The Info Manager

Info Manager for August 5, 2002

[*]  Hotmail;   [*]  CE Soft seeks QuicKeys X suggestions;   [*]  Recycling printer cartridges;   [*]  New virus' coming?;   [*]  Sun & Apple vs. MS Office?;   [*]  Apple making retail push with .Mac;   [*]  Comment from PCWorld;   [*]  AACUG making the net safer;   [*]  TidBITS talks about Spam;   [*]  REALbasic magazine;   [*]  Independent label grants Internet radio fee waiver;   [*]  iToilet;   [*]  Apple and Broadband;   [*]  Cheaper Jaquar;   [*]  Some alternatives to .Mac;   [*]  Speaking of spam, how about scam spam?;   [*]  Is your Apple User Group account active?;   [*]  Expo to move back to Boston?;   [*]  TackyShirt;   [*]  Web site of the Week: iPodLounge;   [*]  MUG of the Week - The Apple Pickers of Indianapolis, IN;   [*]  Quote of the Week: May Sarton;   [*]  VOM Casady & Green;  
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Hotmail

From Macminute.com: Microsoft deletes archived Hotmail messages without warning
July 26 - 12:50 - Some Hotmail users are upset following Microsoft's decision to delete all email in the Sent Mail folder of free accounts that's more than 30 days old, c|net reports. Characterizing the move as an attempt to lure users to its paid services, c|net notes that "most Hotmail accounts do not automatically save messages to the Sent file, meaning any e-mail that's in there was flagged by the person as an important message worth keeping." Microsoft defended its decision, which was made without notifying members in advance, as a move to help users manage their email. "The company figured 'if it's 30 days or older, it's probably safe to go ahead and delete that.'" Here's the story: http://news.com.com/2100-1023-946430.html

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CE Soft seeks QuicKeys X suggestions

CE Software is wants to know what you would like to see in its ever version of QuicKeys X. The current version is QuicKeys X 1.5, sells for $79.95 and there is a demo available at their web site (Highly recommended) ... Go to: http://www.cesoft.com/

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Recycling printer cartridges

A recent article in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram's "Tarrant Business" about fund raising by recycling cartridges. One way is to use the Funding Factory web site. The Funding Factory will pay for shipping and provide boxes. Or it is possible to go directly to their parent company ERS Imaging Supplies. They don't provide the shipping and boxes, but will pay more for the cartridges. According to the article ERS pays about $4 for inkjet cartridges and up to $20 for some laser cartridges. This was a reprinted story from the New York Times and I wasn't able to find it on the NY Times web site. But you can get more information at the following web sites: Funding Factory, or go to ERS Imaging: http://www.ers-imaging.com

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New virus' coming?

An article on the Boston Globe web site warns that new virus are getting more and more sophisticated and that we should be on the look out for them. That is especially true of OSX users as it will get attention from people who consider GUIs for kids and want to disrupt them. Of course, with a command line interface underlining everything in OSX, it is easier than ever to do a Mac virus. Full story at: http://boston.internet.com/news/article.php/10852_1432251

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Sun & Apple vs. MS Office?

Last Monday, CNET had a story that Apple and Sun Microsystems have agreed to produce a version of StarOffice, Java based by the end of the year for Mac OS X. There will be another non-Java version in 2003. That story at: News.com
      Then Yahoo ran a story on Wednesday that said it was actually OpenOffice that was being prepared for the Mac. See that story at: Yahoo.com/news
      Then an IDG follow up story that says Sun and Apple have refuted any story about them collaborating on such a project. See: http://www.idg.net/ic_899509_1794_9-10000.html

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Apple making retail push with .Mac

Nick deplume at ThinkSecret.com has a good article about .Mac being released as a retail package. It appears that it will have a 30% margin which is much better than most Apple retail packages. Additionally, according to the article Apple will offer free .Mac accounts to retail employees that pass "learn and earn" tests. That part of .mac appears to be handled well. Full story at: http://www.thinksecret.com/news/dotmacretail.html

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Comment from PCWorld

I found it interesting that a PC magazine would say: "But every day that brings a Blue Screen of Death, a networking disaster, or a collection of security warnings from Microsoft is a day that more Windows users will consider making the Big Switch. And while there's no hard evidence that Apple is developing an Intel version, consider this: If OS X were available for the machine you have now, wouldn't you be frustrated enough with Windows to give it a try? Here's where to start: http://www.pcworld.com/features/article/0,aid,102528,00.asp

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AACUG making the net safer

At MacWorld Expo, AACUG presented a talk on making the net safer for kids. That information is now available on the AACUG web site, with more being added each month. AACUG is at: http://www.aacug.org/safenet/index.html

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TidBITS talks about Spam

In an article in TidBITS, Adam Engst recommended Spamfire. He has talked a lot recently about how TidBITS is sometimes blocked by spam filters and thus how much they hate the use of such filters at the server level. However, they are now recommend "Spamfire".
      He says "Spamfire Pro from Matterform Media puts control in the user's hands, where it belongs. Spamfire (available as a downloadable demo version, plus inexpensive Lite and Pro versions) filters out the spam in your POP3 or IMAP mailbox, based on highly configurable rules and filters, before triggering your email client to retrieve what's left." It doesn't work with AOL. (No surprise there). But if you are getting the kind of spam that I am getting, it should be worth trying out. The $20 Lite version can check one mailbox; the $30 Pro version checks multiple mailboxes and includes a year of automatic filter updates from the company. TidBITs story at: TidBITS Or go to the source at: http://www.matterform.com/spamfire/

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REALbasic magazine

Adam also mentioned REALbasic Developer as part of his discussion of MacWorld Expo. It is a new magazine dedicated to people who develop software with REALbasic. You can get full details at: http://www.rbdeveloper.com/

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Independent label grants Internet radio fee waiver

Reuters is running a story about how Artemis Records is offering its list of recordings to Internet radio stations for free. That is it is waiving the current fees. They apparently feel that the free advertising for their groups is worth giving up some royalties. Hopefully more companies will follow in their footsteps. Full details at: http://www.artemisrecords.com/

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iToilet

I got this message on one of the BBS's I frequent. "I saw this in a British PC magazine this morning. PC users spoof about the Mac." Get a laugh at: http://www.raytracer25.btinternet.co.uk/iToilet/itoilet.html

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Apple and Broadband

"As broadband takes hold, Apple's graphics strength should come to the for"
      In an article with the above subtitle, MultexInvestor paints a very positive picture about Apple Computer. Makes me wish I had some money to invest. You can read the article at: http://dai.multexinvestor.com/article.asp?docid=9931&nd=0730

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Cheaper Jaquar

Some of the offers I have seen that will enable you to get OSX 10.2 at less than the $129 list: (Note: Amazon quit taking orders for their $50 offer, but say they will honor orders already placed. They are still selling it at a $15 discount.)
http://www.apple.com/promo/coupon/
http://www.apple.com/macosx/uptodate/
http://www.apple.com/promo/macosx/
At the Apple Store
1-800-MY-APPLE Apple's Promo: http://www.apple.com/promo/coupon/

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Some alternatives to .Mac

(Some of which are email only) Macintouch is having a great discussion about alternatives to .Mac. Here are a few:
http://www.freemacemail.com/
http://www.digitalspace.net/
http://fastmail.fm
www.mailsnare.net
Full discussion at: http://www.macintouch.com/dotmacalt.html
And for a list of 50+ IMAP service providers, go to: http://www.ii.com/internet/messaging/imap/isps/

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Speaking of spam, how about scam spam?

As we were doing earlier. The worst spam are those which continue in the long tradition of scamming as well. Wired.com has a really good article on this. To bad more people hadn't read it before sending off money to "Nigeria". Read it at: http://www.wired.com/news/business/0,1367,54234,00.html

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Is your Apple User Group account active?

Lynn Poos, (lep19@mac.com), the South Central Regional Apple Group Liaison said in a recent message that "Apple brought an interesting fact to us late last month. Of all the Ambassadors registered on the Apple website, only 22% of them have logged-in to the ASW (Apple Sales Web) in the past six months. If your group is not currently receiving information from Apple, this could be the reason. If your account is inactive (failure to log-on) for six months, the Ambassador's account is deactivated. What a waste! The ASW has a lot of great info, but groups are not taking advantage of it if their Ambassador is not on the stick." So be sure that you have visited the ASW so that your group is still active on the list. You might look here: http://www.apple.com/sales/

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Expo to move back to Boston?

According to an article in the NY Post, Boston has offered at least one year free rent to MacWorld Expo at its new convention center due to open in 2004. If this would happen, it would be GREAT news for the Mac fan. Don't know if Jobs would go for it, but according to the article the rent at Javits for 3 days this year hit $650K including a last minute 10% increase. Full story at: http://www.nypost.com/technology/53693.htm

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TackyShirt

I have talked about TackyShirt before. It is a company that is producing a DVD Training disk on OS X featuring Bob LeVitus (Dr. Mac), Andy Ihnatko (Of MacWorld & Chicago Sun Times), John Welch and Shawn King (YourMacLife.com). They are now taking advanced orders for the disk at their newly opened store ... which can be found at: http://www.TackyShirt.com/

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Web site of the Week: iPodLounge

It had to happen. A web site dedicated to all things iPod. Check it out at: Check it out at: http://www.ipodlounge.com/

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MUG of the Week - The Apple Pickers of Indianapolis, IN

With about 150 members, AP would be considered a large user group. And their web site reflects the groups efforts to reach out. First of all, they have their newsletter on line here in PDF format. Secondly, they have a conference board as part of the web site for members discussion. And they also have links to member's personal pages. It is a nice set up you can see it at: http://www.applepickers.org/

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Quote of eht Week: May Sarton

"I would like to believe when I die that I have given myself away like a tree that sows seed every spring and never counts the loss, because it is not loss, it is adding to future life. It is the tree's way of being. Strongly rooted perhaps, but spilling out its treasure on the wind." - May Sarton 1912-95

"God made the Idiot for practice, and then He made the School Board" --
Mark Twain

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VOM Casady & Green

Most user groups have dealt with Casady and Green over the years. But I wonder how many of you have contacted them recently. They used to do "Party In A Box" kits that were a wonderful way for small groups to demo some software and have a good time while promoting C&G products. I know that I took advantage of the offer when I was program director at TUMS. But when I was program director with the Apple Corp in Dallas, I didn't even think of them for presentations. Although I have put their discounted materials on my "specials" list a number of times. The do offer user groups good discounts. You can register your group and see the price list by going to: http://ug.casadyg.com/
      Bonnie Mitchell, their user group coordinator would love to have your members take advantage of those special prices. Contact Bonnie about how they can help with presentations and review software. Here's where you can find them http://ug.casadyg.com/

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News and Info you can use...

The Info Manager invites user groups to use his column in full or in pieces in their newsletter. He would appreciate word that you are doing so however and if you can, please send a pdf version of the newsletter for his perusal. Or just provide him with the link. Use this address: Infomanager@user-groups.net or... our online Information form

The Info Manager is a veteran of the UGN (AOL User Groups Forum) and User Group Network. He's been a supporter and volunteer on many, many UGNet and User Group Academy projects. As a long time user group member, he's served as volunteer from Honolulu to Boston and many points in between. Currently working with the Apple Corp of Dallas, the Dallas Mac Pack, Cowtown MUG of Ft. Worth and TUMS (the Tulsa Users of Macintosh Society) doing newsletter articles and the monthly CD-ROM Update. Post a lead Info Manager should follow up on.

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