[The Java Posse] Explanation on why Doug Lea left the JCP

http://www.dzone.com/links/r/why_doug_lea_left_the_jcp.html His response to the JCP exec committee members. " To: JCP Executive Committee Members From: Doug Lea Date: 22 October 2010 Dear Colleagues, Here is the promised explanation

Re: [The Java Posse] Re: Apple's rules for the Mac OS X store

> > BTW, the "Mortal Kombat" case you bring up is an interesting one. > Nintendo always wanted to be family friendly, so they insisted the > SNES version of "Mortal Kombat" not have real blood, as Miroslav > notes, nor the "fatalities" that were the game's biggest draw. Sega > didn't have a proble

Re: [The Java Posse] Re: Microsoft cuts loose Iron languages

Yeh those efforts will eventually grow thin and die, so much for common language runtime, when microsoft themselves only support 2 languages, how is that "common" as in many ? -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "The Java Posse" group. To post to this gro

Re: [The Java Posse] Re: Email from Jobs re Java on OS-X

What was the original motivation for Apple taking ownership of the producing and releasing JDK for the Mac ? Was this somehow related to their jealous guardianship of maintaining the Gui libs (AWT, Swing L&F etc)? -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "The

Re: [The Java Posse] Microsoft employee: Java now most-attacked (third-party?) software on Windows

Pot Kettle Black On Sat, Oct 23, 2010 at 12:50 AM, Karsten Silz wrote: > Hi, > > A Microsoft employee blogged that three (patched!) security holes now > make Java the most attacked (third-party?) software on Windows, going > from about 500k attacks in Q2 to about 6 mill. in Q3. This compares > t

[The Java Posse] Re: Email from Jobs re Java on OS-X

I wonder if Apple charged, say, an additional $200 fee to buy an OS X Mac with Java JDK pre-installed, if that would generate enough revenue to pay for the team at Apple that has maintained Java? IOW, could Apple cater to software developer professionals who like to use their hardware for developi

Re: [The Java Posse] Re: Email from Jobs re Java on OS-X

What kind of crazy logic is this, to blame Oracle because *Apple* is deprecating their JDK? Are you saying Sun/Oracle should be maintaining a separate port of the JDK for every vendor that does one of their own??? Rob On Oct 22, 2010, at 5:23 AM, Christian Catchpole wrote: > Exactly. I think A

[The Java Posse] Re: Email from Jobs re Java on OS-X

I think this is tied in with the App Store and, significantly, the software stack on the new Airs. The T's and C's are clear that developers can only use 'core' technologies in their applications. The new MacBook Airs are shipping --without Flash preinstalled-- which allows Apple to bar all Flash/

Re: [The Java Posse] Re: Email from Jobs re Java on OS-X

But with the new apple TV running ios with no hard drive, haven't they just turned you TV into a big iPod (non)Touch (not that there is anything wrong with that)? On 23 Oct 2010 05:23, "CKoerner" wrote: > While your using your 'Jump to Conclusions' mat, you should figure > that Apple intends to tu

[The Java Posse] Re: Email from Jobs re Java on OS-X

I never made an argument, just a conclusion. Is that ok with you Forest? -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "The Java Posse" group. To post to this group, send email to javapo...@googlegroups.com. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to javaposse+

[The Java Posse] Re: Microsoft cuts loose Iron languages

They handed all code over to the community, incl. VS plugin stuff. Not sure thats a bad thing. On Oct 22, 4:50 pm, Blanford wrote: > Still depending on M$ for support?  Perhaps you should read the > following. > > http://www.theregister.co.uk/2010/10/22/microsoft_kills_dynamic_langu... -- You r

Re: [The Java Posse] Re: Email from Jobs re Java on OS-X

If you can't be bothered to expand on your argument, perhaps it's better to keep it to yourself. -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "The Java Posse" group. To post to this group, send email to javapo...@googlegroups.com. To unsubscribe from this group, s

[The Java Posse] Re: Email from Jobs re Java on OS-X

Sometimes you see something so dumb that you can't help but keep looking. I'm just not going to try to engage in the argument because the fundamental assumption of "Apple turn Mac into big iPhone" is idiocy. -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "The Java P

[The Java Posse] James Gosling on the Apple "Java-Gate"

http://nighthacks.com/roller/jag/entry/steve_jobs_comments_on_apple -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "The Java Posse" group. To post to this group, send email to javapo...@googlegroups.com. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to javaposse+unsu

Re: [The Java Posse] Re: Email from Jobs re Java on OS-X

erm... but you just did! On 22 October 2010 20:00, Alexey wrote: > Out of respect for your busy schedule, I will refrain from pointing > out the irony of posting one's lack of interest in discussion on a > message board. > > On Oct 22, 2:53 pm, CKoerner wrote: > > While your using your 'Jump to

[The Java Posse] Re: Email from Jobs re Java on OS-X

Out of respect for your busy schedule, I will refrain from pointing out the irony of posting one's lack of interest in discussion on a message board. On Oct 22, 2:53 pm, CKoerner wrote: > While your using your 'Jump to Conclusions' mat, you should figure > that Apple intends to turn everyones TV

[The Java Posse] Re: Email from Jobs re Java on OS-X

While your using your 'Jump to Conclusions' mat, you should figure that Apple intends to turn everyones TV into a big iphone. I bet you main computer isn't even a Mac. I'm not wasting my time discussing such a misguided view as "Apple is going to turn the Mac into a big iphone". Enjoy your mat a

Re: [The Java Posse] Re: Email from Jobs re Java on OS-X

This may or may not be an accurate assertion, but please support it some with something other than self-assuredness. On the flip side, there are some signs that do point in the direction of Apple being interested in locking down each of their platforms as much as possible. While the company h

[The Java Posse] Re: Email from Jobs re Java on OS-X

Anyone who thinks the Mac is going to be nothing but a big iPhone is so unbelievably misguided that it would be a waste of time. Heres your signs. -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "The Java Posse" group. To post to this group, send email to javapo...@g

[The Java Posse] Re: Is the Java store broken for good?

If you ask me Java itself is another casualty of Larry and co. -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "The Java Posse" group. To post to this group, send email to javapo...@googlegroups.com. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to javaposse+unsubscr..

[The Java Posse] Is the Java store broken for good?

Is the Java store yet another casualty of Larry and co.? -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "The Java Posse" group. To post to this group, send email to javapo...@googlegroups.com. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to javaposse+unsubscr...@goo

[The Java Posse] Microsoft employee: Java now most-attacked (third-party?) software on Windows

Hi, A Microsoft employee blogged that three (patched!) security holes now make Java the most attacked (third-party?) software on Windows, going from about 500k attacks in Q2 to about 6 mill. in Q3. This compares to less than 100k attacks against Adobe Reader: http://blogs.technet.com/b/mmpc/archi

[The Java Posse] Re: ScalaDBTest 0.1

What I meant is that the tests you write have to have some knowledge about the data in the database. (should equal (2) in the example.) If you have a configuration like: country: - id: 1, name: "Canada" how do you check that the software under test loads it correctly without repeating the data i

Re: [The Java Posse] Re: Apple's rules for the Mac OS X store

I don't mind the Mac app store, as long as they keep allowing the traditional install approach. And I can't imagine they will ever stop allowing that. Think though the implications of only allowing installs via the app store. This would mean you pretty much couldn't develop software on a Mac (yo

[The Java Posse] Re: Apple's rules for the Mac OS X store

On 22 Okt., 16:32, Fabrizio Giudici wrote: > (*) I don't think it will happen and the strong slowdown of iPhone > demonstrates it. I think the iPhone is actually picking up speed, despite Antennagate and all (iPhone 4 + iOS 4.0 was quite a buggy combination, in my mind). Apple sold a record 14.1

[The Java Posse] Re: ScalaDBTest 0.1

That test is just to verify that scaladbtest did in fact insert the rows in the database. It's testing to make it is doing what it's supposed to do ;) As an application developer, you will not have to assert that scaladbtest has loaded your data - you can just make it use of it when your test star

[The Java Posse] Microsoft cuts loose Iron languages

Still depending on M$ for support? Perhaps you should read the following. http://www.theregister.co.uk/2010/10/22/microsoft_kills_dynamic_languages_projects/ -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "The Java Posse" group. To post to this group, send emai

[The Java Posse] Re: Apple's rules for the Mac OS X store

Is the "Think Different" thing still supported? Was that deprecated in favour of "Think in the Apple approved manner"? I can't remember. It has been a while. On Oct 22, 3:32 pm, Fabrizio Giudici wrote: > On 10/22/10 16:14 , Robert Casto wrote: > > > There are no freedom of speech issues. You are

Re: [The Java Posse] Re: Email from Jobs re Java on OS-X

you will still be able to sell/distribute/install mac software the traditional way. On Fri, Oct 22, 2010 at 8:03 AM, Josh Berry wrote: > On Fri, Oct 22, 2010 at 8:53 AM, Fabrizio Giudici > wrote: >> On 10/22/10 14:01 , CKoerner wrote: >>> >>> "The Mac is becoming nothing but a big iPhone (withou

[The Java Posse] Re: Email from Jobs re Java on OS-X

Apple likes to move quietly under the radar, at immense speed... they do things very differently than most, i.e. changing CPU architecture 3 times in 1½ decade. I simply don't think they are interested in Java anymore and they don't need another dependency to "tie them down". I also don't really th

[The Java Posse] Re: Email from Jobs re Java on OS-X

On Oct 22, 10:32 am, Chris Adamson wrote: > To me, one line that stood out in Gosling's blog was this one: > > "Sun also provided the VM for Linux because there was no one else to > do it." ...under the conditions of that pre-OpenJDK era - closed code, had to pay a license etc. Like HP, IBM and o

Re: [The Java Posse] Apple's rules for the Mac OS X store

On 10/22/10 16:14 , Robert Casto wrote: There are no freedom of speech issues. You are free to say anything you want, just not on their platform. ... which if, by disgrace, should grow as it did in recent times (*) and becomes the dominant platform, will make it a freedom of speech issue. Alr

[The Java Posse] Re: Abandoning Mac OS X

> developing... but if I find that there's some good integration for > Windows (I have to re-check cygwin), Windows could become the primary > stuff even for development. I use MingW on Windows for a GNU/POSIX development environment instead of cygwin. MingW doesn't strive for as purest approach t

Re: [The Java Posse] Apple's rules for the Mac OS X store

There are no freedom of speech issues. You are free to say anything you want, just not on their platform. How do you avoid 6.2 while at the same time maintaining 6.3? On Fri, Oct 22, 2010 at 4:51 AM, Fabrizio Giudici < fabrizio.giud...@tidalwave.it> wrote: > Read and laugh: > > > http://www.engad

[The Java Posse] Re: ScalaDBTest 0.1

Hi Ken, How do you use DBUnit or ScalaDBTest without introducing redundancy all over the place? The knowledge about the data is in the files and to some extend in your tests as well. For example from your test suite: tester.onBefore("two_string_table.dbt") jdbcTemplate.queryForInt("select count(

Re: [The Java Posse] Re: Email from Jobs re Java on OS-X

On Fri, Oct 22, 2010 at 8:53 AM, Fabrizio Giudici wrote: > On 10/22/10 14:01 , CKoerner wrote: >> >> "The Mac is becoming nothing but a big iPhone (without the phone or >> touch >> capabilities) for your desk." >> >> That is the dumbest thing anyone has ever written about a Mac. >> Congratulations

Re: [The Java Posse] Re: Apple has just deprecated Java on the Mac!!!

Just you wait until VMWare gets ported to Java and then gets ported to Dalvik, so you could run it on Android. That way you won't need a computer at all and will be free to boot up OS X (any version you like) and run that Java 1.4 app you really needed to access. Oh dear god... Alexey _

Re: [The Java Posse] Re: Email from Jobs re Java on OS-X

On 10/22/10 15:09 , Chris Adamson wrote: The Apple VM will continue to work in Snow Leopard. It sounds like they're not guaranteeing an Apple VM to be present in Lion, due in Summer 2011, so interested parties have a little less than a year to figure out what to do in case it's absent. Probably

[The Java Posse] Re: Apple has just deprecated Java on the Mac!!!

WebObjects, which powers all their e-commerce, is written in Java. However, when I tweeted about this the other day, someone replied that WO runs just fine on other VMs and platforms, so Apple doesn't necessarily need their own Java to keep WO running. On Oct 22, 8:21 am, Carl Jokl wrote: > Doesn

[The Java Posse] Re: Email from Jobs re Java on OS-X

On Oct 22, 8:58 am, phil swenson wrote: > The real problem here is apple pulled an a-hole move.  They just said > it's deprecated.  They didn't inform oracle and come up with a > transition story.  That would have been the professional thing to do. I think they have a fairly clear transition stor

Re: [The Java Posse] Re: Apple has just deprecated Java on the Mac!!!

Hi! WebObjects uses Java. Maybe they plan to port it back to Objective-C. Or they develop only with Linux and WIndows and deploy on Solaris. Regards, Dirk On Fri, Oct 22, 2010 at 14:21, Carl Jokl wrote: > Doesn't Apple's website use Java or is that no longer the case? > > -- > You received th

Re: [The Java Posse] Re: Email from Jobs re Java on OS-X

So as I stated before - I guarantee Oracle will port to OS X. 20% of the US consumer market + 10% of the overall market is too big to ignore. The real problem here is apple pulled an a-hole move. They just said it's deprecated. They didn't inform oracle and come up with a transition story. Tha

Re: [The Java Posse] Re: Email from Jobs re Java on OS-X

On 10/22/10 14:32 , Chris Adamson wrote: There was a Blackdown port of Java, but I believe it was pretty troubled. Indeed, it was rather useless for what I recall. -- Fabrizio Giudici - Java Architect, Project Manager Tidalwave s.a.s. - "We make Java work. Everywhere." java.net/blog/fabriziog

Re: [The Java Posse] Re: Email from Jobs re Java on OS-X

On 10/22/10 14:01 , CKoerner wrote: "The Mac is becoming nothing but a big iPhone (without the phone or touch capabilities) for your desk." That is the dumbest thing anyone has ever written about a Mac. Congratulations! In perspective, I don't think Jess is that wrong. I suspect Apple's strate

[The Java Posse] Re: Email from Jobs re Java on OS-X

To me, one line that stood out in Gosling's blog was this one: "Sun also provided the VM for Linux because there was no one else to do it." There was a Blackdown port of Java, but I believe it was pretty troubled. Porting all of Java, including AWT and javax.sound and all that, is *hard*. Again

[The Java Posse] Re: Email from Jobs re Java on OS-X

Exactly. I think Apple were very generous (you could argue it sold Macs, but still). If this has as big an impact as we fear it will you can blame no one but Snoracle. If anything it points out how painful Swing integration is. Of course, I'm sure its more than that - NIO, memory management etc a

[The Java Posse] Re: Email from Jobs re Java on OS-X

Gosling's take: http://nighthacks.com/roller/jag/entry/steve_jobs_comments_on_apple On Oct 22, 8:08 am, Fabrizio Giudici wrote: > On 10/22/10 12:01 , opinali wrote:> Why did Apple insist on having control of > the Mac JVM years ago, when > > Sun wanted do do that? > > As Chris said, unfortunatel

[The Java Posse] Re: Apple has just deprecated Java on the Mac!!!

Doesn't Apple's website use Java or is that no longer the case? -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "The Java Posse" group. To post to this group, send email to javapo...@googlegroups.com. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to javaposse+unsubscr.

[The Java Posse] Re: Apple has just deprecated Java on the Mac!!!

On Oct 22, 8:57 pm, Carl Jokl wrote: > The sooner Oracle makes some kind of statement the better. Better for us, and better for Oracle. I doubt Apple cares much. I wrote a too-long blog post with my thoughts on what's happening: http://lachlanrambling.blogspot.com/2010/10/java-and-mac.html tl;d

[The Java Posse] Re: Email from Jobs re Java on OS-X

Well the cats out of the bag now. They were lucky that Apple did their work for so long. -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "The Java Posse" group. To post to this group, send email to javapo...@googlegroups.com. To unsubscribe from this group, send ema

[The Java Posse] Re: Email from Jobs re Java on OS-X

Maybe you're holding it wrong? :) On Oct 22, 9:54 pm, Jess Holle wrote: > The Mac is becoming nothing but a big iPhone (without the phone or touch > capabilities) for your desk.  It's no longer a general computing > platform -- it's becoming just another form factor for an utterly closed > consum

[The Java Posse] Re: Abandoning Mac OS X

Then maybe BootCamp is a better option for you? I'm not trying to talk you out of leaving OS-X, even if we both left it would make little impact. Just use what works best for you, who cares what OS it is. -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "The Java Poss

Re: [The Java Posse] Re: Email from Jobs re Java on OS-X

It was never Sun's intention to provide platform specific JVMs. They wanted each platform to do that on their own. MS tired to adopt and extend and deployments started making demands for Linux which left a huge gap in VM providers which... Sun decided to fill out of necessity. Regards, Kirk On

[The Java Posse] Re: Email from Jobs re Java on OS-X

I think the point of Sun/Oracle making their own JVM/JDK for a given OS is to keep or gain developers. So the question is: if you couldn't develop Java on a Mac, how many developers would they lose? Would current Mac-based Java developers change machines or change languages? I think most, like F

[The Java Posse] Re: Email from Jobs re Java on OS-X

"The Mac is becoming nothing but a big iPhone (without the phone or touch capabilities) for your desk." That is the dumbest thing anyone has ever written about a Mac. Congratulations! -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "The Java Posse" group. To post to

Re: [The Java Posse] Re: Email from Jobs re Java on OS-X

The Mac is becoming nothing but a big iPhone (without the phone or touch capabilities) for your desk. It's no longer a general computing platform -- it's becoming just another form factor for an utterly closed consumer device with a walled garden market. I don't think Apple wants Java on it a

Re: [The Java Posse] Re: Abandoning Mac OS X

On 10/22/10 13:48 , CKoerner wrote: I enjoy Mac and I enjoy Windows and I enjoy Linux all for various reasons. With VMWare I don't have to abandon any OS for any reason. So I'm happy to keep this fantastic Hardware and enjoy OSX for home stuff, Win7 for Work stuff, and Linux for Tech stuff. Do y

[The Java Posse] Re: Abandoning Mac OS X

I enjoy Mac and I enjoy Windows and I enjoy Linux all for various reasons. With VMWare I don't have to abandon any OS for any reason. So I'm happy to keep this fantastic Hardware and enjoy OSX for home stuff, Win7 for Work stuff, and Linux for Tech stuff. -- You received this message because you

[The Java Posse] Re: Email from Jobs re Java on OS-X

Its time for Oracle to step up to ITS responsibility and make the JVM for the Mac. If they do it for Linux and Windows then they damn well should do it for the MAC. -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "The Java Posse" group. To post to this group, send em

[The Java Posse] Re: Email from Jobs re Java on OS-X

The one thing that makes me think this might be legitimate is the focus on release schedules. Since Apple has shipped Java as a system- level framework, their policy has been to include one Java version with the x.0 release of OS X -- ideally the most current Java, but they failed to do so with Sno

[The Java Posse] Re: Email from Jobs re Java on OS-X

And in 1997, it was pretty understandable why Sun wasn't that interested in the Mac: a lot of people didn't think Apple would still be in business by 2000. Sun was perfectly happy to let someone else carry the Java banner on Mac. For a while, Sun even put a few of its engineers at Apple to work o

[The Java Posse] Abandoning Mac OS X

So, the straw that breaks the camel's back has arrived with the latest Apple madness (not only bashing Java, but even the direction for Mac OS X with the new Store: Apple has become much more dangerous than Microsoft in the past, while Microsoft today has been relegated to a second division com

[The Java Posse] Re: Apple's rules for the Mac OS X store

Given that Apple is a lot more like a consumer electronics company than what we've traditionally thought of as a computer company, the analogy to Nintendo is particularly apt. The game console makers totally control software for their systems -- not only do they control what can be released for th

[The Java Posse] Re: Apple's rules for the Mac OS X store

It would be funny, if it wasn't for my fear of that the 10% US marked- share will just say "Ok" to Apple and bend over... as usual. On Oct 22, 10:51 am, Fabrizio Giudici wrote: > Read and laugh: > > http://www.engadget.com/2010/10/21/apples-mac-app-store-review-guidel... > > *2.2 Apps that exhibi

Re: [The Java Posse] Re: JVM Memory Allocation and what do the Xms and Xmx settings really do?

If you specify Xms=Xmx you will in effect hinder the adaptive run time memory management features of the JVM. I wouldn't do this as a matter of course. I'd only do it *if* it had a positive measurable effect on performance. In general, the JVM should *never* page. You don't want to page during a

Re: [The Java Posse] Re: Email from Jobs re Java on OS-X

On 10/22/10 12:01 , opinali wrote: Why did Apple insist on having control of the Mac JVM years ago, when Sun wanted do do that? As Chris said, unfortunately in this case Sun is to blame for the poor engineering and integration, at the time. -- Fabrizio Giudici - Java Architect, Project Manage

[The Java Posse] Re: Email from Jobs re Java on OS-X

Why did Apple insist on having control of the Mac JVM years ago, when Sun wanted do do that? I only hope they will release to Oracle their improvement/porting work, so Oracle can resume where Apple left it and there is no discontinuity in the support of a high-quality Mac JVM. Anyway, there is no

[The Java Posse] Re: Apple has just deprecated Java on the Mac!!!

The sooner Oracle makes some kind of statement the better. Maybe if we ask nicely Mr Giles to pop up to Mr Ellison's office and politely ask him if he has any comments. -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "The Java Posse" group. To post to this group, se

Re: [The Java Posse] Re: Apple has just deprecated Java on the Mac!!!

On Thu, Oct 21, 2010 at 23:18, Phil wrote: > I suppose that's the fallback option - I use VMWare, so I could just > run Linux in unity mode and still have access to an up-to-date version > of Java and the tools that go with it. Given that Eclipse Helios on > Mac STILL has issues with CTRL-Space no

Re: [The Java Posse] Apple's rules for the Mac OS X store

Reminds me a lot of Nintendo, in that they want to be in completely charge of distribution ( they did by being the only one allowed to manufacture carts) and the fiasco that was the green blood in Mortal Kombat. On Fri, Oct 22, 2010 at 7:51 PM, Fabrizio Giudici < fabrizio.giud...@tidalwave.it> wro

Re: [The Java Posse] Re: No more JME on Meego?

On 10/22/10 10:43 , Carl Jokl wrote: Given that I still have an unfinished JavaME project in the pipeline, it is not so reassuring when people keep saying JavaME is dead. The biggest issue to me is that we're again in a highly fragmented mobile world as in the pre-JME times. Even ignoring iPhon

[The Java Posse] Apple's rules for the Mac OS X store

Read and laugh: http://www.engadget.com/2010/10/21/apples-mac-app-store-review-guidelines-posted-will-photoshop/ *2.2 Apps that exhibit bugs will be rejected **2.14 Apps must be packaged and submitted using Apple's packaging technologies included in Xcode - no third party installers allowed **2

Re: [The Java Posse] Re: Apple has just deprecated Java on the Mac!!!

Can Apple ban use of the Apple L&F on Apple platforms themselves ? -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "The Java Posse" group. To post to this group, send email to javapo...@googlegroups.com. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to javaposse+unsubs

[The Java Posse] Re: No more JME on Meego?

I wish I knew what was going on with JavaME. The fact that late last year MIDP 3.0 was finalised made me think it would be bit pointless to have a new version of MIDP if no-one was interested in JavaME. I don't think JavaME is going to attract much media attention and I do think it is a degree of

Re: [The Java Posse] Re: Apple has just deprecated Java on the Mac!!!

On Oct 21, 2010, at 8:44 PM, Joe Nuxoll (Java Posse) wrote: > I don't have time or energy to read this whole thread, and I'm quite > sure we'll talk about this in our next recording (tonight), but I want > to at least chime in with some simple thoughts: > > 1) I think this means that Apple is sc

Re: [The Java Posse] Re: email campaign? Apple has just deprecated Java on the Mac!!!

Well, I was about to buy a new Mac and that purchase has just been put on hold... Looks like a MicroSoft specified machine is in my future. Too bad 'cos MS specifications have really inhibited innovation. And the mix of UI with UNIX is nice. I've still not found a Linux distro that comes close t