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It seems the choices for Mac OSX Tiger users in the way of office suites are few between. There's AppleWorks 6, Open Office 2.0 that runs on X11 but can be a hassle to set up for all but techies, NeoOffice that's behind OOO.org latest but runs natively in OSX. And of course there's Microsoft's 2004 Office suite in two flavors. Since this is a vanity and given the options, what do Freepers running OSX use for every day productivity work? Recommendations are welcome.

Appleinsider claims that according to "reliable sources", Apple has contracted out the motherboard design for the next-generation PowerMac to Intel. According to the rumor site, Apple has its current resources spread so far across the planned Intel iMacs, PowerBooks, iBooks and Mac minis that outsourcing the PowerMac motherboard design may help them keep a targeted ship date of the 3rd quarter of 2006 for the next-generation PowerMac. The design is expected to take place within the Intel Apple-Group which was quietly formed in November. Outsourcing PowerMac motherboard design to Intel may have some interesting consequences regarding control and exclusivity of...

Apple's 'Switch' campaign was addressed to Window users. And indeed, according to stats, many Windows users - aided by the iPod halo effect, Apple's reduced hardware prices, and the Mac mini - switched to Mac OS X. But something unpredictable happened. Even before Windows users started switching to Macs, Linux users were coming to OS X in masses. That wasn't in the plan, was it? The switch campaign was focused on Windows users. The numerous conversions from Linux to OS X are not publicised in the way the corresponding Windows conversions are - maybe because Linux was never the...

Apple Computer Inc. (AAPL) could unveil a Macintosh computer running on Intel Corp. (INTC) chips as early as the first quarter of 2006, according to American Technology Research. Shaw Wu, an analyst at American Technology, said in a research report issued Dec. 9 that one of Apple's computers, based on Intel's architecture, could be available in the first quarter, ahead of expectations. "We believe products that will likely move to Intel first include current PowerPC G4-based Macs, including PowerBook, iBook and Mac mini, and its Xserver G5 enterprise server, arguably weaker members of its product line that would benefit...

As far as the general user experience and graphical user interfaces are concerned, overall I put MacOS first, Linux/KDE second, Windows third. For networking and operating systems, it's Linux first, Apple second, Windows third. Since Apple appears to follow Microsoft's mindset closely, I don't see Apple's OS ever catching up to Linux. With this background, I don't see Apple making big inroads into the server market, but they have everything that is needed to win the desktop, something Linux has not been able to do because it only recently achieved a coherent GUI with the KDE desktop. If Apple would...

Apple can alter its business plan slightly and become the well-liked dominant force in the technology market. Everything Apple needs sits right in front of them for the taking. We're just sitting here waiting to restart global innovation and take the PC to the next step.

Steve Jobs might not approve, but Apple's latest operating system can be installed on any x86 hardware. How well does it function? Read our preliminary labs test to find out. Back in June, when Apple boss Steve Jobs announced the platform change to the x86 architecture, some Apple-watchers could not believe their ears. Had Jobs not preached for years that Intel's architecture was much too slow? But Apple's slogan is not 'Think Different' for nothing. Its decision to support the x86 architecture lies in the unsatisfactory performance of the incumbent PowerPC processors - particularly in the lucrative and growing notebook...

Apple on Monday released an update for Mac OS X, bringing both the client and server versions of the operating system to 10.4.3. Among the changes in the update are improvements to Safari, Mail, iChat and Apple’s desktop searching tool, Spotlight. Apple’s Internet Web browser Safari can now pass The Web Standards Project Acid2 test and the update has improved the compatibility of Safari with many webcams. Compatibility for OpenGL-accelerated Macromedia Shockwave 3D webpage content has also been improved. Several networking issues with SMB volumes have been addressed fixing problems where a volume might not mount after it’s been unmounted....

Successful assaults by viruses and other malware on the Mac operating system are rare as it has better security and attackers are less keen, says Stephen Wildstrom of BusinessWeek. "There is endless debate among security experts about whether the paucity of successful assaults on Apple's OS X is attributable to better security or attackers' lack of interest in an operating system whose share of the market is in single digits. I think it's some of both." Wildstrom says one reason Mac OS X offers inherently better security is that it was designed with relatively little concern for compatibility with earlier...

Signaling needs significantly more time in Mac OS X (Darwin) than on Linux. The processor plays a minor role: the Opteron at 2.4 GHz is a bit faster than the Xeon 3.6 GHz running exactly the same (x86) code. However, it is clear that the operating system plays a much bigger role: a 2.5 GHz G5 running Linux easily beats the identical system with a 2.7 GHz G5 running Mac OS X. Despite the FreeBSD heritage, the TCP signals are very slow (4 times slower!) on Mac OS X.

Apple technology drives a new fully-autonomous vehicle developed for a major US competition. Team Banzai is one of just 40 teams (selected from 118 entrants) from around North America to have made it through to the semi-finals of the 2005 DARPA (Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency) Grand Challenge. DARPA is the central research and development organization for the US Department of Defense (DoD). Tiger is the tank The team has developed it's Tiger-powered customized Touareg car (dubbed "Dora") using Mac OS X technologies for the entire development and race management for the attempt. Power Mac G5's running OS X inside...

About the Mac OS X 10.4.2 Update (Delta) This software updates Mac OS X 10.4.1 to version 10.4.2. Important: Please read before installing You may experience unexpected results if you have third-party system software modifications installed, or if you have modified the operating system through other means. (This does not apply to normal application software installation.)The installation process should not be interrupted. If a power outage or other interruption occurs during installation, use the standalone installer (see below) from Apple Downloads to update.If issues occur during installation--for example, Software Update quits unexpectedly--please see this document. Installation You have two...

Excerpt, subscription required - SAN FRANCISCO -- Apple Computer Inc. is expected to announce Monday that it will begin shifting its Macintosh computer line next year to Intel Corp. chips, people familiar with the situation said. The move is a major change in strategy by Apple, a high-profile win for Intel, and a potential blow to International Business Machines Corp. and Freescale Semiconductor Inc., suppliers of the PowerPC chips that Apple has long used in its Macintosh systems. [snip]

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Apple Computer Inc. has been in talks that could lead to a decision soon to use Intel Corp. chips in its Macintosh computer line, the Wall Street Journal reported on Monday. The report, citing two industry executives with knowledge of recent discussions between the companies, said Apple will agree to use Intel chips. Neither company would confirm the report and an Apple spokeswoman told the Journal she would characterize it as "rumor and speculation." It was unclear whether such a move would signal a large-scale shift away from chips made by IBM, Apple's longtime supplier,...

These days Apple is generating more buzz than a swarm of African killer bees. Of course, we PC users can sit back and watch the hoopla about the Mac Mini and its brethren with detached interest, right? Well, maybe we should pay more attention. The fact is, Apple gets a lot of things right. For starters, the new Mac Mini is a sleek, pared-down little number that has a trim US$500 price tag to match. For Mac fans, it's an affordable, well-designed digital media machine that gets along nicely with other peripherals. The Mini will let you store and play...

Apple will officially announce Mac OS X 10.4 Tiger's release at an event in early April and will begin shipping the operating system within two or three weeks afterwards, Think Secret has learned. Apple has previously only stated that Tiger will ship during the first half of the 2005. The event, sources say, is currently scheduled for Friday, April 1 and will be delivered via satellite to numerous locations around the world. Unknown at this point is where the event will take place and whether the media or other outsiders will be invited to attend. Well placed sources say...

Experts: International domain names may pose threat The new trick is a variation of the 'homograph attack' The new trick is a variation of a known technique called the "homograph attack" and takes advantage of loopholes in the way some popular Web browsers display domain names that use non-English characters. It could allow malicious hackers and online identity-theft groups to trick unsuspecting users into divulging sensitive personal information, according to an advisory from The Shmoo Group, a hacker collective, and from Secunia. snip For example, attackers could register a Web domain "bloomberg.com," which looks identical to the popular business news...

I have experienced a slowdown after 10.3.6 - tearing my hair out not wanting to revert to 10.3.5. OnyX - ran it many times - no joy. Finally got a tip to run it in a different mode. About OnyX... • OnyX is a maintenance and optimization tool for Mac OS X. It provides access to some hidden features of the Finder, Dock, and Safari, shows the different logs, allows removal of certain files and folders that may grow cumbersome and more... • OnyX is Freeware, gratis and freely usable; you may copy and distribute it at will. You can...

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Apple Computer Inc. on Monday previewed the latest version of its Mac OS X operating system code-named called Tiger, which Chief Executive Steve Jobs said was far ahead of rival Microsoft Corp.'s next major update to Windows. Cupertino, California-based Apple also introduced a 30-inch flat panel display in a sleeker and trimmer housing, its largest display yet, which adds to the 20-inch and 23-inch displays it already offers. That puts it up against other PC companies that sell large flat panels, such as Dell Inc. and Hewlett-Packard Co. Apple, best known for its sleek Macintosh...

A Secunia advisory on the Mac OS X Help vulnerability rates the problem "extremely critical" Two vulnerabilities have been reported in Mac OS X, allowing malicious web sites to compromise a vulnerable system. The problem is that the "help" URI handler allows execution of arbitrary local scripts (.scpt) via the classic directory traversal character sequence using "help:runscript". It is reportedly also possible to silently place arbitrary files in a known location, including script files, on a user's system using the "disk" URI handler. Various variants of the URI handler vulnerabilities are currently being discussed.   This has been confirmed...