Meeting Notes - Jun 18, 2003

What's New by Mikio Moriyasu

New Apple Software
iMovie 3.0.3 provides improved performance and stability, especially on G3 processor Macs, for rendering, audio, and the Ken Burns Effect. Refinements to the Ken Burns Effect allow greater control over pan and zoom of digital images, and make it easier to crop digital stills. QuickTime 6.3 is required for improvements to audio sync and audio integrity

iTunes 4.0.1 includes a number of performance and network access enhancements, and only allows music sharing between computers using iTunes 4.0.1 or later on a local network (in the same subnet). If you have an Apple SuperDrive, you can archive your song files to a DVD disc as well as burn playlists to standard audio CDs to play in your car or home stereo.

Keynote 1.1 sports improved PowerPoint compatibility, speed boost Apple has released the latest version of its from-scratch presentation tool Keynote 1.1, which features improved PowerPoint import and export compatibility and enhanced performance of imported QuickTime video.

QuickTime 6.3 supports the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) standard. The 3GPP standard support includes Advanced Audio Coding (AAC) and Adaptive Multi-Rate (AMR) audio, MPEG-4 and H.263 video, 3G Text (TX3G) and native .3gp file format support. QuickTime 6.3 also features automatic streaming transport detection for a more reliable streaming experience.

Security Update 2003-06-09 addresses a potential security issue when the Apple Filing Protocol (AFP) is used to reshare a Network File System (NFS) mount. In addition, the update addresses a situation where LDAP bind authentication requests may be improperly sent when using Kerberos authentication. The update also updates Apache 2.0.45 to 2.0.46 and addresses a security hole in the mod_dav module that could be exploited remotely causing an Apache Web server process to crash. In addition, this update prevents the exposure of a user's password when using the dsimportexport tool.

Software Notes
Connectix has released an update for Virtual PC 6.0.2 for PC-DOS, Windows 98, Windows 2000, Windows XP Home, Windows XP Professional and Upgrade Versions. Read More.

As expected, Microsoft has released what may be the last update to its Tasman-powered Internet Explorer browser on the Macintosh. Version 5.2.3 adds a host of performance, stability, and rendering enhancements but no new features. Read More.

SoftRAID 3.0, the first Mac OS X version of the software, supports RAID levels 0 and 1 volumes on any combination of FireWire, ATA, SCSI and Fibre Channel drives and has just entered third-party (partially private) beta testing. The new release is expected to ship on July 25, 2003. Read More.

Hardware
For users frustrated with the new proprietary port that Apple has included on its newly revised iPod models, CableClub.com offers the IEEE-1394 FireWire Adapter 4 Pin Female to 6 Pin Male at a sale price of US$ 3.50. This cable will allow you to connect the standard FireWire end of the iPod-included proprietary cable to the male end of another cable - enabling the use of third party devices.

Equinux has announced compatibility between its VPN client VPN Tracker and Netgear VPN firewalls. With the new solution, Mac OS X users can now connect to their Netgear gateways from anywhere through the Internet. Pricing for VPN tracker starts at $90. Read More.

A number of users are noticing that when their flat-screen iMacs are put to sleep for more than 5-10 minutes, the display is dim and virtually unreadable. Restarting the system generally resumes normal operation. Others report having to reset the display's brightness level after waking the machine or by continually generating mouse and keyboard activity. Another possible workaround is to enter the Energy Saver pane of System Preferences, set computer to "Never Sleep," and use "separate time to put the display to sleep." Optionally, check the box "put hard drive to sleep whenever possible." In extreme cases, the logic board has had to be replaced.

Problems
LinkSys tech support department, in answer to a customer inquiry, reports that their BEFSX41 Cable/DSL VPN Router is known to have problems. Linksys is going to either pull it off the market or update it to 'version 2,'. For now, customers experiencing problems should exchange it for the BEFSR41 OR the BEFVP41 (VPN support). Both routers are believed to have no 'known issues.' This hardware flaw cannot be fixed by updating the firmware.

Mac users visiting the Comcast Support Site are told that the ComcastSUPPORT website does not support Mac at this time. They are working provide limited access for non-Windows operating systems. Comcast offers Mac support for its high-speed Cable Internet service, but still uses Mac OS 9-based installation discs in some areas, causing difficulty for those with 2003 (non-OS 9 booting) Macs.

The main connector on some of the round-style PowerBook/iBook power supply has no strain relief built into the device and the cable. If the wire becomes pulled or frayed at the connection ends, a short can occur and the adapter can be permanently damaged. In some cases, the thin cable is actually severed where it emerges from the casing resulting in sparking and scorching. If you notice this happening, you should have your adapter inspected at an authorized Apple repair center immediately.
RS Cable & Connectors out of England sells Part #311-9359 that could be a viable replacement for Apple's included cable, and can help prevent strain, or repair your current adapter if the wire has become frayed or pulled loose.

10.2 in Brief
MacFixIt subscribers can now view the Mac OS X 10.2.6 Special Report which includes previously unpublished troubleshooting information. Among the topics covered: Combo Updater Differences, Username bug in Windows environments; workaround, Booting Issues; what is in PRAM, The much debated "memory leak"; Using Cocktail, Wake from Deep Sleep issues: Kernel Panics, fix; Sonnet; Cinema Displays, Strange screen saver problems, Shared Libraries issues, Problems with FrameMaker in Classic, Problem with multiple displays, GPRS flaw fixed, iPod recognition fix.

General News
The comprehensive antitrust settlement and technology agreements between Microsoft and AOL Time Warner could mark the end of Netscape Communication. In the agreement, AOL has agreed to license Microsoft's Internet Explorer (IE) browser. Read More.

In an internal e-mail to from Microsoft Corp's 50,000-plus employees, Chief Executive Officer, Steve Balmer, states that the software giant faces significant challenges from Linux free software and slower corporate spending on information technology, Steve Balmer, Chief Executive of the world's largest software maker, said on Wednesday. Read more.

Mikio's entire presentation including a complete list of new Apple and third-party software since December, 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 select from the options listed below:

Intrusion Detection Systems by Darren Davis

The Internet has been analogized to the Western Frontier with its share of good guys in their "White Hats" fighting the bandits and outlaws in their "Black Hats". Intrusion Detection Systems are becoming a predominant tool used by systems administrators to monitor their network and systems. Basically, an Intrusion Detection System is used to detect inappropriate use or activity of your network or computer systems. This is done by monitoring system or network events and sending alerts when certain events occur such as if someone starts scanning your network for computer systems connected to it.

There are several ways in which Intrusion Detection is done. There is host based Intrusion Detection Systems that monitor a computers activity logs or files to see what has occurred or if certain files have changed. Another way is to do Network Based Intrusion Detection where you have a system actually watch "sniff" for certain network activity that may indicate an attack is taking place.

Darren's presentation is based on continuing work being conducted as part of the Higher Education Mac OS X Lab Deployment Initiative. His complete presentation is available for viewing on the main Mac Managers web site at: http://www.macos.utah.edu in the "Documentation" section. You can also select from the options listed below:

DiskWarrior 3.0 Overview by Scott Doenges

DiskWarrior is a utility designed from the ground up with a totally different approach to resolving directory damage. The new version, which has been under development for several years, is not simply a port of the Mac OS 9 version, but a complete reworking of the application. DiskWarrior resolves directory damage by rebuilding your disk directory using data recovered from the original directory, thereby recovering files and folders that you thought were lost. The directories DiskWarrior creates are also optimized for maximum directory performance.

DiskWarrior is not a disk repair program in the conventional sense. It specializes in eliminating directory errors - the most common problems Mac OS users have with their disks. DiskWarrior rebuilds your disk directories, making them error-free, eliminating any problems the errors would have caused, and recovering lost files. It fixes any problem with master directory blocks and alternate master directory blocks (HFS), volume headers and alternate volume headers (HFS Plus), volume bit maps, catalog trees, and extents trees.

Scott's presentation is based on an evaluation he conducted for the Student Computing Labs Mac Support Group. His complete presentation is available for viewing on the Mac Managers web site at: http://www.macos.utah.edu in the "Documentation" section. You can also select from the options listed below:

AVI Playback Solutions for Mac OS X by Mikio Moriyasu

The AVI (Audio Video Interleave) movie file format is essentially a container that holds the data that comprises the movie. Two key pieces of data within all AVI files are the Video and Audio Tracks. Each one is formatted using a set of Compressor Decompressors algorithms or CODECs.

In order to view any given AVI movie file, you must have a player that is equipped with the correct CODECs for both sets of Tracks. Unfortunately, certain Video and Audio Tracks within AVI movies have no "native" CODEC within QuickTime Player for Mac OS X. As a result, QuickTime will play some AVI movie files but not all of them. There are solutions, however, that will allow users to enjoy AVI movies.

Mikio's presentation is based on an evaluation he conducted for the Student Computing Labs Mac Support Group. His complete presentation is available for viewing on the main Mac Managers web site at: http://www.macos.utah.edu in the "Documentation" section. You can also select from the options listed below:

Other Issues

Apple Worldwide Developers Conference 2003
San Jose, CA - June 23rd to the 27th, 2003

Student Computing Labs Mac Support Group will be sending three representatives to the WWDC 2003. If there is a question that you would like posed to an Apple engineer or if there is information that you would like regarding a specific topic, please let us know ASAP here.

We will also be setting up a live Satellite feed of Steve Jobs' Keynote Address on Monday morning June 23rd at 11:00 in the Multimedia Center. Please watch your email for additional information.

If there is a topic you would like to see discussed at a future Mac Managers Meeting, please let us know here.