Mac Expert 1995 Winter/Mac Expert - Winter 95.iso/Les fichiers/Tidbits/TidBITS#289⁄07-Aug-95

Text File | 1995-08-18 | 29.2 KB | 582 lines | [TEXT/ttxt]

TidBITS#289/07-Aug-95
=====================

New Power Macs! Apple introduces an impressive set of second-
   generation Power Macs at MacWorld Expo in Boston. Also this week,
   news and information on new Apple AV monitors, a patch for
   Netscape 1.1N, a plan that lets QuickTake 100 owners upgrade to a
   QuickTake 150, and all the details on the latest patch to the
   Power Mac version of Microsoft Office. Finally, Adam announces
   the third edition of his book and that it's available - free! -
   on the Web.

This issue of TidBITS sponsored in part by:
* APS Technologies -- 800/443-4199 -- <[e-mail]>
   Makers of hard drives, tape drives, and neat SCSI accessories.
   For APS price lists, email: <[e-mail]> <----- New
* Northwest Nexus -- 206/455-3505 -- http://www.halcyon.com/
   Providing access to the global Internet. <[e-mail]>
* Hayden Books, an imprint of Macmillan Computer Publishing
   Free shipping on orders via the Web -- http://www.mcp.com/
   Mac Tip of the Day & free books! -- http://www.mcp.com/hayden/
* Power Computing -- 800/375-7693 -- <[e-mail]> <----- NEW
  Now shipping... The Award-Winning First MacOS Compatible!
  See what the press says! http://www.powercc.com/News/quotes.html

Copyright 1990-1995 Adam & Tonya Engst. Details at end of issue.
   Information: <[e-mail]> Comments: <[e-mail]>
   ---------------------------------------------------------------

Topics:
    MailBITS/07-Aug-95
    Internet Starter Kit for Macintosh, Third Edition Available
    A Pound of Cure for the PPC Version of Microsoft Office
    Apple Unveils Three New Power Macs
    Reviews/07-Aug-95

ftp://ftp.tidbits.com/pub/tidbits/issues/1995/TidBITS#289_07-Aug-95.etx


MailBITS/07-Aug-95
------------------

**Power Computing Sponsoring** -- We're extremely pleased to
  welcome our latest sponsor, Power Computing, makers of some of the
  first Macintosh compatible computers. Needless to say, Power
  Computing hasn't been around long, but from what we and almost
  every other magazine (including Macworld, MacWEEK, MacUser, and
  InfoWorld) have seen, they're doing things right by emphasizing
  engineering (compatibility reports have been excellent), price,
  and customer support.

  Coming from our Internet biases, it's great to see that Power
  Computing has had a significant presence on the Internet for some
  time now. Although they don't yet offer online ordering (soon!),
  you can use their Web pages to build a custom-configured machine -
  it even tells you the final price. I find this sort of tool
  preferable to the alternative of trying to use those horrible PC
  ads, where you must match base configurations with monitors, hard
  disks, and so on in order to figure out how much a complete
  configuration will cost. The Web site also includes technical
  information, along with a form and an email address for sending in
  technical questions. We hope that Power Computing finds electronic
  support to be as efficient an adjunct to live support as many
  other companies have.

  Power Computing is a young company, but with the sustained level
  of hard work we've seen and with a little luck, we think they'll
  do well. And frankly, we hope that Power Computing doing well will
  help Apple in the long run. In the past, if Apple misjudged the
  demand for a specific Mac model - as they often seem to - buyers
  simply had to wait, and some of them probably bought PC clones
  instead of waiting. Apple will still undoubtedly push the envelope
  with new machines and new system software, but Power Computing is
  small enough and fast enough to fill in niches that Apple ignores
  and pay more attention to customer feedback than Apple does. We
  wish Power Computing the best of luck and look forward to working
  with them in the future. [ACE]

http://www.powercc.com/


**Netscape 1.1N Patch for SLIP** -- It appears that Netscape has
  released patchers to Netscape 1.1N which install improved
  networking code that should "crash less on SLIP-based
  connections." I'm all in favor of Netscape crashing less; however,
  a couple notes are in order. First, it appears that the patchers
  only operate on Netscape 1.1N; folks who paid for Netscape
  Navigator have reported problems using the patch on the version
  1.1 that they purchased. (A work-around might be to grab a freely-
  available copy of 1.1N from Netscape's site.) Also, it's probably
  a good idea to keep an unpatched version of Netscape around, just
  in case the patch doesn't help or makes things worse. So, if you
  access the Internet via SLIP, the patchers are available at the
  following URL - make sure to grab the one matching the version of
  Netscape you use. There's no word right now whether this patch
  helps with PPP connections, and the ReadMe file is remarkably
  unhelpful. [GD]

ftp://ftp.netscape.com//netscape/mac/slip_patch/


**New Apple AV Monitors** -- Today Apple announced the
  availability of two new AV-style monitors today at MacWorld Expo
  in Boston. The AppleVision 1710AV is a multisync 17-inch Trinitron
  with a .26 dot pitch and resolutions from 640 by 480 (67 Hz) to
  1280 by 1024 pixels (75 Hz). The 1710AV also has integrated stereo
  speakers mounted below the display area (with bass, treble, and
  volume controls, as well as mute switches), a directional
  microphone, and audio and ADB connectors built into the base. The
  Apple Multiple Scan 14 Display offers a .28 dot pitch on a 14-inch
  shadow mask tube, with multisync resolutions of 640 by 480 and 800
  by 600 pixels and built-in stereo speakers. Both monitors are
  MPR-II and Energy Star compliant. The 1710AV has a suggested price
  of $1,159; the Apple Multiple Scan 14 Display has a suggested
  price of $359. [GD]


**QuickTake 100 to 150 Upgrade** -- Apple announced last week that
  owners of the QuickTake 100 digital camera can upgrade to a full
  QuickTake 150 for about $200 through 30-Nov-95. Units have to be
  sent to an upgrade center to be fitted with new components, a
  close-up lens, batteries, and software. It's worth noting that the
  Mac upgrade comes with PhotoFlash 2.0, a reasonably nifty and
  scriptable image editor. QuickTake 100 owners can upgrade by
  calling 800/399-5111 to receive a prepaid shipping container.
  Apple plans to turn around upgrades within two weeks. [GD]


**InterCon Releases TCP/Connect II 2.2** -- InterCon Systems
  announced last week it's currently shipping version 2.2 of its
  TCP/Connect II integrated Internet connectivity software (see
  TidBITS-276_). This version features numerous bug fixes and
  enhancements (particularly to its Web client), along with
  clickable URLs in mail messages and better handling of automatic
  file transfers. Registered users should contact InterCon for
  upgrade options and information. Demo versions of TCP/Connect II
  2.2 are available online as well (about 4 MB). InterCon Systems
  800/468-7266 -- 703/709-5500 -- <[e-mail]> [GD]

ftp://ftp.intercon.com//intercon/sales/Mac/Demo_Software/
TCP_Connect_II_2.2_Demo.hqx


**AOL 2.6 Mac Client Available** -- America Online has made
  version 2.6 of its client software available via FTP. Version 2.6
  optionally includes AOL's Web Browser - based on code from
  InterCon's TCP/Connect II - as well as enhancements to its client
  interface and bug fixes. If you have an Internet connection
  already, using the Web via AOL will prove slow and frustrating;
  however, if you have an AOL account, accessing AOL via TCP/IP is
  surprisingly spritely. These archives are large, so if download
  time is a problem, I'm sure AOL will send you a disk or three in
  the mail before too long. [GD]

ftp://ftp.aol.com//mac/Install_America_Online_v2.6.bin
ftp://ftp.aol.com//mac/Install_AOL_Browser_v1.0.bin


Internet Starter Kit for Macintosh, Third Edition Available
-----------------------------------------------------------
  by Adam C. Engst <[e-mail]>

  After a few months of my work, and another month of work by Hayden
  Books, the third edition of my book,
  _Internet_Starter_Kit_for_Macintosh_, is available (ISBN 1-56830-
  197-9). Bookstores may still have the second edition on their
  shelves, but they can order the third edition for you. I recommend
  you get the third edition, unless you're only buying the book to
  pick up a copy of MacTCP, at which point the cheapest method is to
  find a remaindered version of the first edition, which has sold
  for as low as $2.19.

  On the whole, the basic book is similar to the second edition. It
  still contains plenty of background information on what the
  Internet is, where it came from, how the various services work and
  how you might use them, and that sort of thing. I still cover the
  main commercial services in terms of Internet access, and still
  concentrate on the MacTCP-based methods of getting on the
  Internet. My chapters on MacTCP still have more information than
  any other source I've seen, and my troubleshooting chapter still
  contains tons of good tips (although it's grown longer to
  accommodate everything I've learned since last year). The disk
  still contains MacTCP and MacPPP and the main applications you
  need to get started on the Internet.

  So, what's changed? I've added two new chapters, one on choosing
  an Internet connection, which compares the different methods of
  connecting to the Internet and explains the many variables
  involved in choosing an Internet provider. Tonya actually wrote
  the second new chapter, which covers how to create your own home
  page on the Web using Macintosh tools. It's not a boring reference
  or a mind-numbing tutorial, but is a nice mix of the two that I
  think people new to the Web and HTML will like. Tonya is also
  basing a Mac-oriented book called _Create_Your_Own_Home_Page_ on
  that chapter; her book is essentially done and should be out in a
  few months.

  Aside from those two new chapters, I reduced the size of the book
  significantly, roughly from 1,000 pages to 750. Frankly, the book
  was just too big (everyone was surprised when the second edition
  came out that large) and with skyrocketing paper costs, the page
  count had to come down. To that end, I cut the newsgroup and
  resource lists in the appendix, created a concise capsule review
  format for less-used programs that weren't quite worthy of a full
  discussion, and - horrors! - chopped out information that just
  didn't belong any more. The entire discussion of how to use Unix
  is gone (let's face it, this is a Mac book, and I'm no Unix guru),
  and I removed, under a certain amount of duress from my editor,
  the entire UUCP chapter as well. I still feel that the UUCP
  information is useful, though, so I'll make it available to
  readers who want it electronically (see below for one method).

  The contents of the disk stayed pretty much the same, although I
  removed MacWAIS and TurboGopher and added StuffIt Expander and
  Internet Config. The full list, then is, MacTCP 2.0.6, MacPPP
  2.0.1, Internet Config 1.1, InterSLIP 1.0.1, Anarchie 1.5, Eudora
  1.5.1, MacWeb 1.00A3.2, and StuffIt Expander 3.5.2. I know
  Anarchie and Eudora have been revved since I finalized the disk,
  but I still have a folder of bookmarks that always point at the
  latest versions of the essential Internet programs. MacWeb now
  points at a page that provides links to what I feel are the most
  important sites on the Web for a Macintosh user, including things
  like Yahoo, WebCrawler, Apple, and Info-Mac mirrors. The software
  updates page and modem strings page are still available from the
  home page as well, and anyone is welcome to visit it.

http://www.mcp.com/hayden/iskm/

  Oh, and one last thing. At the last moment, Hayden decided to
  increase the price to $35 from $30 to account for the paper costs.
  Sorry about that. My editor relayed a telling quote from his
  previous job at General Motors, "Sure, we lose money on each car,
  but we make up for it in volume."

  Should you buy this version if you've got an earlier one? That's
  up to you, but I can help you decide. You can now read the entire
  book, screenshots and all, on the Web. It's got even more
  information than the paper version, since the UUCP chapter made it
  back in. Bill Dickson, my co-author on
  _Internet_Explorer_Kit_for_Macintosh_, and his friend Rob Furr
  converted the files that went to production into HTML (it was a
  little more complicated than that, but suffice it to say that
  Nisus Writer did the majority of the text munging, and they
  manipulated all the graphics in Photoshop). They did use some
  Netscape-specific tags, so it looks best in Netscape, but should
  work fine in MacWeb or Mosaic. If you use Netscape, use the first
  URL below. With anything else, jump directly to the second one.

http://www.mcp.com/hayden/iskm/book.html
http://www.mcp.com/hayden/iskm/mac.html

  I hope you find the online version useful, with all its hot URLs
  and email addresses and newsgroup names. I suspect most people
  will find that the online version is a useful adjunct to the paper
  version, since you can't very well read about troubleshooting
  online if you're having trouble, but typing in URLs when following
  along with Tonya's HTML instructions is going to be a real pain.

  In the past, Hayden offered a discount to people who purchased the
  book via email. They're no longer doing that, but if you purchase
  the book via the Web, they'll ship in the United States via FedEx
  for free, which is worth a good bit considering the weight of the
  book.

http://www.mcp.com/cgi-bin/bag?isbn=1-56830-197-9&last=/bookstore

  Shipping costs for international customers are unfortunately
  relatively high, as is common, so you might wish to look at the
  list of technical bookstores on the Internet and compare shipping
  costs.

http://www.mcp.com/general/techbook.html

  Of course, you can also purchase the book through normal
  bookstores and other channels, like the telephone, if you prefer
  those methods. Or, you can just read it online for free. Your
  choice, and no matter how you read the book, I hope you enjoy it.

  Oh, and for those Mac users who need to use the Internet via a
  Windows machine, the entire second edition of
  _Internet_Starter_Kit_for_Windows_ will also be available online
  soon (if it isn't already). Check the Hayden home page for a link
  there when it happens.

http://www.mcp.com/hayden/

    Macmillan Computer Publishing -- 800/428-5331 -- 317/361-5400
      317/364-7190 (fax) -- <[e-mail]>


A Pound of Cure for the PPC Version of Microsoft Office
-------------------------------------------------------
  by Tonya Engst <[e-mail]>

  An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, and if you use
  (or support) the PowerPC version of Microsoft Office 4.2, consider
  this article an ounce of prevention. If you run the PowerPC
  version of Microsoft Office (or have separate Power Mac copies of
  Word or Excel), it's time for an update, in the form of the Office
  4.2x Update for Power Mac. The update prevents crashes (with what
  Microsoft calls a "System Error 11" message) that may occur if you
  launch an application after quitting Word, and that may occur when
  you print under QuickDraw GX 1.1.1 or 1.1.2, from any PowerPC
  version of Word 6 or Excel 5. The update should be placed in your
  Extensions folder, and - like most extensions - it loads into
  memory when you start up your Macintosh.

  A contact at Microsoft explained that the first type of crash
  typically occurs after launching and quitting Word several times
  in one work session. On some Macs, the problem might occur after
  quitting Word only once, but typically, you have to launch and
  quit Word three, five, or even ten times in order to experience
  the problem. If you restart your Macintosh, another work session
  begins, and the problem should go away for several launches and
  quits. The Application Note that comes with the update suggests
  that the problem can occur after launching Word, but before
  quitting Word; however, my contact was quite clear about the fact
  that you must quit Word to bring about the problem.

  Unfortunately, the original version of the update has two separate
  conflicts with each of two common extensions: the Global Village
  Toolbox extension and an extension that comes with STF
  Technologies's FAXstf software. Kyle Johnson
  <[e-mail]> gave a detailed description of how he
  encountered the conflict: "About three to five seconds after
  launching any part of the Office Suite, a grouping of about ten
  pixels in the upper right corner of the screen began rotating
  colors and the machine locks. The onset of the hang can be
  accelerated by selecting any menu item."

  Hang on, it gets more confusing. Microsoft has finished an update
  to the original Office 4.2x Update for Power Mac, and the update
  should be available now. Both versions are called Office 4.2x
  update for Power Mac, but if you do a Get Info on the original
  version, the version number will be displayed as "n/a." If you do
  a Get Info on the latest version of the update, the version number
  will be 1.01.

  [A note about obtaining this update from Microsoft's FTP site:
  Microsoft apparently doesn't understand that BinHex (".hqx") files
  are text-only, so they are posting them on their server
  incorrectly (surprise!). In order to download this update, you
  must do so in _binary_ mode. We recommend you download the file
  from the URL below using Netscape, which downloads pretty much
  everything in binary mode, or using Fetch, which has a Binary
  button that can force a binary download. Otherwise, configure your
  FTP client to treat the file suffix ".hqx" as a binary file (and
  make sure to change the setting back when you're done). -Geoff]

ftp://ftp.microsoft.com/Softlib/MSLFILES/MC1164.HQX

  The online version of the Microsoft Knowledge Base does not
  currently document this problem, but I found an Application Note
  about the update at:

http://ic.net/~jedwards/

  To find additional Word information in the Microsoft Knowledge
  Base, try:

gopher://gopher.microsoft.com/
http://www.microsoft.com/KB/indexes/word.htm

    Microsoft Corporation -- 800/426-9400 -- 206/635-7200 (support)


Apple Unveils Three New Power Macs
----------------------------------
  by Geoff Duncan <[e-mail]>

  Apple today announced the availability of three new desktop
  machines: the Power Macintosh 8500, 7500, and 7200. These second-
  generation Power Macs put technology introduced in the Power Mac
  9500 (see TidBITS-282_) into aggressively priced packages designed
  for professionals and mainstream users.

  These machines underscore Apple's commitment to the new PCI bus
  (each featuring three PCI expansion slots) and DIMM memory
  modules. Unlike the 9500, however, each of these machines includes
  expandable, multiple-resolution built-in video, audio capture, and
  (in the case of the 8500 and 7500) built-in, high-quality video
  input. In short, these systems look to offer significantly
  improved performance and capability at prices in the range of
  today's Power Macs.


**Power Macintosh 8500** -- At the high end of the new machines is
  the Power Mac 8500, a mini-tower design similar to the existing
  8100 in terms of appearance, but revised in nearly every other
  respect. The heart of the 8500 is an upgradable 120 MHz PowerPC
  604 processor on a removable daughterboard, similar to the 9500,
  which should offer snappy performance even at computing-intensive
  tasks. The 8500 also features three PCI expansion slots, a Fast
  SCSI internal SCSI bus capable of transferring up to 10 MB per
  second (external SCSI will handle up to 5 MB/sec), a 256K level 2
  cache on a DIMM, and an internal Apple quad-speed CD-ROM drive.
  The unit has 8 DIMM slots for RAM expansion (with 16 MB of RAM
  standard), has a bay for an additional internal storage, and is
  available with either a 1 GB or 2 GB internal hard disk. There is
  at least one major headache with the Power Mac 8500: although
  access to the PCI slots and CPU daughterboard is simple, like the
  8100 and 9500 before it adding RAM requires removing the entire
  motherboard.

  Video support in the Power Mac 8500 is exceptional. Unlike the
  Power Mac 9500 (which must use a PCI card for video), the 8500
  comes with high-quality internal video supporting resolutions up
  to 1280 by 1024 pixels, a 64-bit data path to the VRAM, and 2 MB
  of VRAM that's upgradable to 4 MB (which would support 24-bit
  video out to 1152 by 870 pixels). The Power Mac 8500 comes with
  composite and S-video input _and_ output, with 24-bit video real-
  time playthrough up to 640 by 480 (NTSC) or 768 by 576 (SECAM and
  PAL). The Power Mac 8500 can also capture 24-bit video at 25
  frames per second using NTSC at sizes up to 320 by 240 (quarter-
  screen), and has 24-bit NTSC and PAL video output described as
  "near broadcast quality" by Apple. These video capabilities exceed
  anything offered by Apple on previous Macs (including the AV
  options on previous machines); however, they aren't part of an
  optional AV add-on. Every Power Mac 8500 ships with this video
  horsepower.

  The 8500 doesn't stop there. The machine features both RCA phono
  and mini jack stereo audio input and output, all supporting 16-bit
  audio and 44 kHz sampling rates. Like the 9500, the 8500 features
  built-in Ethernet via both Apple's AAUI and the more common
  10BASE-T connector. Also, the 8500 includes an internal DAV
  (digital audio/video) connector for video
  compression/decompression cards.

  In addition, the 8500 ships with an armful of new software that
  you wouldn't ordinarily expect. Like the 9500 before it, the 8500
  ships with System 7.5.2, including Open Transport, more PowerPC-
  native core code, speech recognition and text-to-speech
  capability, and an improved 680x0 emulator for running non-native
  applications. But the 8500 also includes QuickDraw 3D, support for
  QuickTime Conferencing (QuickTime-based video conferencing from
  Apple), plus a plethora of goodies such as a version of Apple's
  Control Strip which works on desktop Macs and enhanced sound and
  display control panels which are fully scriptable. The QuickDraw
  3D and QuickTime Conferencing software will work on the Power Mac
  9500, 8500, 7500, and 7200, and Apple says it will synchronize the
  software bundles with each machine.

  Done yet? Not quite. The suggested prices for the Power Mac 8500
  begin at $3,900 (keyboard and monitor sold separately), with
  correspondingly higher prices for a 2 GB internal drive.


**Power Macintosh 7500** -- If the 8500 is aimed at high-end
  users, developers, multimedia authoring, and video production,
  then the Power Macintosh 7500 is the "enterprise" machine of
  Apple's new product line, targeted at mainstream application users
  who are looking for good value in a machine that can deliver power
  and performance in day-to-day tasks. Starting around $2,700, the
  7500 offers decent performance, video, and future expandability.

  The Power Mac 7500 is built around a 100 MHz PowerPC 601 processor
  on a daughterboard, and features a new desktop case design (which
  it shares with the new Power Mac 7200). As with the 8500, the
  Power Mac 7500 offers three PCI expansion slots, an Apple quad-
  speed CD-ROM drive, a Fast SCSI internal SCSI bus capable of up to
  10 MB per second (the external SCSI handles up to 5 MB/sec), 16 MB
  of RAM standard, a bay for an internal storage device, and either
  a 500 MB or 1 GB internal hard disk. The 7500's audio capabilities
  match the 8500, with phono and mini jack stereo audio input and
  output at 16 bits and up to 44 kHz sampling rates. The 7500's
  video hardware is also like the 8500's, with 2 MB of VRAM
  (expandable to 4 MB), a 64-bit data path to the VRAM, and display
  support up to 1280 by 1024 pixels.

  The 7500's video input capabilities are nearly as impressive, with
  both composite and S-video input, real-time video playthrough up
  to 640 by 480 pixels (NTSC) or 768 by 576 (PAL and SECAM), and
  24-bit 320 by 240 (quarter-screen) video capture at 15 frames per
  second with NTSC. What's missing in comparison to the 8500 is
  video output capability; although the 7500 comes with an internal
  DAV connector to plug in video compression/decompression boards,
  the video capability in the 7500 is aimed more toward video
  conferencing and basic capture than toward production and high-end
  output. The Power Mac 7500 ships with the same software bundle as
  the 8500.

  One welcome feature in the new 7000-series Power Macs is inside
  the box: the chassis where the internal hard disk, CD-ROM, floppy
  drive, and power supply are mounted is hinged, so the entire
  chassis can unsnapped and swung upward without disconnecting any
  of the components. (One of the plastic chassis connectors even
  functions as a "kickstand" which prevents the unit from becoming
  unbalanced and toppling over.) This allows easy access to the
  VRAM, 8 DIMM slots, PCI expansion slots (which have their own
  swing-out vents) and the CPU daughterboard. Getting memory and
  other components in and out of the new 7000-series case should be
  a breeze, especially compared to the much more awkward 8500 and
  9500.

  The Power Mac 7500 has a replaceable CPU daughterboard, and Apple
  is already saying the machine will be upgradable to a PowerPC 604
  processor. The unit also has space for an optional 256K to 1 MB of
  level 2 cache, so there are a variety of options for wrenching
  more performance out of the machine.


**Power Macintosh 7200** -- The Power Mac 7200 rounds out the
  lower end of Apple's new Power Macintosh offerings, and is
  available in two configurations surround a 75 MHz or 90 MHz
  PowerPC 601 processor. It shares its external case with the Power
  Mac 7500, along with its quad-speed CD-ROM drive and decent video
  display capabilities (although it comes with only 1 MB of VRAM
  standard). However, the Power Mac 7200 features neither video
  capture nor video output, so video conferencing or QuickTime
  authoring are trickier propositions requiring PCI peripherals. The
  7200 does come with three PCI expansion slots, but it also has a
  slower SCSI bus than the 8500 or 7500 (up to 5 MB/sec internal or
  external), only 4 DIMM slots and 8 MB of RAM standard, and an
  optional level 2 cache that can be increased to 512K. Apple has no
  planned CPU upgrade for the 7200 (although Apple does promise an
  upgrade - probably an expensive one - to a 7500).

  But don't knock the 7200 too hard: it wasn't so long ago when Mac
  users would have been very happy to see a machine like this, and
  with a suggested price starting at $1,700 (75 MHz model) to $1,900
  (90 MHz model), the 7200 should have a healthy life with same sort
  of customers who currently are considering Power Mac 6100s. The
  7200 should prove a capable machine for home, small business, and
  education users, who need PowerPC capability at a decent price.


**The "Promise" of PCI** -- Apple's new Power Macs deliver on the
  technology introduced earlier in the Power Mac 9500, and take
  Apple further toward being a RISC-based platform using industry-
  standard PCI components. At MacWorld Expo in Boston this week,
  Apple will be waving around impressive lists of manufacturers who
  have committed to ship (or are shipping) PCI cards for Power Macs.
  However, the long-term proof of PCI on the Macintosh remains to be
  seen. In the Windows world - where PCI has been an option for some
  time - software drivers are the fly in the ointment. Vendors and
  manufacturers are constantly updating drivers and components,
  resulting in a confusing panoply of versions, updaters, and
  hardware. Although it's true that Apple started its PCI efforts on
  more solid ground - with a well-defined API for Macintosh drivers,
  a better hardware standard, and a lot of hand-holding for vendors
  - it remains to be seen whether these efforts will pay off in the
  long run. After all, in many cases Apple is dealing with the same
  vendors who are principal instigators of driver-confusion under
  Windows. With luck, Apple will be able to work with PCI vendors
  and maintain the levels of quality and ease-of-installation that
  Macintosh users have come to expect and which add so much value to
  the platform. But with only a few months of real-world PCI history
  behind us, it's just too soon to tell.

  Information from:
    Apple propaganda
    Pythaeus


Reviews/07-Aug-95
-----------------

* MacWEEK -- 31-Jul-95,  Vol. 9, #30
    form*Z RenderZone 2.7g1 -- pg. 24
    FlexWare 8.0 -- pg. 24
    PROmotion 1.5.3 -- pg. 28


$$

 Non-profit, non-commercial publications may reprint articles if
 full credit is given. Others please contact us. We don't guarantee
 accuracy of articles. Caveat lector. Publication, product, and
 company names may be registered trademarks of their companies.

 This file is formatted as setext. For more information send email
 to <[e-mail]>. A file will be returned shortly.

 For information on TidBITS: how to subscribe, where to find back
 issues, and other useful stuff, send email to: <[e-mail]>
 Send comments and editorial submissions to: <[e-mail]>
 Issues available at: ftp://ftp.tidbits.com/pub/tidbits/issues/
 And: http://www.dartmouth.edu/pages/TidBITS/TidBITS.html
 To search back issues with WAIS, use this URL via a Web browser:
 http://www.wais.com/wais-dbs/macintosh-tidbits.html
 -------------------------------------------------------------------