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MacTrivia 1.0 Released for Mac OS X

MacTrivia is a fun new game that will test your knowledge of Macintosh & Apple trivia with questions that range from very easy to extremely difficult. The game ships with one default 25-question starter pack for you to play with, and then, you can donate to If Then Software for some other larger question packs (there are currently 3 100-question packs available at the website). The game features timed-play, an automatically saved scoreboard which you can eMail to friends after the game is over, variable-point questions, and a random question bonus.



Visit http://www.ifthensoftware.com for more details.

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Apple releases QuickTime 6.2 update

Apple has released QuickTime version 6.2 which improves the iTunes 4.0 foundation (including adding ACC encoding and decoding) and more. You can download it at the QuickTime Download web page.

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Apple announces new iPods, shipping Friday

Apple announced today new 10 GB, 15 GB, and 30 GB iPods with an updated design and a new docking station.

One of the biggest new features of the newly styled iPods are the fact that they can play AAC music files, which take up less space then normal MP3 files, which means you can store more music in the same amount of space. (iPod Software version 1.3 has also been releases for previous iPods which adds AAC playback support).



The new design of the iPods puts the main buttons (play, stop, next, back) on the top of the scroll wheel, right below the newer higher contrast display.



The docking station, which is only included on the 15 GB and 30 GB models, charges and syncs the iPod with your Macintosh. Currently only FireWire, in a month a USB 2.0 version will be available ($19 adapter).



Some new features in the iPod Software 1.3 update includes AAC playback support, 2 new games (Solitaire and Parachute), and on-the-go playlists.

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Apple releases iTunes 4.0 with Music Store

Apple today announced the immediate release of iTunes 4.0 and the included Music Store.

iTunes 4.0 now includes Rendezvous playlist sharing for other Mac users in your household, AAC import (requires the new QuickTime 6.2 update also released today), the ability to add and view album artwork, burn DVD archives of your music, and to search using more options.



But perhaps to most amazing new feature of iTunes 4.0 is the Music Store. What looks like a green playlist on your iTunes list of sources, is a place to sample (30 second high quality streams) and to buy single songs or entire albums. Each song is $.99 and a whole CD is $9.99. The Music Store supports one-click buying, where you can simply click on the song you want and it will be downloaded in a high quality AAC format and added to your playlist where you can move it to your iPod or burn to a CD as many times as you would like.



The Music Store is currently only for the U.S., and contains about 200,000 songs.

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New Themes Available for Mac OS X Jaguar

Ever since the release of Mac OS X, users have been tinkering with the interface. Over the past few months there has been many new themes released which are compatible with Mac OS X Jaguar.

SmoothStripes version 3.0.1 by Mac Themes is an Aqua-like theme but without stripes, and comes in many variations (regular, all-blue, gloss).



Brushed version 2.2.3, also by Max Themes, gives the brushed metal look (like iTunes) to every application in Mac OS X (Carbon or Cocoa).



Or if you prefer the look of Classic Mac OS 9, you can give Classic Platinum version 1.2.3 a try. Made by Max Themes, it try's to resemble as much as possible the Platinum Mac OS 9 interface on Mac OS X.



If you're looking for a theme lighter on the eyes, give Milk version 1.6.1 (you guessed it - also made by Max Themes) a try, which also comes with an optional look-alike Safari theme.



Like the look of BeOS? Give SS BeOSX a try by SwizCore Studio's. Also available there is a theme of NeXTSTEP, which is what Mac OS X was before Apple purchased it.



There are many more themes available, these are just a few that I found interesting. You can search Google to find more.

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Spammers reach a new low

The Register reports a disturbing new tactic some spammers are starting to use: Trojan horses similar to ones used for DDoS attacks.


Pressed by increasingly effective anti-spam efforts, senders of unsolicited commercial e-mail are resorting to outright criminality in their efforts to conceal the source of their ill-sent missives, using Trojan horses to turn the computers of innocent netizens into secret spam zombies.

"This is the newest delivery mechanism," says Margie Arbon, director of operations of anti-spam group MAPS. "I've been looking for it for a year, and in the last couple of months people have actually found Trojans that are doing it... They're carrying their own SMTP engines. Failing that, they install open proxy software."

One of those programs popped up last week. Named "Proxy-Guzu," when executed by an unwitting user the Trojan listens on a randomly-chosen port and uses its own built-in mail client to dash off a message to a Hotmail account, putting the port number and victim's IP address in the subject line. The spammer takes it from there, routing as much e-mail as he or she likes through the captured computer, knowing that any efforts to trace the source of the spam will end at the victim's Internet address.

Trojan horses generally rely on their wielder's ability to trick innocent people into executing them. Proxy-Guzu, naturally, arrives as spam -- in one sighting the program was offered as a naughty peek at an online webcam.

One early victim of the malware, posting to an anti-virus message board, says he detected it only when his desktop firewall program alerted him to large quantities of outgoing e-mail messages sent to unfamiliar addresses, with subject lines like "Don't tell your parents about this!" and "your bill."

You can read the full article here.

Thankfully none of the spamware trojans affect the Mac - yet.

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MacResQ Deals

PowerBook G4/500 256/20gb/DVD/56k/15.2"
Normally $1379.99, take $100 off with Q-Pon code "SPLINTER"! At $1279.99, this is our lowest price ever on a G4/500 PowerBook. Expires 4/30

FileMaker Pro 5.5 Upgrade for Mac OS & Windows, New Retail Box: Only
$89.99!

DVResQ SteadiStick SteadiCam Image Stabilizer, Black Anodized Aluminum:
Normally $119.99, take $20 off when you use Q-Pon code "STRAIGHT" when
ordering. Exp 4/30

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Harry Potter 2 Demo Available

Be Harry Potter and unlock the mystery at the heart of the Chamber of Secrets. With dire warnings from strange quarters and dark schemes afoot, Harryís second adventure will be every bit as magical and dangerous as his first. But this time the spells are more potent, the foes are more fearsome, and Harryís friends are more important than ever.

Download the demo here.

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NetNewsWire and Spring Earn Top Awards

Brent Simmons and Robb Beal earned top awards in the inaugural Mac OS X Innovators Contest run by O'Reilly & Associates and sponsored by Apple Developer Connection.


Simmons' winning entry, NetNewsWire, is a popular RSS news reader for Mac OS X. It can fetch and display news from thousands of different web sites via a user interface that represents the elegance and power of Mac OS X. The full version includes a weblog editor, Internet scrapbook, advanced search functionality, and is AppleScriptable.

Beal's second-place entry, Spring, is a unique, web-inspired desktop for the Mac OS X platform. Users work with canvases and icons (called Spring Objects) to retrieve and manage information, and to communicate with others. Even though Spring is wildly innovative, it's also easy to use and represents the type of application we expect to see on the Mac platform first.

Read more about the Mac OS X Innovator's contest at http://www.macdevcenter.com/mac/developer/.

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Reader Specials from MacResQ

Mac OS 10.2 Jaguar OEM CD Set with Manuals & License: Only $89.99!

QPro ICE External 3.5" FireWire & USB 2.0 Enclosure Kit with Oxford 911
Chipset: Only $99.99!
Fully ATA/6 compatible! No problems with drives over 128GB not being fully
useable.

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Absolute Software launches Mac products

Absolute Software, a provider of services and software for computer security and asset management, today launched Mac versions of its ComputracePlus PC tracking and loss control solution and its AbsoluteTrack secure asset tracking and inventory management solution. Absolute believes the new Mac versions will enable the company to further its successes in the education segment, a target market known for widespread use of Macintosh computers.

More than 2,000 customers, including Fortune 1000 companies, small and medium businesses, education institutions and government organizations currently rely on ComputracePlus and AbsoluteTrack to secure and manage their computing assets.

ComputracePlus helps security departments monitor asset location daily, protect valuable corporate data and attempt to recover computers if they are stolen. AbsoluteTrack simplifies the management of software licenses, computer leases, machine configuration, computer retirement, upgrades and device ownership, and also helps control computer loss and monitor security policy violations.

John Livingston, President and CEO of Absolute Software said, ìWe are very pleased that Mac clients can now benefit from the same features and functionality that our Windows customers currently enjoy with ComputracePlus and AbsoluteTrack. Our customers are looking for support for both Windows and Mac operating systems. By delivering on this need we feel we are on track to realize our goal of becoming the value leader in securing and managing the remote, mobile and office computing environment.î

Chris Firsich, senior manager for desktop management at The E. W. Scripps Company, a diversified media concern with interests in newspapers, broadcast television stations, cable television networks and other media-related enterprises, said, "To manage our investment in desktop computers throughout our enterprise, it's important that all of our bases are covered - and that includes both Macs and PCs. That's why, without a doubt, Absolute's new Mac version influenced our recent decision to purchase AbsoluteTrack."

Livingston believes the new Mac versions of ComputracePlus and AbsoluteTrack will be of particular interest to the education segment. ìApple has a very loyal following in the education market where a number of schools operate entirely on Macintosh computers or are cross platform,î he said. ìBy offering a product that is compatible with the Mac operating system, we feel we are well positioned to meet the needs of this important market.î
ComputracePlus and AbsoluteTrack are available for Mac OS X v10.2 and higher, and Windows 95/98/2000/NT/ME/XP. The price per unit for one year of service for 1-99 licenses of ComputracePlus is US$49.95 or CDN $69.95; the price per unit for one year of service for 1-99 licenses of AbsoluteTrack is US$19.95 or CDN$29.95. Multiple year service terms and volume discounts are also available.

About Absolute

Absolute Software helps organizations overcome the security risks and asset management challenges associated with the remote, mobile and desktop computing environment. Thanks to the companyís unique, patented Computrace Technology Platform, Absoluteís products can be easily delivered as services over the Internet or as enterprise software installed at the customerís site. Over 2,000 customers, including Fortune 1000 companies, small and medium businesses, education institutions and government organizations rely on these solutions every day to secure and manage their computing assets.

For more information, visit www.absolute.com

Disclaimer: I am an employee of Absolute software and I'm a member of the Mac development team.

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Surround SCM 1.5 for Mac OS X

Seapine Software, Inc., a
leading provider of integrated software development lifecycle management
tools, today announced the immediate availability of Surround SCM 1.5 for
Mac OS X. Surround SCM is a robust, cross-platform software configuration
management (SCM) solution that tracks software source code changes,
facilitates remote access to a source code repository, and enforces
security and a structured change control process. New in version 1.5 is
integration with Guiffy Softwareís compare and merge utility, advanced
searching, shadow folders, and additional speed and usability enhancements.

ìWith the inclusion of Guiffy, the leading cross-platform compare and merge
utility, and a wide array of new features and enhancements, Surround SCM
1.5 is an exciting release for us and our customers,î said Richard
Riccetti, president of Seapine Software. ìThe new features in version 1.5
demonstrate our continued commitment to deliver a complete, cross-platform
change management solution as part of our lifecycle management suite.î

The Guiffy compare and merge utility is now fully integrated and included
with Surround SCM 1.5. Guiffy is the leading cross-platform utility for
comparing and merging source files of any type, with built-in support for
UNICODE, MBCS, and over 150 file encoding formats. Guiffy also provides
sophisticated folder and file compare and synchronization capabilities,
making the task of merging, upgrading, and identifying changes as easy and
as safe as possible.

A key new Surround SCM 1.5 feature is advanced searching, which facilitates
finding source files by various attributes. Users can search for files by
filename, check out status, comments, or the existence of specific events.
Advanced searching also includes support for regular expressions.

In Surround SCM 1.5 users can create shadow folders to set up a central
directory containing current versions of all files in a repository. This
feature provides a centralized area to view read-only source code and
documents. Additional features in version 1.5 include branch freezing,
advanced check in/get options, an analyze utility, speed enhancements, and
a rollback command that restores a file to a previous version.

Availability

Surround SCM 1.5 is available immediately for Mac OS X, Windows, Linux, and
Solaris, to customers worldwide through Seapine Partners, Authorized
Resellers, and Seapine Software. The Guiffy utility is included with
Surround SCM for no additional charge. For more information about Surround
SCM, or to request a 30-day evaluation version, please visit
http://www.seapine.com.

About Seapine Software

Seapine Software, Inc., located in Mason, Ohio, develops industry-leading
solutions for software development. Seapineís scalable product line
automates the software development lifecycle. Over 4,700 companies
worldwide use Seapineís products to develop higher quality software
solutions.

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ActiveDeveloper v2.11 IDE Released for MacOS X

Today InterACTIVE-Technology released
version 2.11 of ActiveDeveloper for MacOS X 10.1 and 10.2 - our Runtime
Objective-C & C IDE, JIT compiler and Debugger with support for Cocoa.


The ActiveDeveloper IDE cuts your API learning curve and allows incremental
Development of any Project. With ActiveDeveloper you get a Runtime Object
IDE allowing you to build NATIVE apps and servers directly at Runtime while
they run. Thereby bringing you a whole lot closer to the Objects you work
with ...

In ActiveDeveloper version 2.11 stability is improved in the live object
browser, and it's now possible to use ActiveDeveloper on stand-alone Macs -
so you can take it home or use it on your portable without being connected
to a network.

ActiveDeveloper

• "Grow" your Apps - through incremental JIT Compilation
  
• Develop, Test, Debug and Play - at runtime
  
• Edit-compile-play cycles in 1-2 seconds
  
• Deploy NATIVE Apps - with NO ActiveDeveloper dependency
  

ActiveDeveloper - Pricing:

Commercial Single platform (Thin) multi user license - only $ 99

Personal Single platform (Thin) single user licenses - only $ 49

Educational Single platform (Thin) 5-pack user licenses - only $249

Download ActiveDeveloper from
http://www.interactive-technology.com

Screenshots of ActiveDeveloper:
http://www.interactive-technology.com/Screenshots/

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Mac OS X Advanced Development Techniques

Mac OS X Advanced Development Techniques is an exciting new book by Joe Zobkiw for intermediate to advanced Mac OS X programmers. Each project chapter contains complete source code and detailed explanations to help developers, like yourself, learn quickly. Examples include document-based applications, Cocoa and Carbon plug-ins, frameworks, system services, preference panes, status items, threads, PHP, XML-RPC, SOAP and more.

You can order it from Amazon. For more information, visit Sams Publishing.

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CREATE renamed again

CREATE, formerly MacWorld Expo New York, has been renamed "Macworld CreativePro Conference & Expo" to emphasize the event's focus.

You can read the announcement here

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Chandler 0.1 Released

Chandler is intended to be an open source personal information manager for email, calendars, contacts, tasks, and general information management, as well as a platform for developing information management applications. It is currently under development and will run on Windows, Mac, and Linux-based PC's.


The initial source code release, as well as pre-built binaries for Mac OS X and other operating systems can be downloaded from http://www.osafoundation.org/.

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iBook speed bump

Apple has updated the iBook to a 900 MHz G3 and added a 40M or optional BTO 60M hard drive.

Here are the specs for the new models:

Order # M8758LL/A

• 800MHz PowerPC G3
  
• 128MB RAM, expandable to 640MB
  
• 30GB Ultra ATA hard drive
  
• CD-ROM
  
• 12.1-inch (diagonal) TFT XGA display
  

Order # M9018LL/A

• 900MHz PowerPC G3
  
• 128MB RAM, expandable to 640MB
  
• 40GB Ultra ATA hard drive
  
• Combo (DVD-ROM/CD-RW)
  
• 12.1-inch (diagonal) TFT XGA display
  

Order # M9009LL/A

• 900MHz PowerPC G3
  
• 256MB RAM, expandable to 640MB
  
• 40GB Ultra ATA hard drive
  
• Combo (DVD-ROM/CD-RW)
  
• 14.1-inch (diagonal) TFT XGA display
  

All 3 models include 512K L2 Cache, a 100MHz system bus, one FireWire 400 port, ATI Mobility Radeon 7500 with 32MB of DDR SDRAM, two USB ports, built-in 56K V.92 modem & 10/100BASE-T Ethernet, and video output supporting mirroring only. All 3 models are Airport ready (11Mbps, not Airport Extreme). Software includes Mac OS X, Mac OS 9, QuickTime, iCal, iChat, iLife (includes iMovie, iPhoto, iTunes), iSync, DVD Player, AppleWorks, Mac OS X Mail, Microsoft Internet Explorer, EarthLink (includes 30 days of free service), AOL, Quicken 2003 Deluxe, World Book 2003 Edition, Mac OS X Chess, Otto Matic, Deimos Rising, Microsoft Office v.X Test Drive, Sound Studio, FAXstf, and Acrobat Reader; Apple Hardware Test CD.

Apple has further blurred the difference between the iBook & PowerBook lines, although there are several notable differences between the iBook and the 12" PowerBook G4. Most notably, the iBook lacks built-in BlueTooth (although an external D-Link adapter is available), Airport Extreme, and a SuperDrive option, and the video out supports mirroring only. It's still a good deal if you don't need any of those features or a G4 processor.

The new iBook may also be the last Mac that is capable of booting Mac OS 9.

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Mail.app's address history

In today's Macintouch Reader Report, someone asks how to reset Mail.app's auto completion addresses. That can be done easily with Mail.app's address history window.


You can open Mail.app's address history window from the Window menu. The window lists all addresses that you sent email to recently. A card icon next to any entry means that it's listed in your address book.

If you want to remove any incorrect addresses to prevent them from being used for auto-completion, highlight the entries and click the remove from history button. You can also add entries to the address book by clicking add to address book

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FmPro Migrator added to download section

FmPro Migrator quickly and accurately migrates FileMaker Pro database structure and data to MySQL and Oracle.

• Migrates CSV files to MySQL and Oracle
  
• Migrates TAB delimited files to MySQL and Oracle
  
• Host FileMaker Pro databases at any ISP supporting MySQL
  
• Documents FileMaker Pro database structure
  
• Migration of large text fields and image data to MySQL and Oracle
  
• Processing of up to 50 open FileMaker Pro databases
  
• Supports FileMaker Pro stand-alone solution files
  

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Virex 7.2.1 resolves Fink conflict

McAfee has released Virex 7.2.1, which no longer overwrites the main Fink directory /sw. Fink users should continue to avoid Virex 7.2.


Early reports indicate that upgrading Virex from 7.2 to 7.2.1 still leaves some problems however. If you upgrade Virex with Fink not installed, and subsequently wish to install Fink, you will need to delete the /sw directory by hand before installing. And if you upgrade Virex with Fink already installed, you should immediately run

fink reinstall openssl-shlibs dlcompat-shlibs curl-ssl-shlibs

Virex 7.2.1 is a free download for .Mac members, available from the Mac.com homepage.

For more information about Fink, visit the Fink Project Page.

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iCash 1.2 - Personal Finance Manager

Maxprog is proud to present a new release of iCash, new version 1.2, available now in English, German, French, Italian, Dutch and Spanish on Maxprog website with several interesting improvements, new features and bug fixes.


Maxprog's iCash is a $25 shareware personal finance and money manager designed to track incomes, expenses, credits, debts and banks transactions. It offers unlimited categories, multiple account creation, a SQL backend engine, password protection, export/import routines, search functions, and drag & drop support. [Classic ,OSX ]



(Available in English, German, French, Italian, Dutch and Spanish)



http://www.maxprog.com/iCash.html

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Fink 0.5.2 released

The Fink Project, its community, developers and contributors are proud
to announce the availability of the Fink Binary Distribution 0.5.2

New users who would like to try Fink should follow the download
intructions at:
http://fink.sourceforge.net/download/index.php

Fink users with an existing Fink installation who wish to upgrade
should follow the instructions at:
http://fink.sourceforge.net/download/upgrade.php

If you're running the latest version, in most cases you can update by typing 'fink selfupdate' in the terminal.

This release contains over 720 binary packages with more than 190 new binary packages, including KDE 3.1, Koffice 1.2.1, and Kdevelop 3.0a3.

For more information visit fink.sourceforge.net.

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iCommune is back

iCommune is an application that extends Apple's iTunes to share music over the network. You can share the music in your iTunes library and access other iCommune music collections. iCommune music collections appear as playlists in your iTunes window. You can browse through them, and choose to stream or download the music they contain.

Version 1.0b2 of iCommune is no longer available. As you may have heard, it used a proprietary interface to communicate with iTunes, and Apple has terminated my license to use that interface. Please don't ask me for copies of it.

Version 2.0a1 is a complete re-write of the code. iCommune is now a standalone application that communicates with iTunes via open interfaces, and is free of any Apple licensing restrictions.

For more information or to download a copy visit http://icommune.sourceforge.net/.

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New repository of Cocoa snippets

Dan Wood of Karelia Software has announced a new open-source repository of useful Cocoa code.

Subject: a new repository of Cocoa snippets

From: Dan Wood dwood@karelia.com

I'm pleased to announce the opening of an open-source repository
http://cocoa.karelia.com/ of some useful Cocoa tidbits used in Watson and
some other projects I've been working on. Unlike the Omni Frameworks or
CocoaTech's new frameworks, this is a lot less ambitious and less
packaged. It's really just a weblog (Yes, Virginia, there is an RSS feed
http://cocoa.karelia.com/index.rss) where each entry is just a snippet of
code. You need to copy and paste into your projects as needed. The
copyright is, I believe, extremely liberal (certainly not infectious like
the gnu license), but let me know if you feel it can be improved.

Why do this? Just a way of giving back to the Cocoa community that has been
so helpful to my efforts in building Watson
http://www.karelia.com/watson/.

I'll add to this repository occasionally as I run across more generic bits
of code, but don't expect a steady stream! :-)

Dan Wood

Karelia Software, LLC

dwood@karelia.com

http://www.karelia.com/

Watson for Mac OS X: http://www.karelia.com/watson/

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Monkeybread Releases 5 new Freeware applications w/Source Code

Monkeybread Software Germany releases 5 new Freeware applications made in
Realbasic with source code included. These applications should give Realbasic developers an idea what they can do
with Realbasic if they also have a copy of the Monkeybreadsoftware Plugin
(which is currently available in Version 3.1 or 3.2pr11).

• Screen 640x480
  
  A utility for web designer to see which part of the screen their website
  should be viewable inside, so it can be viewed on older Macs. (for Mac OS X
  10.2)
  
  
• JPEG 2000 Dropper
  
  A utility for converting any picture to JPEG 2000 using QuickTime. (for Mac
  OS X with QuickTime 6)
  
  
• Fullscreen Movie Player
  
  A free Full Screen Movie Player for QuickTime. (for Mac OS Classic, Mac OS
  X and Windows)
  
  
• Follow Mouse
  
  This simple fun tool to show a colored tail on the mouse cursor. (for Mac
  OS X 10.2)
  
  
• Tree Size
  
  Just to see how big folders and subfolders are. (for Mac OS Classic, Mac OS
  X and Windows)
  

Download:
http://www.monkeybreadsoftware.de/Freeware/

PS: More applications will be posted over the week...

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Audio Hijack Pro Updates and More

Audio Hijack Pro has been updated to version 1.1.

Key new features include:

• VBR and ABR MP3 recording


• Linein Recording option for recording the Live Input


• Instantly split recording files


• Improved support for audio hardware


• Much more

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MacResQ specials for MacMegasite readers

SmartDisk USB Dual Media Memory Card Reader for SmartMedia and Compact
Flash: Normally $9.99, only $7.99 when you use Q-Pon code "BLINDS" when
ordering to get this discounted price. Exp 4/16

AppleVision 17" 1710 Display: Only $89.99 when you use Q-Pon code "EARLY"
with your online order or when calling 1-888-447-3728 to speak to one of
us.

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Apple releases new Safari beta

Apple has released the long-awaited new public beta of Safari.

Safari b2 adds tabbed browsing, AutoFill forms & passwords, privacy reset, increased standards compatibility, improved AppleScript support, and the ability to import Netscape and Mozilla bookmarks. Available in English, Japanese, French and German.

Safari b2 can be downloaded from http://www.apple.com/safari/.

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Revolution 7.1

Awhile back, I was searching for a cheap surround sound solution for my computers to compliment my new set of Monsoon 505 speakers, since then I've only been using them in 4.1 mode. While I was still please with the quality of sound, there didn't seem to be any difference between having two speakers, or four. At the time, the only available options for surround sound for the average joe was Creative's SoundBlaster for Mac which didn't even have OS X drivers.



Well, since then, I recently attended Macworld to find a company called M-Audio featuring two products, the Sonica Theater, and the Revolution 7.1, both devices offering 24-bit 192kHz 7.1 Surround Sound, and they even came complete with OS X Drivers. I was immediatley hooked.



Installation of the card is pretty straight-forward. Open up the computer, put it into an empty PCI bay, and then start up the computer and install the drivers. M-Audio really eliminates the hassle of getting professional quality surround sound on the Mac. I was really impressed with the easy to use interface of their audio controller.



While MP3 does not contain the surround sound information for a song when encoding, I setup the SRS Circle Surround II option, as well as SRS Dialog Clarity and TruBass options, both of which give more volume to the sound, and really surrounds you with the sound.



I have experienced few problems with the card, and when problems do arrise, they are usually solved by a restart. One of the problems involves the card not outputting any audio if you have logged out, and back in, I believe this would most likely be an issue with OS X rather than the drivers. Second, would be a change in audio quality while using the configuration application. If I select my subwoofer, and then check test and uncheck test, the quality of the sound seems to increase, which I guess might be a bit of a good thing.



The Revolution 7.1 also features a true 24-bit 192kHz input, perfect for doing at home recordings. Upon testing this feature tho, I ran into a few problems. When I check, Monitor Input on Output, I loose all surround sound settings, so then I select for these surround settings to apply to the input, and all sound is lost. As for recording audio, I was unable to select Hardware play-thru of the audio, but still the quality of the recording was superior to any recordings I have made before.



Overall, I'm quite confident that M-Audio will fix these issues in the future and will continue development of their drivers. Don't be turned away by the issues I've listed here though, this card is definitely worth it's value. This product is a great upgrade that you can make to your computer, as well as a wonderful set of surround sound speakers.

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XFree86 Project Splits

Keith Packard, who left the XFree86 project recently, has started his own xwin project to address some of XFree86's shortcomings.

Apple's X11 is based on XFree86, so this will most likely influence its future direction.

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CVSTrac for MacOS X

Michael Tsai has built a stand-alone Mac version of CVSTrac, a free web-based bug and patch-set tracking system for CVS

Features:

• Automatically generates a patch-set log from CVS check-in comments
  
• User-defined color-coded database queries
  
• Web-based administration of the CVSROOT/passwd file
  
• Built-in repository browser
  
• Built-in Wiki
  
• Very simple setup - a self-contained executable runs as CGI, from inetd, or as a stand-alone web server
  
• Minimal memory, disk and CPU requirements - works on old hardware
  
• Access permissions configurable separately for each user
  
• Allows for anonymous users
  
• Uses a built-in SQL database engine (SQLite) - no external RDBMS required
  

CVSTrac is a single executable that you start from the command line. You also need to have a CVS database set up for it to use. All of CVSTrac's data is stored in a single file that can be easily backed up or moved to a different computer.

The CVSTrac project page is at http://www.cvstrac.org/ and you can see CVSTrac in action at http://cvs.cvstrac.org/. Michael's Mac OS X version is available from http://www.c-command.com/tools/cvstrac.shtml.

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Apple Security Announcement 2003-04-10 Mac OS X 10.2.5

Mac OS X 10.2.5, which was released today, contains fixes for recently discovered
vulnerabilities.

• Apache 2.0: Fixes CAN-2003-0132, a denial of service vulnerability in
  Apache 2.0 versions through 2.0.44. Apache 2.0 is distributed only
  with Mac OS X Server, and is not enabled by default.
  

  
  

• Directory Services: Fixes CAN-2003-0171 DirectoryServices Privilege
  Escalation and DoS Attack. DirectoryServices is part of the Mac OS
  X and Mac OS X Server information services subsystem. It is
  launched at startup, setuid root and installed by default. It is
  possible for a local attacker to modify an environment variable
  that would allow the execution of arbitrary commands as root.
  Credit to Dave G. from @stake, Inc. for the discovery of this
  vulnerability.
  

  
  

• File Sharing/Service: Fixes CAN-2003-0198 where the contents of the
  write-only DropBox folder can be revealed. When enabled, Personal
  File Sharing on Mac OS X or Apple File Service on Mac OS X Server,
  a "DropBox" folder is available by default to allow people to
  deposit files. This update no longer allows the permissions of
  the "DropBox" folder to be changed by a guest.
  

  
  

• OpenSSL: Fixes CAN-2003-0131 Klima-Pokorny-Rosa attack on PKCS #1 v1.5
  padding. The patch from the OpenSSL team, which addresses this
  vulnerability, is applied to Mac OS X and Mac OS X Server.
  

  
  

• Samba: Fixes CAN-2003-0201 which could allow an anonymous user to gain
  remote root access due to a buffer overflow. The built-in Windows
  file sharing is based on the open source technology called Samba
  and is off by default in Mac OS X.
  

  
  

• sendmail: Fixes CAN-2003-0161, where address parsing code in sendmail
  does not adequately check the length of email addresses. Only the
  patch from the sendmail team is applied to the currently-shipping
  version of sendmail in Mac OS X and Mac OS X Server.
  

Mac OS X 10.2.5 may be obtained from:

• Software Update pane in System Preferences
  

  
  

• Apple's Software Downloads web site:
  

  
  Updating from Mac OS X 10.2.4:
  
  http://www.info.apple.com/kbnum/n120210
  
  The download file is titled: MacOSXUpdate10.2.5.dmg
  
  Its SHA-1 digest is: 1f98f9a21c3f17be823e2d63d90e534df01b3fdf
  

  
  Updating from Mac OS X 10.2 through 10.2.3:
  
  http://www.info.apple.com/kbnum/n120211
  
  The download file is titled: MacOSXUpdateCombo10.2.5.dmg
  
  Its SHA-1 digest is: a8ed6287d5bd0bdf67a2c0fd97b3af810f178d21
  

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Virtuoso 3.0

Virtual Database Integrates Disparate
SQL, XML, and Web Services Data Sources

OpenLink Software, Inc., a leading provider of universal data access and
enterprise information integration middleware, announces the commercial
release of Virtuoso 3.0 - the latest edition of its cross platform Virtual
Database for SQL, XML, and Web Services.


The new release enables transparent and concurrent access in real-time to
heterogeneous data sources that include ODBC/JDBC/OLE DB/.NET-accessible
databases, XML documents, and data-set oriented Web Services.

Virtuoso provides access to heterogeneous data sources through industry
standard data access interfaces such as XML, XQuery, XPath, SQL, ODBC,
JDBC, OLE DB, and ADO.NET. It also integrates transparently with runtime
environments for distributed computing such as Microsoft .NET, Mono, and
J2EE, enabling the creation and hosting of WSDL-compliant XML Web Services,
Stored Procedures, Functions, Triggers, and User Defined Types written in
Java or any .NET bound language.

Virtuoso 3.0 is now commercially available for the following platforms:
WindowsÆ, MacÆ OS X, LinuxÆ, and UNIXÆ. 'Virtuoso 3.0 is aimed squarely at
the biggest corporate IS infrastructure challenge of the day - integration
of heterogeneous islands of data, and disparate application logic,' said
Kingsley Idehen, President & CEO of OpenLink Software. 'Virtuoso is the
only product available today that guarantees alleviation of systems
integration challenges without compromising broader IS infrastructure
choices such at the application development environment, operating system,
or back-end database engine(s). Once again, an OpenLink product release
underscores our continued leadership in the area of standards-compliant,
cross-platform middleware,' he added.

Virtuoso 3.0 is now available for download from OpenLink's web site at
http://www.openlinksw.com/virtuoso/. You can also view live features
demonstrations via an online virtual database instance at
http://demo.openlinksw.com:8890/tutorial/.

About OpenLink Software

OpenLink Software is a privately held company with offices in the U.S.A.,
United Kingdom, France, Nigeria, and Malaysia. It is a leading provider of
universal data access and data integration middleware products that cover a
wide variety of industry standards and protocols. Additional information
about OpenLink Software can be obtained from the company's home page

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Mac OS X 10.2.5 update now available

An upgrade to Mac OS X 10.2.5 is now available via the Software Update panel as a 39.9M download.

The 10.2.5 Update delivers enhanced functionality and improved reliability for the following applications, services and technologies: AirPort, Bluetooth, Classic compatibility, FireWire, Graphics, Image Capture, Mail, and OpenGL.

The update includes improvements to AFP, web services, dial-up connections over PPP, and Windows file services, as well as audio, disc recording, graphics, and printing improvements.

The update also provides updated security services and includes the latest security updates.

For detailed information on this update, please visit this website: http://www.info.apple.com/kbnum/n25405.

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The Open Media Toolkit goes open source

The Open Media Toolkit is a powerful C++ framework for MacOS X and Windows
destined to the development of real time 2D/3D multimedia applications.


Several commercial applications have been developed using OMT, including
games from Disney, Hasbro, Mattel, Scitex, HumanCode, Pacific Media Works,
etc.

OMT includes classes for 2D/3D rendering and animation (through DirectX,
OpenGL or its own software renderer), sound, files, database, windowing,
user-interface, media importer (3D and 2D), input control, etc.

It just went open source and can be downloaded from:

http://www.garagecube.com/opensource/omt/index.html

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oXygen XML Editor 2.0 - new release

We are glad to announce the oXygen XML Editor version 2.0.

oXygen can be freely evaluated for 30 days http://www.oxygenxml.com/download.html and it costs $74 ($48 for academic use).

More details about the editor can be found at http://www.oxygenxml.com



New in oXygen XML Editor 2.0:



* Tree view/edit

An XML document can be viewed/edited as a graphical tree.



* Spell checking -

The text content of the tags is spell checked.



* XML Catalog support -

Added support for XML Catalog.



* Configurable external tools -

Users can now configure external tools to be run from within Oxygen.



* Auto-generation of required element content -

When a new document is created from a given DTD or XML Schema, the minimal mark-up is automatically generated. Also when an element is inserted through Code-Insight it's required content will be added automatically; the option can be enabled/disabled by the user.



* Display EOL/EOF -

The EOL and EOF characters are now displayed (at user request) with graphical marks.



* Soft wrapping - the user can turn text wrapping on/off.

Show line number in the left part of the editor area; the option can be enabled/disabled by the user.



* Options dialog re-design -

The user options are now compact and easy to use.



* Open file at cursor -

Open a file that is pointed by the current cursor position.



* Enable/Disable Code-Insight -

The user can now choose to enable/disable the Code-Insight.



* Open external schema -

Open the schema of the current edited XML document, e.g. the DTD or the XML Schema file.



* Better handling of Look And Feels -

Look and feel loading mechanism was changed, allowing the user to choose from all the available Look and Feels.



* Auto deleting the end tag



* Changed the plugins mechanism -

The plugins are not anymore configured by the user from the Options dialog, but are loaded from the Plugins folder found in

the oXygen folder. Each plugin is found in a separate folder, containing the plugin description file, plugin.xml.



* Available Plugins



- Trang plugin - a wrapper for the Trang engine, used for translate from a Relax NG schema or a DTD or a set of XML files to Relax NG schema or DTD or XML Schema



- Schema Documentation - a wrapper for the XS3P engine used to generate an HTML schema documentation for a specified schema file



- Conversion - configurable conversion plugin. Comes with a sample configuration mapping between metric system and U.S. system.

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CourseForum / ProjectForum 2.1 - Web Apps for Group Communication

CourseForum Technologies is pleased to announce the immediate
availability of both CourseForum 2.1 and ProjectForum 2.1.


These innovative web-based applications can help you bring increased
interaction, coordination and communication to online or face-to-face
courses, student groups, workgroup projects, business teams, and
corporate intranets. Easy to learn and use, both CourseForum and
ProjectForum can be hosted on Mac OS X, Windows, Linux and FreeBSD, while
users need only a standard web browser.

Version 2.1 includes a host of improvements, in areas such as branding,
project support, markup, and performance, along with several bug fixes.

During our spring sale, you can save 25% off the cost of licenses.
CourseForum licenses start at only US$59, while ProjectForum
licenses start at only US$149, but these prices are available until
the end of April only. Free versions of both products are also available.

For more information, or to download free or evaluation versions, visit
http://www.courseforum.com.

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OmniWeb 4.2

The Omni Group today released OmniWeb
4.2, an update to the web browser built exclusively for Mac OS X, and
announced development on OmniWeb 4.5 - the first version of OmniWeb to
incorporate the open source WebCore framework from Apple.


OmniWeb 4.2 adds a number of features intended to improve user
experience and bring greater compatibility with web servers and
Internet plug-ins.

OmniWeb 4.2 now supports the Macromedia Shockwave for Director plug-in
and the PDF Browser plug-in from Schubert-it. New preferences allow
you to better manage Internet and OmniWeb plug-ins and allow greater
control over the process of downloading files. AppleScript support has
been greatly improved including the addition of access to bookmarks
through AppleScript commands. Support for ICC (ColorSync) profiles
that are embedded in some images on the web has been added ensuring
that users will see consistent colors when OmniWeb displays images with
color profiles present. A new 'Send Link' function makes it easier to
share the address of a web page over email and a new 'Zoomed Text
Editor' lets you input large amounts of text into forms more easily.
Support for the Shared Menus protocol has been added allowing other
popular Internet applications such as URL Manager Pro to integrate with
OmniWeb. OmniWeb 4.2 also features a number of updates and additions
to OmniWeb's online help content.

The Omni Group today also announced that development of OmniWeb 4.5 is
under way. OmniWeb 4.5 will be the first version of OmniWeb to
incorporate the open source WebCore and JavaScriptCore frameworks from
Apple Computer Inc., bringing greatly improved support for the latest
Internet standards like CSS, HTML, XHTML, and JavaScript to the
award-winning browser.

OmniWeb 4.5 - which will have the functionality previously referred to
as being in 5.0 - will be available later this quarter and will be a
free upgrade for OmniWeb 4.x license holders. The Omni Group is making
early versions of OmniWeb 4.5 available through the Sneaky Peek preview
program. Current OmniWeb 4.x license holders interested in testing and
providing feedback on the application can download the first Sneaky
Peek release, OmniWeb 4.5sp1, today from
http://www.omnigroup.com/ftp/pub/software/MacOSX/.sneakypeek/.
OmniWeb 4.5sp1 will only run in licensed mode and a demo is not
available.

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FolderControl - New Mac OS X Product

For Immediate Release

Contact: Bryan Derman, (604) 948-0707



FolderControl - the program that puts you in control of automatically

sizing and organizing your Mac OS X Finder windows.


2003-Apr-08 : Derman Enterprises announces the availability of

FolderControl 1.00, a utility to automatically size and arrange the

Finder's folder/directory windows into the configuration you define.



Numerous preferences give you control over:



- which folders participate in the processing



- how folder windows are sized, both vertically and horizontally



- how sub-folder windows are arranged, relative to their enclosing folder's



- how various folder-window attributes, such as sorting and view kind,

are set



- the permissions on the files that control these capabilities



FolderControl requires Mac OS X 10.2.2 or later and can be downloaded

via http://www.derman.com/. A trial version is available and can be

purchased for an introductory price of $13.95 USD.



Derman Enterprises manufactures and sells software products and provides

Unified Process consulting services, including Object-Oriented Analysis

and Design, Unified Modeling Language, Use Cases and Software

Architecture.



Derman Enterprises Incorporated

http://www.derman.com/

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iScooper 1.0

Inventive, Inc. announces the release of iScooper 1.0, an automatic media downloading application for Mac OS X.

iScooper enables users to automatically download and browse batches of pictures much faster and much more conveniently than they can with conventional web browsers. iScooper is designed to work with web pages that contain many links to pictures--for example, a celebrity web page that contains several links to photos of the celebrity. iScooper can take a web page like this and automatically download all the linked photos on it. Once they've been downloaded, they can easily be viewed in a full-screen slideshow right from within iScooper.



iScooper features:

• works in conjunction with all web browsers


• automatically download an entire batch of pictures simply by dragging & dropping a picture gallery web link into iScooper


• allows viewing all downloaded pictures in full-screen slideshows


• unwanted pictures can easily be removed, even while viewing a slideshow


• allows downloading and browsing of multiple picture galleries


• variable picture zoom lets pictures expand to fill screen


• downloaded pictures can easily be saved locally


• allows the number of simultaneous downloads to be set to best match user's Internet connection speed

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Servoy Easy-To-Use Database Interface Platform Released

AMSTERDAM, Tuesday April 8th 2003



Servoy announces the immediate availability of Servoy R2, a

revolutionary integrated development and deployment environment which

combines unparalleled ease of use with dramatic scalability, and runs on

all popular platforms.



A free evaluation version of Servoy R2 can be downloaded from Servoy's

main website at www.servoy.com.

Servoy R2 is a revolutionary rapid application development (RAD)

software suite that combines ease-of-use with Enterprise-level

scalability. Servoy R2's intuitive and easy-to-use interface allows both

professional developers and non-developers to create powerful desktop

applications, database front-ends, data entry and reporting systems.



With Servoy R2, workgroups no longer need disconnected desktop databases

for data entry, Crystal Reports for reporting, or installation of JDBC

or ODBC drivers on each client. Servoy R2 combines all this

functionality into one powerful, unified environment. This saves

development time, virtually eliminates end-user deployment hassles and

lowers both maintenance and support costs.



The Servoy R2 Product Suite is based on Java and runs on all popular

platforms including Windows, Mac OS X, Linux, Solaris and AIX. Users can

connect to any data source on any platform that supports a JDBC or ODBC

connection.



With Servoy R2:

- There is no need to install applications or JDBC drivers on end-user

machines

- There is no need to to perform maintenance or upgrades; the client

will auto-update on launch

- There is no need to buy additional hardware or software; it will run

on what you already have

- There is no need to migrate existing users to other operating systems;

Servoy R2 will run on a wide variety of operating systems - with no need

to re-compile platform-specific versions

- There is no need to train users to be able to operate new machines/new

operating systems



To try out Servoy R2 visit www.servoy.com







--------------------------

In Depth

--------------------------



Easy-to-use RAD tool

Servoy R2 provides an intuitive rapid application development (RAD) tool

to create solutions that range from simple lists or contact management

to complex, line-of-business solutions. Servoy R2 can easily connect to

multiple data sources simultaneously, and can combine data from multiple

database servers into a single application and/or report. Servoy R2's

WYSIWYG form design tools coupled with its powerful JavaScript-based

scripting engine allow even non-programmers to create powerful,

customized workgroup applications without the need for dedicated (and

expensive) IT resources.





Platform and database independent

The Servoy R2 Product Suite supports all major databases including:

Oracle, IBM DB/2, Microsoft SQL Server, Informix, Sybase, MySQL,

PostgreSQL, OpenBase, and many others running on virtually any platform.

Servoy-produced solutions can be uploaded, saved and automatically

ported to and from any database on any platform that supports Java and a

JDBC or ODBC connection.



Because of its Java core, Servoy R2 Server can run on desktop machines,

and will easily scale all the way up to Unix Servers, AS/400 systems and

through to the largest mainframes. Scalability is only limited by the

available hardware. Servoy R2 products have a small footprint and are

optimized for high performance and scalability to accommodate large

numbers of concurrent user on each platform.





Flexibility

Servoy R2 stores all design and functionality in a database-based

repository. Because of this unique architecture, multiple developers can

work on the same or different solutions; you can have multiple versions

of each solution; and you can even develop new solutions while multiple

simultaneous clients are accessing the same server. In addition, since

there is no proprietary file format it is virtually impossible to

corrupt a solution, and you can use your database's built-in replication

services to distribute solutions to multiple servers all over the

country or all over the world.



Servoy R2 Developer includes a full debugging environment and full

programmatic runtime control over all interface objects (including

enable, disable, trigger scripts on enter/exit/change of fields, change

colors, fonts and more), all dynamically. Servoy R2 Developer also

supports version control. This allows your development teams to create

new "builds" and roll forward and rollback solution versions at any

time.





Expandability

Servoy R2 Developer features an easy-to-use, industry-standard

programming language (JavaScript) that also allows for inline Java

commands, external custom Plug-Ins (via our robust Java-based API) as

well as full JavaBean support. Because all plug-ins and beans are stored

on the server and are executed by the clients on an as-needed basis,

adding or removing custom functionality from all of your Servoy

solutions is both quick and easy.





Hassle free

Servoy R2 supports up to 250 users right out of the box and ships with

the open source Firebird SQL database. Servoy R2 Server can scale from a

single Windows 2000 Server supporting 800 concurrent users to multiple

Windows (or Linux or Unix) servers serving thousands of concurrent

users, and through to high-end Enterprise-level hardware (IBM OS/390,

Sun E10000 and so on) to support many thousands of concurrent users.



In addition, Servoy R2 utilizes the Java WebStart technology to

automatically deliver the latest client software each time a user

requests the application. This means that there is no need to re-install

client software, upgrades or updates: Servoy R2 handles it for every

user automatically. Servoy Client is a very thin client; Servoy-based

applications run seamlessly over low bandwith connnections. Servoy

Server handles all connections to the database and also takes care of

locking, transactions and broadcasting of data changes. This means that

there is no need for any configuration, database drivers or plug-in

installation on the client.





Secure

Servoy R2 stores no data; it only provides an interface into existing

data sources. This means that full control over the actual databases is

maintained, and access can be easily controlled via named connections,

users and groups. In addition to the security measures available in the

back-end database, Servoy solutions can also be password protected down

to the individual form, object and record level.



You can also choose to automatically track all modifications, creations

and deletions to all data on a solution-by-solution and table-by-table

basis (regardless of the number of forms the data appears on), all with

a single checkbox. The logged data will show the previous data and the

new data, as well as the date, time, solution, form and user that made

the modification, creation or deletion.





With Servoy R2:

- There is no need to install applications or JDBC drivers on end-user

machines

- There is no need to to perform maintenance or upgrades; the client

will auto-update on launch

- There is no need to buy additional hardware or software; it will run

on what you already have

- There is no need to migrate existing users to other operating systems;

Servoy R2 will run on a wide variety of operating systems - with no need

to re-compile platform-specific versions

- There is no need to train users to be able to operate new machines/new

operating systems



To try out Servoy R2 visit www.servoy.com



Servoy BV is committed to reducing the complexity and raising the

availability of SQL-based solutions to business, government, educators,

students and non-profit groups around the world through innovative,

easy-to-use, standards-based software tools.





--------------------------

Notes To Editors

--------------------------



For press information contact:



USA:

Bob Cusick

(805) 402-6725

bcusick@servoy.com



International:

Jan Aleman

+31 610 906 563

jaleman@servoy.com

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Revolution And Paradigma Software Announce Data-Driven Revolution

Runtime Revolution and Paradigma Software today announced
two initiatives to bring Valentina Database Technology to Revolution
developers.


Revolution, the premiere cross-platform rapid application development
environment from Runtime Revolution, now incorporates direct access to the
Valentina XCMD component. In addition, Revolution developers can now
purchase Valentina XCMD directly from Runtime Revolution, alone or in a
bundle with Revolution, giving immediate access to the full power of
Valentina databases. Revolution makes it easy to create powerful,
fully-functional, and easy-to-use database front-end solutions.

Paradigma Software's Valentina technology incorporates a unique SQL
compatible database kernel, known for its ability to manage millions of
records with both speed and reliability, limited only by available RAM. Its
modern core lets you build database solutions using any type of data,
including BLOBs (binary large objects), making Valentina the choice for
storing, sorting, and retrieving such materials as numbers, text, audio,
video, and other media objects. Valentina XCMD solutions work with Windows,
MacOS and MacOS X versions of Runtime Revolution.

The Revolution Valentina XCMD solution is available immediately for
purchase through Runtime Revolution.

ABOUT REVOLUTION

Launched in 2001, Revolution is a leading multi-platform development tool
that substantially reduces the time to develop and deploy software
solutions across every major platform. Revolution's superior ease of use
and advanced feature set have made it an indispensable tool for a broad
range of users, and it is currently used by corporations, government
agencies, software developers, educators, and individuals. Revolution
includes support for XML, multimedia, leading database architectures
(Valentina, Oracle, MySQL, PostgreSQL, and ODBC), Internet protocols,
native OS functions, and more. A demonstration version is available on the
Runtime Revolution website.

Runtime Revolution has just announced availability of the 2.0 beta version
of Revolution.

The Revolution Valentina XCMD is priced at $199 for one platform or $299
for both Mac and Windows. Revolution is available in a range of competitive
pricing options, starting at $99 (Student/Teacher Edition), through $299
(Small Business Edition) to the flagship $995 (Professional Edition).
Volume and educational discounts are available, with savings of up to 95%
for schools. Support and training packages are also available.

Magazines are welcome to include demonstration versions of Revolution on
cover-mount CD-ROMs: please contact Rod McCall email: rodmc@runrev.com.

For more information about the company and its products, visit the Runtime
Revolution website at http://www.runrev.com or email info@runrev.com.

Revolution and Runtime Revolution are trademarks of Runtime Revolution Ltd.
Other company and product names are trademarks of their respective owners.

ABOUT PARADIGMA SOFTWARE

Paradigma Software creates, markets and sells Valentina Database Technology
solutions, the result of seven years of advanced research in object
relational databases. Valentina technology solutions are available
worldwide through solution, strategic and distribution partners in the
United Kingdom, Germany, Italy and Japan, and direct from Paradigma
Software through their website at http://www.paradigmasoft.com. Technology
licensing is available through Proactive International
(http://www.proactive-intl.com), the worldwide channel agency.

[] permanent link

Scripteur shares data via Rendezvous

Share your photos, calendar, music with the other Macs on your Rendezvous enabled network. Something else you want to share? Write an AppleScript plugin to publish your DVD collection. Access your data from anywhere on your network; control the iTunes on your stereo from the iBook on your couch. Whatever you want to get at.

Scripteur is a Rendezvous enabled server that lets you access data such your music collection, iPhoto library, iCal appointments, etc. from any web browser. Additional functionality can be added with AppleScript.

For more information or to download a copy, visit http://scripteur.inkspotting.com/.

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REVOLUTION TURNS TWO: Revolution 2.0 Beta announced

Revolution celebrates its second birthday with a major new release
and a special promotion


Edinburgh, Scotland, April 6th 2003.

Runtime Revolution today announces the release of Revolution 2.0
beta, its leading multi-platform development tool. This major new
release builds on Revolution's existing strengths, which include
an easy-to-use interface builder, an English-like programming
language, database access, multimedia, Internet support, and
more. All these features combine to make Revolution the quickest
and easiest way to develop multi-platform software.



What's New

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MacSimplePrompter addin for Word 98, 2001, X

Announcing the MacSimplePrompter(tm) addin for Word Version 1.0



MacSimplePrompter helps you personalize letters, contracts, and other legal
documents and even helps you incorporate into new Word documents
"boilerplate text" stored in your existing Word documents.

Creating prompts is as easy as surrounding [text of your choice] with square
brackets.



You can be prompted to enter dates, short text values, or multiple
paragraphs of text. You can select one or more items from a list or
choose to include or exclude large or small blocks of text. You can even
be prompted to include boilerplate text from other Word documents.



MacSimplePrompter is compatible with Microsoft Word 98, 2001, and X.



The MacSimplePrompter addin is 100% compatible with the
SimplePrompter(tm) addin for Word for Windows.



Product price:

Single-user license: USD$100

10-user license: USD$599



Coan and Company, Inc.

W8576 Pheasant Run

Hortonville, Wisconsin 54944 USA

Tel. 920-779-9148

Fax. 920-779-9173

http://www.wordsite.com

billcoan@wordsite.com

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Updated Bluetooth utilities released

New versions of the Bluetooth phone remote control utilities Sony Ericsson Clicker and Romeo have been released with many new features.


Sony Ericsson Clicker 1.5 adds enhanced action scripts, built-in functionality to download new and upgraded action scripts, enhanced proximity sensor and a "Visual" designer to allow users to easily create their own "keypad based" controls.

Romeo 0.9 adds editable menus, a plugin system, range and ring actions, and full user access to special actions such as mouse movement.

[] permanent link

Another look at Mozilla

I haven't been a fan of Mozilla for a long time, but I decided to take a look at the latest release, 1.4a, and was pleasantly surprised.

With apologies to Bare Bones Software, it doesn't suck. Mozilla 1.4a no longer seems slow & bloated. The application itself feels very snappy (on my 12" PowerBook G4) and page rendering is as fast as any other browser I've seen. It's still ugly, though.

For the last few months I've been using Camino (formerly Chimera) as my preferred browser, but I've been increasingly annoyed by bugs in 0.70 and problems accessing several pages. Any builds later than 0.70 I found had many more problems than that one. Safari still isn't quite ready, although I've been starting to use it more than Chimera. The latest version of Mozilla now seems to be the most usable browser at the moment.

You can download Mozilla 1.4a from http://www.mozilla.org/releases/.

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Beyond The Browser Bundle now shipping

Ranchero Software, UserCreations, and Karelia have released
a new software package called Beyond the Browser Bundle, containing NetNewsWire, Spring, and
Watson, utilities designed to enhance Internet browsing.

Watson lets you use web services such as stock quotes, weather forecasts, language translation, shopping, and searching.

Spring is an innovative object-oriented desktop with drag & drop support for Watson & NetNewsWire.

NetNewsWire brings the latest news headlines from your favorite web sites (including MacMegasite) to your desktop.

The bundle is available for $68 from http://www.usercreations.com/spring/3waybundle/.

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PHP-Nuke 6.5

We're now running PHP-Nuke 6.5. The old forums have been replaced with phpBB. The Topics section is now a lot more useful, showing the last few articles for each topic.

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New Rendezvous Products

Many interesting new products have come out recently which let you take advantage of Mac OS X's built-in Rendezvous features. Here are some of them.

• Rendezvous Beacon lets you publish services provided on your computer or act as a proxy for services on a non-Rendezvous aware computer.
  

  
  

• Hydra is a Rendezvous enabled collaborative text editor, which lets you share your work with other users on your network.
  

  
  

• Bookie lets you share your bookmarks via Rendezvous.
  

  
  

• ClipboardSharing lets you share your clipboard between computers.
  

  
  

• MP3 Sushi shares your iTunes music as a jukebox or radio broadcast via Rendezvous.
  

  
  

• Earphoria lets you control iTunes remotely.
  

  
  

• Team Task is a Rendezvous-enabled networked task organizer that lets you share to-do lists, ideas, etc.
  

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PineHill Products releases CreativePage 3.1.1 update

PineHill Products today announced an update to its web page development application, CreativePage, which is made just for Mac OS X. The update fixes numerous small bugs and fixes compatibility support with AppleScript. Visit the CreativePage homepage for more information.

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