SillyDog701

AOL will make next Netscape 7.x from latest Mozilla

Hendikins brought us the Inquirer news of AOL: New Mozilla-based Netscape 7.x coming shocker

Finally, last week, [Fernando Cassia] almost fell off [his] chair when [he] received an official reply:

"I am writing you in response to your e-mail to [exec name here]. The next (Netscape Browser) version will be a "point" release based on the latest Mozilla code."

The message continued saying that this version "will be made available in the very early summer timeframe". For the record: this came straight from AOL's Corporate Communications department.

Now Netscape 7.1 users can rejoice in anticipation. And this is proof for those once skeptic readers who told me "why bother?" that there's some truth in a local [Ed: doesn't it exist up there??] saying which goes "don't complain (now), if you never complain". It's a rare event in this galaxy, and it doesn't happen too often... but sometimes, just sometimes, corporations do listen.

Let's keep our figure crossed.

SillyDog701's Netscape Browser Archive will keep you informed.

> discuss this article (SillyDog701 Forums)

Project Looking Glass - making Linux 3D!

A new desktop revolution from Sun Microsystems. They are making one not just translucent, but 3D. And it's based on Sun's very own Java technology!

According to Sun...

Project Looking Glass is being created to work with the Solaris and Linux desktop environments using Java technology. When completed, it will work alongside applications designed for a 2D window system, without application modifications.

We know Apple's Macintosh :mac: defined graphic user interface (although it wasn't the first GUI available), and Apple once again changed the fashion of desktop interface with the release of Mac OS X :X:, Aqua interface. Everyone in Windows world and Linux world is copying the Aqua style and usage of translucent.

The success of Mac OS X is not just the gook look interface, but really easy to use and the OS X itself is based on UNIX. The strength of UNIX and the easiest use to operating system based on UNIX. Sun's Solaris is another flavour of UNIX, now Sun is following Apple to change it's interface.

> Project Looking Glass (Sun)
> Sun Wants to Make Linux 3D (LinuxPlanet)

>> Join our discussion on this topic (SD701 Forums)

HP to offer Linux based PCs globally

Earlier I reported Dick Smith Electronics New Zealand is offering laptops without Windows pre-installed in SillyDog701 Message Centre.

Chris Hughes from New Zealand sent me following news article, Hewlett-Packard to Launch Linux-Based PCs Globally (Reuters)

This is definitely not a good news for Microsoft as Hewlett Packard is one of the largest global computer manufacturers in both desktops and workstations.

Why do you need computers to have Windows pre-installed when you only want to use that particular computer for some specified applications. In many corporations, a huge number of computers are only used to access database and e-mail. There's no point to buy Windows license for those.

Screen shot of the Reuters article

>> Join our discussion on this topic (SD701 Forums)

how to type accented charaters

Entering special character or accented character is very easy with a Mac.

press the option key

press the option and shift keys

Above screenshots are based on International US keyboard, there may be some variations across different region. For example, UK keyboard has £ default in Shift + 3.

The option key is the key between control and command (‘cmd’ NOT ‘apple’ key) keys.

Letter with a specific diacritical mark.
Grave accent (`): Option + `, then the letter
Acute accent (´): Option + e, then the letter
Circumflex accent (ˆ): Option + i, then the letter
Tilde accent (˜): Option + n, then the letter
Umlaut accent (¨): Option + u, then the letter
The letter “c” with a cedilla (ç): Option + c.

don't waste your time spamming

For those who just use the comment feature of this system to post useless comments or comment-spam, it won't work.
We do welcome your comments, but not spams. Trust me, it won't work, at least not here.

other than MS Office

Few days ago, SillyDog701 mentioned WordPerfect is coming back, now, Sun's StarOffice is growing gaining its market in India's state government offices.

India joins Brazil, England, Germany, and Israel in their collective shunning of Microsoft in favour of alternative open source alternatives.

OpenOffice (also called OpenOffice.org) is the free cost open source suite build upon the same foundation as StarOffice. The project recently hit 1.1 milestone on its roadmap, however, the Mac version of OpenOffice has paused due to lack of developers.

> More detail: Sun Inks StarOffice Deal with India by BetaNews

free MS Office to government workers?

According to this C|net report, Microsoft is sending free copies of its flagship products to US government employees. The gifts have street value of USD500 per copy.

This is a very unethical behaviour. Why's Microsoft sending away its flagship products for free? To selected high-influential customers, I have to add. Microsoft is giving away its flagship products after many governments are looking at open-source alternatives, not always free, but at a significant reduction of license spending. What is the main reason behind giving away Office product to government employees? One can easily conclude that employees will be more familiar with Microsoft's products hence reluctant to switch to alternative products. This is indirectly ensuring government departments will keep using Microsoft's Office as the standard application.

> read the full story Army to Gates: Halt the free software (C|net News.com, 10th March 2004)

> join the discussion. (SD701 Forums)

A history of Apple's OS

Amit Singh wrote A History of Apple's Operating Systems discussing operating systems that Apple has created in the past, and many that it tried to create, including some technologies that eventually led to Mac OS X. Goals of the document include better understanding the reasons, and wherever possible, the rationale behind Mac OS X and its important components. This, in turn, should be helpful in understanding and appreciating the system as it is today.

Mac OS rules! I shall add.

> read the A History of Apple's Operating Systems by Amit Singh

WordPerfect is coming back

Corel has announced WordPerfect Office 12 will be available this April. It would be an interesting office suite, in the past few years, WordPerfect has declined its market share a lot, then became a low price office suite with lots of goodies. Even it is cheap, it is a good office suite, but the world is using Microsoft Office.

I personally use Corel WordPerfect before, and I quite like it. It does have some features that Microsoft Office does not have. This time, they will make it more compatible with Microsoft Office and not going to head to head with Microsoft, but targeting 10% of market share. Other choices? OpenOffice.org and Sun's StarOffice? Let's wait.

March 2004 online chat

We will have an online chat on 0:01am Sun 14th March 2004, please see this thread for detail.