Meeting Notes - Sep 17, 2003

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


What's New by Mikio Moriyasu

New Apple Software
Xserve RAID Admin Tools 1.1 is remote management software.

Backup 2.0 Public Beta makes backing up copies of your important files simple and fast.

Final Cut Pro 4.0.2 - The new release is strongly recommended for all users working with DV and DVCPRO50 devices. This update resolves an issue in which certain Final Cut Pro configurations would generate repeated frames during Edit to Tape operations.

Java 1.4.1 Update 1 - Apple takes Java to the next level with the latest, certified release of the Java 2 Platform.

Software Notes
A This fall Adobe will roll out a Creative Suite collection that integrates a slew of upgrades to its professional graphics applications. There will be two versions:
  • Standard Version - Photoshop 8, Illustrator 11, InDesign 3
  • Premium Edition - Photoshop 8, Illustrator 11, InDesign 3, Acrobat 6 Professional, GoLive 7
Office 2003 for the first time will include tools for restricting access to documents created with the software. This could mean widespread compatibility issues with older versions of Office (including Office X 10.1.4) and competing packages such as Sun Microsystems' StarOffice and the open-source OpenOffice. In the past users could use one of these applications to open and manipulate any ".doc" or ".xls" format document. The "rights-protected documents" created in Office 2003 can be manipulated only in Office 2003.

Hardware News
Refreshened iMacs
  • The 15-inch flat panel iMac, priced at US$1299
  • The 17-inch widescreen flat-panel iMac, for a suggested retail price of US$1,799
Refreshened iPods
  • 10GB model for US$299
  • 20GB model for US$399
  • 40GB model for US$499
Apple's new Wireless Keyboard and Wireless Mouse are Bluetooth-based peripherals that will provide reliable performance at up to 30 feet and offer secure 128-bit, over-the-air encryption keeping sensitive information safe as it is being typed. Will be available in two weeks for US$69 each.

New 15" and revised 12" & 17" PowerBooks.
  • The 1.0 GHz with 512KB on-chip level 2 cache, 15-inch PowerBook G4 at US$1999
  • The 1.25 GHz with 512KB on-chip level 2 cache, 15-inch PowerBook G4 at US $2599
  • The 1.33 GHz with 512KB on-chip level 2 cache, 17-inch PowerBook G4 at US$2999
  • The 1.0 GHz with 512KB on-chip level 2 cache, 12-inch PowerBook G4 at US$1599
  • The 1.0 GHz with 512KB on-chip level 2 cache, 12-inch PowerBook G4 at US$1799
Problems
According to the Full Disclosure mailing list, a new SSH exploit has been found that can theoretically allow someone to remotely access as root. This security hole affects versions of OpenSSH prior to 3.7 (OS X 10.2.6 includes OpenSSH 3.4; OS X 10.3 includes version 3.6.1). Until Apple issues a Security Update, protect your Mac by disabling Remote Login in the Sharing System Preference pane. This will of course prevent all SSH (and SFTP) connections. If you need to allow SSH-type connections in the meantime, there are a few potential solutions (These fixes aren't for the average user):
  • Set up your firewall to only allow SSH connections from specific (known) computers/hosts.
  • Set up a VPN (virtual private network) so that anyone who needs to connect to your computer via SSH must do so through the VPN.
  • Install and switch to an alternative to SSH, such as LSH, an alternative to SSH.
10.2 in Brief
Macintosh reseller MacForce notes that the SuperDrive in the new systems is a Sony DW-U10A. Although Sony indicates that the DW-U10A can burn DVD+RW/+R, when connected to Macs (internally or externally), they will only support -R and -RW capabilities. It seems the restriction is a function of Mac OS X not firmware.

An anonymous developer indicates that the latest seed of Mac OS X 10.3 Panther contains two new icons for mounted volumes -- DVD+R and DVD+RW.

Mac OS X Server 10.3 (Panther) will be supported by the Power Macintosh G5s when it is released later this year. The reason for the incompatibility is obvious - Apple had to develop Mac OS X 10.2.7 to enable consumer-level use of the currently shipping G5s, but decided not to invest the resources to bring a separate, incremental server update to market.

General News
ComputerWorld reports that the W32.Blaster worm may have contributed to the cascading effect of the Aug. 14 blackout. "On the day of the blackout, Blaster degraded the performance of several communications lines linking key data centers used by utility companies to manage the power grid, the sources confirmed." Read More.

Cingular's new device called "FastForward" will allow cell phone calls to be routed to a landline. One benefit, the rerouted calls don't use up any of your monthly cellular minutes and incoming calls behave exactly as though your callers dialed your home or office number directly.

Cool Stuff
The iQue 3600 is a PDA that can determine its location anywhere on earth by communicating with satellites, display detailed color maps of that location and show a route to a destination of your choice. Manufactured by Garmin, a Kansas-based leader in the market for specialized location-finding devices that rely on GPS, the unit sells for US$589. Read More.

Events
AppleScript For System Admins Webcast

Description: Discover how AppleScript can be used for administrative tasks, and how to use AppleScript to effectively interact with the Mac OS X file system.

Presenter: Apple Computer's own AppleScript wizard, Sal Soghoian

Moderator: Matt MacInnis, Apple Computer

Date: Sept 24, 2003

Time: 10:00 am - 11:30 am PDT; 1:00 pm - 2:30 pm EDT; 17:00 - 18:30 UTC/GMT

Click here for information on how to participate.
Apple Expo Paris 2003
Location: Paris, France

Date & Time: Sept 16 - 20, 2003

Type: Conference and Exposition

Fee: Click here for registration information.

Topics: Click here for program information. Click here for information on exhibits.

Mikio's 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 select from the options listed below:

[View Web Page] [Download PDF] [View Movie]

DeltaGraph 5.0 Overview by Andrea Maize

Background
Red Rock Software is based in Salt Lake City and has been collaborating on the specification, design and delivery of the highest quality software. Their primary focus on application development has provided software solutions in the following areas: Scientific/Medical, Publishing, Multi-Media, and Office Automation.

Although their roots are in the medical & scientific fields, Red Rock is focused on providing a full range of Macintosh, and Java solutions including QuickTime streaming media solutions, QuickTime media authoring tools, medical and scientific analysis tools, client and server side Java development, desktop applications, workflow management tools, and porting Windows applications to the Mac.

Red Rock Software's only current product thus far is DeltaGraph. Available product packages include:
  • DeltaGraph 5.x for Mac OS 9 and OS X
  • DeltaGraph 5.x for Windows (Latest upgrade is currently under development)
  • DeltaGraph 4.5J (Japanese Version) for both Mac & Windows.
Red Rock Software/DeltaGraph History
Was initially developed as DeltaPoint by SPSS in 198
SPSS also known for development of SigmaPlot & SigmaStat
Since it's debut, DeltaGraph has developed a strong user base.
SPSS continued product development for Windows but stopped all Mac support
During 2002 MacWorld, RedRock met with SPSS
Ended up picking up the development rights to the product.

DeltaGraph - Primary Features & Benefits
Analyze - DeltaGraph is equipped with a variety of built-in features for users to analyze their data such as:
  • Regression tools
  • A GUI based "Formula Builder" with a library of commonly used basic formulas and symbols
  • 50 mathematical and statistical functions.
  • Data sorting capabilities
  • An extensive library of pictographs for final output
  • A spreadsheet with 32000 rows and 256 columns
  • The capability to import files based on ASCII with multiple delimiter support, WKS, SYLK, Excel 5.0 and earlier
  • The capability to import graphic formats like PICT, BMP, Photoshop, PNG, GIF, TIFF, JPEG, EPSF, Movie, and QuickTime image.
Visualize - With DeltaGraph, users can:
  • Export files using PICT, JPEG, BMP, Photoshop, QuickTime image, EPSF, and PDF
  • Structure and display their data with 80 different business and Sci/Tech chart types.
  • Choose from 200 different 2D and 3D chart styles.
  • Use standard, fixed value, sample standard deviation, and variable error bars.
  • Fit curves using power, exponential, linear, logarithmic, polynomial, spline and many more models.
Customize - Many of DeltaGraph's features and tools can be configured to meet any need. Users can:
  • Import graphic files and use them for backgrounds in presentations
  • Import graphic files and use them as object elements within your presentations (company logos & pictures)
  • Import graphic files and use them to represent data in your charts - Pictographic charts
  • Change elements in the charts
  • Change what they use for identifying symbols and numbers
  • Place multiple charts on one page.
  • Create or edit graphics wit the built-in drawing tools
  • Set analytical parameters using the built-in Equation Editor
  • Create their own and add them by storing them in a custom library for reuse
Get Results Quickly and Easily
  • Deltagraph features a Chart Advisor that gives users chart options based on the type of data entered and the type of audience being presented to.
  • It helps users pick out the chart they may want to use
  • Like most of DeltaGraph, it is fast and easy to work with and lit is customizable
Share Results - To help users distribute their results, DeltaGraph allows them to:
  • Use AppleScripting to create and export charts, redraw any of DeltaGraph's graphs, utilize different color schemes, and export to PICT, PICT with embedded postscript, EPSF, Illustrator, & JPEG
  • Take advantage of native Mac OS X Extreme Quartz rendering
  • Take advantage of PANTONE color matching
Misc. Information
  • Macworld Creative Pro 2003 Best of Show award winner
  • MacWorld magazine for October 2003 features a 4-star review
  • Site licensing and educational pricing available - educational pricing is half commercial licensing price
  • Excel vs DeltaGraph - User feedback generally indicates that Excell has OK templates that that it takes hours to customize the basic templates. DeltaGraph can be customized in about 30 minutes
  • Works with graphics/desktop publishing apps like Quark, Illustrator & Photoshop
  • Works well with Word
  • Next release will have transparency and drag and drop
  • Long term goal is to change the existing menu based GUI to one that is more palette based
Andrea Maize is the DeltaGraph 5.0 product manager for Red Rock Software. Her presentation provides a basic overview of the features and functions of DeltaGraph. For additional information, please visit Red Rock Software's DeltaGraph page at www.redrocksw.com

Mac OS X 10.3 "Panther" Preview by Dan Sinema

Background Information
Since it's introduction, Jaguar has captured over 7 million active users.

Since the introduction of Mac OS X, the number of native apps has grown to over 6000

Features - Panther features over 100 new features in the following areas:
UNIX
  • Broad Enhancements
  • X11 for Mac OS X
  • Faster for interoperable NFS
  • Fast UFS
  • Kerberos everywhere
  • IPv6 integration (Can set address with GUI for first time)
  • Popular LINUX APIs - (dlopen or pole is in there)
  • Quartz for UNIX apps
  • Updated UNIX tools
Windows Compatibility
  • Active Directory plugin
  • Kerberos authentication
  • Single sign-on
  • SMB home directories
  • Print to Windows print queues - was complex before has been streamlined
  • IPSec based VPN (L2TP)
  • Windows Network Interoperability - No special configs are required
Printing
Gimp_print is installed with OS
The New Finder
  • More "User-centric"
  • Action Menu - These are the "Contextual Menus" that most(common users didn’t use because of the "control-click" or "right-click"
  • Designed to look more like the iTunes interface
  • Fast file name search
  • Browse network file servers
  • Color labels are back
  • Secure empty trash - Government approved
  • Integrated iDisk
  • New Open and Save Panels
  • New finder eliminates the confusion for new users felt with items "disappearing" in the Column View.
  • One could argue that it is less “geeky” and more intuitive to use
Expose - Eye Candy Thing
  • Instantly access all open windows
  • Instantly access all windows in the current app
  • Instantly access the files and folders on the desktop
  • Highly customizable - you can add hot corners and keystrokes
  • Uses PDF and Quartz technology
Fast User Switching
  • Users can quickly switch between one user and another
  • Leaves active user apps running
  • Similar to what can be done with Windows XP user logins
  • Fast
  • Secure
  • Elegant transitions
  • A new compliment to Mac OS X multi-user capability
  • One way of professors can share computer - Another professor can use the machine while it is still processing the first professor's tasks
File Security
  • Secure Home Directory
  • Secures all the files in your home directory
  • 128 bit AES encryption
  • Encrypt and Decrypt on the fly
  • Fast
  • Master Password feature now available - admin user the only one that can enable/disable
  • This is a top request form mobile users - If the machine is stolen or if their individual user passwords are compromised
Additional Security Enhancements
  • Kerberos Authentication
  • Login Pass-phrase
  • DoD level Secure Erase
  • x.50-9 certificate management
  • Offline authentication
  • Authentication login following sleep and wake
  • S/MIME support
  • 802.1x (tls,ttls,leap,and peap)
Mail Enhancements
  • Mail can track multiple threads with same subject line
  • Faster
  • Improved spam filtering
  • Powerful Drag and Drop addressing
Preview
  • Now the worlds fastest PDF reader
  • Built-in faxing features
  • Built-in text search engine - search PDF for specific text
Pro PDF Creation
  • PostScript to PDF translation
  • PDF transparency and shader support
  • PDF workflow
  • Programmable PDF with Python
  • Scriptable image processing service
  • Quartz filters
  • Color matching and effects
  • Image down sampling and compression
  • Real time preview
  • Built-in and customizable filters
Font Book
  • Pro font management built-in
  • One-click preview and install
  • Dynamic font activation
  • Collection management
  • Font search
  • Detailed font meta info
  • Easy font removal
  • Advanced typography
  • Fine grain text layout control
  • Font variation
Pixlet
  • Developed in concert with PIXAR
  • First studio-quality CODEC for filmmakers
  • Up to 25:1 compression
  • High quality audio and video
iChat AV
  • Final release in 10.3
  • The first personal video conferencing tool
  • Fast
  • High quality audio and video
  • Best when using iSight
Xcode
  • This is for the developer
  • Fastest way to create Mac OS X applications
  • Ideal developer solution
  • Fix & Continue lets uses make changes to apps while they are still running - edit, save, compile, and instantly see the changes
  • Distributed Build
  • Predictive compiling speeds up development time by
  • compiling as you work
  • Distribute & compile workload across multiple machines
  • Build apps in minutes that require hours on single machine
  • Done through a Rendezvous connection
OS X 10.3 Server
  • Automatic setup
  • Server admin
  • Open Directory 2
  • Single sign on
  • Samba 3
  • VPN Server
  • Postix mail server (AKA mailman)
Dan's presentation is loosely based on the "Panther" preview given at WWDC 2003 this past June. For more detailed information regarding the next version of Mac OS X, please select the links given above or visit the dedicated preview site at www.apple.com

Other Topics/Open Discussion

SCL Mac Support Short Courses
Fall Semester Schedule
  • Mac OS X, Part 3 - Fri 10/17/03; 9:00AM - 10:30AM; MMC 1745
  • Mac OS X, Part 4 - Fri 10/24/03; 9:00AM - 10:30AM; MMC 1745
  • Mac OS X, Part 5 - Fri 10/31/03; 9:00AM - 10:30AM; MMC 1745
  • Digital Photography - Tues 10/14/03; 2:00PM - 3:00PM; MMC 1745
  • Digital Video, Part 1: Introduction and Camcorders - Fri 11/7/03; 9:00AM - 10:00AM; MMC 1725
  • Digital Video, Part 2: Introduction to Editing and Distribution - Fri 11/14/03; 9:00AM - 10:00AM; MMC 1745
  • Digital Video, Part 3: Editing and Distribution Tips - Fri 11/21/03; 9:00AM - 10:00AM; MMC 1745
Possible future advanced topics
  • Troubleshooting - End User
  • Troubleshooting - Admin
  • Mac OS X - UNIX Primer
  • Scripting - Overview, Shell, Perl
  • File System Maintenance - Overview of available tools & Radmind
  • Security - Client & Server
Is this something that would interest you?
  • We would like to get feedback from the campus managers
  • Are above topics of interest?
  • Are classes in general of interest?
  • Would the managers prefer actual classes, webcasts, or streamed recordings.
  • What topics would the campus managers like to see?
  • Development of these classes is very time and resource intensive. If there is no expressed interest, the odds are they will not be held
General Information
If there is a topic you would like to see discussed at a future Mac Managers Meeting, please let us know here.