DEC 1999 Please note that the December Meeting will be held on December 14th, one week before our usual meeting week.

This Month's Meeting Agenda: Apple SPICE Meeting Tuesday, December 14, 1999 7:30 P.M. - 9:30 P.M. Optimist Community Center 1075 Ypres Windsor, Ontario HEY!... this meeting is Apple Spice's annual Pop and Pizza and Swap 'n Trade night. There is no cost for paid up members. Non-members will be charged $5.00 for the pizza. This would be a good time to renew your Apple Spice membership if you have not done so already! Member Questions and Discussion are welcome as always!

Upcoming Meetings January: TOY TIME! Peripherals, OS9, and the G-4 and I-Book. February: Internet Night. March: Burning a CD

"Swap 'n Trade" night You are welcome to bring any hardware, software or peripherals which you no longer need to our MAC garage sale. You are really welcome to bring cash or cheques to buy the bargains! If you plan on re-selling software, please remember that is must be sold in its original condition, with original disks, licence and manuals...NO COPIES.

Interesting Snippets Mac Support Site @ About.com http://macsupport.about.com Greetings, I was checking on Mac User Groups today and came across yours. Just wanted to let your group know about our Mac Support site at About.com. We offer 24-hour online Mac support, forums, Mac bookstore, chat sessions, and a weekly newsletter. Please let all your group members know about us at your next meeting.   Dave Merten Mac Support Guide @ About.com

Inside Stairways http://wallaby.seagull.net/inside/ Jump on to Inside Stairways, a new monthly newsletter. Every month the staff of Stairways write a few paragraphs reporting to customers, users, press contacts and the general Macintosh community about: the projects we are currently working on our new software releases and updates internal changes within the company general topics of interest to Mac users any other comments we feel the need to make We broadcast this casual report as a monthly email newsletter we call Inside Staiways. Subscription to Inside Stairways is completely voluntary and you must actively ask for it if you want to receive it.

The Myth and Nothing But the Myth Myth--the award-winning, real-time 3D action strategy game from Bungie Software--has many fans among Macintosh gamers. And now, just in stocking-stuffing time, Bungie has released Myth: The Total Codex. A great gift for those new to Myth, the Total Codex includes the first two games in the Myth collection--Myth: The Fallen Lords and Myth II: Soulblighter. It also comes with the official hint books to Myth I and Myth II; a CD full of maps, plug-ins, and fan-created multiplayer levels; and a brand-new scenario for Myth II called Chimera (which Bungie has posted on its web site, where Myth II aficionados can download it for free). Myth: The Total Codex is available now for just $19.95 USD. For more information about this exciting Macintosh gaming title, visit: http://www.bungie.com/ For a QuickTime preview of Myth II: Soulblighter, check out: http://myth2.bungie.com/features/video/ mythII.mov

Cruise Control He's hanging from a cliff. By his fingertips. It's a high cliff, and Nicole probably has her eyes wide shut, afraid that her hubby won't be able to hang on until summer 2000, when the hotly anticipated movie, Mission Impossible 2, debuts. Will he plummet or soar? Sneak a peak at the M:I-2 trailer and see: http://apple.com/quicktime/trailers/ paramount/mission_impossible_2/ Popular Science, in its annual celebration of the "year's best achievements in science and technology," recognizes Apple--both for iBook, "a laptop that's as well rounded inside as it is outside," and the Power Mac G4, "the fastest graphics PC, period." http://www.popsci.com/features/bown/ bown99/computers.html

A Request.... I had a phone call from a woman who has a Mac 2 CI that she wants to give to her grandson (age 5) and wants to know if there are any games she can put on this machine. I only know she has an 88 meg hard drive. I would imagine it only has one or two megs of memory, and maybe System 7 at the most.... Anyway, perhaps one of you has some software that she might be able to use, Paul Rousseau

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From: BIEBERDB@aol.com We no longer have a user group in my area, so I must reach out. I have just acquired a Macintosh Plus computer to add to my collection, but do not have any manuals or programs for it. Do you have any ideas on where I might find some? Thanks.

by Adam C. Engst and Geoff Duncan <editors@tidbits.com>

**Trexar Improves Privacy with MacWasher** Trexar Technologies has released MacWasher, a Macintosh version of a program by Webroot Software that "washes" (deletes) pre-defined files from your hard disk to prevent later snooping and save disk space. MacWasher can empty the Trash to prevent electronic dumpster diving, and it cleans the Recent Documents and Recent Applications folders, so people can't see what you've been working on. MacWasher also cleans the Temporary Items folder, MacsBug StdLog files, and enables you to set up custom folders or files for cleaning. MacWasher also cleans up after Netscape Communicator, Microsoft Internet Explorer, and America Online, deleting cache files, cookies (Netscape users can save selected cookies), and history to prevent someone from seeing where you've been online. MacWasher can also delete the Netscape Messenger Trash to eliminate deleted messages, but it doesn't perform this task for other email programs. Of course, deleting a file doesn't necessarily remove its data from your hard disk, so MacWasher lets you "add Bleach," which overwrites files up to ten times with random characters. Using the MacWasher application, you can change settings, simulate a wash (so you can see what it will do), or actually delete files. You can also set up automatic washing on a schedule or at startup or shutdown. MacWasher 1.0 is $30 shareware and is a 2.1 MB download. It requires a 68040 Mac or higher with System 7.5.1 and at least 5 MB of RAM. http://www.macwasher.com/ http://www.webroot.com/

**MacLaunch Web Portal Launches** After an extensive beta period, MacLaunch has opened its Macintosh-specific portal Web site to the general public, offering a range of common portal features with a Mac-centric approach. Services include free email and Web space, discussion groups, software updates, stock tracking, shopping, faxing of Web pages, chats, and more, along with Macintosh news from a variety of sources, including TidBITS. Although none of MacLaunch's services are particularly unique (most of them being provided by partner sites), the breadth of the collection is impressive and might make MacLaunch a useful starting point for Mac-centric surfing. http://www.maclaunch.com/ **Poll Results: A Mouse in the House** Our most recent poll, which asked what sort of pointing device you use, proved quite interesting. Over almost 2,100 respondents, about a third stuck with their Apple mice, another third used a third-party mouse, and a quarter relied on trackballs. Trackpads ranked lower than I would have guessed, at 7 percent, but graphics tablets fared better than expected, with 3 percent. Only a handful of people use joysticks, game controllers, infrared pointers, touchscreens, or other pointing devices. The fact that such a large percentage of people purchase third-party pointing devices would seem to imply both that pointing device preferences vary tremendously and that Apple's current mouse design is a good thing for aftermarket mouse makers!

Digital Camera Buying Guidelines, Part 1 by Arthur H. Bleich <arthur@dpcorner.com> is a photographer, writer, and educator who lives in Miami. He has done assignments for major publications both in the U.S. and abroad and is currently Contributing Editor of Digital Camera

Each year, when I write this article for TidBITS, I say: "This is the year to buy your first digital camera." (See the "Digital Cameras" series of articles beginning in TidBITS-407_.) But this year really is the year, because for between $750 and $1,000 not only can you get a quality camera, but also a great printer, a charger and batteries, a card reader, and even an additional higher capacity memory card. A few features and specifications have changed or improved since I wrote about them last, so let's first run down a checklist to give you some guidelines. In next week's issue, I'll wrap up with my personal camera picks. The digital camera you buy should have at least 1,280 by 960 true optical resolution (that's roughly 1.3 million pixels, commonly referred to as 1.3 megapixels). You'll then be able to get excellent prints up to about 8 by 10 inches. If this is your first digital camera, it's not necessary to go into the 2 megapixel range although there is one inexpensive 2.1 megapixel digital camera worth considering. There's an old saying: "Familiar things are best." Look for a digital camera that operates most like the film camera you've used. This means fast start-up and fast shot-to-shot time. Many digital cameras are still slugs when it comes to these two features. If possible, check out the camera's menus. I recently reviewed a digital camera for MacAddict that had menu items festooned around the LCD monitor in such a disorganized manner that a 747 cockpit instrument layout looked like it'd be easier to learn. Menus should be intuitive and easy to navigate. Cross off any camera with only an LCD monitor for pre-viewing. They are notorious for washing out in sunlight and you usually have to hold the camera in an uncomfortable position to use them. A well-designed digital camera has an optical viewfinder in addition to the LCD monitor for easy, eye-level viewing. Digital cameras that use standard floppy disks may seem like the ideal way to go but most fall short on speed and resolution. Besides, floppies are fast fading away in the Mac world. The digital camera should come with written documentation so you can refer to it with camera in hand. You'd be surprised at how many so-called quality camera manufacturers try to save a few bucks by putting the documentation on CD-ROM, expecting you to print out 150 pages after you've spent close to $1,000.

Read a few reviews before you decide. Most digital photography Web sites have very thorough and detailed reviews. On the other hand, read digital camera reviews in computer magazines critically; the reviewers are not usually experienced photographers, and get sidetracked with bells and whistles. Be prepared to buy a couple sets of rechargeable NiMH (Nickel Metal Hydride) batteries and a good charger unless your digital camera comes with them or uses Lithium-Ion batteries. Quest and Kodak batteries are long-lasting, and the Maha C204F charger is an absolute jewel. Two sets of batteries and a charger will set you back about $50 to $70 from places like CKC Power. Transferring images to your computer can be tedious unless both camera and computer have USB. But USB on a digital camera should not be a prime requisite. You can get inexpensive USB and SCSI memory card readers that let you transfer pictures to your computer in a flash. The Microtech USB CameraMate ($85 from places like CKC Power) takes both Compact Flash and SmartMedia cards, used on most digital cameras today. And Norman Camera has a couple dozen discontinued Minolta SCSI readers ($120) which, with the appropriate PC card adapter work fine with older Macs. Printed pictures will only be as good as the printer you use, so plan to buy a decent photo-quality printer. Printers are like the speakers in your stereo system. It does little good to have the finest electronic components pushing sound through a set of tinny speakers. Although the Epson Stylus Photo 750 ($250) has traditionally been the choice of most Mac users, the new USB HP 970 Cse ($400) delivers absolutely stunning output. If I had to choose between an expensive digital camera without the extra peripherals (batteries, card reader, printer, etc.) and a less expensive digital camera with them, I'd go for the lower priced camera with all the goodies. Why? Because you'll eventually be buying another camera based on what you've learned from your first digital camera. But in the meantime, you'll be getting the most convenience and best output from the digital camera you've bought. In part two of this article, I'll tell you just which cameras fit all or most of the above requirements, and how their features stack up. Although I've said this is the year to get your first digital camera, even those who already own a digital camera may be persuaded to upgrade to the current generation.

Where We Meet: Optimist Community Centre 1075 Ypres Windsor, Ontario	We meet on the 3rd Tuesday of each month, September through June .... 7:30 p.m.-9:30 p.m. Visitors are always welcome; the first meeting is free! Annual Apple SPICE membership is $25.00 (family membership) or $15.00 (student membership) which includes Club CDs, special events, monthly door prizes and lots more!

How to Contact us: Gareth Lucier .. kbeger@MNSi.net (519) 735-8239 Paul Rousseau .. roussea@server.uwindsor.on.ca (519) 735-7959 Rick Quinn .. rdquinn@MNSi.net (519) 979-1956| Martti DeLaBarre .. volvor@MNSi.net .. (519) 945-3555 Diane Bedard .. diane@MNSi.net .. (519) 969-6891 Charles Oldfield .. charles@scimax.com .. (519) 974-6137 Visit Us Online! http://only.at/applespice

Who We Are: Apple SPICE is an independent publication, not affiliated with or otherwise associated with or sponsored by Apple Computer Inc. or Apple Canada Inc. The opinions, statements, positons and views stated herein are not intended to be the opinions, statements, positons and views of Apple Computer Inc. or Apple Canada Inc. Unless otherwise indicated, the contents of this publication are copyright © 1983 - 1999 by Apple Spice. Permission is granted to reprint articles for non-profit use as long as the source, author and copyright notice(s) are retained. In all other cases, permission must be obtained in writing from the Apple SPICE board of directors. Apple, Macintosh, Mac, iMac, iBook and PowerPC are all registered trademarks of Apple Computer Inc. All other products mentioned in this publication are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective companies. TidBITS is copyright © 1990 - 1999 by Adam and Tonya Engst. Articles are used with permission.