Wake a Mac from a PC and vice versa

macosxhints - Wake a Mac from a PC and vice versa

The comments to this "hint" fill in more background on "magic packets".

Keynotes subversive XML file format

TN2073: Deconstructing a Keynote Document: Part One - Slides:

Will the same thing be true of Pages? Is Keynote a covert SVG implementation?

MacDevCenter.com: Keynote's XML Connections

MacDevCenter.com: Keynote's XML Connections

Not scriptable, but one can script the xml that Keynote reads .... Interesting.

Is Apple planning to replace AppleScript?

Apple - Discussions - Applescript

From a post I made to Apple Discussions. It may be deleted as it may be contrary to Apple's restrictive posting policy.

Pages is not scriptable. Keynote is not scriptable either.

I was interested in buying iWorks until I learned this. On the plus side both apps have an XML file format and the Keynote spec has been published (AXML). That's very good.

But what's the story with AppleScript? Has Apple decided to replace it with something else?

It's worth noting that iTunes/Windows lacks iTunes/Mac functionality because it doesn't have a scripting solution. I wonder if Apple is considering a cross-platform replacement for AppleScript. If so they may have decided not to invest in AppleScript support for iWorks.

If they're not planning to replace AppleScript, them I'm completely at a loss to explain why their premier desktop productivity software would not be scriptable.

OS/X Pages review

macteens : Review: Apple Pages (iWork '05)

One of the first reviews of Pages (iWorks). Overall this sounds like a much more promising app than iPhoto 5. I'll still wait until I have my G5 before trying it out. My comments:

1. Is it scriptable? A few AppleScripts, esp. if they have keyboard shortcuts, could work around many usability issues (fonts, etc). Unfortunately Keynote is not scriptable. So maybe Pages isn't either. Is Apple going to give up on AppleScript?

2. The file format, I'm told, is human readable XML with associated binaries. If true this is a major plus. But does Apple publish the file format specification? An open format is an essential requirement for any wordprocessing application that is not Microsoft Word. The good news is that Apple does publish the Keynote APXL spec; we'll see if they publish a spec for Pages as well.

Doesn't Apple test anything? - "Register iWork from an admin user account"

Register iWork from an admin user account: "Register iWork from an admin user account
To avoid being asked to register again if you switch user accounts, be sure to install and register iWork using an admin user account instead of a standard user (non-admin user) account. You'll only be asked to register once if you register from an admin user account."

Sigh. Don't they do ANY testing?

Using credit card warrantees in place of unreliable AppleCare

MacInTouch Home Page

Credit card warrantees are a better deal than most vendor extended warrantee plans. Given the recent issues with the quality of AppleCare service I'll likely go this route in future. VISA seems particularly good, but I've had excellent service from AMEX with broken or defective goods.

[Nicolas Martin] Thanks to Doug McLean for noting that Visa's extended warranties are much cheaper than AppleCare for purchases made with eligible cards. The Visa web site lists the costs of those warranties, which extend up to 5 years: [Visa Signature Benefits]

Visa confirms that its warranties are transferable for $10, and a pro-rated refund can be obtained if the warranty is cancelled.

This seems like an good deal, and neither AMEX nor MasterCard offer anything comparable. But to look at it another way, the Visa extended warranties, like Apple's, are in force from the date of purchase. If you have a credit card that offers an additional year of no-charge coverage on a product that has a one year warranty - like a Mac - then a 'three-year' warranty only really buys you one additional year of coverage.

You can almost buy a Mac Mini for what Apple charges for AppleCare on some Macs, so it is a good idea to use a credit card with the 'free' year of extra coverage.