Meeting Notes - Feb 21, 2001

Introduction

Section Links

1. What's New
   
2. Digital Video Presentation
   
3. iTunes Overview
   
4. Mac OS 9.1
   
5. Discussion

What's New by James Reynolds

• Purchasing for the Campus:
  
  Is there enough interest?
  Who do you want or whom do you know who is willing to administer volume purchasing?
  Do you want to go through OSL or the Bookstore?
  
  Basic input from attendee's was to wait & test Mac OS X before volume purchase, maybe summer volume purchase.
  
  A complete .pdf volume price guide is available for downloading.

• Development: The final release is a month away. Those wishing to start learning about OS X and how to use it should look at the following resources:
• http://www.resexcellence.com/osx/
• http://www.macfixit.com/reports/macosx.shtml
• http://developer.apple.com/macosx/
• http://osx.macnn.com/
• http://www.stepwise.com/
• For a list of Mac OS X related links, please go to the following page:
• http://osx.macnn.com/features/links.phtml
• From Peter Hoffman - Higher Education Marketing Manager
  -------------------------------------------------------
  As I'm sure you have heard, Mac OS X is will be release March 24th. One of the the suggestions of the task force was to assist higher educational institutions with their transition to the new OS. I am pleased to announce that a committee has been formed (a direct result of this task force) to write a Mac OS X transition white paper for higher education.
  
  Leading the effort to write the white paper is Project Leader Gavin Eadie, a chief Macintosh IT technologist at the University of Michigan. He will be joined by: Michelle Clifford, Carnegie Mellon University; Marshall Vale, Massachusetts Institute of Technology; and Helen McLean, CUNY. Thanks to Gavin, Michelle, Marshall, and Helen (and to Helen for hosting this listserv)
  
  The white paper will be openly available to you and anyone in higher education when it is published in late March. Once it has been published, Richard will make it available to campus.
• New Mac OS X resource books are becoming increasingly available for purchase. A few examples are listed below. Additional titles can be found at Amazon.com by entering "Mac OS X" in their search engine.
• Mac OS X: The Complete Reference
  by Jesse Feiler (Paperback)
• Mac OS X Clearly Explained
  by John Rizzo (Paperback)
• Mastering Mac OS X
  by Todd Stauffer (Paperback - April 2001)
• MacWorld Mac OS X Bible (Bible Series)
  by Lon Poole (Paperback)
• Mac OS X for Dummies
  by Bob Levitus, Robert Le Vitus (Paperback)
• Mac OS X: Visual QuickStart Guide
  by Maria Langer (Paperback)
• Mac OS X Web Server Handbook
  by David L. Hart (Paperback)
• The Multimedia Center will shortly be getting Mac OS X books that can be checked out amongst the campus group. We have pre-ordered Mac OS X Bible, and will be pre-ordering others. Please let us know if you have any suggestions or comments on other Mac OS X books or resources.
• Short courses. There will be a short course, and maybe short courses depending on interest & demand. The date has not been set, but the initial course will be "Mac OS X Overview - Basics". We would like to get an idea of the level of interest in them, however, so that we can justify setting them up.
  

• PowerBook G4: The current wait time is about 6 weeks. Unlike previous PowerBooks, the G4 series will not be stocked. Each one must be special ordered. Cost is for the two main models are $2339 for 400 Mhz and $3149 for the 500 MHz The first order of G4 PowerBooks came in within the last week. Jim will NOT hold on to them for any great length of time. Those not picked up not picked up will be sold. If you've ordered one PICK IT UP!
• PowerMac G4/733 MHz: The current wait time is about 45 days.
  

• Search & Rescue 3.0: if you're typing and accidentally delete or have a crash, the text is stored in RAM. This item is shareware.
• Extension Overload 5.7.2: Can control extensions, contextual menus and will check for good/bad stuff. This item is shareware.

"What's Possible in Web Video" Digital Video Presentation by Paul Burrows from KUED Media Solutions

• Most of Paul's work in created to run on QuickTime or RealMedia. In his opinion, RealPlayer's capabilities really lag behind the other two applications. As a result, it generally "sucks".
• The two main downloading methods he works with is Linear Streaming and Progressive Download.
• Generally, there are two servers from which campus video downloads are managed from: Utah Education Network and the Media Server at Eccles Health Science Library. For the Mac Managers Meeting demo an additional HTTP site and a direct link to the servers were used.
• Additional information contained in a pdf copy of Paul's handout will be available for download and viewing shortly.

Demo 1 Linear Streaming: This demonstration presented the same complex sample (Scrolling credits over a moving video background) as viewed from the various servers using linear streaming as well as progressive download. This illustrated the differences in overall quality of the video from one format to another. It also highlighted the progressive degradation in the audio and video that happens with certain formats and certain file sizes. The range went from MPEG (Highest Quality) to 56K QuickTime video (Lowest Quality). Note that his MPEG files were edited using Media Cleaner Pro which is produced by Terran Interactive.

Demo 2 Progressive Download This involved a progressive download of a complex animation sequence that had motion as well as text.

Demo 3 Converted Image Files: This was a VideoDisc download of a large image library. The video data was comprised of discrete single images that could be shuttled through and stopped for any length of time.

Demo 4 Animated GIF's: This was a video clip from what could be a complete CD-ROM type of edited, composited, video (Animated Opening Title). With the latest Apple computers, both iDVD and the professional DVD burning program are very high quality. Especially for short videos made up of clips or still photo collections. The DVD blanks are only 1 hr long. The cost of the trade off $10 per disk vs. length. The big improvement is the ability to create the interactive menus fairly quickly.

Demo 5 QuickTime Movies: One feature of both QuickTime and Real Media it is possible to create caption tracks and imbed them into the movie. If you need to create films that are captioned for the hearing impaired, you can do so relatively easy. The demo was basically a hand typed transcription of the audio. There are systems and applications that will transcribe the spoken word but they are expensive. Good court recorders are much cheaper and more accurate in the long run. Note: the midi track will stream but the sprite track will not.

Demo 6 Interactive Movies: LiveStagePro from Totally Hip Software allows you to create interactivity with the video. It has its own scripting capabilities. The demo movie was shown in QuickTime. With interactivity, one can encode within the movie the ability to jump both in time as well as to hotspots and menus. You can even replace one movie with another at a specific point in time (The example showed on interview subject cutting into another at a specific moment). Embedding movies in web page give designers the freedom not NOT having to open QuickTime to play something.

iTunes Overview by Mike Kimball

• iTunes installs the following: Apple CD/DVD Driver 1.4.3, a control strip, and RealAudio and Nomad related extensions.
• It needs an iTunes Folder where all audio files are stored. If these files are moved out of this folder, the application will not reference them.
• It only supports Apple hardware. Additional support for 3rd party drives will be available at a later date.
  

• Import CD music
• Search in real time
• Browse your library
• Playlists
• Burn CD's
• Listen to Internet radio
• Play music
• Visualize
  

• Music library is held in the iTunes folder in the documents folder.
• iTunes can be customized for both encoding as well as for playback. There are both a "General" and "Advanced" preferences Controls.
• CD burning for G4's so equipped can be controlled and set using prefs. Gaps between tracks can be set.
• Creating playlists and then using those lists to burn a CD.
• iTunes features for adjusting volume controls for individual selections so that you can have an even volume level from one selection to another.
• iTunes control panel can be enlarged to feature the entire playlist with audio meters, track info, time remaining, and artist/record name. to a minimum control panel with just play, rewind, and fast forward controls.
• Visuals; these can be set to create variations of the existing "modules" Each module has a name

Mac OS 9.1 by Richard Glaser

• Why install 9.1? It improves overall speed and stability, new bug fixes to 9.x and it has new features.
• Are there any significant problems? Minor third party extensions are not supported.
• What installation options are there? The installer has been downloaded onto the Mac PD server. A single or Multi-part download/installer from Apple is available for use. Full installation is required to install 9.1 on non PCI Power Macs. It is also available for on campus users on the Mac Managers Server but only if you own Mac 9.x or are testing 9.1.
• Where can I buy it and how much does it cost? You can order 9.1 directly from the Apple Store. Cost is $19.99 for the update, $49.00 for the full installation.
• What are the installation requirements? Mac with a Power PC process with at least 32MB of RAM. 40MB is recommended and 64 is optimal. Please be aware that there are no officially supported third party upgrades. For a full installation, your machine be running at least Mac OS 8.5.
  

• Start up from Mac OS 9.0 CD-ROM prior to installation.
• Installation removes several preferences like Finder Preferences.
• Installation removes certain Apple Menu Items.
• Installer moves files/folders.
• Renames Applications folder.
• Adds/Delete Control Panels.
• Removes items.

• PowerBook 3400 with Mac OS 9.0.4 (WARNING: Don't update disk drivers).
• Power 1400 and Password Security (WARNING: Turn off Password Security before beginning the update).

• Increased speed & stability when installed on 7500, 7600, G3, & G4 machines.
• New file folder layout.
• New finder and finder window shortcuts.
• General Controls Control Panel has new user interface and Check Disk function.
• iDisk integration.
• Process manager .
• Sherlock has entertainment channel.
• Sound Control Panel has new user interface and signal level meter.
• Startup Disk Control Paned has new user interface and Applescript Support as well as sub system folders.
• New window Menu in finder.

• Temporary items Folder Bug.
• Print Window Command Bug.
• File Synchronization Folder icon bug.
• Out of memory error.
• Apple pro keyboard volume key bug.
• Misc Fixes.

• Applescript mount volume command must have the Keychain extensions otherwise it won't work. In an open access lab, the need to load these extensions causes access to creating a Keychain or adding items to Keychains, which can cause some confusion to users of labs where the Keychain is not relevant.
• AfterDark not compatible.
• Iomega DOS format does not work.
• Mac OS finder bug.
  

• Apple updates
• MJR 2.2.4
• Carbon Lib 1.2
• Open GL 1.2.1
• Third party updates
• Clean Install 1.5.1
• Conflict Catcher 8.0.8
• DiskWarrior Extension 2.0.5
• DAVE patch for Mac OS 9.1
• PlusOptimizer 1.3
• Extension Overload 5.7.2
• Rewind 1.1
• PlusOptimizer 1.3
• VersionTracker now has an OS 9.1 oriented search engine.

Open Discussion

• What about the CD burners for MMC specifically and the open access labs in general. Two CD burner Macintosh have already been installed for staff.
• Someone attending the meeting had a Titanium G4 and was using it. He loved it. It's fast and he's using for high end graphics. He's added 256 RAM, plus airport. From his real-life experience, the battery (which is very light) is about 4 hours.
• Mac OS X volume licenses: We would like to know what the various Managers are planning to do. This goes back to the issue of having as much consistency in the planning and implementation of OS X campus-wide as is possible to minimize problems for all concerned.
• Richard Glaser has a recent, development beta. He feels that it is much better than the previous ones. The quirkiness is slowing being worked out of the OS. There will be a new learning curve but it appears Apple is listening to people's complaints. Richard's plan is to run short courses for people using it/staff training and illustrating the differences.
• Some people may not need or want to move immediately. If all you're running is classic apps, the move to OS X may not be that pressing.
• Older machines will need RAM upgrades and perhaps run only carbonized applications. Right now the recommendation is to simply wait and see how things develop.