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news of 2003-11-19

Jaguar/Panther Security Update

Apple released Security Update 2003-11-19 today via SU. Release notes say: "Security Update 2003-11-19 includes the following updated components: OpenSSL, zlib "gzprintf()" function." - It is advised that current users of Jaguar update via Software Update as soon as possible.
UPDATE: I just learned that the security update is also available for Panther up to 10.3.1 - but is already included in 10.3.2 7D12.

[ written by fryke™ on 2003-11-19 at 23:51 CET ]
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Terra Soft Solutions: 64bit PPC Linux

At the SuperComputing 2003, Terra Soft Solutions has presented their 64bit version of Linux for the PowerPC. This is going to be important for both machines from Apple and IBM.

[ written by fryke™ on 2003-11-19 at 18:46 CET ]
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A little more info about IBM's PowerPC 970 blades

German newssite heise.de posts a little more details about IBM's forthcoming dual 1.6 GHz PowerPC 970 blades. You can try google.com's translation to English if you don't read German.

[ written by fryke™ on 2003-11-19 at 16:34 CET ]
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iChat does ICQ just fine

I haven't read much about this lately, but AOL announced some time ago interoperability between their AIM and ICQ networks. Apparently, this has seamlessly spread over to iChat, too, as I've successfully added some of my ICQ contacts to iChat (just enter their ICQ# as AIM name). Their online status, however, doesn't seem to be visible unless they talk to you first, which kind of makes it difficult to use. Still: Better than nothing - and better than using more than one application for IM.
People who don't love iChat as much as I do can, of course, use Fire or Proteus, too.

[ written by fryke™ on 2003-11-19 at 14:59 CET ]
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Avid lowers price for Avid Xpress DV

Release 4.0 now costs 806 EUR, while the previous version (3.5) cost ~1400 EUR. This is a step to face competition by Apple's Final Cut Pro, which now is more expensive than Avid Xpress DV.

[ written by fryke™ on 2003-11-19 at 14:45 CET ]
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Another Panther ZIP-bug

According to MacBidouille's story (in French), Panther's archiving feature produces unreadable files if they are above a certain size. Reports are in that, for example, an 800 MB .zip-file created in Panther cannot be opened on a PC with WinZip or a Mac with StuffIt Expander. The reason for these errors is - as of yet - unknown.

[ written by fryke™ on 2003-11-19 at 13:30 CET ]
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After yesterday: What's with the rest of the rumours?

It seems like ThinkSecret had the right informant the day before yesterday, when they said Apple would release the 20" iMac and the dual 1.8 GHz G5. They also mentioned a sub-1000$ device, which didn't show up yesterday, however. AppleInsider mentions a 749$ device, which fits the sub-1000$ thing. MacRumors hints at displays, other people are musing "colour Netwon II with 1.8" harddrive" again (on AppleInsider forums). Of course it could also be that this particular rumour just turns out to be wrong.
28. November 2003 will bring an Apple in-store event. Subject: Music. It's not expected to bring anything radically new. Rather, we'll hear how good iTMS is doing and be urged to buy more songs, now that there are 400'000 tracks available on iTMS. (Steve Jobs promised that number for the end of November.)

[ written by fryke™ on 2003-11-19 at 13:26 CET ]
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IRIS report: 9 new computer threats a day

The latest IRIS report (PDF) shows that the 3rd quarter of 2003 had much more computer security threats than any one before. Not surprising, but the number of 9 new threats per day (30% of all threats have the tag 'high security risk'!) shows that we can be glad about Windows alternatives... The report doesn't say much about the Mac. ('mac' in Preview's search pane brings up 3 items. All of them about 'machines'.) ;-)

[ written by fryke™ on 2003-11-19 at 13:16 CET ]
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Unsanity's ShapeShifter

Yesterday, Unsanity unveiled ShapeShifter, a 20$ theme-switcher for Mac OS X. There's basically one thing it does differently: It doesn't hack the resource files of your system.
This sounds good, although APE (the base application of all of Unsanity's haxies) gets into the system quite deeply, as it seems. Have you ever managed to lock OS X' UI for good? APE is the way to go, if you haven't. If you're on Panther, I'd wait for another update or two to APE and ShapeShifter before even trying it out. But other than that: The company has good ideas and seems to know where Apple leaves the door open for third party changes on Mac OS X' user interface.
If you've tried ShapeShifter and want to change my mind: Drop me a line...

[ written by fryke™ on 2003-11-19 at 12:36 CET ]
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