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Editorial: A view with no windows By David Leishman dleishman@maccentral.com
The bad news this week is that Microsoft confirmed its Virtual PC (VPC) emulation application will not work with Apple’s new G5 computers, and won’t do so until sometime next year. This is also the good news of the week, because it provides an opportunity to assess the viability of a “stand-alone” Mac in a Windows world.
The list of Mac users who are adversely affected is smaller than it would have been three years ago (before the release of OS X), thanks in large part to the excellence of Microsoft’s Office X suite, which works seamlessly with the omni-present Windows Office documents. If you use Office X — whether with (or within) a small-business, or a diverse corporate environment — most folks won’t need to know or care that you use a Mac.
Macs, of course, are good network citizens, and can access servers (Windows and otherwise) locally and remotely without problems. So as network administrators run to keep up with Windows’ security patches, Apple’s G5/OS X combos must look attractive to them. In the short term, the degree of interest may be tempered until VPC is G5-able, but probably not much. As Computerworld’s Michael de Agonia writes, “(This) once again makes Apple a player in the corporate world… in no danger of becoming obsolete or left out of a Windows-dominated world.”
And Mark Hall, a columnist and editor at Computerworld, notes that “Macs are the best choice if admins have to replace desktops; they’re the cheapest security insurance available — the one part of their infrastructure that will survive a virus attack.”
So, wait a minute. Do we even need access to Windows at all?
Well, Web designers need to view their pages in a variety of OSs; some sites (including banking and financial institutions) render poorly or won’t work on Mac browsers; and Microsoft’s amazingly ubiquitous Access database app is Windows-only, as are many high-end scientific and engineering programs.
Folks with these (and related) concerns who want/need to jump to a G5 have two realistic options: deploy a second Mac or a real PC ( not the “vaporware” emulator ). (Or they could try to implement arcane workarounds, such as the WINE/QEMU system noted in a Slashdot thread. Or try to convince Apple or a third-party to develop an Intel or AMD chip to utilize the G5s second processor slot, or an update of the Quadra’s PC-DOS PCI card. Good luck.)
If you opt to use a pre-G5 Power Mac, we’ve got one more piece of good news for you. Microsoft has confirmed for MacCentral that the the pre-G5s and VPC 6.1 work fine in tests with Panther, and the company anticipates no problems when the OS update is released.
Apple News
TIBCO sues Apple over Rendezvous trademark
TIBCO Software Inc. announced Thursday that it has filed suit against Apple in the District Court for the Northern District of California. TIBCO alleges that Apple has infringed upon TIBCO’s trademarks “with the intention to trade on TIBCO’s goodwill and harm TIBCO’s business.” The company seeks unspecified remedies against Apple “for the competitive and economic harm caused by Apple’s acts.”
Jobs to keynote Apple Expo 2003 in Paris
Power Mac G5 unveiled in China
Apple UK improves education specials
Ive receives Creative Review honor
Richmond (Va.) Apple store to open Sept. 4
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Hardware News
Fujifilm intros $400 ‘SLR-type’ digital camera
Fuji Photo Film U.S.A. Inc. on Tuesday introduced the Fujifilm FinePix S3000, which it bills as a “digital SLR-type camera for everyday photographers.” The FinePix S3000, expected to hit stores in October, will list for $400, can be fitted with wide and telephoto lens adapters, measures 3.9 x 3.0 x 2.7 inches, weighs 10 ounces empty, and writes to xD-Picture Card media.
University of Texas, IBM team on supercomputer-on-chip
OrangeLink FireWire 800 for Notebooks debuts
Maxtor launches new OneTouch line
Toshiba offers new portable digital projectors
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Software News
Macromedia revs MX line, introduces new solutions
Macromedia in September will ship new versions of its MX product family, including updates of Flash, Dreamweaver and Fireworks. The company will also ship a new product, Flash MX Professional 2004, and introduce new “building blocks” called MX Elements and Halo. Studio MX 2004 (US$899 new, $399 upgrade) will include Dreamweaver MX 2004, Flash MX 2004 or Flash MX Professional 2004, Fireworks MX 2004 and Freehand MX.
Rendezvous one topic of ‘Emerging Technology’ event
NetNewsWire update employs Safari HTML renderer
FWB axes RealPC, calls OS X version ‘vaporware’
GridMathematica now includes Mathematica 5
Stone Studio is ready for Panther
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Around the Web
Hands on: A close-up look at Mac OS X’s NetBoot
NetBoot is one of the most interesting technologies in Mac OS X Server. It allows administrators to start up a Mac from a network disk image rather than using a local disk, and provides a consistent user environment that can’t be modified, thus easing software updates and configuration changes. Computerworld’s Ryan Faas examines the hows-and-ways of NetBoot.
Getting Started With Soundtrack
MacTek Talk: A look at Apple’s Power Mac G5s
Sobig, So What — Why should Mac users care?
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