For Help and Fun, Go Mac’ing on the Net . . .
Melanie McDonald
Did you know that Bill Gates' $50 million residence (drafted by Seattle architectural firm Bohlin Cywinski Jackson) was designed on a Macintosh computer? You can discover this and tons of other interesting other Mac-related facts at the Most Hugest Page of Mac Facts (http://www.13idol.com/mac/macfacts.html), just one minor indication of the Internet as a treasure trove of Macintosh information.
Let’s say that you are interested in the history of the Macintosh and the growth of Apple computer. Spend a little time mousing through the Apple History (http://www.apple-history.com/) site. Or say that you like RSS feeds (Really Simple Syndication) and would like to have an easy way to check the headlines at CNN and the BBC AND get the latest news and rumor from the Apple world. Lay out $24 and you can own NewsMac (http://www.thinkmac.co.uk/), a nifty little program from the UK that puts it all on your desktop in easy-to-use form.
If you are a pretty serious Mac user and not eager to visit MacTutor & Service for every little problem or question, there are three Macintosh resources on the net that should be in your bookmarks and checked out often enough so that you are comfortable with the sites. First, of course, there is every Mac users home base: the Apple web site (http://www.apple.com). In addition to being the source for buying that extra keyboard or mouse (and you DO keep an extra on hand, don’t you?) the Apple site provides operating systems and software, free forums where you can post questions and get quick answers, the SUPPORT tab leads you to tech info via the Apple Knowledge Base, and there are articles, manuals, and tips for every user.
A second basic resource for the serious Macintosher is the dual bargain of MacFixitPro (http://www.macfixit.com) and VersionTrackerPro (http://www.versiontracker.com) for a modest $59 annual fee. MacFixit is a site that provides a forum filled with knowledgeable Mac users as well as tutorials on a variety of Mac programs and operating systems and current discussions of problems and fixes. Its sister site—Version Tracker—lets you create a personal list of software you use and be notified when it is time to download and update that software. Non-members can use both sites, but only members have access to some of the best stuff!
Do you subscribe to any Mac magazines? If not, there are two excellent periodicals available on the net: the stately MacWorld (http://www.macworld.com) that offers reviews, special features on hot topics, and frequent comparative studies of Mac peripherals. The way more jazzy MacAddict (http://www.macaddict.com/) covers much of the same terrain but has way more fun doing it.
Of general Mac sites, you will want to check into MacInTouch (http://www.macintouch.com/), a portal that includes Apple news databases, reviews and commentary on issues of importance to Mac users, and info on the Amazon Rebate Center Mac items.
And when you are ready to purchase new software or looking for software to do a special job, flip your favorites to Pure Mac (http://www.pure-mac.com/), an amazing little site that lists Mac software by category and then tells you the names of programs that will do work in that category. Need to find database software? Go to the Software Index, find the database list, select one of the programs listed, and download it!
Want to compare prices among several sellers of hardware or software? Check out CNet Mac (http://reviews.search.com/search?part=&q=Macintosh) for vendors, prices, and reviews. Heavy into games and the iPod? Drop a bookmark at Applelinks (http://www.applelinks.com/p5/index.php) for info on these and many more Mac items.
And what is life with the Mac without some fun, some gossip, some rumor. When things get dull for you, ease over to the Apple Insider site (http://www.appleinsider.com/). A trip to this site last month would have revealed that Apple made a 9-year old girl cry when Apple’s legal counsel responded unpleasantly to the child’s suggestion that the iPod include song lyrics so users could sing-along. Apple held meetings on the incident.
McDonald, president and CEO of MacTutor & Services in Southern Pines, is an apple authorized service provider whose business includes technical and networking services as well as system and software tutoring and design consulting. She can be reached at 910.246.2150 or mobbs@pinehurst.net.
