Low End Mac Archive for February 28

February 28 in Apple and Low End Mac History

Aquard, Gerard Bagwin. "A back to basics OS is what we need, not inconsistent icon sizes and photographic toolbar icons that mean nothing."
iCube aims for trade shows, Anne Onymus, The Rumor Mill. "The key component in the iCube isn't the computer inside the box, but the Apple Cinema Display."

Change Your Classic Mac's Appearance with Kaleidoscope and Custom Icons, Michel Munger, iBasics. If you think the Mac OS interface is boring, here are several ways to change it.
Lean word processor specifics, Marten van de Kraats. Features a lean word processor must have - and why no OS X word processor fits the bill.
Hot swap or not?, Charlie Ruggiero, Mac Daniel. Which ports on the Mac allow hot swapping, which don't, and what are the dangers of hot swapping?
The forthcoming flat Mac, Anne Onymus, Rumor Mill. Speculation (not rumors) about the machine that will eventually replace the iMac.

4 apps for your science class, Jeff Adkins, Mac Lab Report. Four freeware programs that can be very useful in the science (or math or music or photography) classroom.

Not just hardware or software: Apple is a solutions company, Dan Knight, Mac Musings. It's shortsighted to view Apple as primarily a hardware company or a software company; their integration makes Apple a solutions company.
The pros and cons of automatic software updates, Adam Robert Guha, Apple Archive. Automatic software updates make it easier to keep your OS and applications up to date, but what are the drawbacks?
iceBook hard drive upgrade tutorial, TiBook handles, combo drive for Lombard and Pismo, and more, The 'Book Review. Also a $50 PC Card FireWire card, new cases from Booq and Willow, the forthcoming NEWCARD standard, and bargain 'Books from $569 to $1,899.
More on Claris Home Page, overclocking a beige G3, designing with CSS, CPU competition, and AirPort Extreme USB Printer Sharing, Dan Knight, Low End Mac Mailbag. The final word on sharing a USB printer with an AirPort Extreme hub, possible replacements for Home Page, comments on overclocking, and more on the Pentium 4 and PowerPC 970.

'Creaky Operating Systems' good enough for millions, Dan Knight, Mac Musings. For tens of millions of users, the classic Mac OS and older versions of Windows are all they need.
Interarchy a fast, powerful FTP client for OS X, Charles W Moore, Miscellaneous Ramblings. Fast, flexible, feature-laden, and familiar, Interarchy integrates tightly with the Finder and text editors.

Mac mini Core Solo and Core Duo. Intel Core Solo and Core Duo CPUs, Front Row with remote control and Bonjour support, vampire video with Intel GPU, and a higher price.
Tips for Pismos, 10.3.9, resetting a stuck modem, using widgets without Tiger, and more, Charles Moore, Miscellaneous Ramblings. More advice on dealing with Pismo modem problems, OS X 10.3.9 as the best OS for Pismos, and two utilities Panther users should know about.
Extending your range and reducing WiFi interference, Joe Rivera, Mac Fallout Shelter. There are several simple things you can do to improve your WiFi range and reduce interference from other devices.
Dvorak: Will Microsoft adopt OS X?, Jeff Adkins, The Lite Side. John Dvorak does a 180-degree turnabout, suggests Microsoft will switch to Mac OS X, not vice versa

CrossOver: Run Windows apps on Intel Macs without Windows, Alan Zisman, Mac2Windows. If you need to run Windows apps on your Intel Mac once in a while, CrossOver may be the least expensive way to do so since it eliminates the need to buy a copy of Windows.
Acorn and the BBC Micro: From education to obscurity, Tom Hormby, Orchard. Acorn had the UK equivalent of Apple's education dominance but faltered during the transition from 8-bit computing.

What's the best version of OS X for my Mac?, Ian R Campbell, The Sensible Mac. Which version of Mac OS X is best for your hardware depends on several factors.
The 2008 MacBook value equation, Dan Knight, Mac Musings. Comparing close-out prices against the new white MacBooks, it's pretty close. But if you want a black MacBook, there are deals to be had.

Contour RollerMouse Free2 even better than the original, Charles W Moore, Charles Moore's Mailbag. Contour's RollerMouse is a great alternative to mice and trackballs for those suffering from mousing pain.
Ultimate iPad guide, 'I hate my iPad', 7 reasons to pick iPhone over Android, and more, iNews Review. Also 5.7" iPad rumored, DIY iPhone repairs and toolkit, guide for switching to iPhone from BlackBerry, iPad video tutor, and more.

Open Source Arduino Platform Makes Robotics on the Mac Easy, Frank Fox, Stop the Noiz. Historically, robotics software has been mostly for Windows, but open source hardware and software lets Mac users enter the world of robotics.
Writing on the iPad, Mac and iOS Browsers, Refurb Store Experiences, and More, Charles W Moore, Charles Moore's Mailbag. iPad writing tools, another iOS browser option, great deals at Apple's Refurb Store, and using a gaming mouse for everyday work.