 on it with great sound and no probs.