Andy's Un-Official Unsolicited Mac Advice Thread

colourbox · November 9, 2006

DavidTO wrote:

Also, isn't the video RAM shared on the MacBook?

Oh, good catch!

I should have added a disclaimer on my list..."May not be a complete list" because it was mostly off the top of my head and the spec sheets. I was sure I had missed something...and I did.

DavidTO · November 13, 2006

DavidTO wrote:

A pre-release version of AppleJack is available for Intel and PPC Macs, here. This was previously only available for PPC Macs. AppleJack is a fantastic utility that will repair your disk, permissions, clean up cache files, virtual memory, and check your preferences for corruption. It's free, and easy to use, one of my top 10 utilities.

To use it, you start in single user mode, which is a command-line environment, but don't fear, all you need to do is type "applejack auto restart" without the quotes, hit return, and AppleJack will run and restart your computer when it's done. No need to boot off of a separate disk to repair your directory. Easy peasy.

The final Universal Binary version of AppleJack is available here.

wxwax · November 14, 2006

DavidTO wrote:

The final Universal Binary version of AppleJack is available here.

To update, you just download it again?

DavidTO · November 14, 2006

wxwax wrote:

To update, you just download it again?

Well, you have to install it, too.

But yeah, it'll upgrade your existing installation.

wxwax · November 14, 2006

DavidTO wrote:

Well, you have to install it, too. But yeah, it'll upgrade your existing installation.

DavidTO · November 14, 2006

wxwax wrote:

Did you get the new firmware for your MacBook yet? You get it via Software Update. Read the instructions. All Intel Macs have updated firmware.

wxwax · November 14, 2006

DavidTO wrote:

Did you get the new firmware for your MacBook yet? You get it via Software Update. Read the instructions. All Intel Macs have updated firmware.

I do that about once a fortnight.

wxwax · November 14, 2006

New quad core Intel processors formally announced.

Intel Clovertown Xeon

Processor Frequency Bus L2Cache Price

E5355 2.66GHz 1333MHz 8MB $1172
E5345 2.33GHz 1333MHz 8MB $851
E5320 1.86GHz 1066MHz 8MB $690
E5310 1.60GHz 1066MHz 8MB $455

"The other family of processors, the Intel Core 2 Extreme quad-core processor QX6700, is up to 80 percent faster than the company’s current Intel Core 2 Extreme Processor X6800. This is the first quad-core desktop processor available, running at with 2.66GHz with a 1066MHz FSB. The processor runs on Intel’s existing 975X Express chipset family."

"Intel plans to launch two more quad-core Xeon chip designs in the first quarter of 2007, including one that draws just 50 watts for applications in ultra-dense data centers. The company will also launch a chip for mainstream desktops that quarter, calling it the Core 2 Quad."

wxwax · November 14, 2006

What I find curious is that even though some of these chips will find their way into macs, not one Apple site that I visit has yet mentioned them.

I've noticed this pattern before.

Maybe this is why.

colourbox · November 14, 2006

wxwax wrote:

What I find curious is that even though some of these chips will find their way into macs, not one Apple site that I visit has yet mentioned them.

Oh yes they have.

And some people have already tried them out in a Mac Pro! :wow

wxwax · November 14, 2006

colourbox wrote:

Oh yes they have.

And some people have already tried them out in a Mac Pro! :wow

That's all old stuff. I'm talking about today, with the formal announcement of actual quad-core products.

DavidTO · November 14, 2006

wxwax wrote:

That's all old stuff. I'm talking about today, with the formal announcement of actual quad-core products.

Here you go.

DavidTO · November 15, 2006

So I came across a couple of Windows dialog boxes via Crossover Mac, and I gotta tell you: what a fugly, confusing, poorly worded and poorly designed POS Windows is. Bleccch.

If you have any doubts about what I'm talking about, take a look here. The quote at the top of that page is awesome.

wxwax · November 15, 2006

DavidTO wrote:

Here you go.

Thanks. Filed at 7pm, that's why I missed it.

DavidTO · November 15, 2006

wxwax wrote:

Thanks. Filed at 7pm, that's why I missed it.

Yeah, definitely posted after your post. Just an FYI.

wxwax · November 15, 2006

DavidTO wrote:

So I came across a couple of Windows dialog boxes via Crossover Mac, and I gotta tell you: what a fugly, confusing, poorly worded and poorly designed POS Windows is. Bleccch.

If you have any doubts about what I'm talking about, take a look here. The quote at the top of that page is awesome.

Yet millions survive each working day on that beast.

I like my Mac, and will probably convert completely w/in 6 months (funds permitting.)

I still don't see what the big deal is, though. The stuff you cite is very small potatoes. There are far more confusing dialogues to be had on both systems.

DavidTO · November 15, 2006

wxwax wrote:

Yet millions survive each working day on that beast.

I like my Mac, and will probably convert completely w/in 6 months (funds permitting.)

I still don't see what the big deal is, though. The stuff you cite is very small potatoes. There are far more confusing dialogues to be had on both systems.

I just don't know why they put up with it. I have to read a paragraph to know if I want to answer yes or no in Windows. On the Mac the choices are Save, Don't Save or Cancel. Pretty obvious.

But yes, I am acting like a spoiled little child, Windows does a lot of good work for a lot of people. I'm just ranting.

wxwax · November 15, 2006

wxwax · November 17, 2006

From across the hall, posted by a guy who doesn't like using Applejack to do repairs.

On an Intel mac you can go into single user mode and check and repair manually though:

Apple + S at startup
At the "#" type: fsck -f
Press return.

It will check and repair.
When done type "reboot" and press return. A reboot back to gui-land.

DavidTO · November 17, 2006

wxwax wrote:

From across the hall, posted by a guy who doesn't like using Applejack to do repairs.

Are you talking specifically about this post?

He's really non-specific. Plus, I don't know if he ran the universal version of AppleJack. [EDIT: I'm pretty sure he didn't run the compatible version. That'll screw you every time, incompatibility.]

Anyway, I love it. Easy to repair a drive, no need to boot from another volume. fsck-y is old news, you can boot into safeboot and it'll run fsck-y without you having to know the command (just hold shift down at restart).

wxwax · November 17, 2006

Yup.

Seamus · November 28, 2006

Spectrum zx games for mac
this link

is to a site where you can get mac versions of manic miner and jet set willy. I played those games when I had a zx spectrum (showing my age

). There are pc versions on the site also.

shay.