OS X Continues to Impress

A few weeks ago I rescued our old clamshell "Black Tie" iBook that had found a home in my daughter's closet.

The iBook was stored after the CD/DVD door had stuck open. After a few days tinkering with it, I got the door to close and it was whole once again. Apparently, my daughter had accidentially pulled the door out too far.

Satisfied of my handyman abilities, I began using the machine and was impressed how strong its Airport reception and battery life was compared to my 12-inch G4 PowerBook. What I wasn't happy with was the 9.0.4 operating system it was running. I continued to use the iBook and began to experience daily system crashes and reboots. Then I read an article on O'Grady's PowerPage about his installation of OS X on a Blueberry iBook. Up until then I never thought about installing OS X on the iBook, figuring it would run way too slow.

Well, to make a long story a bit shorter, O'Grady installed Tiger on his aging iBook, breathing life into the once fanciful iBook. I decided to try it too.

After updating OS 9 to 9.2.2, I went for the gold, installing OS 10.2.8 (I don't own Tiger). The installation when extremely well, and despite the limited 800 x 600 screen real estate, I have enjoyed every minute of the iBook since. What I have especially enjoyed is that it hasn't crashed once since the installation.

While not a screamer, the machine handles OS X better than I ever expected. What's more, I get to use the same updated OS X apps that my other Macs use, such as Word.

Apple did a good thing when it finally updated its aging OS 9 system with OS X. With the move to Intel chips, I figure more of the world will discover this world class operating system really soon.

Oh, That Windows Feeling!

About four years ago my mother decided she wanted to buy a new computer and asked me what I would recommend.

Since she lives in a rural area of Missouri - though I really wanted to recommend a Mac - I decided to help her with the purchase of a Dell (www.dell.com) running Windows XP. At the time she bought the machine she also purchased Dell's extended warranty which provided telephone technical assistance and on site computer repair. I also made certain she bought virus software after the 90-day free trial version expired.

For the first year or so, all went fairly well with my Mom's Dell. Since e-mail, light Internet browsing, and an occasional game of Solitaire was all she used the computer for, XP worked for her.

Then it happened. Despite my warnings, she accidentially downloaded and opened an attachment that contained a virus. The computer ended up having to be taken to the local computer repair shop where technicians were happy to clear the machine up and charge my mother handsomely for their services (which was about a 15 percent of the original purchase price of the computer).

More time passed. Last week, Mom told me she was unplugging her computer for a few days while the current Windows virus threat blew over. I told her that unplugging the computer wouldn't keep the computer from getting the virus, as the machine could only be infected when she was connected to the Internet (she's on a slow dial-up connection).

Finally, I told Mom she might want to consider buying a Mac. She agreed but said she really doesn't have the money to do that right now.

The moral of the story is that I should have recommended a Mac from the beginning of my mother's computer experience. I thought at the time that her limited use of a PC running Windows would work okay, but I was sorely wrong.

You live and learn. She definitely is experiencing "that Windows feeling."

Apple to be Intel's "Show Pony?"

Rhonda Ascierto of the Computer Business Review reports about the newfound lovefest between Apple and Intel in the article, "Apple may be Intel show pony." Ascierto quotes IDC analyst Roger Kay: "Apple could be become the showcase for Intel's technology." I think Kay is on to something.

Apple already has practically cornered the digital music market by "getting it right." But another frontier is on the horizon: digital video...and no one has gotten it right yet either. If Apple - powered by Intel technology - were do for digital video what it has done for digital music, a new giant in the entertainment business could be born.

Now Steve Jobs has said more than once that watching video on the tiny screen of an iPod is not the experience people want. But what if Apple produced a device that's as small as an iPod with the capability of a consumer "digital hub?" Want to listen to music? Use the device as a stand alone player or feed it through your home stereo system. Want to watch the latest release of a new movie? Just hook the device up to your home TV system. If you're on the go, just watch the movie on the built-in screen or project it on the wall. A true portable digital device for all occasions!

Intel technology is closer to making this happen than IBM or Motorola and Apple saw the writing on the wall. If you think about it, it's amazing it took Apple this long to make the switch. In 1998 I talked about the promising future of the PowerPC chip in the article, "The Second Coming the of Macintosh." There's some great technology in the PowerPC chipset, but when it comes to portability and power consumption, Intel has leaped ahead big time.

The bottom line is Apple had little choice to do what it did. It will be exciting to see what the most innovative computer and software maker in the world will do with this opportunity in years to come. There will be bumps along this conversion, but with Apple encouraging developers to produce both PowerPC and Intel versions of their apps for the foreseeable future, there should be little compatibility concerns for current and future Mac users.

Tim Yarbrough
MacDoor Editor

Apple Better Off with "Intel Inside"

Well, it's true. Apple is moving to Intel. Who would have ever imagined it? Actually, the move to Intel technology makes a lot of sense for Apple, which since the introduction of OS X has moved its core architecture to previously PC-only territory. It will be interesting to see how the "establishment PC" crowd will feel about Apple now.

Few argue that Apple has one of the most stable and robust operating systems out there today. Windows still rules the day, of course, but OS X with its rock-solid stability and immunity to many viruses has got it noticed outside creative and scientific circles in recent years.

What's still missing is OS X's robustness in the enterprise. Windows has such a head start, one wonders if Apple could ever catch up. But again, who would have foreseen the Mac GUI running on top of UNIX powered by Intel chips?

Moving to Intel means Apple will finally produce a world class laptop with world class power-saving features and extended battery life. My G4 Powerbook running OS X is a great machine, but it's no match for my office HP laptop with its P4M. Battery life on the PC extends easily to 4 or 5 hours, while the Powerbook stuggles to run 2 to 3 hours...especially when pushed by intense computing.

Scalability is another factor I'm certain Steve Jobs considered in deciding to switch. It is very possible you could see OS X running on your iPod, cell phone or PDA in the very near future.

Long gone are the days of Apple's legendary hardware/software integration. It just isn't as necessary today as it was in the early days of computing.

Will Apple's move to Intel mean we can buy any piece of hardware off the shelf to run OS X? I doubt that is Jobs' intention, but I figure if he tries to prohibit it someone will reverse engineer around it and make it possible.

I continue to be very optimistic about Apple's future. I figure the move to Intel will be the last straw for some of the Apple faithful, but those losses will be easily replaced by appealing to a new and larger market that never would have considered an Apple without "Intel Inside."

Tim Yarbrough
MacDoor Editor

Apple Moving to Intel: Say It Ain't So!

CNet's report yesterday that Apple is ready is switch to Intel chips is interesting, to say the least. What this move - if true - would mean to the loyal Apple fan base is unclear. After all, the Macintosh experience has always been about the user interface, not the chip that powers the screen. However, the anti-Big Brother mentality Steve Jobs has fostered at the company for years has meant Apple usually looked for non-PC alternatives which meant for years using Motorla chips and since the mid-1990s, chips powered by IBM technology.

Personally, I think it would give Apple a big advantage to use the chip set "the rest of the world uses," which potentially will result in lower computer hardware prices and increased compatibility.

Time will tell. I can't wait to see if the news is true.

Tim Yarbrough
MacDoor Editor

So What's the 'Next Big Thing' for Apple?

By Tim Yarbrough
MacDoor Editor
zxmac8384@yahoo.com

With the runaway success of the iPod we can only wonder what the "next big thing" will be from our friends in Cupertino.

The 2004 Christmas shopping season will be known as the "Year of the iPod" just as in past years were known for the Cabbage Patch doll and Tickle Me Elmo.

What's different is the iPod is a utility device that will bring millions of users years of music enjoyment and a reason to access Apple's iTunes store to buy new music.

In the months to come we'll know if the iPod phenomenon is for real. Apple may see increased computer sales as millions of people experience Apple and its innovative products. The company continues to get good press on the quality and stability of its OS X operating system and how Macintosh is immune to many viruses that bombard Windows every day. But selling a few more computers is only part of the iPod story.

Steve Jobs isn't sitting on his laurels. Rumor sites are sizzling with speculation that a new iPod flash and an increased capacity iPod Mini will be introduced in January. But what else does Jobs have under his hat?

Whatever "it" is won't be introduced in January, I'm sure of that. I think Apple could very well be working on new products that further integrate home or personal media. What that is, I can only speculate.

However, Jobs knows all too well that computers won't keep Apple afloat. Rather, it will be the creation of innovative products that make peoples' lives better and more enjoyable.

Only time will tell what products Apple will debut on the world stage. One thing is for certain, on the heels of a monster hit like the iPod, there will be a lot of folks taking notice.

IBM Helps Promote Linux

By Steve Lohr

Linux is a rising star in the geeky back office of computing. Its gains have come as an operating system for the data-serving computers that run corporate networks and serve up Web pages. On the desktop, Microsoft's Windows still reigns supreme.

But I.B.M. and the Open Source Development Lab, whose membership includes Hewlett-Packard, Dell and Intel, are beginning a drive to promote Linux as an alternative to Windows on the desktop.

One indication of their more aggressive approach came yesterday when an I.B.M. executive, Samuel J. Docknevich, delivered a speech at a technology conference outside Boston titled "The Time Is Now for Linux on the Desktop."

The Open Source Development Lab - a nonprofit organization to advance the use of open source software like Linux - is planning a program to encourage corporate adoption of desktop Linux, set to begin in January. "We're going to push a big desktop Linux initiative," Stuart F. Cohen, chief executive of the Open Source Lab, said last week in an interview. "It's clearly something our members want."

Mr. Cohen and others at the organization gave few details, except to say that the lab would try to broaden the base of support for desktop Linux. That, for example, might include helping with technology that could make it easier for Linux users to exchange data and documents created with Windows-based software. It might also include persuading the makers of popular personal computer software, like RealNetworks' media player or Adobe's desktop publishing software, to create Linux versions.

Any inroads Linux makes on the desktop will probably come slowly. More than 300 million people worldwide use the Windows desktop operating system and Microsoft's Office suite, which includes the Word, Excel and PowerPoint programs.

But Linux advocates say that the full complement of Microsoft desktop software has far more features, and is far more costly, than most workers at many companies really need.

And corporate technology officers are concerned about the cost of upgrading tens of thousands of PC's every couple of years to new versions of Microsoft software and about the security flaws in Microsoft products that have been exploited regularly by digital vandals writing viruses and worms.

Linux has gained desktop converts for specialized uses like software development, computer animation and in scientific computing. Abroad, some governments and municipalities have championed the use of Linux. Earlier this year, for example, Munich announced that it would move from Windows to Linux on 14,000 desktop machines used by city workers.

Yet Linux on the desktop has not really made its way into the mainstream corporate market, especially in the United States. And I.B.M., whose entry into the personal computer business in 1981 made the PC a respected business tool, has the influence with corporate customers to give Linux on the desktop real credibility, analysts say.

"There is a lot of interest in Linux on the desktop from customers; this is definitely a trend with traction," said Scott Handy, vice president for Linux strategy and market development at I.B.M. "But we're being very pragmatic."

Long gone are the days of OS/2, I.B.M.'s desktop operating system, when Big Blue tried to confront Windows head on and wrest dominance of the operating system market from Microsoft.

The I.B.M. plan now is to use Linux as the desktop operating system in a simplified computing environment that relies on delivering, updating and maintaining desktop applications over high-speed corporate networks. Faster, low-cost telecommunications and improved Internet software make the transition possible, Mr. Handy said.

Studies have estimated the total cost of ownership of a PC in a corporate setting at $5,000 to $7,000 a year. The hardware and software costs are typically less than 30 percent of the total, with the expense of maintaining, updating and debugging accounting for the rest.

Deploying Linux and having applications centrally distributed and managed on server computers, using Internet technology, can cut the cost of owning a desktop machine in half or more, Mr. Handy said.

"The discussion with customers usually starts with Linux," he said. "But the huge gains come from using this server-based architecture, which is made possible by these Internet technologies. And Linux is one of them."

I.B.M., Mr. Handy said, is conducting dozens of assessments for corporate customers of Linux desktop use as part of a program to reduce costs. The companies, he said, do not want to be named because they have not decided to switch desktop technologies.

The Linux desktops tap into the applications on server computers, using a browser. E-mail, calendar, customer relationship management and word-processing applications are included. Mr. Handy said this kind of computing could be easily adopted by bank branch offices, sales people, insurance agents, auto dealers and others.

I.B.M. is trying it itself. About 15,000 workers use Linux desktops, mostly software developers and researchers. By the end of the first quarter of next year, I.B.M. plans to increase the number of Linux desktops to 30,000 as sales, marketing and administrative workers try it.

Still, Linux on the desktop has a long way to go. Shipments of Linux rose to 2.8 percent of desktop operating systems in 2002, up steadily from 1.7 percent two years earlier, according to IDC, a research firm. Windows accounted for nearly 94 percent of shipments last year.

The Direction of the Wind is Changing

Apple Computer is really onto something. It's called digital music.

And it has absolutely nothing to do with the personal computer maker's recent launch of an iTunes store for Windows. Rather, it's the reaction and response Apple has received since launching iTunes for Windows.

You know that you've really touched a cord when you get a Microsoft official out in front commenting on how Apple's technology just doesn't cut the mustard. Usually, after a response such as this, Microsoft gets busy copying the innovation it has just denounced. Microsoft's response came from David Fester, who warned Windows users not to be seduced by iTunes:

"Unless Apple decides to make radical changes to their service model, a Windows-based version of iTunes will still remain a closed system, where iPod owners cannot access content from other services. Additionally, users of iTunes are limited to music from Apple's Music Store. As I mentioned earlier, this is a drawback for Windows users, who expect choice in music services, choice in devices, and choice in music from a wide-variety of music services to burn to a CD or put on a portable device," said Fester.

"Lastly, if you use Apple's music store along with iTunes, you don't have the ability of using the over 40 different Windows Media-compatible portable music devices. When I'm paying for music, I want to know that I have choices today and in the future," he said.

When I read this in The Register (www.theregister.co.uk) I almost fell out of my chair laughing! For Fester to accuse Apple of trying to cram a closed system down consumers throats is like Osama Bin Laden trying to convince the world that Al-Qaeda is a peace movement. In fact, my most recent MacDoor column addressed this strategy. The article, "Could Apple be Stealing a Page from Microsoft's Playbook?" http://www.mymac.com/mccormick/5.15.02.shtml by Bob McCormick of MyMac.com, points to Apple's apparent desire to do just that. That's bad, I mean really bad for Microsoft, because of all of its monopoly baggage. It just isn't in a position to do much about it!

So, what Apple couldn't do to gain broader acceptance by establishing its own standards and by building a closed system for so many years, it is now doing through innovation.

Could Apple be Microsoft's Worst Nightmare?

By Tim Yarbrough
MacDoor Editor
zxmac8384@yahoo.com

"Today, in a time when people are looking for easy access to technology, Apple can lead out with devices that provide this accessibility to the masses. By doing so it can accomplish something in computers that companies like Sony have been able to do with electronics such as the Walkman. While this opportunity certainly is within reach of Apple, I am not convinced it is ready to take on this role. While Apple is without a doubt one of the most innovative computers companies ever, Apple is not the risk taker it once was. I recognize that Apple has had to become more like other PC companies in order to survive."

Above is from the my column, "It’s Time for Apple to Innovate Again" written for The Macintosh User in January 2001. It appears Apple has decided it will innovate rather than fade into computer obscurity. What’s interesting is how it may "innovate" in the future.

Apple is getting serious. By all appearances, Apple’s "iApp" strategy will move way beyond the home and education user into, dare I say, the enterprise market? Consider these recent events:

• Apple introduces 17-inch "iMac for education" in the form of the affordable eMac. Apple is once again "attacking" the education market.
• Apple announces "Jaguar" OS X. Among other things, Jaguar features iChat, which accesses AOL's instant messaging servers: see "Apple’s New Gig: Smooth Interoperator" http://www.business2.com/articles/web/0,1653,40592,00.html; and Rendezvous, a technology that allows users to search out IP Networks and to share network "aware" devices; as well as other cool network stuff.
• Apple’s integration of Microsoft technologies with the apparent strategy to "embrace and extend" (see "Could Apple be Stealing a Page from Microsoft’s Playbook?") http://www.mymac.com/mccormick/5.15.02.shtml.

All noteworthy stuff indeed, especially that about Microsoft. Actually, it would be a funny turn of events if Apple really did pursue the "embrace and extend" strategy. It would be hard for Microsoft to stop Apple from "cherry picking" its technologies … but I’m sure it would try. It would be harder for MS to pursue such a policy considering the Federal antitrust lawsuit that continues to dog it … in addition to the fact that Apple hardware is based more and more on industry standards and the UNIX operating system.

Apple is certainly capable of delivering all types of devices based on its technology and the technology of others. The key is the strategy it decides to pursue. As Jason Brooks of eWeek points to in the article, "Bluetooth will Provide Strong Spokes for Apple’s Digital Wheel" http://www.eweek.com/article/0,3658,s=1870&a=26999,00.asp.

It appears Apple is planning to embrace a wireless and integrated device strategy that once again could move it ahead of the computer pack. Bluetooth, as you probably already know, is a wireless technology that links mobile computers, mobile phones, portable handheld devices, and theInternet. For more about Bluetooth, check out the web site www.bluetooth.com.

--

Alsop Gets Real

The more I read Stewart Alsop’s columns on technology in Fortune, the more I like him. Not only is he giving the new iMac an extended test drive (and liking it), his latest On Infotech column "XP Means Extra Pain" in the April 29 print edition hits at the core of what has become Microsoft’s legacy:

"I agree with the reviewers. There’s nothing in Windows XP to cause anyone to go out of his way to get it. In fact, I wonder why such an amazing giant of technology as Microsoft — which argues vociferously for its right to integrate new technology into its operating system — can’t do better than this."

Alsop continues to break down why XP doesn’t deliver on its promises: XP isn’t all that new or stable; MS is the same old company; and XP is not easier to use.

It will be noted that in the same column he also states, "As many readers know, I’ve been using the Macintosh more and more at home. Apple recently upgraded its operating system to what’s known as OS X. That is based on Unix. You don’t have to restart your computer all the time. Managing programs and data is even easier than before. Of course, Apple is still the same old company too. But I’m beginning to think that Apple might actually be able to use such advantages to compete effectively."

Great column, Stewart. We’ll continue to walk with you as you seek enlightenment.

Latest iMac Design Playful and a Joy to Use

From the Houston Chronicle, April 27, 2002

By Dwight Silverman

WHEN Apple Computer's new iMac arrived at my home for review, I first set it up on the dining room table. One of my daughter's friends was the first to see it, and her reaction was telling.

"Wow, look!" she said. "It's the moving computer!"

That's a reference to the infectious TV ad that shows a man stopping in a window to admire the iMac, and the machine mimics his movements. My daughter's friend actually hoped that the iMac would play with her, too.

Indeed, "playful" is the perfect word to describe this computer's design. Apple's ad campaign captures its spirit beautifully. And design is the primary thing the new iMac has going for it.

Other computers do what the iMac does -- functionally, it performs in the same way as other Macintoshes and many Windows-based computers do. What makes this different is the way it physically engages the user.

Apple and its often zealous followers have long maintained that the Macintosh is the friendliest computer to use, and in this case they've been referring to the operating system, the Mac OS. But this is the first time that Apple has designed hardware that does as well in communicating that friendliness.

In that spirit, let's add the word "inviting" to its description.

I later moved the iMac up to our guest room, and my in-laws came to visit and stayed in that room. My wife's 85-year-old mother -- who to my knowledge has never touched a Mac -- sat down at it (ignoring a Dell sitting next to it, by the way) and figured out how to sign on to America Online on her own. When she finished, she asked coyly what it would take to bring it back with her.

For those who haven't see the ads or the machine itself, it looks like no other computer you've ever seen, even though its components are familiar. It has a 15-inch flat-panel screen. The screen is mounted on a shiny, polished chrome neck that's about 8 inches long, allowing the screen to move freely. The neck comes out of the center of a milky white hemisphere that's about the size of half a basketball. The computer's lone drive -- which can burn both CD and DVD discs -- pops out of the front of the hemisphere. Various connections are in a row along the back and bottom of the hemisphere -- Ethernet, FireWire, fax modem, USB. Even the speakers are cool -- they're a pair of clear spheres with impressive sound. They are a vast improvement over the speakers found in the original,
wedge-shaped iMac.

The version I tried came with an 800-megahertz PowerPC chip, 256 megabytes of memory and 60-gigabyte hard drive. About the only thing it lacked was an AirPort card, Apple's version of 802.11b wireless networking.

It also has a full-size keyboard and a cool-looking -- if somewhat limited -- clear optical mouse. I've complained about this before, and here it is again: Apple's stubborn adherence to a one-button mouse is a disservice to users. Fortunately, almost any USB mouse will work with this computer, which will give you two or more buttons for better productivity and convenience.

The price for this particular model -- the flagship in the line -- is $1,899. Less expensive models with slower processors and lacking DVD burners are $1,599 and $1,399.

Early reviews made the point that, given the flat-panel display and DVD burner, the iMac was a good value. Windows-based PCs could not match that price at the time, but that has changed since. For example, it's possible to configure a Dell Dimension 4400 with similar specs and pay $1,866.

The iMac comes with Mac OS X 10.1, which can run both native OS X applications as well as programs designed to run on the "Mac Classic" OS. At this point, though, it's possible to go with a pure OS X setup.

The combination of OS X -- with its attractive, intuitive interface -- and the unique physical design of the iMac are what makes this such a joy to use. I suspect even those who sneer at Macs as toys would be won over after an hour or so of use.

The iMac comes with a suite of multimedia applications aimed at making work with music, movies and photographs easy. Both the MP3 player and cataloguer iTunes and the video editing program iMovie, found on earlier Macs, are included. What's new is iPhoto, a basic image-editing and organizing program. Plug a USB-based digital camera into the iMac, and a simple dialog box lets you import the pictures you've taken. If you like, you can have iPhoto launch automatically to do the import. This makes getting digital photos into your computer a snap.

While the image-editing features of iPhoto are limited, they should be enough for most home photographers.

Besides the use of a single mouse button, I have only one small gripe about the hardware here. In most cases, the flat-panel display is beautiful, and is well-matched with an nVidia GeForce2 MX graphics card. But I found that small text on the screen tended to suffer badly from the "jaggies." Settings in the OS X control panel for font smoothing didn't seem to help.

Other than that, this is a great choice if you are shopping for a computer. If you are a Macintosh user and it's time to upgrade, you should snap up one of these.

But what about Windows users? Is this compelling enough to pull market share away from the dominant personal computing platform? I'd say that, for the first time in a long time, it may be. The trick is to convince Windows users to give up their investment in the software they've accumulated. While the iMac comes with just about everything you'd need to do most jobs, longtime computer users have programs they don't easily abandon.

However, this computer is so friendly, stable, easy to use and fun, I think anyone who is in the market -- regardless of what she or he has now -- should take a serious look at it. I know I will the next time I buy a computer. Send e-mail to dwight.silverman@chron.com. His Web site is at www.dwightsilverman.com.

Copyright 2002 Houston Chronicle

The iPod is More Than an MP3 Player!

The transformation of Apple from a computer manufacturer to electronic device manufacturer has begun. Mark it down as the iPod.

The iPod is one nifty MP3 player/recorder, but I believe Apple may have an underlying strategy with the device. Has everyone noted there been no Apple-branded PDA device announced? Could iPod possibly be the handheld device that will deliver this technology to Mac (and possibly Windows) users? Think about it.

Now I am not familiar with the underlying technology in iPod. However, what I do know is that it can serve as a hard drive for Firewire-equipped Macs and has its own operating system used to select and play songs. If you take this one step further it would be noted that programs theoretically could be installed and run on the device. Now , you tell me, how hard would it be for Apple to write PDA software to run on iPod? They already know how to do it (Newton) and they would have had to been blind not to see the tremendous potential out there (Palm, Microsoft CE devices).

You may say, well Newton was a bomb, so why would they want to go after this market again? Well, the answer is simple: iPod wouldn't just be an MP3 player/recorder, PDA or whatever. Depending on software installed, it's a cool and extremely portable extension of your computer desktop. Steve Jobs said it himself during the introduction of iPod: it will go places only PowerBooks dream of.

Well, there's my theory. Hey, I may be wrong, but it's interesting speculation nevertheless, huh?

No matter what happens with iPod, it appears Apple will be introducing more non-computer based gadgets in the future and attempting to migrate to more of a computer electronics company.

Click here for an example from Mac Directory that shows the iPod can be more than an MP3 player!

Different May Not That Bad After All!

A funny thing is happening on the way to world PC domination. Many journalists covering the computing industry are writing that fewer PC manufacturers may be a good thing and that Apple has a real chance of becoming a relevant computing platform once again (as if Mac users had to be told that). I've noted some significant news stories covering the computer industry the past several weeks.

It all started when Hewlett-Packard bought Compaq a few weeks ago and someone forgot to tell HP that a merger of the two PC box manufacturers wasn't necessarily a good thing. Stocks dropped and the PC press jumped in with both feet. What I liked most about the whole debacle is what they said about Apple:

"Dell sells online and through catalogues, its primary customers are companies and businessmen," writes Charles Haddad in his Byte of the Apple column. "Although Apple's online sales are growing smartly, the company still sells largely through retail outlets. Its customers are home users, students and artists. And that pits Apple directly against HP and Compaq, which dominate the consumer market for PCs ... If HP and Compaq wed, odds are good that one of these well-known consumer brands in PC retailing will disappear. That thinning of the marketing clutter should help elevate Apple's already lustrous brand name among consumers."

Charles Haddad of Business Week writes how brilliant he thinks Apple's strategy is to open retail outlets across the country.

"Call me crazy, but I agree with the handful of analysts who believe Apple-branded stores are a stroke of genius," said Haddad. "A place like CompUSA is basically a fast-food joint, except the boxes hold microprocessors rather than hamburgers. Sure, the labeling varies from box to box -- Sony, Compaq , whatever -- but what's inside is pretty much same. Not so with a Mac. It has a unique architecture that not only melds the machine to the operating system but enables users to do just about anything -- from playing graphic-intensive games to editing video -- without adding new parts. It never ceases to amaze me the hassles PC users learned to accept. Games that won't work without special cards. Printers that work with one PC and not another."

No truer words have ever been spoken about a computing platform.

Another Internet writer made the following observation recently (sorry, I didn't get the name or attribution):

"Ironically, Apple now appears to be the most stable company in the business (even though Dell is formidable). HP/Compaq's and IBM's ongoing presence in the desktop market is far from certain. Sony has so many other businesses that it's involvement with PC's need not be permanent. I'd think with the Xbox coming out that Sony (maker of PlayStation) would try to prevent people from using Windows since consoles and PC's are starting to converge. Gateway is in trouble, eMachines has been delisted from the NASDAQ, Micron, Acer, Tandy, NEC and Packard Bell are all gone. The dog-eat-dog world of Wintel is getting down to very few uneaten dogs, and the survivors may have pieces missing. Apple is starting to look awfully smart for marching to the beat of a different drummer."

Do you feel the tide may be turning in Apple's favor? You bet! What's more, Apple has a major change in OS strategy coming that will rattle a few cages. It's OS X and its UNIX based, which makes sense (finally) to all those computer geeks out there who could never embrace what they feel was Apple's proprietary operating system/hardware integration (like Microsoft isn't proprietary the way they "integrate" their technology)! For good or for bad, OS X will be embraced by a wider range of computer users simply because of its UNIX underpinnings.

While OS X will move a lot of folks initially to the Mac platform because of the UNIX attraction, in the end it may be cool and superior hardware that seals the deal. Some say there is no way Apple can build enough computers annually to keep up with say, a 10 percent increase in market share. Make no mistake, Apple has learned the hard way how to outsource product and would be able to keep up with nearly any demand the market has to throw at it.

I haven't said a think about the rumored 1.6 GHz G5 chip from Motorola, mainly because there are conflicting stories on the subject. Actually, I think it's believable because of the way it states Motorola got there – by altering the G5's pipeline structure from its initial seven stages to a total of 10. Thus, Motorola is using a type of microchip slight of hand to get the GHz to comparable Intel levels. The current 867 MHz Motorola G4 is roughly equivalent to Intel's 2 GHz P4 chip. That means a G5 running at the same 867 MHz could be at least twice as fast as the current P4, except for the added pipeline structure which could slow it down somewhat.

For more about the rumored G5 chip, see http://www.osopinion.com/perl/story/13626.html.

As you can see, it has been a busy couple of weeks in the Mac world. Hang on, it's only going to get better.

Yellow Bug Computers: Great Mac Source

I don't normally use this space to tout particular local businesses, and come to think of it, don't think I ever have. However, one local entrepreneur has come to my attention who definitely is worthy of mention – if for no other reason – his worthy cause.

His name is Bob Avery-Babel, owner of Yellow Bug Computers located in Columbia, Missouri. If you live in Jefferson City, you may have read his advertisements in the classified section of the newspaper touting low-cost Macintosh and PC systems.

Well, I've met Bob and actually been to his place of business, which at the moment just happens to be his small apartment. The day I was he had one room filled with lots of Macs, Mac parts and Mac accessories, as well as some PC equipment. Being a sucker for any Mac ever made, I bought several items, include a 17-inch AppleVision monitor and some other stuff.

Bob is a unique individual. He spends his days working at a PC-based communications company, but moonlights working on his first love, Macs, through Yellow Bug Computers. And his mission is noble: he buys and refurbishes Macs, then makes them available at low cost to first-time computer users and others who want to take a dip into computer technology. Pretty cool idea.

The flip of all this is that while Bob scourers through piles of Macs and PCs at various auctions looking for parts to rebuild computers, he comes up with lots of good stuff that Mac users can use. I'm talking about used monitors, keyboards, memory, drives and other parts that can cost much through mail order. If you have PC friends that need stuff, you can have them give Bob an email or call.

Bob has been to monthly appleJAC user's group meeting and said he would like to get to know our group better. I've encouraged him to do so and to visit us often.

So the next time you need some Mac stuff, give Bob a call. He may not have what you want at the moment, but he'll sure be on the lookout for you – which will benefit your pocketbook if you can wait. Yellow Bug Computers is located at www.yellowbugcomputers.com.

I'll Miss New York and MacWorld

This column is being written prior to July's MacWorld in New York, so I won't be commenting on what happened, however, I must admit I'm missing not being at The Big Show in the Big Apple.

Last year saw the introduction of the Cube, new displays, new keyboard and a mouse. Who knows what this year's offerings will be, but if you believe the various Mac news sites, not much is expected.

But that's not what I want to point out about MacWorld. Whether it's San Francisco in January or New York in July, if you ever get the chance to go to The Big Show, do it! There's the obvious attraction of a major Mac expo, but what's more the overall atmosphere you'll experience being around thousands of people who love and support arguably the best computing platform ever.

You'll see people like David Pouge walking the show floor, hundreds of product demonstrations designed to showcase the advantages of the Mac OS, and if you're lucky, Steve Jobs at the keynote or on the show floor.

While I could not make it this year, I'm already making plans to vacation either in San Fran or The Big Apple in 2002 – during MacWorld, of course. If you love the Mac, I'd suggest that you do the same.

"I want to be like Steve!" - Michael Dell

I've watched in amusement the past couple of years Michael Dell's comments about Apple. I'm amused for a couple of reasons.

First, if Apple is such a "niche" player in the overall computer market, why does Dell bother by berating the company every chance he gets? Secondly, why would Dell, who heads up a company that essentially repackages technology, want to poke at one of the most innovative computer companies of all time?

Well, you don't have to look far to see the source of Michael's frustration.

While Dell has certainly done well over the years repackaging technology, the real excitement around Silicon Valley surrounds those who push the technology envelope. And Apple -- love it or hate it -- does just that.

Additionally, Michael would have to have been blind not to notice that Apple has done very well, thank you, the past couple of years. This seems to bother Michael. You see, despite all the reasons Wintel manufacturers should care that Apple stays viable and healthy, they really want Apple to die. Apple introduces products on its platform that people want on the cheap Wintel platform. If Apple were to die on the vine, Dell and others would have less reason to produce compelling products.

While Dell doesn't necessarily produce "exciting" products; whether Dell wants to admit it or not, it is influenced by companies like Apple.

For example, do you remember the all-in-one computer Dell produced for a while? I don't see it in their advertisements anymore, so I assume it has been discontinued. Also, have you noticed the special "panels" Dell places on its laptop computers? Michael Dell knows that no matter what kind of colorful panels he sticks on his computers they won't come near to "cool factor" of the computers Apple produces. Why? It's simple. Apple had to invest millions to developing the special plastics and housings for its computers. Dell repackages PC components. Any R&D it does definitely would not focus on the look of its computers. There are exceptions like Sony, but for the most part PC manufacturers aren't concerned with aesthetics -- either with the boxes they build or the interface their machines run. Dell is a classic example of a "non-innovator," as it has made billions throwing parts from different suppliers together to build its computers; then uses Microsoft's operating system to run it.

So we return to our original question: "Why is Michael Dell so concerned about Apple?" After all, according to Michael the company is going out of business, has lost the education market and is essentially not a relevant computing platform.

My answer? Perhaps Michael is smarter than we think. After all, the last time he lambasted Apple, Steve Jobs came out with the phenomenally-successful iMac that pushed the Wintel forward.

Go ahead, Michael, make Steve's day!

Mac: The Original 'Windows Experience'

Recently, while digging through some old Macintosh promotional pieces I've managed to hang on all these years, I began to think about the machine, it's makers and the literal revolution in computing the Mac created.

Those of us "old hats" who have been around have a different perspective on the Mac experience than more newer converts to the platform. I'm am constantly amazed by the number of people who marvel at Windows and proclaim what Windows is the "greatest thing since buttered bread." If any connection with the Macintosh is suggested, these same people quickly discredit the original GUI (Graphical User Interface) platform that made it all possible.

When Macintosh hit the market in 1984, it was unlike anything most of us had seen. Yes, some computer junkies knew of the existence of GUI-interfaces; but most of us were still computing happily along with a command line. Steve Jobs and the Macintosh development team changed all that. Many said it couldn't happen, but it did.

Despite the fact that the Mac was somewhat under powered at launch, Jobs and his team made it happen and clearly put Apple ahead of GUI development for the next six years. What made the Mac interface so great in the early days: simplicity of design, drop down windows, a mouse, etc., has been replicated over and over again in millions of Macintosh and Windows computers sold throughout the world. The Mac did bring computing to "the rest of us."

While Apple clearly won the battle to get GUI to a mass market, it also clearly has lost the war. As Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak said a few years ago at a college commencement service, "We won. Every computer is a essentially a Mac." This is true to an extent, however, Apple lost mind share and all-important market share through the years. I think Apple and Steve Jobs are happy now being a niche player in the world of computers. As I looked through clippings, brochures and other items from the dawning of the Mac era, I couldn't help but thing how things could have been different if there were more Macs in the world than Windows-based machines.There are some thoughts:

Personality. For one thing, more people would consider their computers more an extension of their personality than just a work tool they must tolerate. That's what has kept me loyal to Macintosh all these years. It's just a better computing platform. There are few headaches using a Mac than Windows. It's that simple.

Ease of Use. More people would be organized. While no computer has ever truly been "easy to use" with no prior instruction, the Macintosh is the best thing we've been able to come up with. I like the way everything on a Mac is consistent in implementation. Everything works the same. All programs work the same. It brings peace to my life.

Innovation. There would more innovation. Apple Computer, with the research and development resources of Microsoft, would be something to behold. Most of the major innovations in personal computing have come from the laboratories of Apple. It's a fact. I could name them, but I will not. If you're the curious sort, check out the following The Most Hugest Page of Mac Facts at http://www.13idol.com/mac/macfacts.html. As you read, you'll smile … a lot!

Obviously, these are just a few of the many things I could mention. I count it a joy to still be a Mac user and free from what I call the "Windows Form Factor." The next time you boot your Mac, count it as a joy as well.

It's Time for Apple to Innovate Again

Well, here we are in the year 2001 and it isn't quite the "Space Odyssey" everyone expected. There is one constant however: Apple Computer is once again going out of business.

In fact, a C/NET columnist went as far in recent weeks to predict that 2004 will be the final year for Apple, the company that invented the personal computer in the 1970s and refined the personal computer experience with the Mac in the 1980s.

Now, I'm not one to make predictions, particularly when it's related to such a volatile business as computers. Concerning Apple, however, this prediction really doesn't make much sense. While Windows -- in all its current incarnations -- dominates computing, there is a growing public out there who doesn't want to follow the status quo. Face it, Windows is seen as corporate America. Apple, on the other hand, is still seen as counterculture and cool. In some ways it's Apple's cool factor and zealous users that make it the target of the corporate Wintel establishment -- whether it be by an information services manager or the technology press.

There was a time I thought that bad press could kill Apple Computer. I am now convinced that the only thing that can kill Apple is Apple itself. As we enter the year 2001, Apple is in a unique position of being the only computer manufacturer which can control the entire computing experience -- the hardware and the software -- for the end user. This is something that even Bill Gates cannot claim.

Today, in a time when people are looking for easy access to technology, Apple can lead out with devices that provide this accessibility to the masses. By doing so it can accomplish something in computers that companies like Sony have been able to do with electronics such as the Walkman. While this opportunity certainly is within reach of Apple, I am not convinced it is ready to take on this role. While Apple is without a doubt one of the most innovative computers companies ever, Apple is not the risk taker it once was. I recognized that Apple has had to become more like other PC companies in order to survive.

As I have mentioned in this column before, the guts of today's Mac are much like the guts of the average Wintel PC. While there are major differences such as the CPU, hard drives that work in PCs work in Macs, as do most other components. The difference in the Mac has always been the user experience. What started out to be a very simple interface has evolved into a complicated conglomeration of interface enhancements and add ons.

While the current Mac OS 9 is one of the most stable Mac operating systems ever, it is still essentially based on the original technology that created the Macintosh in 1984. Will OS X be the savior -- and liberator -- of the Macintosh operating system? From what I've seen so far, it is an impressive multi-threaded operating system that is extremely stable. While Apple has done a great job of hiding the UNIX underpinning of the new OS with its Aqua interface, it's still there and for the first time the Mac will have a command line available to the average user. Apple needs OS X, but IÕm not sure the average consumer does. There is little doubt it is a great entry into the server market, but I just don't see OS X in its current form winning over multitudes of Wintel users.

The company that gets the next evolution of the computer interface right may very well revolutionize the way humans interacts with silicone. I'm convinced, however, the next interface innovation will make computers as easy to use as a Palm Pilot or any home appliance. I believe that Apple -- with its unorthodox and innovative corporate culture -- is the computer company with the best ability to color outside the lines to create the next great innovation in computing.

Apple has for many years led the way in the industrial design of its hardware. Now it is time for Apple to lead the way with a device that revolutionizes the computing experience.

So You Like Running Water?

Raise your hand if you like running water. How about a warm shower? As Americans, we tend to take these modern conveniences for granted. However, if you do much traveling overseas, you know how these simple, every day pleasures can quickly become a commodity in some developing countries.

Admit it. We all like conveniences and -- whether we admit it or not -- aesthetics. Some Macintosh users have a hard time telling you why they love the Mac OS user interface so much. Many say that "it just works" or that it's easier to use.

As a user of the Mac OS and Windows OS for many years now, I can say with confidence that "it's the aesthetics of Macintosh" that really grabs me. From the ground up, the Mac OS has been engineered with the end user in mind. While Windows certainly has gotten much better over the years, it really lacks in operating system aesthetics and usability.

Ask any long-time Mac user who must use Windows at work or who is forced to switch for some reason. The first thing they'll tell you is that "all the programs don't work the same." Perhaps a more accurate statement is that the user "does not access every program the same way." This, in itself, is an important distinguishing characteristic of the top two operating systems in the world.

From the beginning, the Mac OS "toolbox" forced programmers -- like it or not -- to call on certain parts of the operating system the same way. That why for years all one needed to know to shut down a Macintosh application was CRTL Q or to choose Quit from the File menu.

Windows users may read my previous statement and say, "Hey, Windows works the same way, you're not being fair." Well, in recent incarnations Windows programmers have began to standardized on standard menus. However, if you'll notice, this is mainly in more mainstream programs of high professional or consumer distribution. If you don't believe me, download a shareware Windows program sometime and take a close look at it. More times than not the programmer will come up with all sorts of ways to access the program, all to the confusion of the user. In all fairness, this happens sometimes to youthful Mac programmers as well. But I have experienced it to be much more common among the Windows programming crowd.

Now that we've all grown accustom to the Mac OS, Apple is changing everything with OS X. What's promised is a higher level of usability and functionality. With the public beta out on the streets, we'll know soon how well the boys (and girls) in Cupertino have delivered on this one. If OS X lives up to its billing, Apple may set the standard for consumer operating systems once again.

What will be interesting is how Apple ultimately delivers OS X to the masses through its scalability and uses in a various of consumer and professional devices. With core underpinnings from UNIX, I believe Mac OS X is in a good position to capture some of Microsoft's historical market share. Will OS X be a part of your future? The answer is "yes and definitely." Will it be a part of the future of Windows users? The answer is a "yes, but they'll come kicking and screaming."

If Apple is successful with the implementation and marketing of Mac OS X, the company may once again position itself favorably in the physique of corporate America.

Time - and more than a beta release -- will tell.

Why I Recommend Mac

I enjoy travel. Whether it be for business or for pleasure, traveling seems to give me a needed rest from the common every day. Recently, while traveling with my wife who was attending a teacher’s convention, I read an interesting article in USA Today. Since I receive a local and state newspaper at home, I relegate the reading of USA Today only to times when I travel.

The cover story on this day discussed how Macromedia’s Shockwave is exploding in use on the Internet. Shockwave allows common, everyday people to create their own multimedia programming at little or no cost.

What was amazing is that not only common folk are getting involved in Internet multimedia authoriing, but filmmakers and other creative professionals who previously had to work through large corporations to deliver their art form.

Among the names mentioned were film directors David Lynch and Tim Burton. Apparently, it takes a minimum amount of computer equipment needed to produce and deliver Shockwave content to web audiences. The article pointed out that practically any well-equipped new computer is capable of running the multimedia software.

Lynch, who is by no means an unknown director, uses an iMac. Here was a major motion picture director who has had literally hundreds work with him on movies in the past, sitting quietly in front of an iMac authoring his own productions.

It’s not that Shockwave authoring cannot be done on a Windows PC, of course it can. The difference pointed out in the article is the sheer simplicity the iMac provided to facilitate the process. Lynch drew pictures on the iMac, animated them, provided voices and background music -- all without any assistance.

Without meaning to the USA Today article said that neat stuff is just easier to do on an iMac. It’s not that it cannot be done on a Windows PC, it’s just easier on an iMac.

I’ve never really considered myself a "Mac advocate," rather I’m an advocate of easy-to-use computer systems. I have found the Mac is the only computer platform that meets that criteria over and over again.

Some PC users -- many of which have never used a Mac -- are quick to criticize the Mac. I tell them I speak from experience when I recommend Mac because I use both daily at home and at work. While PCs have become the darling of corporations for whatever reason (we won’t get into that here), it’s really hard not to recommend Mac to home users and creative professionals because of its many end-user strengths.

One of messages I hear repeated from missionaries and pastors who use Macs in the United States and overseas is the easy of use, set-up and stability of the Macintosh. Here again, when asked what type of computer I recommend, I usually respond Mac because of the attributes the platform possesses.

On the flip side, I have found it is sometimes unwise to recommend a Mac to users whose friends primarily use. Why? Because not matter what type of computer a person uses, there will be support issues from time to time. I’ve found it best for Mac users to have Mac friends to help and vise versa with PC owners.

However, I must admit that it has become easier to recommend Mac following the revitalization of Apple Computer and the growing acceptance of the platform once again among consumers. As more people use Mac technology, them purchase of a Mac makes more sense even when many more friends and families may use a PC.

Apple in the Windy City

Recently, after many years of just passing through the Chicago airport, I actually stayed in the Windy City. It was a delightful experience, as I got the opportunity to enjoy Chicago hot dogs, its famous pizza and many other of its special culinary delights.

On the Apple Computer front, advertising was visible on several downtown outdoor displays. I also visited the CompUSA store right off of Michigan Avenue.

Apple had a good presence in the store: iMacs were stacked high as customers walked through the front entrance. Additionally, there was a well-stocked "Store within a Store" that featured every Mac configuration currently available. What's more, there were a lot of people visiting the area, most of which were a younger 20s or so set. All in all the store had lots for the Mac enthusiast.

The next day I visited the world famous Sears Tower, which is one of the tallest buildings in the world. On the day I was there, they were getting ready to dedicate a new observatory on the 103 floor. It was a sight to behold. In addition to the beautiful view, there were displays detailing Chicago history. It was also designed as a high-tech exhibit, as computers were located at each observatory deck. The computers were designed to provide visitors with information on landmarks visible from the tower.

I say "designed" because several of the devices, which were Gateway all-in-one computers running what appeared to be Windows 98, were locked up due to some type of error message.

I chuckled when I saw this, wondering how many thousands of dollars had been spend on the new exhibit, only to have it marred by defective technology. I will give those responsible for the exhibit some slack, as it is still being finished.

I guess the same could be said for Windows 98.

Apple has 92% among my acquaintances!

By Lukas Hauser

In the heels of news that Macs have only gained 1/2 a percentage point in marketshare in recent years, MacCommunist has conducted an equally scientific survey. Apple has a commanding marketshare lead over its nearest rival, Dell Computer, among people I know.My girlfriend has an iBook. (Okay, I forced her to. She's a previous Dell user, the capitalist. But there's only one party allowed in this country, baby!) Her friend in corporate law school is planning on getting an iBook next semester. (See? The system works!)

My ex-girlfriend has a Mac, too -- probably the same Power Computing piece of junk I helped her choose so many years ago. Perhaps had we stayed true to MacCommunist ideals - COMPETITION WITH APPLE IS ALWAYS WRONG - the relationship would have worked out. No matter.

My current girlfriend's roommate, Sarah, has an original iMac but she's thinking of switching to PCs since her iMac is busted. (An acceptable loss: the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the one.) My girlfriend's ex-roommate, Wendy, is considerably happier with her iMac. My girlfriend's other roommate, Karen, is an "information architect" at a major New York internet agency, and uses Macs on the job. The fourth roommate, Jessica, doesn't have a computer but apparently had owned Macs throughout her college career.

A friend, Jason, has a tangerine iMac 266 in his Manhattan Upper West Side apartment. He'd previously had an original iMac at his job -- financial writer for a Hearst magazine -- and had recently upgraded his work computer to an iMac DV Special Edition. (The entire magazine's staff uses iMacs -- as, I imagine, most Hearst magazines do.) But he's recently quit his job to write freelance, and will be using his orange home iMac full-time.

His roommate, a veteran freelance writer and editor, has had a plethora of Macs since 1985, and just recently upgraded to a $999 entry-level iMac. His other roommate, Dan, a computer-science graduate from an Ivy League college, is computer-less, but will be buying a Mac PowerBook for his summer job in Los Alamos. Dan just helped his mother, a painter, get an iMac, too.

The woman who hooked me up with a writing/editing myself for a New York-based design-centric magazine gig is a proud owner of an iMac at home, as is her fashion-writer roommate; the influential web magazine she also writes for is exclusively Mac-based, too. The aforementioned design magazine uses Macs, of course, as I imagine all its writers and designers do at home.

Mired's editor has a PowerBook G3 at home. Mired's contributing editors -- a humanities graduate student and a sports-magazine fact-checker -- own a

PowerBook G3 and a Dell notebook, respectively. However, the Dell-notebook-using fact-checker uses a graphite iMac DV at his fact-checking job, and is apparently considering making the switch at home, too.

A good college friend of mine, an artist, is a big fan of her G4, which she uses to make her art. Her father, a respected photographer, recently switched from a 5-year-old Windows PC to a G4 with Apple Cinema Display. His wife, a lawyer, loves her PowerBook G3, recommended by a computer-consultant family friend who owns dozens of Macs. A lot of the family's artist friends are Mac users themselves.

One business acquaintance of mine is a fashion photogapher, who has 5-10 Power Mac G4s in his Chelsea studio; another is multimedia performance artist who also has 5-10 Macs in her Tribeca studio; another runs a small SoHo art gallery with 3-5 Power Mac G3s; another works for an outdoor advertising agency which has 3-4 G3s in its design space.

Five web-design colleagues at a global media conglomerate for which I work all use either G3s or G4s, and all have older Macs at home. (One, a

Yaddo-affiliated painter, helped her significant other get an iMac recently.) Our division has probably a hundred Macs in use, exclusively. Also in my building are a major newsweekly magazine's offices (all Mac-based).

One financial writer I know there, peripherally, is married to a graphic designer, who recently bought a Power Macintosh G3. An HTML programmer I know in another division uses a PC at work, but bought a purple iMac for his home use in Queens. Another, who runs a punk-rock web-zine, is in the same situation, but will be replacing his work PC with a G4 in the coming weeks.

My own roommate doesn't have a computer at home, but has his sights set on a graphite iBook. The entertainment magazine he writes for is also exclusive Mac-based. An inventory of some of his friends: a fellow writer and iBook owner; a musician and G3 owner; another musician and G4 owner; a freelance fashion writer and iMac owner. My roommate's cousins also use Macs, as does his father, a doctor.

My mother has an iMac. My father, retired, has a tangerine iMac DV. My half-sister and her husband have a Mac. Some good friends of the family in California have several Macs. Some friends of the family in Western New York recently bought a PowerBook G3.

My uncle has a PC. How it hurts!

My old high-school buddy living in San Francisco has a G3 at home and G4 at work. (His mother has an older Mac at home.) A college buddy, also in San Francisco, has a Mac at home and is otherwise unemployed. Another high school friend is in the Peace Corps, but his family back in Western New York has a variety of older Macs.

Some good friends of mine, jazz musicians, bought an original iMac a few years ago. As they've become more successful in recent months, signed by a major label, they've bought themselves an iBook and iMac DV Special Edition.

"These numbers are staggering," I said in response to the report. "Apple seems to be doing better than expected in this particular but far-reaching market segment."

The lesson? Capitalist pigs: prepare to be dragged out onto the street and shot.

Thanks to our man Gary Flint for his solidarity!