ThinkSecret reports that a new beta release of Apple's Safari web browser, version 67, with improvements to tabbed browsing and AutoFill for completing web forms was released to beta testers. Also, a new beta build of the MacOSX v10.2.5 update, 6L14, was seeded to developers last week.
ThinkSecret reports that Apple provided a pre-release seed of Mac OS X v10.2.5 to developers Friday, releasing updates to both the client and server version. Version 10.2.5 contains a variety of fixes, including updates and enhancements to QuickDraw, IPSec, TCP performance, web services, Sound Manager, and Windows 2000 compatibility.
Apple takes Java to the next level with the latest, certified release of the Java 2 Platform, Standard Edition, version 1.4.1 for Mac OS X. This release incorporates over 60% more features than the previous release, 1.3.1. Improvements include support for new native I/O, XML and Web Services technologies, more security APIs, Unicode 3.0 support and more.
"Do you remember how it used to be? The Macintosh was the computer for the "rest of us," which meant everyone but a computer expert, I suppose. As such things go, it was designed to be simple to set up, and simple to maintain. That, of course, depended on your definition of simple, which can change with the wind."Read the editorial at MacNightOwl.
The MacOSX 10.2.4 Server Update delivers enhanced functionality and improved reliability for the following applications, services and technologies: AFP, SMB and NFS file services, DHCP, NetBoot, Open Directory, QuickTime Streaming Server, Sendmail and Workgroup Manager.
"Over the past year and change I've worked on porting quite a few projects to OS X. At first, it's a pretty scary ordeal, but most of the issues you'll run into are easily solved if you know how. To save yourself the trouble of figuring this out yourself, read on..." The article is located at Advogato. More porting tips at Fink's site.
The MacOSX 10.2.4 Update delivers enhanced functionality and improved reliability for the following applications, services and technologies: Address Book, Classic compatibility, Finder, FireWire, Graphics, OpenGL, and Sherlock. It includes AFP and Windows file service improvements, as well as audio, disc recording, graphics, and printing improvements.
MacOSX developers and users are discussing in their blogs some inconsistencies found in MacOSX's user interface and some found in the iApps. Read here, here, here and here.
"So here we are, more than a year and a half later , and only a handful of audio applications have placed both feet firmly on the good ship OS X. Hardware drivers and plug-ins also remain a crapshoot. While the rest of the Mac world has been moving to OS X with only minor hiccups, most audio-related companies have lagged far behind. What's the holdup? The answer, as you might expect, depends on whom you ask." This is an interesting article over at 'Electronic Musician' regarding MacOSX from the pro-audio point of view, and its audio application base status today.
Honda announced the Honda 'Studio E' Concept Vehicle. It is an SUV with full multimedia capabilities, running on top of MacOSX: "The personal audio computer has its own workstation with keyboard, mouse and a 17-inch liquid crystal display. To play to a larger crowd, a motorized 42-inch plasma screen rotates down from the ceiling and interfaces with the audio computer to display custom visual patterns in step with the music out the back of the vehicle, or it can play DVDs."
Apple Computer originally created its new Keynote software to allow its boss, Steve Jobs, to make it through speeches without a hitch. But now that the company has released the presentation program to the public, early customers say it is anything but bug-free. Some from people who say the program is the first they have used that can bring Apple's Mac OS X operating system to its knees. "I've never had any OS 10 app crash the whole system before," reads a posting from "Yikesboy."
Earlier this week, Apple seeded pre-release versions of the v10.2.4 update to Mac OS X, both client and server. Both seeds of 10.2.4, known internally as "Jaguar Pink," were numbered build 6I13. Apple also has been writing drivers for a number of popular sound and video cards. With the release of 10.2.3, support was added for SoundBlaster Extigy, and as of last month, work was nearly complete on Audigy and Audigy 2 drivers. As for video cards, Apple is planning to support several workstation-quality graphics cards in 10.3, that weren't previously supported, including full support for NVidia Quadro 980, 900, and 750XGL. Support will also be added for ATI's top-end Fire GL series.
This is a Quicktime movie named "The Power of X" and a presentation on the state of Mac OS X. See Apple Senior Vice President of Worldwide Product Marketing, Philip Schiller present Mac OS X v10.2 “Jaguar”. Especially watch the impressive QuartzExtreme demo among the interesting topics discussed. An interesting watch for people who are curious about OSX and want to learn more.
Matthias Schonder writes "Check out this article. Maybe Gobe for OS X is closer than we think". I don't know if the momentum of OpenOffice.org can be stopped, but how could anyone not welcome Productive to their suite of tools?
"I've got 1GB of memory in my 867MHz PowerMac. But at 15,500 tracks, iTunes is starting to become difficult (not quite impossible) to use. It hums along fine if I don't touch it. But simply selecting a track can result in 20 seconds of spinning beachball. Editing an ID3 tag can take more than 30 seconds. Dragging tracks to a playlist, same. iPhoto is even worse. At around 800 images, it started to bog down on me." Read Scot Hacker's editorial at OReilly NetWork. The book writer (mostly known for his 'BeOS Bible' book, now a MacOSX convert) finds scalability problems on the famous iApps and suggests these to be fixed before adding new features.
Pahtz writes: "A very alpha release of The Humane Environment (THE) for MacOS was made on Christmas Eve. Jef Raskin, creator Apple's Macintosh, and author of the book "The Humane Interface", is the leader of the open-source THE Development Team."
Apple provides many programming resources for creating MacOSX applications, and which one you choose depends upon your needs, preferences, and constraints. If you are unfamiliar with the MacOSX platform, the process of choosing the right approach can be time-consuming and confusing. The purpose of this Guide is to get you started porting an existing procedural Win32 application written in C or C++ to MacOSX.
Apple released the December 2002 Developer tools update today, available for download for ADC Members. Among the list of updates is Project Builder 2.1 with "better CVS support".
"In the company's communications with education buyers late last month, Apple said that schools will still be able to purchase Mac OS 9 hardware in 2003. While Apple's new hardware models will next year boot into Mac OS X only, the company now plans to offer certain configurations to the education market that will boot into OS 9." Read the full article at Think Secret.