Mac*Chat#103/21-Feb-96 ====================== Welcome to Mac*Chat, the weekly electronic newsletter for everyone interested in using a Macintosh computer professionally, no matter what their situation or profession. See the end of this file for further information, including how to get a free subscription. How to contribute financial donations to Mac*Chat: Donations are gratefully accepted, to help defray the costs of putting-out one of the fastest-growing newsletters on earth. Checks may be mailed to Tony Lindsey, 3401-A55 Adams Ave, San Diego, CA 92116-2429, or for info on electronic funds-transfers, send e-mail to and put the word "Donations" into the Subject line. Any [comments in brackets] are by Tony Lindsey. Topics: Highlights Of This Issue Editor's Notes Mac*Chat Back-Issues On AOL Retrospect Remote 3.0 More Mac Clone Manufacturers The Mac As A Kid-Friendly Device RunShare Feedback Consultant In Canada / RunShare Bookstore Online Powerbook Section, Continued (For All Models) Legalisms Free Subscriptions To This Newsletter Highlights Of This Issue ------------------------ I announce Mac*Chat's new availability on AOL, review Retrospect backup software, we mention two more manufacturers of Macintoshes to add to the previous four, we find out more ways to introduce children to the Mac, we hear what it's like to live with RunShare software (which allows folks to send LARGE files very quickly over local networks), a buddy of mine tells us about a really huge online bookstore, and the Powerbook extravaganza of tips continues... Editor's Notes -------------- By Tony Lindsey Sorry about the delay in shipping this issue - I took on too much work when I declared my intentions in the last issue- I promised to proofread and clean-up all 1.4 megs of Mac*Chat back-issues and dump 'em onto America Online, plus tackling 2.1 million characters of possibly juicy material for "bonus" issues. 3.5 megs doesn't sound like much, but YOU sure wouldn't like to try proof-reading that much text super-carefully. My eyes feel like boiled onions! Mac*Chat Back-Issues On AOL --------------------------- America Online subscribers should be able to find all of the Mac*Chat back-issues since issue #51 on AOL's Mac Hardware Forum. I uploaded them about a week ago, after fixing all of the URL's and trimming for space considerations. I'll also continue to upload each new issue as soon as I finish it. To find them, pull down the "Go To" menu, type "MHW" and hit the Return key. You'll see a section called "Software Libraries" - Open it and you'll see nice, separate sections for Mac*Chat's fellow e-newsletters, such as Information Alley (from Apple), InfoMac Digests (from Stanford, I believe) and others. Mac*Chat has a higher readership than either of those newsletters. Mac*Chat doesn't have enough "clout" on AOL to merit its own separate section (yet), so you'll have to dig deeper to find it. Open the "Online Publications" section and root amidst the small-fry electronic newsletters to find Mac*Chat. If you think Mac*Chat should have its own section, please pass the word along. It's out of my hands! Retrospect Remote 3.0 --------------------- By Tony Lindsey I was recently sent a full-featured evaluation copy of this fine backup program. I was very familiar with the older version, and I had been hearing very good things about the new version from my peers, so I was very interested in seeing how well it worked. My client has a network of twelve Macs hooked together through an elderly PhoneNet network. One of the Macs was connected to a tape drive, so I installed the main Retrospect software on that Mac and installed the small "Remote" control panel on three of the other Macs. As soon we purchase more authorization codes, we'll be able to add the rest of the Macs to the backup routine. My intention was to set up Retrospect to automatically back-up the whole network, onto a tape, on a regular basis. I have many years of experience in doing this, and my preconceptions kept getting in the way. Once I quit trying to wrestle with the EasyScript setup program, it truly WAS easy to set up. The newest version of Retrospect has many, many more new features than I could ever list here. Instead of trying to cover it all, I'd like to give my overall impressions. I get the feeling that the folks at Dantz are paying very close attention to the complaints and suggestions they have been receiving over the years. Even though Retrospect is crammed full of fancy features, they are easily accessed, even for non-technical people. I'm very satisfied with Retrospect 3.0, and can recommend it whole-heartedly. I still haven't had the time to test one of its most intriguing features, though - My pals have been raving over Retrospect 3.0's ability to sense when a Powerbook is attached to the network - it will then back-up that computer if necessary. This is a great idea for companies with traveling salespeople who are rarely in the home-office. I have one concern about network backups, however - Many networks are comprised of newer PowerMacs with 500-megabyte or 1-gigabyte internal drives. The old-style, low-capacity tape-drives that only store up to 2 gigabytes are simply insufficient in the era of inexpensive hard drives, so what tape-drives can my readers recommend these days? I've heard about the Quantum DLT-format drives, for instance. What's the street price for one of the 10, 15 or 20-gigabyte DLT tape drives? Dantz Development Corporation, 4 Orinda Way, Bldg. C Orinda, California 94563 Telephone Numbers: Main: <510-253-3000> Fax : <510-253-9099> Tech Support: <510-253-3050> Upgrades: <800-225-4880> E-mail Addresses: Customer service/general product info: Sales: Technical Support: Upgrades: MORE Mac Clone Manufacturers ---------------------------- By Baron Sekiya, Hawaii I've been told by a friend that Pioneer has also been selling Macintosh clones in Japan. They even has a 6 CD-ROM jukebox built-in. He will be ordering the next version which may be PowerPC. They can be used as an English Mac if you replace the Kanjitalk system with the normal Apple System in English. [I also heard that Motorola just licensed the MacOS operating system. This is all great news!] The Mac As A Kid-Friendly Device -------------------------------- By: Scott Cressler There is a much better solution to make your Mac fun, easy and safe for a kid. Edmark makes something called KidDesk which is software that loads before (instead of) the Finder and allows kids to run their programs (which you've configured in) by themselves with a single click. Part of the KidDesk desktop is a picture of a Mac (128K and SE-style) which the kid can click on and it does a shutdown. I never tire of bragging to my PC-owning friends that when my 4-year-old was two years old, he could climb up on the computer chair, press the "power key" on the keyboard (which he quickly identified without my teaching him) to turn the power on and boot the Mac, push the CD caddy into the drive, run his CD program (like a Living Book such as Grandma and Me), then exit the program and click on the little Mac to not only shut the OS down, but turn off the power. I even have a hardware thing (PowerKey?) which allows all my peripherals to be shut off, including the printer, etc. This kind of unattended accessibility to young children is unheard-of in the PC world (I think) and quite satisfying to the kids. My younger one (now 22-months-old) has just become proficient with the mouse and is quite proud of himself. He learned about the power key on his own, too. And the older one has been "computer literate" from age 2! Let's see Win95 do that! By the way - in System 7.5, the "power key" is also an off-switch. If you press it while the Mac is booted, you are prompted to shutdown the Mac. If you just hit return or enter, down it goes (and on my machine Arnold says "I'll be back...." :-) ------ By Larry Harrison, Minnesota One More Plus for AOL (RE:MacChat #100) Reason #5 for SOME people using AOL: You get up to five different Email addresses, with different passwords, which can be used for family members, and all for the basic monthly charge. This keeps the kids out of your business email. One of the addresses is the Master User, who gets to set up what services the others don't get (you can keep the kid out of chat rooms and Newsgroups, disallow binary downloads, etc. if you desire). Yes, I too have a "real" Internet provider account, but we keep our family AOL account just for the parent-control and extra email addresses. I wouldn't turn my son loose on the Internet -- yet. RunShare Feedback ----------------- By: [Back in issue #102, I asked if anybody had used RunShare, which is software designed to help folks move LARGE file quickly over a network...] Only ran some brief tests but here is a sample result: File size: 24MB. Type of transfer: One workstation to another using File Sharing over Ethernet. Without Runshare on: 2 minutes and 41 seconds to complete - With Runshare on: 51 seconds to complete. Only one extension and control panel gets installed and there no parameters to set. Seems pretty slick. Consultant In Canada / RunShare ------------------------------- By Gerry Curry Tony, Tony, Tony! How could you do this to me. Callers to the MCN looking for consultants [mentioned in issue #102] do not have to be in the US. What am I? Chopped liver? Just kidding, but I wouldn't mind some referrals too!! Canadians, and those in the Buffalo, Niagara Falls area can call the MCN and be referred to me!!!! Also, I have a client with a six node network using RunShare along with the GSA server card. Its great. Transfers are incredibly quick and very reliable. Computers running RunShare are also fully compatible with computers on the same network who don't have RunShare. It's simple. If the two computers have it the files fly. If only one has it, they go at the regular rate. Bookstore Online ---------------- By: Todd World's largest bookstore! The coolest way to buy a book is on the net at: They offer more titles than any bookstore in the world. I placed an order for "The Making of Gypsy" which I had never heard of before [He's a major-league Ethel Merman fan], and it arrived in the mail 3 days later. You can look up books by author, subject, and title. There are short descriptions online and some reviews. You can be put on lists for things like when the next book from your favorite author comes out and they will notify you via e-mail. Powerbook Section, Continued (For All Models) --------------------------------------------- [As I said in the last issue, if you're not into Powerbook Macs, please be patient - I have a LOT of material to pass-along, and will undoubtedly have goodies more to your tastes in upcoming issues.] ------- By Dan Schwarz About my PB 520 and how I've been using it: I bought it through Apple's program in December ($1000, such a deal!) I've got the greyscale unit too. First thing I did was drop in 16MB more RAM, for a total of 20MB. I'm a developer, so I can use all that and more... so I bought RAM Doubler 1.6, upgraded it to 1.6.1, installed it and it worked perfectly the first time. [The same version is working fine on mine, too.] Next was a modem. The only internal modems you can get, as I'm sure you're aware, are the Apple Express Modem and the PowerPort Mercury. The lesser of two evils was the Mercury, so I bought that one. I'm actually quite happy with it. 19.2Kbps is not bad, considering I can't often get a full 28.8Kbps out of a V.34 modem anyway. I didn't spring for the PCMCIA card cage. Why not? 3 reasons. First, you need revision "C" of the card cage if you want it to work with Global Village modems, and that won't be out until next month. Second, PCMCIA is a kludge. I hate those modem dongles, I hate having cards hanging out of my laptop. The built-in modem port is such a great feature of the 520, I'm bummed they didn't stick with it. Third, the dual battery capability is worth using. I bought a second battery and used my computer nearly continuously on a Miami-to-Boston airplane trip (including a stopover in Cincinnati.) I couldn't have done that with just one battery. 4+ hours of real heavy usage... That's impressive! (of course, you could simply swap batteries...) but that defeats my latest favorite thing about the Powerbook: Never turn it off - just let it sleep! with 2 batteries it can sleep unplugged for 2 weeks. When you want to use it, hit a key and bingo, you're not only booted up, but you're in your favorite application, and maybe even in your desired database or document. It's like magic, and really nice for quick demos for customers. Also - The 240MB hard drive is actually quite all right for my uses. You can get 1GB + replacements, but that'll have to wait till my wallet replenishes itself.... this "cheap" computer is now costing somewhere around $2000, and that's not including a PowerMac upgrade card. Still, it's a ton 'o fun, and very useful! I'd never take a PC on the road. I laugh at my friends with their NEC Versas and the nightmare configurations they endure on the road. About your memory upgrade; DON'T DO IT yourself unless you really like stress. I am quite handy with a torx screwdriver, and I've been inside plenty of Macs. but once I got the FAQ on how to disassemble the 520, I stayed away. Memory installation, and especially modem installation, is a real bear.Micro Center did it for me, $30 for the memory install and $40 for the modem install. No worries and I had it back in 2 hours. And I've still got my warranty valid :-) ------ By Timothy T. Huang The PCMCIA adapters for the PB 500 series have been out for quite a while. HOWEVER, the revision A and revision B adapters only accept a handful of PC cards. The revision C adapters should be available some time in February. The revision A and B adapters only work with some cards specifically designed for Powerbook usage, which doesn't include most PC cards. ------ By Waldo LaTowsky Thought you'd be interested in another source for the PCMCIA adapter, from a guy named Tom Spearman. He advertises them for $149. I'm on a mailing list of his (new and used Mac stuff), but haven't ordered anything yet. <415-493-7790/FAX 415-493-7176> The mailing-list subscription is with "mailing list" as the Subject. -------- By: Gregory Lane (via RadioMail) I thought I'd outline a few PCMCIA gadgets that I like for the PB5xx series. 1.) Socket's PageCard (formerly the Apple Mobile Messaging System): A PCMCIA-based pager card that can also receive wireless email messages. You get your own 800 number, and people can call it, leave a voicemail and about 30 sec after they hang up, your pager beeps with their #. The 800 number also serves as a fax number too! Finally, your 800 number is also an internet address and people can send short (<600 character) messages directly to the pagecard. Available from MacConnection <800-800-0002/603-446-3383> $350, plus service costs $20/month. 2.) Simple Technology's 170MB Type III hard drive card: It gives comparable performance to the internal PB hard drive. A good backup system or a nice way to get more hard drive space if you're running low. Cards are now available that hold up to 340MB uncompressed. From Computer Discount Warehouse: $390. 260MB card: $490. 3.) Motorola's Personal Messenger 100D: I'm using it right now to send this message wirelessly on the Ardis network, which uses RadioMail (a variation on Eudora). It's great for sending email, all without wires. Not cheap though, but it works. From PageCom: $425, plus service costs $40/month for 100 messages (10K size limit on messages, so can't send large files wirelessly :{ oh well.) The Ardis network has a WWW site which has a detailed coverage map: A similar wireless email device is available from MegaHertz, which runs on the RAM mobile network, a competitor to Ardis. I use all of the above, and I just thought I'd share them with you in case you were interested in some "weirder" cards. 4.) One neat card I think you might like: Syquest's SQ1100 PC Card drive. It holds 100MB cartridges in a Type III holder. Basically, it's like a Zip drive in a PC Card format: From MacWarehouse: $330 for drive plus one cartridge; extra 100MB cartridges are $69 (I've placed an order for this, but SyQuest Sales tells me the item won't ship till spring.) Call Apple's automated Fax-Back system at 800 462 4396, and request document #10307. It is a list of vendors who've tested their PC Cards with the PB5xx/53xx and found them to be compatible. [I did this, and I liked it, but is the same information found somewhere on the Internet, in PLAIN TEXT format? Many of those rinky-dink PDF files from Apple are space-wasters.] The PCMCIA WWW site: The WWW site of a PCMCIA marketing consultant, Andrew Prophet: Both sites have lists of various PC Cards and contact info of the vendors as well as links to the vendor's WWW sites. ---------- By Lee A. Joramo, Colorado I have had a PowerBook DUO 280 for a year now, and quite frankly, I can't imagine a better overall computer system to use as a primary machine. (And we have a Mac 7100, Gateway 486/66, and IBM Thinkpads). Here are my PowerBook tips: Use Conflict Catcher III. This product is really amazing for its little known PowerBook features. * CCIII will recognize the type of power source (AC/Battery), and the presence and type of dock(for DUOs). I have my DUO set to startup with all my normal extensions when it is in the MiniDock. But running on battery without a dock, all of the networking, printing, SCSI and modem extensions are turned off automagically. * CCIII can select the items that appear in the Control Strip. * It is easy to switch to other special start up sets such as battery with network the touch of a key at boot. The old PowerBook-RAM disk startup disk trick. I don't use this trick often, but it nearly doubles my systems battery life. Naturally, when you run from RAM disk, you have to be a bit careful about saving data to the hard drive. * Create a RAM disk, reboot so that you get the RAM disk on the desktop, drag a stripped down system folder into the RAM disk, switch the startup disk to the RAM disk, reboot. You are now running the system from a RAM disk. * Put stripped down versions of your apps on RAM disk. Older versions of ClarisWorks or MS-Word are great for this purpose. * Put CCIII on to the RAM disk, then you can refer to aliases of most all of your extensions and control panels which remain on the hard disk. * Use StuffIt to compress the contents of the RAM disk to the hard drive for long term keeping. Break down and buy the battery recharger and spare batteries now. If you plan to ever run off of batteries, you need them BAD. You need them NOW. (Of course having not used a 500 type PowerBook with its two battery bays, I don't know how critical a recharger is.) Hook a monitor to that PowerBook's video port. Now you got TWO screens. (Mac's are insanely cool!) If you have a hardware problem, call Apple and insist on sending your PowerBook into their repair center. Apple seems to beware that PowerBook repairs are beyond most dealers service centers. I have sent my DUO in for repairs twice. Once for a broken mouse button and once because I rolled my Ford F250 over it. (The Ford was a total loss but the DUO only needed a costly screen replacement.) In both cases, Apple overnighted a shipping box. Total down time less than four days. If you use your PowerBook as a primary machine, get an external keyboard and mouse. Not only are these more comfortable to use, but you save wear and tear on the more expensive and delicate PowerBook. A PowerBook is an expensive machine to have stolen. If the worst happens, you can greatly increase the odds of recovery by including a Startupscreen file that contains your name, email, phone number and even a logo. Now whenever the system is booted, it shows who is the proper owner. It is unlikely that common thieves will know how to disable a StartUpScreen. Added trick, make the StartUpScreen file invisible. (This is also a great trick for your desktops.) [GREAT tip! I added a cleverly-drawn cartoon caricature of me to the above information, (see more about this in the next issue) and it always gets a laugh when I re-start the computer in front of other people.] Power saving screen lighting tips: * Copy a bit of plain WHITE graphics to the clipboard and past it into the Desktop Patterns control pattern. Now you have a desktop pattern for use when you want high contrast such as poor lighting situations. * PowerBooks with B/W or Gray screens have excellent reflective back panels. In the right lighting conditions such as direct sunlight, the reflected light is brighter than the built in light. Take advantage of this and turn off the back lighting. * Even with poor reflective lighting, you can increase the font size to around 18 and turn off the back lighting. This is useful for taking notes during meetings. While I would normally just add a hard disk or Bernoulli cartridge to a desktop, StuffIt SpaceSaver is the best way to expand a PowerBook's internal disk space. But don't start to use SpaceSaver until you need it. It is a HUGE extension. For added disk space on the road, Zip drives are hard to beat as long as you have access to a power outlet. ------- By: Luke ("Dr NT") Oliver, Adelaide, Australia There are a couple of keyboard shortcuts of note on the PB500 series, and their latter-day PowerBook cousins (the PB160, 180 and most that followed). Command-Power enters the monitor (debugger), which is of dubious value for most of us: however, Command-Control-Power forces a restart, which most Mac users will need to do at some stage. ------ By Mark Siple Grab the SCSI doc from APS. It's a very durable, high-impact plastic HDI30 connector (it's only about two inches long so I wouldn't call it a cable) that has a switch to go between regular SCSI (for attaching CD-ROM drives, etc.) and SCSI disk mode. A little green indicator light shows whether or not its terminated. APS Technologies <800-677-3294/816-920-4109/800-874-1427> APS also makes SCSI pro, which is a 25- to 50-pin SCSI converter. For about $35, you get SCSI doc, SCSI pro and PowerMerge synchronization software. Add a 25- to 25-pin SCSI cable for $4.95 and you're set to connect your PowerBook to anything!! ------ By Paul Schinder, Maryland Here's what I carry in my Powerbook carrying case (a Targus from MacWarehouse): Two six foot extension cords, a 25 foot phone line, floppies (free from AOL!) including a Disk Tools floppy, a spare battery (MacWarehouse), and a power cord allowing me to use a car lighter socket to run the Powerbook (MacWarehouse). In addition to the Powerbook, my Zip drive and disks and my QuickCam fit in the case. There's a Adobe PDF document available on the Web called "PowerBook: Repairs, Upgrades & Installations V 3.0". It has a wealth of information on how to open Powerbooks and do various things inside, and includes pictures. With my phone down, I can't verify this, but I believe there's a link to the document at the following URL: ---------- O'Grady's Powerpage can be found at Official Blurb: The Powerpage is updated almost daily with new information, tips, software and real-world field experiences with Apple's new Powerbooks (5300, 2300, 190.) Jason O'Grady developed this site because of the large amount of misinformation and negative press circulating about the newest Powerbooks. The Powerpage covers such issues as: hardware and software technical issues, software compatibility, and updates to the system software. Many indispensable solutions for new Powerbook users can be found on this site in an unbiased and professional manner. ------ By: Espen >Is there a way of getting more than 16 colors on the 520's external Monitor? It depends on the size of your screen (mode). I've never seen a 520 that doesn't give you 256 (8-bit) colour on an external monitor as long as it is in 640x480. Legalisms and Information ------------------------- Copyright 1989-1996 Tony Lindsey. The contents of Mac*Chat may not be republished, either in whole or in part, without the express permission of the editor. Small excerpts of Mac*Chat may be reproduced for personal use, or by nonprofit groups (such as Mac User Groups) if full credit is given, including this notice, how to subscribe, and how to make donations. Please contact the editor for any publication requests. This newsletter is intended purely as entertainment and free information. No profit has been made in return for publication of any of these opinions. Time passes, so accuracy may diminish. Publication, product, and company names may be registered trademarks of their companies. ----- This file is formatted as setext, which can be read on any text reader. I'd enjoy hearing your feedback and suggestions. Unfortunately, due to the massive numbers of messages I get every day, I can't guarantee a personal reply. Send all such messages to: Tony Lindsey 3401-A55 Adams Avenue San Diego, CA 92116-2429 Tips from readers are gratefully accepted. Please write them in a user-friendly way, and if you are mentioning an Internet site, please include a paragraph explaining why others should visit it. Mac*Chat back-issues may be found within any Info-Mac ftp archive at /info-mac/per/chat - For example: and read with any Web browser at Current issues may be found on the comp.sys.mac.digests newsgroup. Free E-Mailed Subscriptions To This Newsletter ------------------------------------- You may subscribe to Mac*Chat by sending e-mail to: The Subject line is ignored, so it can say anything. In the body of the message include the following line: SUBSCRIBE MACCHAT Your full name As an example: SUBSCRIBE MACCHAT Juliana Tarlton You will receive a nice long message explaining acceptance of your subscription, how to end it (if desired) and general listserv info. You will then automatically receive Mac*Chat in your e-mail box, for free, every week. ============== ____ ================================================== Tony Lindsey \ _/__ Free, weekly e-mailed Mac-oriented newsletter Mac*Chat Editor \X / ================= \/ =================================================