Meeting Notes - Jul 17, 2002

By: Mikio Moriyasu - Revised: 2006-10-05 devin


What's New by James Reynolds

New Apple Software
iMac Update for Mac OS X 1.0. It includes enhancements to support the installation of third party applications and the Networking Update which improves network and Internet access after restarting your computer or when waking from sleep. Only for iMacs running 10.1.5 with build number 5T91. [OS X]

Security Update July 2002 includes Apache v.1.3.26, mod_ssl v.2.8.9 and OpenSSH v.3.4p1. [OS X]

Security Update 7-12-02 includes Software Update 1.4.6, which guarantees that software downloaded is *really* from Apple. Command line tool included. [OS X]

Software Notes
Netopia will debut Timbuktu for the Education Market at MacWorld. The new version of the award-winning Timbuktu software, has been specially designed for the classroom, offers powerful remote control functionality to allow teachers and students to share screens, display work, transfer project files, and communicate instantly in both classroom and lab settings.

New Hardware
17" cinema display iMac released today at MacWorld (See MacWorld NY Keynote section)

Hardware Notes
Seriously CMP's Network Computing says that Xserve, OS X, and enhanced support contracts is putting Apple in the server business.Read more.

Two CDs worth of information on a quarter-sized disc? 2Philips says blue lasers will eventually enable standard CD-sized media to store 27 GB. Read more.

Problems
Apple's installer uses Pax, which is full of problems. This is why some installers are destroying hard disks (meaning it isn't the developers' faults, but Pax's, and Apple's for choosing Pax).

SETI@Home, QuickTime 6, Virtual PC, and perhaps more crash the loginwindow or WindowServer in OS 10.1.5, resulting in a sudden logout.

Cisco's VPN Client for Mac OS X contains a security vulnerability. Version 3.5.2 contains a fix. Read more.

Retrospect 5 does not backup ASIP.

Toast 5.1.4 frequently quits, or hangs the system in the last few seconds of the CD burning process under Mac OS X 10.1.5

Microsoft Outlook's PGP plug-in has a hole. Network Associates has a fix.

General News
Mac OS X Disaster Relief is a new troubleshooting book.

MacFixIt no longer has a separate Mac OS 9 page.

Until August 12, 2002, save up to $300-500 when purchasing a 17" or larger Studio Display and a Power Mac G4. Go to store.apple.com and click on "Crystal Clear Savings".

Apple Computer has submitted its operating system for an independent security evaluation. More. Read more.

Tutorial on backing up OS X using the Terminal.

Upcoming Events
Apple Expo Europe September 10-14 in Paris www.apple-expo.com

James' entire presentation including a complete list of new Apple and third-party software since March, new Apple hardware releases, Apple retail news, and other Apple related topics can be found on the main Mac Managers web site at: http://www.macos.utah.edu or you can click here.

MacWorld Expo New York Keynote 2002 By Mikio Moriyasu

Apple/System News
iTools
iTools will cease operation at the end of September. Apple plans to replace it with .mac Services.

The Good News - New Services such as McAfee anti-virus support have been added while existing services improved such as iDisk have been improved

Bad News - It is now a subscription service.
  • $99 for the first year
  • $49 for existing Mac users
New Software
iSync
  • Available in September as free download
  • Allows users to sync between Macs at work, home, or elsewhere.
  • Allows users to sync between Macs and cell phones, PDA’s.
  • Users can control how data is sync
  • Uses SyncML an open standard for data synchronization.
  • New Software - Apple/system
iCal
  • Available in September as free download
  • Single window app that can display multiple calendars.
  • As first calendar app created post-Internet, iCal hosting can be posted online via Mac services.
  • Users can subscribe to published calendars or publish their own.
iTunes 3.0
  • Smart Playlists
  • Users can now "rate" the songs on their playlists
  • Sound Check optimizes volume levels for each song
  • Audible.com books-on-tape support now available.
  • Available today as free download.
  • Runs only on Mac OS X.
Mac OS X 10.2
"Jaguar" possesses 150 new features including
  • iChat developed in concert with AOL
  • Junk Mail filters
  • New and improved address book with smart editing
  • Improved Sherlock 3 with personalization features
  • QuickTime 6
  • Faster Finder
  • Rendezvous
  • Quartz Extreme for better graphics
  • Inkwell signature recognition software
  • Greater Windows Compatibility
  • Universal Access
Mac OS X "Jaguar" will be released August 24th but pre-ordering is available at the Apple Store. Prices for 10.2 are:
  • Single User - $129.00
  • Educational - $69.00
  • If you purchased a New Mac between now and August 24th, the Upgrade with cost $19.
New Hardware
iPod
  • Wired Remote Control on 10GB & 20 GB models.
  • 10GB model is thinner and has a new solid state scroll wheel.
  • Redesigned earphones.
  • Aside from the wheel, no other moving parts.
  • Firewire port covers.
  • Carry case with belt clip.
  • Users can download calendars & schedules to make iPod a PDA (Calendars managed with iCal).
  • Comes equipped with a clock.
  • New models Available in early August
  • Genre and Composer categories added.
  • Playcounts are now tallied in tandem with iTunes 3.
  • Windows model developed in partnership with MusicMatch. Prices for each model are identical with Mac counterpart. Available in August.
  • Prices
    • 5 GB $299 down from $399.
    • 10 GB $399 down from $499.
    • 20 GB $499.
iMac 17"
  • 17" widescreen display
  • 800-MHz G4 with Velocity Engine
  • Superdrive (CD-RW/DVD-RW)
  • GeForce4 MX graphics
  • 80 GB Ultra ATA hard disk
  • USB-FireWire-Ethernet ports
  • Airport ready
  • Apple Pro Speakers
  • Mac OS X
  • iApps built-in
  • Cost: $1999.
iMac 15"
  • SuperDrive iMacs now cost $1799 which is down from $1899.
PowerMac, PowerBook, and iBook configurations and prices remain unchanged.

Mikio's presentation is based on information presented during the MacWorld Keynote address. Additional information regarding all of the new software and hardware developments that were announced can be found at Apple's main home page at http://www.apple.com.

QTVR Stitching Software Evaluation By Scott Doenges

QuickTime VR's have become an important part of both web design and gaming as a way to show off people, places, and things. QTVR's can be created by anyone with a digital camera, QuickTime, and the proper "Stitching" program. The original "Stitching" application, Apple's QTVR Authoring Studio, however, has not been updated since 1998 even though QuickTime itself has been revised at least four times and now has 360 degree "cubic" VR capabilities. With no updated version of QTVR Authoring Studio on the horizon, several other companies have produced their own "stitching" apps. Two of the latest, Realviz Stitcher 3.1, and VR Toolbox VR Worx 2.x, have just released versions for Mac OS X and were evaluated and demonstrated at the meeting.

Scott's presentation is based a larger, more detailed evaluation of QTVR "stitching" applications that he did for Student Computing Labs. His complete report is available for viewing on the main Mac Managers web site at: http://www.macos.utah.edu or please click here.

Synthetik Software Studio Artist - by Larry Anderson

Studio Artist opens up a whole new world of possibilities for visual artists, designers, and others possessing a strong creative bent. It is the first graphics software that can automatically paint and draw based on built-in intelligent visual perception modules. Studio Artist examines a source image and then re-renders it in the style selected by the user, automatically or interactively.

The application is based on a unique hybrid model that combines the complexity and richness of Raster paint with the editability of vector paths. Under the Raster paints are vector curves which can be edited. Paintings or video can be designed at low resolution and re-rendered at a higher resolution. Natural to out-of-this-world paints simulate natural art materials or let users create totally new, unique personal paint tools. Built into the application are "wet" paints that mix and smear, or dynamic brush textures that evolve under the users control. When used with a graphic tablet, the angle of and the pressure applied to the stylus affects how the brush stroke will appear. Other features include:
  • Intelligent assisted painting and drawing Resolution independence.
  • Image enhancement, 3D paint lighting effects.
  • Paint synthesizer.
  • Real-time image warping and distortion.
  • Dynamic kaleidoscope and symmetry effects.
  • Over 2000 paint and drawing presets.
  • Dozens of image operations categories
  • Auto-rotoscoping, video effects, and moving art.
  • Over 8 hours of digital training videos.
  • Texture synthesizer.
  • Embedded alpha channel support.
  • Unlimited keyframe morphing, warping and paint animation.
  • Compositing layers can be manipulated independently of each other.
  • Start and Stop, step-by-step image processing.
  • Paint or draw action sequences can be scripted so that difference images can have the exact same appearance.
  • Frame by frame editing for movies.
Larry's presentation touched on just a few of the many features available in this very versatile $579.00 application. For additional information regarding this very versatile graphics and video editor, please visit the Synthetik Software Studio Artist home page or click here or you can contact Larry at <larry@apple.com>

Radmind Discussion By Richard Glaser

Currently in production at the University of Michigan, Radmind is a free, open source application that is similar in operation to Mac OS 9.x utilities such as Assilimator and RevRdist. It is essentially a client/server suite of tools for file system management that has been compiled and run successfully on Solaris, FreeBSD, Sun, Linux, and Mac OS X. It is designed to examine the integrity of the local file system and, should it find any problems or modifications, restore the file system to the master version on the server based on transcripts for that client.

Richard's briefly discussed how Student Computing Labs has begun testing, configuring, and gradually using Radmind to manage our limited yet growing number of Mac OS X machines.

Richard is also working on a larger, more detailed evaluation of Radmind that is being conducted as part of the Higher Education Mac OS X Lab Deployment Initiative. When completed, the full evaluation will be available for viewing at http://www.macosxlabs.org in the "Documentation" section. For more information, on Radmind itself, please click here to visit the U of Michigan's Radmind home page.

Other Issues

A few additional issues were brought up during the course of the meeting:
  • There was a request to see if those who participated in this year's big buy would be able to purchase at reduced cost copies of OS X 10.2 "Jaguar".
  • If there is a topic you would like to see discussed at a future Mac Managers Meeting, please contact us here.