August 10th, 2000 (Updated 5:00 PM)

There are lots of great articles, and some really bad ones, on the Internet. Though we link to all of them at MacOS News Around The Web, some of them deserve special mention here. Most of what we will mention within these pages will be among the best, but on occasion we will talk about articles that are so bad or so wrong we just have to say something. Consider them mini-editorials on our part about things we think you might also be interested in.

Best [12:00 PM] Salon: Hello, are you human?
This gets our Tee Hee Hee award for the day. Thomas Scoville talks to us about the Turing Test, Bay Area tech parties and AOL chat rooms, and this a combo we canit resist. Our two favorite quotes from this piece:

At a Silicon Valley cocktail party, itis hard to find anybody who passes the Turing Test.

And the second:

Me: How are you today?
BiteMe100Times: Whatis it to you? Unless youire my mother or my shrink, you can fuck off.
Me: Just trying to be friendly.
BiteMe100Times: Yeah, but I want a commitment.
Me: Actually, Iim writing a magazine piece on the Turing Test. Iim trying to figure out if youire human. You could be a machine, you know.
BiteMe100Times: Oh, sure Iim human. Two plus two is four. Four times four is 16. Four to the 16th power is [core dumped]
Me: Very clever.
BiteMe100Times: What the hell do you expect? Iim running Windows NT. Now go away.

Who can resist that? A very funny read. Reviewer - Bryan Chaffin


Best [12:00 PM] Low End Mac: Mac Musings - Big Apple Changes Acomini
Dan Knight talks about the nature of change and the way that change may effect many Mac users once Mac OS X is released. He provides many historical examples and offers some very interesting thoughts.

A very good read. Reviewer - Bryan Chaffin


Worst [12:00 PM] Macinstein - Xtrem Wastes Their Money
We broke the story of the Sweedish upstart, Xtrem, and their pursuit of a 1.2GHz Mac early last week. At first it seemed like a joke, but since then it seems as if Xtrem is a legit company trying to make a legit product. They plan to buy G4is off the shelf, modify them, and resell them. They can do so without the Mac OS installed, and perhaps actually bring this product to market. This article is an example of an uninformed look at the Xtrem situation, with conclusions based on half-truths and incomplete information. Our favorite quote in this piece:

Even if they achieve their goal, making a 1200 Mhz Mac, they will be left with nowhere to go. Apple would have to cooperate for parts, licensing the technology and the OS.

None of their conclusions are accurate. The Mac Observer, for one, hopes the product or the technology comes to market. Somebody needs to light a fire under Appleis back side. Reviewer - Kyle DiAddario


Best [12:00 PM] Creative Mac - Completing the Revolution
I will be the first to admit that I donit know how to write AppleScripts, nor do I use the technology enough. But with the little Script Recorder application that ships on every Mac, even programming ludites like myself can save some time, energy, and frustration by automating certain tasks. This article takes a great look at what AppleScipt can do from a practical, rather than a techie, stand point. Our favorite quote from this piece:

The problem, says Cal Simone, is what the ongoing Industrial Revolution hasnit addressed, what it canit address—the repetitive aspects of creative work. "What weire left with," he says, "is the tedium of the mind. AppleScript is where we find relief."

This is a good look at a neat technology. Reviewer - Kyle DiAddario


You can find these links, and lots of other links for Mac and Tech Industry stories, at MacOS News Around The Web.