FileMaker Server Review
Another missing feature is serving databases via the Web. You would think a server product would do this, but, alas, FileMaker Server is only able to serve databases to FileMaker Clients. You need another program, FileMaker Unlimited (for real Web serving) to do this. And yes, you need another machine to run Unlimited from.
So, for those of you keeping score at home, that’s two dedicated machines, plus two software packages to serve a database to both clients and the Web. Oh and one other thing: if you want to use anything more that just the pathetic FileMaker Web options (no support for scripts) you have to buy yet another product, FileMaker Developer, to get access to the JDBC or XML files to develop a true Web face.
Thanks FileMaker, but no thanks. WebObjects, here I come.
—Carib Mendez
Router Question
I posted this question at tsmacs.org, and they referred us here. I think we’ve got everything set up correctly but still experience this problem. We have not yet tried to go directly to the modem from one of the Macs, so I suppose that’s next, but we’d appreciate any other suggestions.
We’ve installed a new cable modem with the Optimum Online service, running over a network with a Linksys router. It seems to work pretty fast on Windows, and FTP speeds on either platform are great. But on the Macs, there is a noticeably longer delay displaying a Web page (in both IE and Netscape); it is as if there is like a 30-second search, and then all of a sudden the page appears. This happens on Mac OS 8.6-9.1, iMacs, G4, etc. All machines (both Macs and one PC) are connected to an 8-port hub which is plugged into the router. TCP/IP is configured as DHCP (pretty much as outlined above, but we did put the DNS address we got from the PC in manually, though it does not seem to matter one way or the other). We updated the Linksys firmware, and this also did not do anything. Any ideas what specifically to look for?
—Jonathan Cloud
This sounds to me like a problem with the DNS resolving. You indicated that you have tried punching the numbers into your TCP/IP control panel manually and that it made no difference. It sounds to me like the first number in the list of name servers is causing problems. The Mac (and most any TCP stack) will try resolving DNS using the first server listed and after a specified timeout will then try the second server in the list. If you are experiencing a delay but then are successful in accessing the Web, it sounds to me as if the first name server is simply bogus or unresponsive. Try removing it from the list (or, if you prefer, stuff it at the bottom) and see if that fixes your problem. —Evan Trent
File Sharing User Limit
I teach at a high school and have a AppleTalk network set up. I have 14 G3s on the network, however, only 10 students can login to the shared server folder at any given time. What am I missing?
—Sandy Snyder
File Sharing supports a maximum of 10 users per shared machine. To support more users, you need to use AppleShare IP or Mac OS X Server. —Chris Lawson
Why Does Internet Explorer Own My HTML Files?
I see that whenever I download an HTML file via the Internet, it gets an Internet Explorer icon, although the default browser selected in my Internet control panel is iCab. How has Microsoft managed to get themselves established as the default format, despite my saying “no thank you”? And how I can change it?
—David Kettlewell
Selecting iCab as your browser is separate from selecting which applications will own downloaded files. Go to the Internet control panel, and then go to the Advanced tab. Go to File Mapping. Select .html or .htm or whatever suffix you wish to edit. Then map the file type onto the appropriate application. —Evan Trent
Virtual PC 5.0 Review
I’ve seen a bunch of these comments about it being unusable with OS X and wonder if my requirements are so low, or is there something else going on.
I’m on a Pismo (G3/500 PowerBook with 640 MB RAM), and did my small corporate taxes over the weekend using TurboTax Business on Windows 2000. It was a breeze, except for the part where I had to enter about 100 assets and each one required a recalculation, which took about a minute per asset. Six hours later, I printed directly to my HP 990 over USB, since it didn’t print the forms correctly over the standard “through the Mac” printer setup.
I typically use VPC to verify Web site designs using Win 98 and Win 2000, and to contact a client through Checkpoint’s SecureID VPN over Win 2000. I then use Timbuktu or telnet to work on the client’s systems. I’ve found it extremely useful and don’t have any major complaints about the speed. My network to the outside world is a 384K/384K DSL line with a static IP for the Mac as well as static IPs for each of the PC flavors. Transferring files through VPC is just as fast as using the Mac directly.
—Mike Schienle
Digital Pianos and the Mac
My kids are taking piano lessons. I do not have room for a piano in my living area. I’m interested in getting them an external USB keyboard that mimics the performance of a piano keyboard so that they can use their iBooks to practice and perhaps use piano lesson CD-ROMs.
Any recommendations on keyboard/software combos?
—Robert
I still use the old Miracle Piano, a keyboard with 49 full-sized keys and a software program that controls it, presents piano lessons, and monitors your playing. The software has 40 lessons and many drills (disguised as games). I also bought extra song packs for Miracle Piano. Unfortunately, Software Toolworks and its successor Jump! Music both went out of business, and the program is an orphan.
Midiman USB Keystation keyboards come with the MIDI interface built in. You just install the driver and plug the keyboard into your USB port. Musican’s Friend sells the 61-key Midiman for $200 and the 49-key Midiman for $160. Other keyboards will usually require you to buy a separate MIDI in/out device, since they have only MIDI ports.
The Musician’s Friend site also has digital pianos priced from $550 (Kurzweil SP76 76-key Stage Piano) to a Yamaha YDP-121 88-key piano (that looks like a real piano and takes up as much space) for $1100. You can get fancier digital pianos for much more, of course. I own an upright piano, so I have no experience with digital pianos. I did buy a two-tiered stand that holds my Miracle Piano keyboard on the lower tier and a shelf with a PowerBook (for running the Miracle software) on the upper tier.
Musicians’ Friend has lots of different stands. Some are easy to assemble and disassemble, which is important if you need to regain floor space. The one I bought collapses into a relatively small package and has a built-in carrying handle. We brought it and the Miracle keyboard with us when visiting relatives at Christmas break.
There are no good beginning piano instruction programs for the Macintosh (and only a few for Windows). The iSong CD-ROM classical piano series (published by Hal Leonard) is cross-platform (but only works with Mac OS 8.6 and earlier). These are teaching tools that use recorded music and progressively more difficult arrangements of the music. I haven’t tried iSong, and I could not find independent reviews of its three classical piano modules. (The guitar modules seem most popular.)
PG Music has the Band-in-a-Box software and add-ons. This isn’t educational software but lets you create a music accompaniment that can be played on a MIDI synthesizer or keyboard. It got 4 out of 5 mice from MacUser UK. —Gregory Tetrault
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If you are a legitimate owner of the Miracle, you can download a copy of the keyboard overlay at my site, http://pianoeducation.org/pnompfaq.html. We also offer free copies of single Miracle software disk contents for those who have a single non-working Miracle Piano diskette.
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