Yowza! That word is the ATPM equivalent of “Super-Dee-Dooper!” We don’t usually compare ATPM’s words to those uttered by public TV’s purple dinosaur, but the Pentium II’s performance relative to the Mac’s G3 does bring to mind thoughts of more prehistoric times. It’s not that the Pentium II is just slow, but also that the release of Windows 98 has done little to improve the overall coolness factor of Wintel PCs. According to recent tests, Windows 98 has done nothing improve overall performance, either. Apple’s handsome new hardware designs definitely raise the coolness benchmark another notch. The new Macintosh PowerBooks do have one rather prehistoric feature—when it comes to processing power, this “ragin’ raptor” will definitely eat your buddy’s Pentium II notebook for lunch…and dinner.
Flip Flop-py
Will Apple flip-flop on its decision to release the iMac without a floppy drive? iCEO Steve Jobs says no. Our less-than-scientific poll of ATPM’s staff indicates the floppy drive won’t be missed. Our world-wide headquarters has been a floppy-free zone for some time. We’re excited about the iMac, and the only thing we see missing from this soon-to be-ubiquitous machine are a $2,000.00+ price tag and a build to order choice of colors. Neon pink anyone?
We’ve heard there are huge pre-orders for the iMac, and that fact is making more than a few Wintel executives turn varying shades of red. That’s OK. We’ll be happy if the sales of this cute and curvy Mac keep Apple’s bottom line in the black. That’s one financial color we don’t want to change.
Do You See What We See?
Several weeks ago we posed this question to our readers. We were surprised by many of the responses. New PowerBooks, a revised software strategy, and an August release date for the iMac have changed a few hearts and minds about Apple’s future. What are your thoughts on the matter? We’ll publish the best responses in next month’s issue. Send your comments to <editor@atpm.com>.
Business Weak
The Macintosh faithful will long remember the Business Week cover story (more like a premature post mortem) about Apple Computer. We thought the coverage was half-hearted and more reminiscent of articles you’d find in magazines sold in the supermarket than those you’d find at a reputable news stand. Business Week’s recent interview with Steve Jobs and its related stories about Apple’s turnaround prove that everyone loves a winner. But we think the real winners are the Mac faithful who stood by their computer of choice.
We’d like to salute the people who stayed on the Apple bandwagon while others ran to jump on the mythical Wintel gravy train. Wintel-related companies are now reporting mixed levels of financial performance while Apple is taking on a brand new shine. The August release of the iMac will bring many Wintel refugees to the Macintosh camp. Let’s get ready for the onslaught. Put on the coffee, unfold the blankets, and be ready to stay up nights. It’s a nightmare on the other side of the platform lines, and the carnage has just begun…Be prepared for a lot of questions from hordes of people interested in buying Macs.
One is Silver
ATPM is an all-volunteer e-zine that is staffed by everyday Mac users who generously contribute their time and talent to the success of our publication. Similar to the Macintosh market at-large, our e-zine continues to grow and change in very dynamic ways. With this issue we welcome the return of Evan Trent as ATPM’s Associate Webzinger. We also welcome Kyle Alexander to the staff as our Publicity Manager.
What makes ATPM a little different from other computer-related e-zines is our emphasis on the people behind the keyboards. Without the human element the Macintosh is nothing more than a pile of computer hardware and a jumble of software code. We’d like to thank our former Copy Editor, Belinda Wagner, for her hard work in helping us reach beyond the monitors and into the hearts and minds of our readers. Belinda, we wish you much peace and happiness on the road of life.
If you’d like to contribute to ATPM’s success as a writer or editor, please e-mail us at <editor@atpm.com>. In the meantime, please enjoy our latest issue!
  
P.S. Please see Ed’s trivia column inside this month’s issue! We’re not sure where in the World Wide Web it came from!
