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[Reality] [Reality Archives] [Send Rumors Here] [The Rhapsody Page] [MacNN]

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Monday, December 5, 1997
Reality News Is Updated Every Monday And Thursday

Reality Reader Input -Please Participate

MacOS 9.0 For Intel Hardware

A series of complementary rumors have risen from their graves lately, and although we try our hardest to set the distance between "reality" and the rumor-mill, sometimes concept overrides conscience. The information published below are rumors and should be treated accordingly. We would suggest putting a hold on the digestion process as we continue to search for confirmation of these concepts.

MacOS 9.0 To Run On Intel Chips
Reality has received a series of suggestions that the next major release of the MacOS will contain a Windows NT kernel capable of running a Mac Shell. If true, this would enable Apple to bring the MacOS over to intel hardware; expanding the market for the MacOS beyond imaginable limits. One of the various notes collected by the Reality Team also claims that the current MacOS has already been ported to Intel hardware with help from the former Open Step development team.

This rumor has old roots, roots as deep as this year's MacWorld Boston Expo. Why did Microsoft invest $150 plus million in Apple and why did they commit to developing MSOffice for the Mac for the next 5 years when it looked like the MacOS had a life span of about 8 more months? Try this scenario: Microsoft realizes that Rhapsody is partially targeted at the NT market and the only market share loss as a result would be on their part. However, the blue box is not a planned option for the Intel version of Rhapsody. The little light in Bill's head goes "Ding Ding Ding". The idea of a NT kernel for the MacOS shell is born. Apple receives the $150 million (notably more) from Microsoft as R&D/development cash for their share in the semi-cross platform development. Bill's cut will come in from the the profit of the NT license and kernel.

A parallel to this agreement would be the that of a Windows OS for the PowerPC. Apple Recon (a great site) has this story separated into two sections, Mac Win98 and Mac Win98 Pt. II.

Ultimately this means a new market for Apple, a new choice for consumers (PPC or Intel), and a better relationship with Wintel. Not to mention the possibility of an Intel based machine that can run both Windows and the MacOS.[But then again, as we forgot to mention, why the NT kernel when you have Mach] This brings us to the next step....

The PowerPC Looks At A Future Of Social Security Checks...?
The second rumor is the retirement of the PowerPC. This snippet falls in line with Steve's plan to move the MacOS to the cheaper Intel based chips. This piece of news also compliments the rumor posted above. Bill Gates has been noted to pronounce the demise of Motorola as a PowerPC chip manufacturer. He suggests a remaining life of two years. Apple would then either have to develop the chips themselves or look to another source. Apple could also be in a position to leave the PowerPC and move on. This would prove the MacWin98 rumor false and give Rhapsody a useless existence.

I believe this rumor to be false and, if true, really stupid on the part of Apple. Apple is the PowerPC, its history and future relies on the PowerPC. Why develop Rhapsody for a mid 98 release and trash the PowerPC 12 months later? It makes no sense. MacOS for Intel and Windows for the PowerPC are alternatives and means of market expansion. The end of the PowerPC would symbolize the death of Apple as an entity and an end to a revolution. I sure as hell don't want to run on Intel hardware and I'm sure the majority of the people who made Apple what it is today wouldn't want to develop for it either. It's safe to say this rumor has no truth to it when you look at reality.

The Conclusion?
There is none. A recent PCMag column expresses similar ideas but is a little shaky if you ask me. Again, none of these rumors have been confirmed, but this does not prove them false. Though we have support, we lack clerical fact.

Apple, do you care to comment? jeffv@webspan.net

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PowerBook G3 Extreme Report

An anonymous source sends us the following information about the upcoming PowerBook G3 Extreme. The
G3 Extreme Powerbook will ship some time in the first quarter of 98 with Mac OS 8.1 preinstalled.

The PowerBook 9900(G3 Extreme) code named Wall Street will have two identical hot swapable expansion bays capable of accepting a wide range of drives. Using the powerpack users can have two drives active at the same time (DVD and floppy,Zip and Floppy,2 expansion HDs) or two batteries. The body design will be totally new. I've listed the internal specifics below.

300-350mhz G3 PowerPC 750 Processor
512 Kb Backside Cache
60-80mhz System Bus Speed
5-8 Gig HD (SCIS or IDE?)
64 Megs Of Ram (Expalndable to 256)
2 Megs of Video Ram
24X CD Rom and or...a
2X DVD Drive
13.3 Active Matrix Display (1024 x 768 24bit)
2 Type II PCI Card Slots

The PowerBook series is continuing to run away with the competition. If this keeps up no one will be able to come close to matching the speed of the powerbook with that of a PC Notebook.
Any further comments; clarifications? Let us know.

MacOS Extended Volume Organization

Thanks to an anonymous industry source who forwards Reality the following details on the new HFS Plus (MacOSExtended) volume format to be included with the release of Bride Of Buster (MacOS 8.1)

content removed!

Please note that at the present time the MacOS will not support the majority of the HFS Plus features; this includes the 255 character files names listed above. Hopefully the ability to use these features will be available to us with this summer's release of Allegro. We have an image portraying the general structure of an HFS Plus volume. More updates to come as MacOS 8.1 enters the final beta stages and turns Golden Master.

Apple Shuts Down Developer Seeding FTP

An anonymous source sends us a memo sent to Apple developers yesterday announcing the indefinite shut down of the Apple Developer seeding FTP site which enables developers to immediately download software seedings as they are made available instead of waiting for the monthly CD.

Apple Developer Relations has chosen to immediately shut down our FTP
seeding server due to serious violations against the Apple Seeding Projects
Prototype License and Confidentiality Agreement (NDA) by some developers in
the Apple Technology Seeding Program. We apologize for the inconvenience
this causes those of you who have respected the terms of the NDA. The
server will remain closed until further notice. Seeding Program
participants will continue to receive software via the monthly Apple
Technology Seed CD.

Although some might commend Apple for this security measure, it is unnecessary. According to a reader, Apple had the ftp set to accept anonymous logins and non developers were taking advantage of this. Instead of disabling one of the most, if not the most, important features of the dev program Apple should take the necessary steps to secure their dev program. This means individual logins and passwords with IP restrictions for each login. Many sites use this policy and it would put an end to Apples troubles, within limits. 10,000 developer logins and passwords is a large database, but possible. Each developer would be issued a login/password and would need to submit their IP(s). Dynamic IPs too.

Example John Doe John Doe's IP:123.45.678.91 Login:JohnDoe234 Password:******* IPs accepted for login : 123.45.678.xx or 123.45.xxx.xx

If Apple keeps the FTP down it will surely hurt them more than anyone in breach of the NDA agreements could.

AOL Postcard Viewer - Beta

According to a source AOL Postcard Viewer went into Beta today. Postcard Viewer is an external application that views slide shows or "Virtual Post Cards". As the holidays approach, AOL is apparently gearing up this new "technology" to enable members to send postcards back and forth via e-mail. Below are some images we received displaying the new Software.

PowerMac G3 Troubles

Various readers have mailed us about certain Power Mac G3 problems they are experiencing with the new machines.

Dead G3's?

I'm a computer Science major and the University of Wisconsin. I
just purchased two of the new G3 computers, planing on using one as a
web server. Unfortunately both ncomputers ceased to operate.

The story:
I had transported both computers up to Northern Michigan for the
Thanksgiving weekend with my family. I hadn't had any time to really use
them, so I was going to use the time over the break. Unfortunately the
computers wouldn't work. The first, a 233 Desktop, froze during the
start-up sequence; then after restarting, nothing but the fan would come
on. No green light, no sound, no hard drive spin-up. . . Nothing.
Interestingly enough, the second computer (a 266 Desktop with an internal
Zip) started, then froze after inserting a CD. This computer did the same
thing on the restart. I went through all possible solutions including
using the 24 hour school help-line and Apple's 800 help-line. Both
computers are being serviced under warranty now.

[Thanks Matt]

Bad Internal Zip/Sound Troubles

I have the G3 Minitower and agree that it is fast as hell dropped from the
Empire state building.
Here are some odd things I have noticed.

My G3 minitower had a defective Zip Drive. It destroyed a cartridge. The
service guy is coming out to replace it.

The sound 'fader' bar for the output volume snaps back to the same low
setting. If you drag it up to maximum, it jumps back to the same low spot.
Very peculiar. I'm going to experiment more to see what gives. I have the
RCA audio jacks going out to a mixer. I'm going to try to disconnect it.

Overall it's fast as hell. I've actually found myself waiting for a control
panel or an app to open, when it's been open for several seconds and I'm
just staring-waiting. Blink and you miss it. We're so conditioned.

[Thanks Eric]

Obviously Apple is happy to attack the problems with the new G3s. We're continuing to cover the G3 series, so send in your impressions. If anyone else is experiencing similar problems, also let us know. It's proven to be a wise choice to purchase external zips for Apple is know to have a problem with internal zip drives. Check out our previous G3 impressions.

Update -More Impressions Arrive

Zip problems continue....

I recently purchased a G3 266 desktop machine. I decided to pay a
little bit more to buy the internal zip so that I wouldn't have an
external cluttering up my desk. Well I'm sorry to say I wish I got the
external. The problem with the internal is that the external surround
piece on the desktop adds an additional 1/2" to the front of the zip
drive. I physically have trouble getting my fingers on an ejected zip
disk to pull it out of the drive. My wife is getting sick of me calling
her (with her long nails) to pull out zip disks. Did anyone at apple
try to pull out an ejected zip disk from the desktop G3? If they did
they must all have small fingers. Other than this annoyance the machine has been great.

[Thanks Rob]

CD-R incompatibility

Overall i am very happy with my new G3/266MT, however, i have
been attempting to use a CD-R without success. the first one i used was
the yamaha that other people had problems with (packaged by clubmac).
when attempting to record it kept giving me unstable SCSI errors. i
replaced cables and terminators and even attempted to use the recorder
on a Supermac C600/240, it did not work there either so i figured it was
the CD-R itself. i sent it back. i ordered a Smart & Friendly internal
CD-R, it would only mount occassionally on my desktop and would never
record. i sent that back, too. i am now waiting for a new CD-R. we'll
see...

[Thanks Sunshine...]

HP 680C/G3 Incompatibility

The latest HP driver for the 600 series (9.4) which they just sent me
does NOT fix the compatibility problem with my G3/233. Why am I not
surprised?

[Thanks David]

CD-ROM Quality/Memory Fragmentation

I'm experiencing an awful lot of memory fragmentation. I often run
3-4 apps at once, and usually have to restart after quiting them. I've been
using macs for years, and this is the worst I've seen(as far as memory frag
goes). I do all of the normal things, like quiting apps in the opposite
order of launch. I've got a 233/32/4/24x, with no exotic extensions. Other
than that and the CD-ROM drive, I love this thing!
Speaking of the CD, it is the only part of this machine that feels
cheap. After a time it spins down, spends a fair amount of time(3-5 secs)
spinning up when accessed, and vibrates enough at times to make my desk
vibrate!

[Thanks Mike]

While we have received numerous 100% positive impressions the point of this section is to address the G3 troubles users have found. We will most likely give the G3 series a seperate page here at Reality in the very near future...

Rhapsody Markups and ScreenShots

Each week we compile Rhapsody coverage from some trusted sources who would prefer to remain anonymous. For those of you who are new viewers to Reality, we'll be covering Rhapsody right up until its release and thereon after. Each week we show you a little more of what's planned for Rhapsody through Apple Markups, first hand information, and second hand info. Click on the links below to view the corresponding sub pages.

Rhapsody Feature Descriptions

Rhapsody's Titlebar Functions

Rhapsody's Virtual Desktops

Next Week : Rhapsody Markups will be complete with images once again!

We have updated our Rhapsody Page and redone the format.
Rhapsody Screen Shots
We have piles of screen shots that never made it to the page so finally, here are some of them.

Rhapsody Running Shells	Rhapsody Desktop3
Rhapsody Desktop 1	Rhapsody Development
Rhapsody Desktop 2	Rhapsody Text Handling

Update -Screen Shots -click on the links to view the images

The Rhapsody Preferences Pallete - A window pallete in Rhapsody containing the most common preferences/control panels.

Rhapsody Stickies - With stickies for Rhapsody, styled and colored text is made available. The user can even paste graphics into stickies. There is a find function for single or sets of sticky notes. Notes now have an unlimited size. [Stickies are now cross platform]

The Rhapsody Work Space Manager - This image shows the Work Space Manager "About" box displaying the users processor speed, RAM and HD totals. The file manager is shown in the background.

The Rhapsody Console - displaying a transcript of system/application processes.

COS, Facts Added

Ever since Omega failed to deliver COS, I have received various e-mails. The national prank day, the continued vapor ware saga, and so on. According to Macintouch, Omega recently published a note on their site which read "...we are urgently seeking the following software: System 8 (Copland) Build D11 e1/DR2-Release." This is stupidity, I see no reason why they would need Copland to further their development; unless they plan to steal components, and or base COS entirely on Copland, both of which will be proven illegal by Apple in court.

A few of the better notes I have received read...

COS is the root of a latin word meaning "fake."

[Thanks John]

For what it's worth, I just caught an old X-Files episode, and right at the beginning the prominently displayed computer has "COS" in large letters. In smaller letters underneath, it reads: Central Operating System. If COS is indeed a hoax, perhaps all the hype can be chalked up as an X-File. ; )

[Thanks Jay]

Yesterday I have talked with somebody from Omega - actually I sent them a mail where I have asked for additional information and they called me back - international call, very expensive in Germany, believe me. I guess now, that I will soon read in a newspaper article that "even the Finns believed in our joke" ;-)

There was a similar joke some two years ago, where some east-germans declared that they want to open a "Ossi Park", where you can see all the things that made the DDR so unique. Including parts of the Berlin wall, etc. They even had a logo for it, which looked very much like the one for "Jurassic Park" ;-)

[Thanks Sascha]

I just thought we would share those with you. Again, Macintouch has done a great job with their COS Page, basically it proves Omega's claims to be false. The question is still "why?". Why bother? Why is someone at Omega sitting at the phone ready to call people overseas if they doubt the product? Why pay for a booth at MW Germany?

Update
Here's a bit of a follow up on the COStupidity. It's very well possible that Omega ='s a bunch of couch potatos with beer bellies....

Just a note if you watch X-files and saw last nights episode you will have notice that COS was a major player last night. COS Central Operating System ie the operating system that kills people. I find it hard to think this is a not a prank on everyone out there. To have the features of a true operating system you would need more ram then they claim COS can run under.

[Thanks Kevin]

The one factor that has kept hopes alive has been Omega's appearance at MacWorld Germany. After reading several comments on that particular expo, it's very likely the appearance was part of the hoax as you can read for yourself below.

MW Germany ? Well, I wouldn't be surprised to see them there -- the expo has been a joke in itself ever since it's inception in the early '90s. I still remember hand-scrawled signs on standard letter-sized paper flapping in the bitter wind (making them even more unnoticeable and practically illegible) at the Frankfurt fair grounds pointing the way to "McWorld" (NOT a typo !). What will really be interesting is to see if they are represented at all at the next CeBit (in March?) in Hannover -- or whether the COS rumor-mill has ground to a halt by then, having churned out its last poor sap...

[Thanks Tom]

With every passing day COS fades further from reality to the point of idiocy. To poke a few holes in Omega's claims take a look at their default page which states

Why did we not display a few screenshots or demos and why have we still not done so?

Because every opportunity will be used to stop COS. Whether the statements are valid or not, our progress can be severely impeded by imputation.

Well, if you ask me, this is plain stupid. If posting screen shots will cause a rush by Apple to stop COS what will the release of the damn thing do? And if Omega wasn't in fragment of Apple patents, why would they care? So the scenarios that remain are 1) Omega has stolen a large portion of Apple code and or technologies, maybe even Copland components or framework and are in violation of Apple copyright and/or patents. They are going to try and release this...uhh...yeah. 2) The "Omega Team" are a bunch of software pirates who love to see their joke extended beyond imaginable realms while collecting confidential Apple software.

So COS is coming out and OJ is innocent....

Themes For Mac OS And Rhapsody

We've been following the "theme trend" which has appeared throughout the developer mailing list and various news sites. People seem to be making this more complicated than it really is. Back in August, the Apple HI (Human Interface) group, headed by Don Lindsay, was committed to extending the Rhapsody Visual Experience with the implementation of themes (see also Gordon Garb, Mac OS User Experience). This would be accomplished by adopting the MacOS Appearance Manager, which at this time will support themes (multiple appearances).

In other words, the next major update to the MacOS, Allegro, is scheduled to include an update to the Appearance Manager which will enable it to support themes. They were, and still are, aiming this feature for the Unified Release of Rhapsody. However, there are time constraints that can impose on these plans. Either way, themes are initially being developed totally by Apple for a release in a future version of the MacOS (preferably Allegro, but this is still "iffy"). Once this occurs, Apple will move the technology over to Rhapsody and support themes thereon.

Should time constraints be an issue, Apple has already addressed its solution via this text clipping (below) from a document on themes in Rhapsody.

In the event that the appearance abstraction provided by an Appearance Manager is not delivered in the Unified release, this will be escalated and remain a priority for follow-on releases. 
The investigation and implementation of enhanced visual experience elements will also continue.

Below is an excerpt from Apple documentation which our analysis is based on. Thanks to an anonymous industry source who keeps us updated with these references. The red highlight is meant to be an emphasis on important points.

Unified Release
This release delivers the final Rhapsody-specific appearance.
Implementation is TBD, but the desired solution is to adopt the Mac OS
Appearance Manager strategy. This will allow support for multiple
appearances (Themes) which will be shipping on Mac OS in the
Rhapsody Unified time frame. All goals listed below assume this
strategy.

? Apple platinum appearance (Premier release) implemented as a
Theme under the Rhapsody appearance manager.
? New Rhapsody specific appearance implemented as a Theme under
the Rhapsody appearance manager.
? Additional Themes derived from the available Mac OS suite. New
Themes if time and resources permit.
? Backdrop (patterns & pictures) support with a suite of backdrops.
This is in addition to any active backdrop strategy delivered as part of
the Finder UE.
? Support for real-time generation of document proxies.
? Consistent cross-platform visual experience strategy should be
implemented.
? Implementation of enhanced visual experience elements as
identified in the earlier investigation.

The MacOS and Rhapsody theme managers will assumably have a similar look and feel to the early development versions of the theme manager originally scheduled for Copland. If Apple decides to incorporate the theme settings into the Appearance control panel it will most likely be represented by a 3rd option button similar to the Sound and Color selectors. Below is our updated markup of the Appearance cdev containing themes as it was portrayed for Copland.

It's important to notice the difference between a Kaleidoscope scheme and a MacOS theme. A scheme is a system wide appearance while a theme is a system wide atmosphere that can be very dynamic or even animated. The Copland Hi-Tech theme is a great example to demonstrate theme atmosphere. The children's theme takes pleasurable experience to the next level. As one can see from the image, the window structure is very unique. This is something that would be very hard, if not impossible to accomplish via kaleidoscope schemes when you consider the animation that goes along with this theme. The Copland Hi-Tech theme could be made into a scheme as the Be scheme was.

Contacts at Apple failed to comment on the theme situation, claiming they are restricted to discuss the topic outside of the office. The result of Steve's new security measures are without a doubt effective. However, there are hints which can be extracted from conversing with developers that strongly suggest this and other features to be in the works.

In any event, we will see themes sooner or later. Apple's focus for the Mac OS and Rhapsody is to incorporate core technologies it has been lacking previously and get the product running flawlessly so it can be shipped to businesses all over the world. Visual effects and features come second to core technologies; they are the icing on the cake so to speak. You have to bake the cake and let it cool before you spread the icing on top, otherwise you'll have a big sloppy mess...like Copland.

More to come in the up and coming weeks ...stick with us.

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Viewer Input Welcomed

Your input is welcomed here at Reality. We encourage you to interact with us. If you are testing Rhapsody, MacOS, or any Macintosh product and would like to share your experiences with Reality's viewers please E-Mail me . Let us know what's new, what you hate, and what you love about these products. The more people that help this site, the greater it will grow.

Anonymous info, material, and so on is also welcomed via e-mail .

We do read each and every e-mail: we try to respond to as many as possible, but sometimes it isn't possible.

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QuickTime 3 Goes Public

-Apple posted a public beta to an unsupported directory last Wednesday.

G3 Servers

-Apple will introduce two new server systems based on the PowerPC 750 chip in January at
MacWorld Expo.

-Server1 will contain a 275-MHz server with 128 Mbytes of RAM, two 4 GB Ultrawide SCSI-3 hard drives, a 24x CD and built-in Fast Ethernet for $6,600

-Server2 will contain a 275-MHz server with 64 Mbytes of RAM, one 4 GB Ultrawide SCSI-3 hard drive, a 24x CD and built-in Fast Ethernet for $4,500

-The servers will come with performance-revised ethernet drivers and AppleShare IP 5.0.

Color Picker Update

-Apple has posted a Golden Master of Color Picker 2.1.1 to the developer ftp.

Power Book G3 Extreme

-The PowerBook G3 extereme is reported to reach up to 350 mhz.

It's Only A Matter Of Time...

-Before Microsoft gets their asses sued....

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