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News

UMAX Scanner termination problem

A web page describing a termination problem with UMAX scanners opens with these comments: "For some strange reason UMAX is persisting in not providing terminator power from it's scanners. In the Astra 600, just like in most earlier models, this is again the case. We have notified UMAX of this fact and that we see it as an important problem. Their response is that they see no problem." It goes on to provide details.

Two Netscape Navigator bugs (and the release of version 3.0.2)

While Communicator is getting the lion's share of the attention right now, here are two Navigator bugs that have been around for awhile (I know this because I have been plagued by both of them) but that I do not believe I have mentioned before:

a. Jeff Flamm writes: "Sometimes when trying to 'triple click' a Netscape browser window to activate WindowShade, the title bar of the window slides up behind the menubar. At first it appears that the window is closed, but selecting a new bookmark does not open a new window as expected. The browser window … Read more

Norton Utilities for Macintosh 3.5.1 released

Symantec has released Norton Utilities for Macintosh 3.5.1. It fixes the previously reported Java/Communicator problem, adds Mac OS 8 compatibility and more. Here are the highlights:

Norton CrashGuard: Fixes an issue with Connectix Virtual PC 1.0 where CrashGuard would report an "Unknown trap type exception (Debugger/DebugStr)" whenever Virtual PC was launched. Resolves a conflict with Netscape Communicator 4 where CrashGuard would report an "Unknown trap type exception (Debugger/DebugStr)" when viewing Java pages. Improves compatibility with applications that install their own exception handler.

Norton Disk Doctor: Resolves an issue with MacOS … Read more

Mac OS 8 early warnings

Control panels submenu glitch Noah Bast found that, after updating his 3400/200 to Mac OS 8, if he selected a control panel from the submenu of the Apple menu (created by having Apple Menu Options installed), it did one of three things (in order of frequency): open the System Folder, do nothing, or work as expected. Clicking a control panel from a Finder window worked fine. On his 840AV, the submenu worked fine.

Update: Matt Domenici claims that this problem (which is probably not specific to Mac OS 8) is due to a corrupted Apple Menu Options (AMO) prefs … Read more

Mac OS 8 due next week; "Troubleshooting Mac OS 8" page started

Mac OS 8 is expected to be released next week (July 22). You can already order it from Claris. The minimum price (without any optional third-party bundles) is $69.00 in the U.S.

Following tradition, MacFixIt will be providing up-to-the-minute postings of troubleshooting information on the new OS, as soon as readers start sending in their reports (so get your typing fingers in shape!). Anticipating this, I have already created a Troubleshooting Mac OS page. There is very little on it right now, but its content is sure to grow soon (reports such as the next item will be … Read more

Hello again!; "Vacation News & Update" page posted

I'm back from vacation, nicely rested but already feeling a bit overwhelmed with all the catching up I need to do.

I have created a Vacation News & Update page covering the most notable MacFixIt-relevant news and information that occurred during my absence. Regular readers of other Mac web sites may already know much of this stuff, but I decided it was still useful to do, if only to have it available in the Archives. Late-Breaker postings should be back to their normal pace by next week.

By the way, my vacation was in Washington state - home of … Read more

More on Netscape Communicator problems

I received much email on many of the topics covered in yesterday's postings. Many were confirmations, while a few claimed that they were not having a particular posted problem. As always, your mileage mayvary (at least until we learn more specifics of the cause of a problem).

Several new problems were also noted. Info about Netscape Communicator clearly dominated the day. Here are just a few follow-ups to the previous item:

In addition to the slow menu drop-downs, people are also reporting slow typing in email windows. There is a problem with graphic rendering, as described on a special page … Read more

Week-end Updates

a. The June 1997 edition of Apple's Memory Guide is now out.

b. Insider Software has announced Insider Updates, a new "Internet-based product that automatically delivers all the software updates on a Macintosh computer." Check their web site for more details.

c. Neatnik 1.0.1 The new version of this program that helps clean-up icons on your desktop and within folders "fixes a bug that could cause crashes and other misbehavior on 68K machines when setting Neatnik's preferences."

d. ClockSync II 1.0.2, a program that synchronizes the clock among all Macs … Read more

Week-end Web Sites

a. MacWEEK has an interview with some Apple executives, where they discuss Rhapsody and other topics of interest. Another MacWEEK article summarizes all the different type of memory and their acronyms (such as DRAM and EDO RAM).

A MacInTouch column in MacWEEK summarizes thevarious problems with 5500/6500 Macs.

b. The Macintosh Guide Book is "a comprehensive guide of every model of Apple Macintosh and Mac OS-Compatible."

c. Macintosh Testimonial Pages contain collections of user experiences withvarious Macintosh systems, add-ons, Macintosh vendors, and anything else related to the Mac.

d. Macworld has a useful article describing all the … Read more