News Common PC Linux Mac CUCUG
The next CUCUG meeting will be held on our regular third Thursday of the month: Thursday, July 20th, at 7:00 pm, at the First Baptist Church of Champaign in Savoy. The Linux SIG convenes, 45 minutes earlier, at 6:15 pm. Directions to the FBC-CS are at the end of this newsletter.
The July 20 gathering will be one of our split SIG meetings. All SIG meetings are open for anything anyone wants to bring in.
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We'd like to welcome back renewing member and Founding Father Steve Gast, joining us yet again last month.
We welcome any kind of input or feedback from members. Run across an interesting item or tidbit on the net? Just send the link to the editor. Have an article or review you'd like to submit? Send it in. Have a comment? Email any officer you like. Involvement is the driving force of any user group. Welcome to the group.
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Kevin Hisel
CUCUG Webmaster
After a near-two-week "vacation" the Starship CUCUG II (http://www.cucug.org/starship/) is back.
The story is that our ISP had some issues with permissions settings getting all screwed up and our SQL database had ballooned beyond the 10M limit we are allowed. It took almost two weeks to sort out because of the poor email turnaround times on the part of Namesecure and the fourth of July holiday and weekends.
What got us back on the air was one thing: Mike Latinovich. Mike knows the system and was able to wrestle the database back into shape. He was also able to explain to Namesecure exactly what was going wrong. After some very unsuccessful email passing back and forth, Mike got on the phone and set them straight.
Thanks to Mike, Starship CUCUG II is back prowling the universe, daring to go where no geek has gone before.
Thank you all for your patience.
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As a result of yet another rate increase by the U.S. Postal Service for the annual rent on the Post Office Box the club has held since 1985, the CUCUG Board decided to opt out of the snail mail realm and drop the Box as an overpriced luxury. Since some few things require a mailing address for the club, Kevin Hopkins has agreed to allow the use of his mailing address for future club business and correspondence. If you need to contact the club with membership renewals, newsletter exchanges, or other items that email does not handle adequately, you may use the following address.
ToCCUCUG
912 Stratford Drive
Champaign, IL
61821-4137
By DAN GOODIN, AP Technology Writer
Thu Jul 13, 5:19 PM ET
URL: http://tinyurl.com/hlnxs
SAN JOSE, Calif. - Intel Corp. is cutting 1,000 management jobs as the chip maker tries to become more efficient amid stiff competition and weaker demand for personal computers.
The reduction, which will take several days to be carried out, is the latest action in a broad restructuring announced earlier this year, Intel spokesman Chuck Mulloy said Thursday. Analysts expect further job cuts as executives continue to scrutinize operations.
Mulloy declined to say how much money will be saved by the latest cuts or whether they would result in a charge against earnings. The company will provide more details Wednesday, when it reports second-quarter results, he said.
ThinkEquity Analyst Eric Ross, who recently released a report predicting Intel would reduce its work force by more than 10,000 employees, said the Santa Clara company is scrambling to slash costs as smaller rival Advanced Micro Devices Inc. encroaches on its highly lucrative core business of supplying the microprocessors that act as the brains of computers.
"They need to cut costs and they need to do it fast," he said in an interview.
Ross, who estimated Intel had about 100,000 employees following the sale of one of its business units last month, predicted executives will announce plans to pare another 9,000 employees in the next six months.
In April, Intel reported a 38 percent drop in first-quarter profit as demand slackened for PCs and microprocessors from AMD continued to steal market share.
That same month, Chief Executive Paul Otellini vowed to spend the next 90 days identifying under-performing business groups and cost inefficiencies in an effort to save the company $1 billion a year. He said he planned to make changes as his analysis progressed, rather than waiting until the end of his review.
Two weeks ago, Intel said it planned to sell a division that makes chips for cell phones and other handheld devices for $600 million. The move allowed it to shed 1,400 employees and unload a money-losing business that was never able to close in on entrenched competitors such as Texas Instruments Inc.
Over the past five years, the percentage of managers hired at Intel has grown faster than the overall employee population, Mulloy said.
"Our analysis shows that we have too many management layers from the top of the company to the first line of supervisors to be effective," he said.
Intel shares fell 16 cents to close at $17.72 on the Nasdaq Stock Market.
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By Declan McCullagh
Story last modified Mon Jul 10 07:12:50 PDT 2006
URL: http://news.com.com/FBI+plans+new+Net-tapping+push/2100-1028_3-6091942.html
The FBI has drafted sweeping legislation that would require Internet service providers to create wiretapping hubs for police surveillance and force makers of networking gear to build in backdoors for eavesdropping, CNET News.com has learned.
FBI Agent Barry Smith distributed the proposal at a private meeting last Friday with industry representatives and indicated it would be introduced by Sen. Mike DeWine, an Ohio Republican, according to two sources familiar with the meeting.
The draft bill would place the FBI's Net-surveillance push on solid legal footing. At the moment, it's ensnared in a legal challenge from universities and some technology companies that claim the Federal Communications Commission's broadband surveillance directives exceed what Congress has authorized.
<http://news.com.com//FBI+Net-wiretapping+rules+face+challenges/2100-1028_3-5911676.html?tag=nl>
The FBI claims that expanding the 1994 Communications Assistance for Law Enforcement Act is necessary to thwart criminals and terrorists who have turned to technologies like voice over Internet Protocol, or VoIP.
"The complexity and variety of communications technologies have dramatically increased in recent years, and the lawful intercept capabilities of the federal, state and local law enforcement community have been under continual stress, and in many cases have decreased or become impossible," according to a summary accompanying the draft bill.
<http://news.com.com//Broadband+providers+decry+Net-wiretapping+rules/2100-1028_3-6089842.html?tag=nl>
Complicating the political outlook for the legislation is an ongoing debate over allegedly illegal surveillance by the National Security Administration--punctuated by several lawsuits challenging it on constitutional grounds and an unrelated proposal to force Internet service providers to record what Americans are doing online. One source, who asked not to be identified because of the sensitive nature of last Friday's meeting, said the FBI viewed its CALEA expansion as a top congressional priority for 2007.
<http://news.com.com//NSA+spying+comes+under+legal%2C+political+attack/2100-1028_3-6066123.html?tag=nl>
<http://news.com.com//AT38T+leaks+sensitive+info+in+NSA+suit/2100-1028_3-6077353.html?tag=nl>
<http://news.com.com//DOJ%2C+Net+firms+fail+to+agree+on+data+retention/2100-1028_3-6079585.html?tag=nl>
The 27-page proposed CALEA amendments seen by CNET News.com would:
Jim Harper, a policy analyst at the free-market Cato Institute and member of a Homeland Security advisory board, said the proposal would "have a negative impact on Internet users' privacy."
"People expect their information to be private unless the government meets certain legal standards," Harper said. "Right now the Department of Justice is pushing the wrong way on all this."
Neither the FBI nor DeWine's office responded to a request for comment Friday afternoon.
DeWine has relatively low approval ratings--47 percent, according to SurveyUSA.com--and is enmeshed in a fierce battle with a Democratic challenger to retain his Senate seat in the November elections. DeWine is a member of a Senate Judiciary subcommittee charged with overseeing electronic privacy and anti-terrorism enforcement and is a former prosecutor in Ohio.
<http://dw.com.com/redir?destUrl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.surveyusa.com%2F50State2006%2F100USSenatorApproval060126State.htm&siteId=3&oId=/DOJ%2C+Net+firms+fail+to+agree+on+data+retention/2100-1028_3-6079585.html&ontId=1023&lop=nl.ex>
<http://dw.com.com/redir?destUrl=http%3A%2F%2Fjudiciary.senate.gov%2Fsubcommittees%2Ftechnology109.cfm&siteId=3&oId=/DOJ%2C+Net+firms+fail+to+agree+on+data+retention/2100-1028_3-6079585.html&ontId=1023&lop=nl.ex>
A panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals in Washington, D.C., decided 2-1 last month to uphold the FCC's extension of CALEA to broadband providers, and it's not clear what will happen next with the lawsuit. Judge Harry Edwards wrote in his dissent that the majority's logic gave the FCC "unlimited authority to regulate every telecommunications service that might conceivably be used to assist law enforcement."
<http://news.com.com//Appeals+court+upholds+Net-wiretapping+rules/2100-1028_3-6082085.html?tag=nl>
The organizations behind the lawsuit say Congress never intended CALEA to force broadband providers--and networks at corporations and universities--to build in central surveillance hubs for the police. The list of organizations includes Sun Microsystems, Pulver.com, the American Association of Community Colleges, the Association of American Universities and the American Library Association.
If the FBI's legislation becomes law, it would derail the lawsuit because there would no longer be any question that Congress intended CALEA to apply to the Internet.
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Written and produced by John Anderson (mediaminutes@freepress.net)
Media Minutes: June 30, 2006
Audio: http://freepress.net/mediaminutes/archive/mm063006.mp3
Text: http://freepress.net/mediaminutes/transcripts/mm063006.pdf
All that stands between the Internet's transformation from an open forum to a paid- speech zone overseen by phone and cable companies is the floor of the U.S. Senate. At a June 28th Senate Commerce Committee hearing on an omnibus telecommunications bill covering everything from wireless phone regulation to video franchising, an amendment to protect the principle of network neutrality, called the Internet Freedom Preservation Act, failed in a tie vote.
Illinois Democrat Senator Barack Obama is a co-sponsor of the Internet Freedom Preservation Act, and he also regularly produces short podcasts on a variety of issues of concern to him.
Senator Barack Obama: "And it's because the Internet's a neutral platform that I can put on this podcast and transmit it over the Internet without having to go through some corporate media middleman. I can say what I want without censorship; I don't have to pay a special charge."
Senator Obama believes overhauling telecommunications law without preserving the principle of network neutrality is dangerously irresponsible.
Senator Barack Obama: "Allowing the Bells and cable companies to act as gatekeepers with control over Internet access would make the Internet like cable: a producer-driven market with barriers to entry for web site creators and preferential treatment for specific sites based not on merit, the number of hits, but on relationships with the corporate gatekeeper."
Eleven Senators have already declared their support for the Internet Freedom Preservation Act. Meanwhile, the omnibus telecom bill at the center of the debate is being loaded down with all kinds of special interest provisions. On the good side are amendments which would expand opportunities for low-power FM community radio stations, and would abolish state laws prohibiting public investment in broadband data networks. On the bad side are provisions which would allow phone and cable companies to cherry-pick the areas of communities in which they would first build out advanced communication services, and void state consumer protection rules regarding wireless phone service.
At least one Senator has vowed to block this debate from going forward unless meaningful protection for network neutrality is preserved. Visit Savetheinternet.com for the latest updates.
Related Link:
Senator Barack Obama's podcast on Network Neutrality
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by Adam C. Engst <ace@tidbits.com>
TidBITS#837/10-Jul-06
Trademark lawyers everywhere are shaking their heads in dismay, as the Oxford English Dictionary has now added Google's company name to the dictionary as a verb. Although this would seem to be a good thing for Google, thanks to the free advertising, such unofficial uses dilute company trademarks, making it more difficult to pursue trademark infringement lawsuits. Other companies whose names have fallen prey to "verbification" include FedEx, TiVo, and Xerox.
<http://www.oed.com/help/updates/latest-additions.html>
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Google_(verb)>
But let's turn our attention from trademark law to usage questions. (Hey, we worry about this kind of stuff in TidBITS!) Here's how the OED's definition reads:
intr. To use the Google search engine to find information on the Internet. trans. To search for information about (a person or thing) using the Google search engine.
That's clear enough, but from what we can tell, the OED seems to be sticking with the capitalization of Google, even when used as a verb, as in the sentence, "I'll Google that information when we get back to the office." On the other hand, in April 2006 the editors of the Merriam-Webster Collegiate Dictionary were considering adding Google as a verb, but lowercasing it, and this week they made the addition official.
<http://www.word.com/unabridged/archives/new_word_watch/>
<http://news.com.com/Google+joins+Xerox+as+a+verb/2100-1025_3-6091289.html>
There has been some discussion of whether or not capitalization is necessary. The Chicago Manual of Style suggests that lowercasing such verbs is common, but that the final decision is up to authors and editors, and that whatever is chosen should be followed consistently throughout a work. Personally, I prefer my verbs lowercased, even if (or perhaps because) that pains the trademark lawyers. So if you want to read more about this story, just google for "Google verb".
<http://www.wordwizard.com/ch_forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=8415>
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Paul Thurrott
URL: http://www.wininformant.com/
Microsoft alerted me yesterday to a minor delay in the release of Microsoft Office 2007, its upcoming office productivity suite. Instead of shipping the volume-license versions of Office 2007 in October as previously planned, Microsoft will now delay the release closer to the end of 2006. And the general availability of Office 2007--when consumers can go into retail stores and purchase boxed copies--has been delayed from January 2007 to "early in 2007." These aren't huge delays, so there wouldn't be any real concern except for one thing: Microsoft has often stated that it intends to launch Windows Vista and Office 2007 simultaneously. Does this mean Microsoft will delay Vista yet again?
Dismayed by the news reports about its decision to cancel WinFS and integrate the technology into other products, Microsoft is going on the offensive and trying to explain that its decision doesn't mean WinFS--or more important--its wider integrated storage vision, is dead. According to the company, only WinFS as a standalone product is dead. Microsoft will integrate the technology into future products, such as the next versions of SQL Server and ADO.NET, and, presumably, Windows post-Vista as well. I say "presumably" because Microsoft refuses to publicly confirm the post- Vista integration, no doubt because its grand pronouncements about Vista over the years have come back to haunt the company. And of course, Microsoft is still desperate to explain that the integrated search features that will ship in Vista, despite not being based on WinFS, do in fact satisfy most of the promises it's made about WinFS. Well, sort of.
Later this year, Microsoft will ship cool-looking keyboards and mouse devices designed specifically for use with the Vista OS. The keyboard is dubbed "The Ultimate Keyboard," which presents a curious naming problem for future Microsoft keyboards. It'll be wireless and rechargeable, with backlit keys that know when you leave the room (no doubt using WGA technologies to spy on you) as well as Vista-specific keys. It also features cool-looking metal accents and an ergonomic curve. The mouse, which doesn't yet appear to have a name, includes what appears to be a docking pad, and it's styled to match The Ultimate Keyboard. Looks neat. However, knowing Microsoft and its love for premium products, this little package will no doubt set you back quite a bit of money. After all, there's a reason the word "ultimate" is in there.
With Microsoft not shipping Windows Vista to consumers until January 2007- -or "early in the first quarter of 2007," as I'm suddenly hearing--one might expect the software giant to do something to alleviate any issues PC makers might have during the lackluster holiday 2006 selling season. Put simply, why would anyone buy a new PC in December 2006 if they know new models with a major new Windows version are coming out a month later? This week, Microsoft said it would offer consumers deals through PC makers that are designed to keep PC sales from faltering in November and December. There are very few details so far, but one might imagine the deal being a "buy an XP now and get Vista for free"-type promotion. On the other hand, upgrading a Windows XP PC to Vista isn't recommended: If you want the best experience, wait for Vista to be preinstalled on new PCs before taking the plunge. In fact, you might want to even wait for the second generation of Vista-based PCs.
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Posted by Amber Maitland
URL: http://www.pocket-lint.co.uk/news.php?newsId=3917
10 July 2006 - Firefox, the free browser from Mozilla, is releasing a beta of version 2.0 on 11 July.
Early testers have highlighted several changes to the software; it now features an integrated spell checker designed for bloggers and forum posters, and a phishing filter.
The phishing filter uses a list of suspected malware sites as well as Google's site listings to flag potentially hazardous websits.
The browser also features an improved RSS reader, with the option of using Firefox's reader or others from Google or MyYahoo.
Many of the changes are to the browser's backend coding, and aren't necessarily readily noticeable to the user.
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Paul Thurrott
URL: http://tinyurl.com/fast7
Today, Microsoft shipped Internet Explorer (IE) 7 Beta 3, the latest version of its upcoming Web browser for Windows Server 2003, Windows XP Professional x64 Edition, and XP. IE 7 Beta 3 includes new features as well as the IE fixes that Microsoft made available during its June 2006 security patch release.
"We described the April 2006 Beta 2 release of Internet Explorer as feature complete," Gary Schare, director of Windows product management, told me recently during a briefing. "But based on feedback, we were able to make a number of changes, including some that will be visible to users."
The biggest new feature is the ability to drag and drop browser tabs, which lets users change the position of tabbed Web documents. "It's like dragging a slide in PowerPoint," Schare said, noting that the feature applies only to the typical browser display mode. "You won't see it in Quick Tabs, which is a static view." Microsoft also brought back the Send Mail toolbar button, made minor RSS changes, fixed a lot of things under the hood, and prettied up some icons.
IE 7 Beta 3 is a free download, although users will need to uninstall Beta 2 first. My review of IE 7 Beta 3 is now available on the SuperSite for Windows.
http://www.winsupersite.com/reviews/ie7_beta3.asp
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6th July 2006 - by Patrick S in MS Products & Computing & Windows XP
Microsoft has released Private Folder 1.0, which lets you have a folder called `My Private Folder« which you can password protect
Microsoft Private Folder 1.0 is a useful tool for you to protect your private data when your friends, colleagues, kids or other people share your PC or account. With this tool, you will get one password protected folder called `My Private Folder« in your account to save your personal files.
You can grab a copy of it HERE: http://tinyurl.com/lfsnz (However this requires a "Genuine" version of Windows and IE-As most free Microsoft software requires now days.)
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Paul Thurrott
URL: http://tinyurl.com/zpd2v
Reports from around the Web suggest that Microsoft is moving a secret internal project on which I've been briefed into the product development stage. If true--and I have no reliable information to suggest it is--Microsoft will go head-to-head with Apple's iPod in the portable MP3 player market as soon as this holiday season. Here's what the rumors reveal.
A report in the "Seattle Times" says that Microsoft's MP3 player is codenamed "Argos" after the ship that Jason and the Argonauts used to pursue the Golden Fleece. It's being developed by people from the Xbox team, and led by J Allard, an Xbox team cofounder. According to Times reporter Brier Dudley, Microsoft is firmly behind the new player and has committed "hundreds of millions" of dollars to its development and marketing.
Various reports say that Microsoft's Argos player will be in the market as soon as this holiday season, which is amazingly aggressive since my own sources tell me that the software giant was using it internally as a reference design for partners until fairly recently. It will allegedly include Wi-Fi capabilities so that users can download content from the MTV URGE online service without being connected to a computer, a large widescreen display, a simple iPod-like user interface, and possibly even video game features.
The most alluring aspect of Argos, is true, is a new service that Microsoft is reportedly going to offer with the device. Essentially, Microsoft is scan your computer for any songs purchased from the iTunes Music Store. It will then make those exact songs available to you from URGE, for free, and in higher- quality Windows Media Audio (WMA) format. Microsoft will then pay the record companies what fees are owed on the songs, so the net effect is that you've purchased them again, but Microsoft has paid for them. Though these costs are expected to be extravagant, Microsoft feels that it is the only way it can overcome the final hurdle of moving people off the iPod: If they can't bring their music collections with them, many users simply won't abandon Apple's device.
If these reports are true--and again, I have no information one way or the other beyond the fact that Microsoft has indeed been working on such a device--and Microsoft can pull off a late 2005 release, it could be just enough to overcome some of the negative momentum the company has created in the wake of massive delays in Windows Vista, Longhorn Server and Office 2007. And as Dudley points out in his report, the new player could very well help boost Microsoft's earnings in the crucial end-of-year quarter.
For its part, Microsoft officially dismissed reports about Argos as "rumors and speculation" and hasn't discussed the player in public further. But various recording industry sources say they've been briefed on the player, lending credence to the rumors. Stay tuned.
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Paul Thurrott
URL: http://tinyurl.com/ju7r6
In the beginning, there was Aero Glass. And it was good. But Microsoft also begat a crummy, ugly UI for Windows Vista called Vista Basic. And it was bad, really bad. We complained vociferously. And Microsoft listened. How sweet is that?
Over the weekend, two Microsoft employees blogged about the change in Vista's low-end UI, which will appear on machines not graced with Windows Display Driver Model (WDDM)-based drivers. These include many older PCs, especially Tablet PCs and any machines that use previous-generation integrated graphics chipsets. The original version of the Vista Basic UI was pretty grim, a horrific grayish thing that was far uglier than even Classic mode. Now, all is well with the world.
"Many community members have expressed concerns over the visual experience of the Windows Basic theme, and we heard you loud and clear," a posting on the Windows Vista Team Blog reads. "In fact, we too wanted something better, and we've overhauled this theme with an all new version .... This is a good, clean interface called the Basic or Standard theme, but lacking the glass window frames of Aero."
Microsoft reports that the new low-end UI will appear in a future prerelease Vista build, but the company won't specify when. I'll post screenshots and a discussion of this UI on the SuperSite for Windows later today.
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[Editor's Note: My thanks to Kevin Hisel for the contributions to this section of the newsletter.]
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Friday, June 30 2006 @ 04:42 PM EDT
URL: http://www.groklaw.net/article.php?story=20060630152635501
I slept and slept and slept. And now, hopping back on my horsie, here are the media reactions to the news that the court just stuffed a sock in SCO's mouth. Mostly they quote at length from the very quotable judge's order.
For example, Andrew Orlowski in The Register, "Judge guts SCO claims -- Put up or shut up":
Wells found a vivid analogy for IBM's position of having to guess why it was guilty. "Certainly if an individual was stopped and accused of shoplifting after walking out of Neiman Marcus they would expect to be eventually told what they allegedly stole. It would be absurd for an officer to tell the accused that 'you know what you stole I'm not telling'. Or, to simply hand the accused individual a catalog of Neiman Marcus' entire inventory and say 'it's in there somewhere, you figure it out'," wrote Wells.
My favorite reaction, a comment on Slashdot by corby in part, improving on Judge Brooke Wells' analogy:
Actually, it's as if you walked out of Neiman Marcus, a security guard accused you of shoplifting, and then refused to tell you what you shoplifted. Then, the guard pulls over his buddy, respected Yankee Group Laura Didio. She looks in your bag, then looks at the Neiman Marcus catalog, and announces on national media that you have stolen something from Neiman Marcus but she won't say what it is [computerworld.com].
Three years later, during trial, the guard is still unable to explain what you stole from the store.
Ah, yes. The lovely and tireless Ms. DiDio. I bet you'd like to know what she and Mr. Enderle and the SCO gang have to say now? Here you go.
First, Bob Mims in the Salt Lake Tribune, in his article, "Judge voids most SCO claims":
SCO spokesman Blake Stowell acknowledged the ruling was a setback. "If two-thirds of your case is stricken, then it is a pretty serious matter. Our lawyers will determine how we proceed from here," he said.
However, Stowell argued that the remaining third of nearly 300 claims made by SCO still left the "foundation for a strong case." Ironically, specifics of many of those allegations are under seal to protect proprietary data.
Rob Enderle, Enderle Group chief analyst, said Wells' ruling was a solid defeat for SCO's use of a "quantity over quality approach to litigation strategy . . . . [Now] it will be vastly more difficult for them to get funding going forward as a result of the perceptions [stemming from] this decision. "And they are burning through their cash reserves very quickly," he added."
Hilarious, no? The problem is quantity over quality? I think not.
Mr. Enderle is singing a new song, i see. Remember his keynote address at SCOForum 2004, on why he supported SCO, "Free Software and the Idiots who Buy It"? It's still up on SCO's website. That wasn't the original title listed on the SCOForum program. On the program, it was called, "Free Software and the Fools Who Use It," but either way, I believe we catch his drift. "Why, as I recall, he told the world that he called up SCO and they did have evidence. They just won't tell the court what it is. Or how about this article, " Linux Community vs. SCO Battle, SCO Should Win. Cluestick: they didn't. It's a tad hard to win in court, unless you present evidence.
Mims asked me for a reaction too, of course, and here's what I said, in part: "There has never been an operating system picked over with such care and determination to find fault. And Linux has come through utterly clean as a whistle."
Next, both Slashdot articles: Slashdot #1 - IBM Motion to Limit SCO Claims Granted and Slashdot #2, "Judge Calls SCO on Lack of Evidence". The second one links to a headline you'll like on Computer Business Review, Matthew Aslett's "Judge calls SCO's lack of evidence against IBM 'Inexcusable':
SCO Group Inc has willfully failed to comply with the orders of the court hearing its breach of contact and copyright case against IBM Corp, according to the Magistrate Judge, who has declared the company's failure to detail its evidence against IBM 'inexcusable'.
The Lindon, Utah-based Unix vendor was taken to task for its legal tactics by Magistrate Judge Brooke Wells, who is handling the discovery portion of the case, as she granted most of an IBM motion to limit SCO's claims to those where is has provided specific evidence.
If you are a true believer in SCO's cause, here's one article that holds out hope for your wilted quest, "Open Source Victorious in Court":
While some started to believe this must be the beginning of the end for SCO's case, others are still saying that such a ruling is only a setback and the trial (plus the controversy) will go on until the final verdict will be reached.
Lamlaw's take:
Finally we get some resolution of these discovery issues.
It is important to note (and PJ at Groklaw does this), that the resolution here is not of the legal issues themselves on the merits but rather the exclusion of certain claims due to the failure of SCO to provide the necessary information as required by the court. Either way, a number of claims get tossed. And you must assume that the needed evidence just does not exist or at least SCO lawyers knew their evidence would not survive the light of the day, so they did not bother. This order is just the courts way of saying that the court will not bother either.
These events just give additional credence to the suggestion that SCO lawyers were all about creating a stink in the courtroom rather than having any chance at a legitimate case. That is the hallmark of a true nuisance case.
Steven J. Vaughan-Nichols on Linux-Watch called his article, SCO hits iceberg:
On June 28, Magistrate Judge Brooke Wells ruled largely in favor of IBM's "Motion to Limit The SCO Group Inc.'s Claims Relating to Allegedly Misused Material." This means that the vast majority of SCO's claims against IBM for misusing Unix code in Linux have been thrown out.
Since SCO first began claiming that IBM had placed its Unix intellectual property into Linux, opponents to its arguments, such as Linus Torvalds, have demanded that SCO show precise proof for its claims. In its motion, IBM took a similar tack....
SCO may appeal this decision. "Our legal team is reviewing the judge's ruling and will determine our next steps in the near future," said Blake Stowell, SCO's communications director.
While there are other issues still to be decided in court, with over two-thirds of SCO's claims now thrown out, SCO's lawsuit has clearly collided with a Titanic-sized iceberg.
Scott M. Fulton III in TG Daily, "Majority of SCO's claims in UNIX infringement case against IBM dismissed:
In a decision handed down late Wednesday that could leave absolutely no doubt in anyone's mind as to US Magistrate Judge Brooke Wells' opinion regarding the validity or substance of SCO's claims in the three-year-old UNIX infringement case against IBM, the judge granted IBM's motion to limit SCO's claims going forward to a much smaller list for which SCO has actually offered evidence.
The basis of IBM's motion had been that SCO, in claiming that IBM stole elements of Linux source code from UNIX - many of the rights to which SCO inherited, in several steps, from AT&T - failed to produce source code that would demonstrate that IBM had indeed stolen not just methodologies, but intellectual property. Judge Wells resoundingly agreed, in absolutely scathing language...
PC Pro, "Judge kills off SCO claims":
SCO has had the lion's share of the examples it put forward as evidence of the 'misappropriation' by IBM ripped from its case.
Judge Brooke Wells issued an order granting an IBM motion to dismiss SCO's claims due to lack of specificity: from a list of nearly 200 claims contested by IBM, just 10 remain - essentially removing two-thirds of SCO's contention.
Aside from lack of specificity as to what exactly the code in question is, the straw that broke the Judge's patience is that SCO required far greater levels of specificity from IBM when requesting materials for evidence throughout the discovery period: a level of exactitude to which it was unable, or unwilling, to rise itself
And Ms. DiDio? Did no one call her to comment? After all, she told the world that she had seen the code, and it was persuasive to her. Did SCO have a more faithful supporter? Grace Leong of the Daily Herald in Utah did ask her to comment, and you can read her pearls of wisdom in the article, "SCO dealt legal setback":
Laura DiDio, a senior industry analyst of the Yankee Group who tracks SCO, says Wells's latest ruling isn't a surprise.
"I recall earlier rulings where the judge issued scathing comments to SCO. The onus is on SCO to show the smoking gun. The judge in this case is again asking SCO to 'put up or shut up,' " she said. "With each passing month that SCO doesn't come forward to exhibit evidence of its claims, it loses more and more credibility, and it doesn't help its case to sell Unix products."
Ah. She's not surprised. No? That surprises me, given her earlier pronouncements -- and they were legion -- that SCO had a case and Linux was in trouble. Here's just one small example, an article she wrote about SCO registering copyrights (the ones Novell says belong to it, also currently in litigation and in arbitration), in which she wrote that the case would be tried first in the court of public opinion, and wasn't it ever:
Market Impact
The most tangible immediate result of SCO's decision to register the copyrights will be to boost the perception among a large segment of the industry-although notably not among the Linux community-that SCO's case is legitimate.
SCO's move also puts more pressure on IBM to clearly articulate its position with respect to indemnifying its customers in the event SCO should prevail.
IBM continues to dispute and dismiss as "baseless" SCO's claims that IBM misappropriated large portions of UNIX System V source code and embedded them into its Linux software offerings. IBM recently surpassed Red Hat as the largest provider of Linux server software. In a public statement, IBM spokeswoman Trink Guarino said, "SCO needs to openly show the Linux community any copyrighted UNIX code which they claim is in Linux."
There are strong indications that the industry at large takes SCO's claims seriously.
Wall Street sees it that way. SCO's stock soared nearly 15 percent on the news. It jumped $2.82 and was trading at $14.77 early on July 24, its highest level since February 2001. Since SCO filed the suit in March 2003, the stock has quintupled.
Enterprises will note SCO's filing with heightened interest. In March, SCO sent letters to 1,500 large accounts informing them of potential liability. Since then, about four dozen enterprises contacted SCO for further information and the steps they need to take to legally license their IBM Linux 2.4 and 2.5 software. Expect those numbers to increase with the copyright filing. In addition, SCO is now ready to release a licensing plan so corporations can determine the cost of getting legal....
Expect IBM, SCO, and the very vocal Linux community to work overtime promoting their respective points of view to influence the opinions of corporate customers, the media, and analysts. Such posturing is designed to make one or the other party blink first and possibly hammer out a settlement. However, a settlement is unlikely in the next several months.
That collection of misinformation and failed predictions was written in July 28, 2003. The Linux community has never wanted the parties to settle. We wanted SCO repudiated for raising false accusations, impugning the integrity of thousands of volunteers who worked very hard to give the world some very wonderful software that anyone in the world can use for free and in freedom. They code in public, and they would never deliberately grab someone else's code. First, they take pride in their work. Second, they know the whole world can see their work 24/7. It is a huge disincentive to theft.
The Linux community knew from the first that SCO would lose if there was any justice in the world, and it was right, as events have now demonstrated. It's really that simple. We knew it, because we know the code, the development process, the tech, Unix history, and we know Linus. I knew from day one that Linus would never steal anyone's code. Period. From our side, it was never a matter of bashing anyone or attacking SCO. It was a matter of steadily, patiently digging up evidence that we presented to the world, the result again of thousands of volunteers.
And SCO should be ashamed of itself, along with all its backers. Speaking of backers, DiDio got one thing right back in August of 2003:
Unix software maker SCO might not be making any friends in the open-source community with its plan to sell licenses to corporate Linux users, which the company claims have infringed on its own source-code copyrights.
However, the small Lindon, Utah-based company might be earning silent cheers from others, namely Microsoft, who are eager to see Linux -- and the open-source movement -- stumble.
"There's a lot going on behind the scenes," Yankee Group senior analyst Laura DiDio told TechNewsWorld. "Not necessarily coming out to say they support SCO or coming to their defense, but I think there are a lot of behind-the-scenes machinations."
Indeedy-do. There is plenty of shame to go around, but Microsoft's role stands out. Here's my question: if you're a monopolist and you enable a FUD lawsuit, and then your server sales go up at the expense of the victim, your competitor in the marketplace, is that an antitrust violation? You think?
The SCO story has now even reached Fox News, via an article by AP's Paul Foy, "Judge Tosses Out Most of SCO's Anti-Linux Lawsuit Against IBM", which is also now on ABC News and on Yahoo! News and Mercury News and the Washington Post and Business Week. Foy interviewed me also:
SCO doesn't have enough evidence "to shake a stick at," said Pamela Jones, creator and editor of Groklaw.net, a Web site devoted to open-source software legal issues. "Linux is booming, and everyone knows now that the code has been examined every which way, and it's clean as code can be."
[Editor's Note: My thanks to Allen D. Byrne <adbyrne@ieee.org> for the contributions to this section of the newsletter.]
ToC
TidBITS#836/03-Jul-06
Apple last week released Mac OS X 10.4.7, a free update to Mac OS X 10.4 Tiger, with a variety of improvements and bug fixes. Separate installers are available via Software Update or the Apple Software Downloads Web site for the desktop version of Mac OS X on PowerPC- and Intel-based Macs, and for Mac OS X Server, which so far is available only for PowerPC-based Macs. Along with a wide variety of small fixes, some of which address security holes, the 10.4.7 update includes several enhancements to Mail, such as improved reliability retrieving IMAP messages with attachments using an unreliable Internet connection and connecting to mail servers through a SOCKS proxy; improvements for video conferencing and transferring files in iChat; and better iSync support for Motorola cell phones using Bluetooth and .Mac accounts.
<http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=303771>
Apple says the update also resolves an issue on PowerPC-based Macs in which some applications may "silently fail to open," and manually removing fonts is no longer likely to cause the Finder to quit unexpectedly. We also understand that the update makes Apple's spiffy, new two-finger right-click feature (announced last month for the MacBook and updated MacBook Pro models) work on the trackpad of early MacBook Pro models. Stand-alone download versions are available in sizes ranging from 64 MB (for the PowerPC 10.4.6 to 10.4.7 delta version) to 215 MB (for the Intel 10.4 to 10.4.7 Combo version). If you downloaded the delta version for Intel-based Macs before Friday of last week, you should download again, since Apple re-released that installer to include some OpenGL files that were missing in the initial release. Software Update will find the right version for your Mac. [MHA]
<http://www.apple.com/support/downloads/>
ToC
TidBITS#836/03-Jul-06
Delivering on a promise made in late May, Apple has updated iTunes and iPod software to work with the Nike+iPod Sport Kit, a gadget that links an iPod nano with Nike+ shoes to track a runner's performance (see "Grab your iPod and Run"). iTunes 6.0.5 enables synchronization of data to nikeplus.com. The 19.8 MB update, also available via Software Update, additionally patches a security hole that could be exploited by a malicious AAC file.
<http://www.apple.com/ipod/nike/>
<http://db.tidbits.com/getbits.acgi?tbart=08543>
<http://www.apple.com/support/downloads/itunes605.html>
<http://www.nikeplus.com/>
<http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=303952>
iPod Updater 2006-06-28 updates the software for the iPod, iPod nano, and iPod shuffle to fix bugs, add Nike+iPod support for the iPod nano, and add a maximum volume limit for the iPod shuffle. Because Apple rolls all iPod updates into one installer, this one weighs in at 49 MB and is available as a stand-alone download or via Software Update.
<http://www.apple.com/support/downloads/ipodupdater20060628.html>
Lastly, Apple also released QuickTime 7.1.2, a 49.1 MB download that fixes an issue with previewing iDVD projects. [JLC]
<http://www.apple.com/support/downloads/quicktime712.html>
ToC
TidBITS#835/26-Jun-06
Apple has released iPhoto 6.0.4, an update to the popular photo-management application that fixes... well, nothing, apparently. Instead, the 36.4 MB download available directly or via Software Update adds new themes to the Greeting Card and Postcard features "including invite and thank you card designs for summer parties, weddings, birthdays, etc.," according to Apple. Unfortunately, because Apple stores iPhoto themes within the iPhoto application package (instead of separately, as with iDVD 6 for example), adding new themes means downloading the entire application. Unless Apple has snuck in some other fixes without documenting them, this hardly counts as an essential update (though if you're printing cards, the update is more appealing). [JLC]
<http://www.apple.com/support/downloads/iphoto604.html>
ToC
TidBITS#835/26-Jun-06
The high end of Apple's application line saw bug-fix updates last week. Aperture 1.1.2 "addresses issues related to overall reliability and performance," and is a 13.6 MB download. The more expansive Pro Application Update 2006-001 provides updates to several underlying frameworks that are used by Final Cut Studio (which includes Final Cut Pro 5.1, Motion 2.1, Soundtrack Pro 1.1, DVD Studio Pro 4.1, Compressor 2.1, and Apple Qmaster 2.1), Shake 4.1, and Final Cut Express HD 3.5 (which also includes LiveType 2.1). [JLC]
<http://www.apple.com/support/downloads/aperture112update.html>
<http://www.apple.com/support/downloads/proapplicationupdate200601.html>
<http://www.apple.com/finalcutstudio/>
<http://www.apple.com/shake/>
<http://www.apple.com/finalcutexpress/>
by Mark H. Anbinder <mha@tidbits.com>
TidBITS#837/10-Jul-06
Yet another PowerPC-based Macintosh is consigned to the history books. Apple last week introduced a new, low-end, stripped-down version of its Intel-based 17-inch iMac computer, replacing the eMac for the education market. The new $900 model, priced $300 below the education cost of the existing 17-inch model, boasts many of the same features.
Apple has economized on the new model by replacing the 8x dual- layer SuperDrive of the $1200 model with a 24x Combo Drive, capable of burning CDs and reading, but not burning, DVDs; including a smaller hard drive (80 GB instead of 160 GB); using the same Intel GMA 950 graphics chipset with shared memory as the MacBook and Mac mini; and leaving out Bluetooth and the Apple Remote that has become a standard feature on new Macs.
The low-end iMac still features a 1.83 GHz Intel Core Duo CPU, 512 MB of memory, AirPort Extreme wireless networking, and a built-in iSight video camera. The hard drive capacity and memory can be expanded via build-to-order options, and an Apple Remote can be ordered as an add-on, along with Apple's external USB modem.
Apple says the new iMac model, which was shown last week at the National Educational Computing Conference in San Diego, is available immediately to education customers (and only education customers at this point). The all-in-one eMac, with its PowerPC chip and Apple's last remaining CRT monitor, will remain available as long as supplies last, alongside remaining stock of the G4-based iBook.
<http://www.apple.com/education/store/>
ToC
TidBITS#837/10-Jul-06
Opera Software has released Opera 9, the latest version of its traditionally quirky Web browser. In a world where browsers are included with the operating system (Internet Explorer under Windows, and Safari on Mac OS X) or available for free (the open-source Firefox), you might think it's crazy for a third-party company to develop a competing Web browser. However, Opera has managed to make inroads on all platforms, from Windows to Mac OS X to cellular phones. The release of Opera 9 also shows that you need to innovate to survive.
<http://www.opera.com/products/desktop/>
For example, this version adds built-in support for file sharing using BitTorrent (a peer-to-peer technology for more efficiently sending very large files over the Internet); a content blocker that enables you to choose which types of items are blocked from viewing (such as ads); the capability to add search engines to the search field; and a new widgets feature that can run small Dashboard-like programs within Opera (although not as exciting under Mac OS X 10.4, this feature is seen more as a preemptive strike under Windows against the similar widget functionality of the upcoming Windows Vista operating system). Lastly, taking a cue from OmniWeb, Opera 9 can display a thumbnail preview of an open Web page by hovering the mouse pointer over the page's tab. Opera 9 is free, with the option of paying $30 for a one-year Premium Support service. It's a 13.1 MB download. [JLC]
ToC
TidBITS#834/19-Jun-06
Fetch Softworks has released Fetch 5.1, the latest version of their easy-to-use FTP client. Major new features include a comprehensive set of 11 Automator actions, a bone-shaped Dashboard widget for uploading and checking transfer progress, and universal binary support for Intel-based Macs. Other changes include a modeless New Connection window, a new Zip archive format that preserves Macintosh metadata, the inclusion of the StuffIt Engine so Fetch's StuffIt support doesn't require installation or updating of StuffIt, and storage of passwords in the Keychain. Fetch 5.1 also includes a variety of bug fixes and minor tweaks; it's free to registered customers and is a 14.2 MB download. New copies cost $25, with free licenses available for educational and charitable organizations. [ACE]
<http://www.fetchsoftworks.com/fetch5.release.notes.html#5.1>
ToC
TidBITS#834/19-Jun-06
Microsoft has released yet another update to Office 2004. Version 11.2.4, a 57.5 MB download, patches a security hole in PowerPoint that could allow an attacker to overwrite your computer's memory. It also resolves a crashing bug in all Office applications involving graphics with embedded EPS data, and another that occurred with German documents that use Microsoft's German proofing tools. Two Entourage fixes complete the package: improved calendar synchronization with Exchange servers and the repair of a crash that could occur when using SSL to connect to an LDAP server.
The update is available on Microsoft's Web site as a stand-alone updater, or by using the Help > Check for Updates command in any Office application. This update incorporates all the previous Office 2004 updates, including the new Spotlight and Sync Services support in Entourage that were added in the 11.2.3 update in March. [JK]
<http://www.microsoft.com/mac/downloads.aspx>
ToC
by Robert Movin <rmovin@gmail.com>
TidBITS#834/19-Jun-06
Back when I first contacted TidBITS to write my article "From iPod to MacBook Pro: A Switcher's Tale," I never expected it would result in a trilogy dedicated to the state of virtualization on a Mac. But with this final chapter I'm proud to say my switch to a full-time Mac user is complete, ahead of schedule, and virtualization is far more powerful than I ever expected merely six months after the release of the first Intel Macs. And this isn't due to the powers of giants like Microsoft (Virtual PC), EMC (VMWare), or even open source (QEMU), but rather a diminutive yet nimble startup called Parallels. (See my last article, "WinOnMac Smackdown: Dual-Boot versus Virtualization" for a more thorough explanation of virtualization and how it differs from Apple's Boot Camp beta implementation.)
<http://db.tidbits.com/getbits.acgi?tbart=08455>
<http://db.tidbits.com/getbits.acgi?tbart=08495>
I'm normally quite cynical and critical of new technology products, but Parallels Desktop so far surpasses initial expectations that's it's hard to avoid waxing poetic. Although there's still plenty of room for improvement, it's one of the few pieces of software I can strongly recommend without reservations, and one that might just change the world's perceptions of Macs. For anything short of gaming, Parallels Desktop is the best option for running Windows (and more) on a Mac.
<http://www.parallels.com/en/products/desktop/>
Parallels released their first beta of Parallels Desktop for Mac (called Parallels Workstation at the time) just as I was completing my previous article for TidBITS the first week of April. Unlike any of the other tools I tested or reviewed, including Apple's Boot Camp, I was able to install any version of Windows, all updates, and all major software packages. Performance was decent, but the first beta was plagued with poor memory management, limited features (such as a lack of file exchange with the host system), and bugs that crashed my Mac during such uncommon tasks as putting it to sleep. That said, it ran Windows, it ran all the software I needed (including our corporate VPN), and ran it all faster than my PC at work. I'm pretty sure the Parallels development team hasn't slept since the first beta, as the following two and a half months included nearly weekly releases full of significant performance and feature improvements. The final release is a polished, stable product with more features than the initial beta suggested, although still lacking a few pieces that advanced users familiar with VMWare might miss. Despite the "beta" label, I've run all the releases in my personal production environment and feel confident that I've stress-tested fairly thoroughly.
<http://www.apple.com/macosx/bootcamp/>
The final release version of Parallels Desktop for Mac appeared on 15-Jun-06 for $80, but it costs only $50 for those who order before 15-Jul-06; sorry folks, the $40 price for those of us who pre-ordered is no longer available. [Though if you purchase "Take Control of Running Windows on a Mac", there's a coupon at the end of the ebook with which you can save $10 off Parallels Desktop. -Adam]. The final release includes a bonus: the normally $180 Parallels Compressor for shrinking virtual images from multiple products, including VMWare.
<http://www.takecontrolbooks.com/windows-on-mac.html?14@@!pt=TB834>
<http://www.parallels.com/en/products/compressor/>
What's good about the release version? It boots Windows XP SP2 quickly. It runs Windows, Linux, OS/2, and pretty much any other x86 operating system. It supports most USB devices. It runs different operating systems full screen on multiple monitors. You can cut and paste between operating systems. It shares files with Mac OS X. It's probably faster than your PC.
What's bad? Not much, to be honest. There's no support for FireWire or gaming-level graphics, USB 2.0 devices run at 1.1 speed, and some CD/DVD control issues exist.
As with most Mac software, installing Parallels is a breeze. Just download and mount the disk image and double click the installer package. But installing the software doesn't instantly grant you access to the world of Windows. You'll still need a Windows install disc and a valid license, and you'll have to go through a few basic steps. Although Parallels does a good job of simplifying the process, it might be intimidating to a non-technical user who hadn't read the instructions in "Take Control of Running Windows on a Mac."
I started by creating a new virtual machine using the included wizard, which does a good job of walking you through the process. I decided on my operating system (Windows XP) and named the virtual machine before being dropped into the console view where I chose various configuration options. The defaults should work for most users, but I did give my virtual machine extra memory (256 MB is the default) and enabled file sharing with Mac OS X (disabled by default to keep those pesky Windows viruses out of your Mac files). I inserted my Windows installation disc, clicked the Play button in Parallels Desktop, and started walking through the Windows installer. From here on the entire process is no different than installing Windows on a new PC. Windows was running in less than 30 minutes, after which I installed the Parallels Tools for better networking, screen, and mouse support before going through the more laborious process of installing all my needed Windows software. In all it took about 90 minutes to install Parallels Desktop, Windows XP, Parallels Tools, and my basic package of Windows software. One caution: you really need a valid Windows license, and you will have to go through the activation process.
The Parallels Desktop interface is clean and intuitive and should feel familiar if you've used other virtualization tools like VMWare. Small icons in the lower right corner display your networking, USB, hard disk, and other peripheral status while a moveable toolbar allows you to start, stop, pause, reset, or switch your virtual machine to full screen mode. With Parallels Tools installed, your mouse cursor scrolls cleanly across the guest operating system as if it were part of Mac OS X. For guest operating systems without Parallels Tools you must remember to press Ctrl-Alt to regain your mouse control. Keyboard control can be a bit tricky when moving in and out of virtual machines, since although it looks like just another part of Mac OS X, it's still a separate operating system with keystroke combinations that might conflict with those in Mac OS X. Parallels Desktop provides a menu to send special commands (like the ever-present Ctrl-Alt-Del) to the guest operating system, but I frequently find myself forgetting that Ctrl-C in the Windows window is very different than Ctrl-C in Mac OS X.
Performance is where Parallels Desktop really shines. It's the first virtualization software to take advantage of the VT technology in Intel's newer chips, hardware extensions provided specifically to enhance virtual machine performance. On my MacBook Pro, Windows XP takes about 10 seconds to boot and is incredibly responsive. I've seen some outside reports state that performance is only around 2 percent slower than running Windows XP under Boot Camp and is faster than running on some Core-Duo PC systems from other hardware manufacturers. Performance after booting is still strong and easily comparable to my Pentium 4, and is definitely faster than my Pentium M laptop. I can't express the shock value of seeing Windows boot so fast the progress bar never makes it past the first little dot. Everywhere I go, I end up with a crowd of IT professionals behind me just watching me boot in and out of Windows. If only Apple offered rewards for referrals, I could probably retire in a few more months.
I can usually sway those skeptics that still balk at the performance by giving them a quick full screen demo. You know that great looking cube effect when you switch users in Mac OS X? That's one of around a half dozen transition options when moving to full screen mode. The cube rotates and pauses for a second as the video resizes to the MacBook Pro's widescreen resolution. There it is, looking just like a native Windows machine (without the ugly stickers slapped onto the case). If you have two monitors, you can keep Mac OS X on one and run your guest operating system on the other, full screen, with smooth mouse scrolling across each. Just don't forget the command to switch out of full screen (Alt-Enter) or you'll get stuck like I did the first time. For some reason I've noticed a slight delay when trying to switch back, and sometimes have to send the command more than once.
Networking support is decent, but definitely weaker than some of the competition (not that anyone else runs on Intel Macs yet). By default, Parallels Desktop creates its own bridged network connection using the host computer's active network adapter, making your virtual machine look like another computer on the network. You can also specify that it use any network adapter on your Mac. Parallels also supports host-only networking, if you want to isolate the virtual machine or even share your Mac's existing network connection. I've used this to share my wireless EVDO connection over Bluetooth when traveling (you can set this in your Sharing preference pane). Unlike VMWare, you can't create a complete virtual network on your Mac, a handy feature for IT pros wanting to test virtual systems in a safe, "fake" network.
One of the features I particularly appreciate is being able to run nearly any Linux distribution, including live distributions (like Knoppix) directly from their disk images without local installation. Tools support isn't available, so you have to remember to switch mouse and keyboard control manually. Hardware support is also more limited, but I've tested both Slax and Knoppix-based distributions without any problems. Networking and displays work well enough for most of my needs. Like other virtualization tools, you can point Parallels Desktop at any bootable disk image without having to decompress and install it on a partition.
<http://www.knoppix.org/>
<http://www.slax.org/>
USB support appeared in the last few release candidates, and works with the USB devices I've tested, including one (my SCUBA dive watch) that didn't work in earlier betas. Reports from the Parallels support forums indicate not every device works yet, but the development team seems to be making good progress. One big limitation is USB 2.0 devices only connect at the slower USB 1.1 standard. I also don't recommend having devices connect automatically, or every USB device you connect will be hijacked by your virtual machine. It's kind of annoying when I plug in my iPod shuffle and it pops up in the virtual machine as a mass storage device instead of opening iTunes.
As with other virtualization products, Parallels Desktop supports multiple operating systems running concurrently - but you had better have enough memory. I upped my MacBook Pro to 2 GB and can run two or three virtual machines comfortably with my usual Mac OS X applications.
Individual virtual machines consist of two files: one hard disk image and a configuration file. Cloning virtual machines is easy, and you can back up your entire Windows installation by simply copying the hard disk file. If only all computers were virtual. Parallels also includes tools for changing virtual disk sizes, but this process is a bit complicated; it's better to make sure you create a large enough image from the start.
Aside from showing off, I've been migrating completely onto Parallels as the beta versions have improved. I've moved all but one of my work applications into the virtual machine, and it has increased my productivity. My Windows installation is much cleaner than my "official" work system, since all my personal applications are in Mac OS X and I need only a minimal set of Windows tools. Windows now runs faster, is easier to maintain, and easier to keep locked down. I'm in negotiations with our IT department to create a complete, sanctioned virtual image that's locked down without administrative rights. Since Parallels also sells Parallels Workstation, a version that runs on Windows, if this experiment works, we'll have a locked-down, sanctioned image that's easy to migrate, backup, secure, and distribute. Users can run all the spyware and viruses they want on their host PC (except for us Mac users, of course) while the corporate image remains safe and isolated. I also find myself frequently running multiple versions of Windows and Linux concurrently, giving me a great excuse to bump my system memory up to 2 GB.
And I just can't fully express the "Wow!" factor. When people, especially IT professionals, see Windows running comfortably on a Mac with full functionality, you can see prejudices melt from their eyes. When they realize my Windows virtual machine is running faster than their new dedicated PC, you can feel the envy ooze out of their pores. The effect of seeing the cube transition to full screen can only be described as the geek equivalent of those swooning teenage girls in those old Elvis movies. This is the future of computing on any platform.
Although Parallels Desktop/Workstation is available on Mac and PC, the greater standardization of Mac hardware may afford opportunities to improve the virtual experience. Today the one glaring weakness of virtual machines is much weaker video support. Without direct access to graphics cards you can't support the advanced features needed for gaming and other visual elements (as we might expect in Windows Vista). The Parallels development team is rumored to be working hard on the problem, and I wouldn't be surprised if the next version supports advanced graphics applications. Hopefully, we'll also see better networking support, better USB (and even FireWire) support, and I wouldn't mind some interface improvements when selecting and switching between different virtual machines. While the average user just running a single instance of Windows on their Mac will be satisfied with current features, Parallels definitely has room to improve features for IT pros. It also lacks any of the centralized management tools for multiple images needed for large enterprise deployments.
Outside of additional product features, Parallels Desktop is one of the only applications I've seen that could change the world's perceptions and acceptance of Macs. It's right up there with Mac OS X, iLife, and Microsoft Office for Mac in the category of "this changes everything."
If you're not convinced, consider this: Apple has dedicated a page to Parallels Desktop linked to their new "Get a Mac" advertising campaign under the banner "You can even run Windows software." You'll notice a distinct lack of any reference there to Apple's own Boot Camp (though the reason could be that Boot Camp is still in beta). Could we see Parallels become part of the Apple family? Maybe, but Parallels is an up-and-comer in the world of virtualization and has a healthy future even without gaining the Apple name. Either way the Mac community wins, not that I'd complain about it being built into Mac OS X.
<http://www.apple.com/getamac/windows.html>
Thanks to Parallels Desktop, running Windows on a Mac - without diminishing the Mac (or Windows) experience - is now a reality. I can highly recommend Parallels for anyone with an Intel Mac and a need (because it probably isn't a desire) for Windows.
ToC
by Adam C. Engst <ace@tidbits.com>
TidBITS#835/26-Jun-06
[Cue film noir music and fade in on a 1950's-style office, the illumination from twin LCDs reflected in the perspiration of a man's brow. When he speaks, his voice is rough with fatigue and frustration.]
On Sunday, everything was working fine. On Monday - I hate Mondays - double-clicking a Photoshop file in the Finder would launch Photoshop, but wouldn't open the file. Dragging the file to Photoshop's Dock icon or Finder icon had equally little effect. But opening files from within Photoshop continued to work properly. Peeved by Photoshop's hesitation to open files from the Finder, I stuffed my iPod in my pocket and set out to investigate.
First I turned to "Ted Landau's Mac OS X Help Line, Tiger Edition", a 1,200-page tome that has answers to most Macintosh troubleshooting problems. The hard part is asking the beefy book the right question. I was lucky. My first query struck paydirt. I knew the Finder relied on Launch Services to connect documents with their applications. Pressed, the fat volume produced the info I needed - the whereabouts of the Launch Services plist and easily corrupted cache file.
<http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0321334299/tidbitselectro00/ref%3Dnosim/>
I found them, one lounging in my user's Preferences folder, the other hiding out in the shadows of the Library's Cache folder. Neither would divulge the information I was looking for, even after I explained just how unnecessary they were to my continued happiness. So I drove them to the city dump and told them disappear. I knew there would be another plist and cache file ready to take over as soon as I returned to the city. Perhaps I could lean on the new guys.
Unfortunately, the lowlifes who took over Launch Services were clueless. I was back to square one, and the Photoshop documents still weren't opening from the Finder. It was time to hit the streets and talk to my informants. A few days and a lot of beers later, I finally found a mole inside Adobe willing to talk... for a price. A high price. I bought him another beer and described my visit to the city dump. He talked. The problem was a missing person - the Adobe Unit Types file. It belonged in the Library's ScriptingAdditions folder, but it was AWOL.
<http://www.adobe.com/support/techdocs/329996.html>
I slid a few more bucks to my stool pigeon, who told me where to find the pasty-faced Adobe Unit Types file. A case surrounding a panicking Mac OS X 10.4.6 had blown up in my face a few weeks earlier, and I'd had to call in some reinforcements to smooth things over with an Archive & Install. My assistants are normally thorough, but Adobe Unit Types had managed to avoid their sweep and was sitting pretty, drinking whiskey by the pool in the Previous System/Library/ScriptingAdditions folder. I paid him a call, and my suave manner, backed up by the bulge in my jacket pocket, convinced him to return to his post. He wasn't happy about it, but when I next double-clicked a Photoshop file, it opened as it should in Photoshop.
<http://db.tidbits.com/getbits.acgi?tbart=08501>
The week was almost over, the mystery was solved, the case was closed, and I could finally get back to editing my graphics.
ToC
[The film noir music rises as the scene fades in again on a 1950's-style office, the glow of twin LCDs illuminating the back of a man staring out the window. His voice is low and harsh.]
People don't come to me for comfort, they come to have their problems fixed. Quietly, if possible. Loudly, if not. Usually I can oblige, but sometimes a case is too big even for me. That's what happened last week when I returned to my office after a stakeout to find not one, but two guys sitting in my waiting room.
It was hot, the air conditioning has been on the fritz since 1987, and both were wearing shorts and, judging from the bags at their feet, both were packing heat. One had a bandage on his leg. They looked uncomfortable and clearly didn't know each other.
I pointed at the guy closer to the door, and motioned him to come into my office. Once we were seated on opposite sides of my battered desk, he launched into his tale of woe. He was Arlo Rose, a programmer, working on Konfabulator. I'd heard of his work - Konfabulator displayed tiny programs called widgets on the Mac, and he'd been the first on the block to do it. A nice living - all legal like - but then Apple took over his turf and told him to take a powder. He did, and ran right to another of the big bosses in town - Yahoo.
But he was here on personal business. He had fallen asleep coding Konfabulator, and woken up to burned thighs. He leaned over to pull something out of his bag to show me, but I wasn't taking any chances. When he came up with his heat, he was staring into mine - a Colt pistol I keep in the top drawer for such situations. His heat wasn't a firearm, but a MacBook Pro, so I lowered my piece. He hadn't been expecting the pistol, and it rattled him.
It turned out his MacBook Pro was running hot. Really hot. Hot enough to burn both his thighs and an expensive coffee table. He wanted to know why, and if he was being set up by Apple because of some harsh words that had gone down during the Konfabulator deal. It was a good question, and one I didn't know the answer to, so I told him to leave the MacBook Pro and come back the next day.
After seeing him out, I showed the second guy in. I figured it would be the usual - help ironing out a misunderstanding with a bookie, whatever. He introduced himself as Christian Heurich: a photographer, and a good one, to judge from the images I found while doing a background check.
But unlike most photographers who come into my office, his problem had nothing to do with dames. He too had fallen asleep while working on his MacBook Pro - when he leaned over to get it to show me, I merely kept my finger on the trigger inside my desk drawer. And whereas Arlo had suffered only a mild burn, Christian had some nerve damage in his left leg as a result of tackling liposarcoma 18 years ago, so he hadn't noticed the heat until he'd suffered a second degree burn.
Now I was intrigued. It's not often I get two cases in one day, much less two identical problems. I told Christian to come back in a day too, and then sat down to think.
Laptops have gotten hotter over the years, as the manufacturers pack more and more power into their CPUs. A call to a doctor friend turned up the painful tale of a 50-year-old scientist who had managed to burn his privates with only an hour usage, fully dressed (or so he claimed). I winced at the thought and took a swig from the bottle in my desk. Forewarned is forearmed.
<http://ergo.human.cornell.edu/hotlaptops.html>
Arlo had said something about CPU usage being out of control, so I started to poke around. Indeed, his MacBook Pro was using 50 to 60 percent of its dual CPUs while idling. Why? I racked my brain, staring out my window at the darkening night, and as the streetlight across the street winked on, it came to me. Spotlight. A good technology in theory, though it's never found anything for me that I couldn't find myself faster. Perhaps I just know where to look. But Spotlight works by sneaking around in the background, reading everything it can find, and that can chew CPU for no apparent reason.
Unfortunately, checking Activity Monitor for Spotlight's prints - the mds and mdimport processes - revealed little. It might have been there, but it wasn't the cause right now. I turned back to the window and stared down at the drunks on the sidewalk. My office isn't in the best part of town. OK, it's not even in a decent part of town. But sometimes you have to be near the lowlifes to find out what's going on.
I stepped out for a bit of air that wasn't necessarily fresh, particularly as I passed a guy who'd been a whiz kid before he got strung out on World of Warcraft. Now he bummed money until he had enough to get a few hours in a dive Internet cafe. Swore he'd find some treasure and then be able to sell it on the eBay black market to set himself up again. I passed him a few bucks and asked what the word on the street was. He looked up at me, looked back down, and in a low voice fingered Windows File Sharing.
I should have known. Windows File Sharing is how Apple made Macs play nice with Windows-based networks, and you have to know how those Apple guys must have hated being forced to write code to work with Windows. Perhaps it was spite, but more likely they were just doing the minimum. Back at the office, I turned off Windows File Sharing on Arlo's MacBook Pro, the CPU usage dropped, and after a bit, it was noticeably cooler, though still hotter than the Roxy on a Saturday night.
That night I went trolling for info. Sources confirmed that lots of MacBook Pro owners were having similar problems, though few had the burns that Arlo and Christian experienced. When pressed for details, a number of people said they'd returned their MacBook Pros to Apple for repair. Sometimes they came back with little change, other times they ran a bit cooler, though still uncomfortably warm. Thermal grease was blamed in some cases, motherboards were replaced, serial numbers were reset. An SMC firmware update helped some users.
<http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=491878>
<http://www.apple.com/support/downloads/macbookprosmcfirmwareupdate.html>
I began to smell a rat. The natives were restless, and Apple was backpedaling on using the MacBook Pro or other notebook computer on your lap. Indeed, the only instance of "laptop" in the Apple Knowledgebase referred to Windows laptops. Was Apple pretending that laptops couldn't be used safely on laps? Some problems were just stupid, like the MacBook (not Pro) overheating because a piece of plastic had been left in at the factory.
<http://www.informationweek.com/news/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=187900365>
<http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=30612>
<http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=303848>
Despite the talk, people were making do. I learned about a couple of utilities called CoreDuoTemp and Temperature Monitor that would report on the internal temperatures of the MacBook Pro. Others recommended the CoolPad from Road Tools to get the MacBook Pro off the lap.
<http://macbricol.free.fr/coreduotemp/>
<http://www.bresink.com/osx/TemperatureMonitor.html>
<http://www.roadtools.com/>
The next day, I returned Arlo's MacBook Pro, now running a bit cooler, and recommended that both he and Christian keep their MacBook Pros off their laps. I told them everything I'd learned, but I didn't have the answers they wanted. Apple clearly knew about the problem, and was working on fixing it, but true to form was keeping quiet. They couldn't pay me enough to try to pry information out of Apple. People have disappeared doing that.
In the end, I gave them the name of a reporter I knew at the local paper. Maybe it would make a story, and maybe Apple would take notice. But more likely Apple would never admit to the problem and it would eventually disappear, buried in the desert along with the news of exploding batteries, Power Macs that sounded like wind tunnels, and other missteps. It's an ugly business sometimes, and sometimes good people get hurt. Arlo and Christian got hurt, but they'll heal.
And me, I've seen it all, so nothing hurts me any more.
ToC
by Adam C. Engst <ace@tidbits.com>
TidBITS#837/10-Jul-06
John Moltz's Crazy Apple Rumors site is one of my must-reads every day, and while I find the site funny most of the time, not many weeks have as many news stories so ripe for skewering. On 03-Jul-06, John picked up on the news of several well-known bloggers switching from Mac OS X to Ubuntu Linux. The site's coverage announced excitedly that it would henceforth be known as Crazy Ubuntu Rumors, a euphoria that lasts for several paragraphs until reality set in. Two days later, John was back, with a graphical look at all the different devices that sources claimed would be running "Leopard Mobile" (a rumored version of Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard for the iPod), ranging from the Motorola Razr cell phone to, well, a bagel. The picture of the "Leopard Mobile" screenshot pasted over a cream-cheese slathered bagel says so much about rumors in the Mac world. And finally, on 06-Jul-06, the news of Microsoft's impending "iPod killer" came under John's knife, as he poked fun at Microsoft's staid naming scheme, calling it the "Microsoft Windows Media Player 11 Portable Media Player Device Media Player Media Player Media Player," after which he listed out the first six steps in the device's instructions, an over-the-top parody of the worst Windows documentation imaginable. If you haven't visited Crazy Apple Rumors recently and need a laugh, last week's posts are utterly worth the visit. [ACE]
<http://www.crazyapplerumors.com/?p=631>
<http://www.crazyapplerumors.com/?p=632>
<http://www.crazyapplerumors.com/?p=633>
reported by Kevin Hopkins (kh2@uiuc.edu)
June 15, 2006 - The general meeting began with President Richard Rollins noting the Fiesta Celebration decoration in our meeting space. There was no introduction of officers this time.
We moved directly into the Q & A:
Phil Wall said he recently has become a temporary sysadim and he can't get FTP to work. During the discussion it was noted that some ISPs are closing VOIP and Bittorrent ports. His site is using McCloud. He was advised to check with them. Ports coming in could be blocked. Suspect the Firewall.
Alan Byrne asked if anybody was interested in content management software. E107.org was recommended.
Norris Hansell gave a thank you to the group for suggesting to get a flash drive memory stick. He got 2 gig one for $29. It works great for his particular use.
Norris then thanked the newsletter editor for the Tidbits article on fonts last month. He found it very useful.
Norris also recommended a nice set of books by Scott Kelby from Walmart, Mac OS X Tiger Killer Tips. They are $30 books for $17.
Richard Rollins asked Edwin Hadley about independently produced music. He pointed us to CDbaby.com which sells independent music for a $4 commission. The artist sets the price. Jon Bjerke added that the invoices are hilarious. He read one from an order he had placed with from them. Jon noted that the CDs had original art work. Edwin said they're more a marketing outfit rather than a production company. Harold Ravlin mentioned Magnatune as a similar outfit.
Outlining the upcoming SIG meetings, Emil Cobb said that Craig Kummerow would be doing an iMovie and iDVD demo. Richard Rollins said the PC SIG would be doing BartPE, a bootable Windows disk with tools, weighing in at a little over 200 MB.
As an aside, someone pointed out that the University printing service can also product CDs for a $1.15 per disc.
Norris Hansell mentioned an article in the Wall Street Journal today by Walter Mossberg on Parallels Desktops for Mac on the new Mac. "New Product for Mac Operates Windows, OS X Simultaneously" in the Personal Technology column.
<http://ptech.wsj.com/archive/ptech-20060615.html>
Kevin Hisel said Bill Gates is stepping down from day to day operation of Microsoft. It was announced today.
Apple iPods manufactured in China. Kevin Hisel reported a story in Wired that charges sweatshop labor is being used, but Kevin defended Apple saying that $5 a day is middle class wages there. Several other China stories were related.
Below is part of the outline Richard used for his BartPE presentation.
BartPE - Bart Preinstalled Environment
By Bart Lagerweij
What does BartPE do?
Making Your First BartPE Disc
BartPE Website - http://www.nu2.nu/pebuilder/
Also, according to the Microsoft EULA for Windows XP/2003, a user may not simultaneously use more installations of these operating systems than the user has license(s) for. This also goes for BartPE. In practice this means that the user may not use, for instance, a single license installation on one computer while simultaneously using a BartPE installation (created using that license) on another computer.
- Make sure that your system has about 500MB of free disk space!
- Download the latest PE Builder version (self-installing package) and install it.
- Start PE Builder (pebuilder.exe). When you start PE Builder for the first time it will ask if you agree with the license agreement.
- Now PE Builder will ask to search for windows installation files. If you don't have your windows XP setup/installation files on your system you must insert the original Microsoft Windows XP installation/setup CD at this point.
The files you have at c:\windows are not installation files. They are your already installed files!
Click "yes" to start searching. PE Builder will now search all fixed- and CD-Rom drives for Windows installation files. This will take some time. When more than one valid location is found, a dialog will appear where you can select which location you want to use.
- At the main PE Builder dialog, select the "Burn to CD/DVD" option. When you are using an erasable medium, make sure that the "AutoErase RW" option is enabled. The "burn using" option should be set to "StarBurn". Select your CD writer device from the Device list.
- Hit the "build" button. PE Builder will now ask you to create a BartPE directory, answer with "yes".
- The license for your Microsoft Windows XP product is shown. Read it and agree to it to continue.
- PE Builder will now start building BartPE. This will take a few minutes.
You will see a lot of files getting copied and/or decompressed, the ISO image build and the data recorded to your CD/DVD writer.
If the data verify was correct and there where no errors reported you can boot the CD/DVD!
Please find some common storage drivers here:
These drivers must be added to the <pebuilder>drivers\SCSIAdapter folder.
The following plugins are included within the PE Builder archive. Click on the link to see the "PluginHelp" online. This information is also available in PE Builders "plugin" dialog when you hit the "PluginHelp" button.
Plugin included with PE Builder, no additional file download required:
Plugin not included with PE Builder, but available as a separate download:
Plugin included with PE Builder, but the user needs to download some files from the internet before using it:
Plugin included with PE Builder, but the user needs to buy the program:
As you can understand I cannot include everybody's plugin in my PE Builder archive.
So my plan is to link from here. If you have made a useful plugin please upload it to your own website and mail me the link.
This way the author of the plugin can maintain the plugin himself and people can find it from the list below.
Please make sure your plugin does not contain copyrighted material not allowed for distribution.
Complete "ready to use" plugins made available by the author (freeware):
Plugins created by others:
Complete "ready to use" plugins made available by the original vendor (commercial):
Other pages regarding PE Builder:
To learn about the plugin file format, check pluginformat.htm.
reported by Kevin Hopkins (kh2@uiuc.edu)
This evening's presentation on iMovie and iDVD was given by Craig Kummerow, one of our resident experts on the subject.
Craig started out by showing iMovie and he showed several themes for the iDVD menu - flicker, iris, a Christmasy-flowery type thing he used on his Gibson City Lighted Holiday Parade DVD.
He also showed his DVD of the 5th Grade Music Program.
Craig showed how to import stuff from a digital movie camera. He also showed that by hitting Apple F you could save a frame to use later to put in a "drop zone." When asked, he noted that his camera records at 30 frames per second - the standard used by iMovie and iDVD.
Craig ran through seamless cutting and he discussed "clips." He also showed working with photos, as opposed to just doing "movies".
He showed working with audio. Then titles. He had to fix the default running time of one of the transitions everyone who by that time had joined in were playing with to get the thing to work. He was working with film taken of the meeting.
There was some discussion about terminology. Marker is the name used in iMovie for what is called a Chapter is the iDVD name.
Craig showed how to export your movie to a video camera, Quicktime, email, Bluetooth, iDVD, iPod, iWeb, or even Garageband.
As things wound down, Brian Forbes asked a question about Blu-Ray and HD DVD formats which launched a pretty interesting discussion.
In the end, as always, Craig offered up a fascinating presentation. Thanks Craig.
ToC
reported by Kevin Hopkins (kh2@uiuc.edu)
The June meeting of the CUCUG executive board took place on Tuesday, June 20, 2006, at 7PM, at Kevin Hisel's house. (For anyone wishing to attend - which is encouraged, by the way - the address and phone number are both in the book). Present at the meeting were: Richard Rollins, Emil Cobb, Kevin Hopkins, Kevin Hisel, Rich Hall, and Joe Dewalt.
Kevin Hisel: Kevin said he nothing to report. Enjoyed BartPE demo. They were talking about it on the forums after the meeting.
Rich Hall: Rich reported that Steve Gast renewed his membership at the last meeting.
Kevin Hopkins: Kevin requested information on the Lifetime Membership procedure. Parliamentarian Kevin Hisel looked it up and there was a discussion.
Kevin presented the mail to the Board. Kevin gave the bill for our P.O. Box renewal to Rich Hall. Treasurer Hall cut a check, and Kevin said he would take care of the renewal. However, Kevin Hisel brought up the item of keeping the P.O. Box for discussion. After weighing the benefits, it was decided that the club will drop the P.O Box to save the $80 annual fee. Kevin Hopkins agreed to allow the use of his address for future club "snail mail" correspondence.
Emil Cobb: Emil reported that we had 20 members at the last meeting. He also said, "We had an iMovie and IDVD demo by Craig Kummerow. It was really cool. I learned some things. The Mac SIG for next month is still open.
Joe Dewalt: Joe said he missed the meeting but "I sure wished I could have seen the BartPE demo.
Richard Rollins: Richard said he was lad to hear the BartPE demo was well received. He reiterated that you have to have a Windows disk for BartPE to work with. It builds a BartPE disk from the CAB files. Richard said he didn't know what the PC SIG will be doing next month.
ToC
The CUCUG is a not-for-profit corporation, originally organized in 1983 to support and advance the knowledge of area Commodore computer users. We've grown since then, now supporting PC, Macintosh and Linux platforms.
Meetings are held the third Thursday of each month at 7:00 p.m. at the First Baptist Church of Champaign in Savoy. The FBC-CS is located at 1602 N. Prospect Avenue in Savoy, on the NE corner of Burwash and Prospect. To get to the the First Baptist Church from Champaign or Urbana, take Prospect Avenue south. Setting the trip meter in your car to zero at the corner of Kirby/Florida and Prospect in Champaign (Marathon station on the SW corner), you only go 1.6 miles south. Windsor will be at the one mile mark. The Savoy village sign (on the right) will be at the 1.4 mile mark. Burwash is at the 1.6 mile mark. The Windsor of Savoy retirement community is just to the south; Burwash Park is to the east. Turn east (left) on Burwash. The FBC-CS parking lot entrance is on the north (left) side of Burwash. Enter by the double doors at the eastern end of the building's south side. A map can be found on the CUCUG website at http://www.cucug.org/meeting.html. The First Baptist Church of Champaign is also on the web at http://www.fbc-cs.org .
Membership dues for individuals are $20 annually; prorated to $10 at mid year.
Our monthly newsletter, the Status Register, is delivered by email. All recent editions are available on our WWW site. To initiate a user group exchange, just send us your newsletter or contact our editor via email. As a matter of CUCUG policy, an exchange partner will be dropped after three months of no contact.
For further information, please attend the next meeting as our guest, or contact one of our officers (all at area code 217):
President/WinSIG: Richard Rollins 469-2616 Vice-Pres/MacSIG: Emil Cobb 398-0149 e-cobb@uiuc.edu Secretary/Editor: Kevin Hopkins 356-5026 kh2@uiuc.edu Treasurer: Richard Hall 344-8687 rjhall1@uiuc.edu Corp.Agent/Web: Kevin Hisel 406-948-1999 contact/index.html Linux SIG: Allen Byrne 344-5311 adbyrne@ieee.org
Email us at http://www.cucug.org/contact/index.html, visit our web site at http://www.cucug.org/, or join in our online forums at http://www.cucug.org/starship/ .
CUCUG
912 Stratford Drive
Champaign, IL
61821-4137