EvangeList Digest Friday, March 5 1999 Volume 01 : Number 1386
In this issue:
PR - AuctionMac Offers More New Selling Features Tidbit - Thinking Different, Japanese Style Followup - Help With Order Entry Systems $$-Special Offer ApplicationSentry Tidbit - Menagerie of Macs Issue #4
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Date: Thu, 4 Mar 1999 02:05:44 -0800 From: The EvangeList Mailing List <evangelist@apple.com> Subject: PR - AuctionMac Offers More New Selling Features
This announcement is from:
Shay Fulton <mailto:sfulton@auctionmac.com>
AuctionMac.com, the new Mac-only auction house on the internet, now offers even more powerful selling features. AuctionMac now features precision-timed auction closing, a 'Spotlight Item' feature, and a new powerful Sherlock Plug-in for MacOS 8.5.
Now sellers can optionally control the very hour at which their auction item ends, instead of in fixed 24-hour blocks. We now allow easy configuration of auction ending times. This is perfect for users who post during the day or morning but like their items to end during the peak periods in the evening. This is also ideal for foreign users as well as users with limited daily access. Few auction services provide this level of seller control.
The new Spotlight feature is optional, and perfect for the high-priced and hard-to-get Macintosh items. Spotlight Items get displayed in prominent boxes on listings pages as well as randomly on the main page. Since all users get free initial credit, it is also a great way to try out the service worry-free. This feature gives sellers the highest amount of exposure currently available. The optional feature is only $8.95 per item, which is considerably lower than most other similar services can offer. This fee is even fully creditable if an item receives no bids!
AuctionMac.com provides the best in powerful, feature-packed Mac-only auction services. Registering, bidding, buying, and browsing are all 100% free. Only selling incurs a fee, which is based on an insanely-low final value scale. To learn more about the new service and the new features, please visit:
<http://www.auctionmac.com/>
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Date: Thu, 4 Mar 1999 02:06:08 -0800 From: The EvangeList Mailing List <evangelist@apple.com> Subject: Tidbit - Thinking Different, Japanese Style
This tidbit is from:
Ed Kaspar <mailto:ukaspar@bigfoot.com>
In the Feb. 23 issue of The Daily Yomiuri, an English language newspaper in Japan, there is an interview with Ryu Murakami, novelist, film director and producer, and producer of Cuban music, who was named by Time magazine in 1997 as one of eleven people who would revolutionize Japan. Some quotes from the interview: "...our next goal should be to become more individual." "I think people who strive to obtain more information than others, people who discipline themselves to acquire skills--these people achieve their goals." "People need to change their way of thinking, even the very young."
He talks a little about a series of interviews he will be doing based on his coverage of the Japanese economy, which will be available by email starting March 15 <mailto:(jmm-info@agey.co.jp)>.
And what I liked the best about the full-page article: a very large color picture of Murakami in his room taking a phone call, with a Powerbook G3 wide open on his desk, facing the camera with a brilliant 14 inch screen (running a Netscape browser) and the very recognizable, multi-colored Apple logo.
On the same day, in the Cyberworld section, there were two big articles: one headlined "Intel unveils chip amid controversy" and, right below it, "Mac expo highlights nothing but iMac." The article about the Mac Expo was mostly about the greatness of the iMac and new, colored peripherals, and one person complaining that the Expo didn't have enough professional software, such as special fonts. Neither of the articles were completely unbiased or showing an extreme amount of knowledge on behalf of the reporter, but there were only two photos on the page: a beaming woman showing an iMac as someone is taking a photo of it, and Steve Jobs' picture, taken with a digital camera, on a monitor.
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Date: Thu, 4 Mar 1999 02:05:21 -0800 From: The EvangeList Mailing List <evangelist@apple.com> Subject: Followup - Help With Order Entry Systems
This follow-up message is from:
Warren Shore <mailto:warren@usbio.net>
Here are the results of my extensive order entry/accounting system quest. I have received over 200 responses, almost 100 within 48 hours! What a great Mac community we have!
Looks like Flexware and Great Plains get all the comments. While Flexware gets all positive feedback, Great Plains (Dynamics) gets a lot of bad feedback, especially with regard to Mac support, ease of use, customizability and cost. We currently use Big Business and they claim that the network version works great (especially with G3's). The price is right at $2000. However, they do not seem to be able to allow us to designate a different lot number for different lots of the same chemicals, which are time sensitive, since we need to track the manufacturing dates for First In First Out. And I cannot customize or add fields which we would like to do. But, again, the cost is great and we have been quite pleased for 3 years. Their tech support has been excellent, too.
We are also looking at a way to integrate our order entry and inventory system with a remote manufacturing and shipping facility. Looks like Timbuktu in conjunction with an easy to use accounting program since there are custom fields that we would like to manipulate that would be nice if we could handle it in house without extensive tech support.
I currently keep all contacts, products and actual lot-specific data in 3 related Filemaker files. We enter orders in Big Business then fax the packing list to our remote facility for fulfillment. We want to have a terminal using the inventory program at that remote facility so they can enter shipping and manufacturing information once (lot numbers, tracking numbers, quantities manufactured, etc.). Also, the remote facility needs to be shut out of the pricing fields and just be allowed to print packing lists, productlabels, shipping labels and data sheets (we make chemicals and each chemical generates a certificate of analysis that I maintain in a related Filemaker file and that gets shipped with the product).
Also, we have looked at BizBasics, PIMS, Genesis, Order House by Elefunt Software, Omnis 7 and MYOB. None offered either the features such as ease of use, customizability , setup and future tweaking at such a low cost as did BizBasics.
I don't mind the upfront consulting costs but, like a typical Mac user, I can maintain all software now and don't want to rely on outside consultants too often. After all, that's why I am a Mac user!
Anyway, we are now looking very closely at BizBasics. It fits all the criteria above and is less than $1000. And since it is pure Filemaker, I can use several local consultants for initial setup consulting and for future tweaking without breaking the bank. They even have RealAudio download helper files for users to learn and for me as the company President, to use to train our employees.
Thank you again evangelistas for your help and recommendations. I am sorry if I didn't mention you and apologize for being so straightforward if I did. It's just that I know there are thousands of business owners that are Mac users and want their businesses to run efficiently, at reduced cost, minimum hassles and great software.
Regards,
Warren Shore President United States Biological
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Date: Thu, 4 Mar 1999 13:28:57 -0800 From: Guy Kawasaki <Kawasaki@garage.com> Subject: $$-Special Offer ApplicationSentry
This special offer is from:
Steve Becker,<steve@macease.com>
I'm pleased to announce the release of ApplicationSentry. ApplicationSentry is an extremely easy-to-use Mac-only utility that is constantly on guard, monitoring your applications for certain types of memory-related problems. ApplicationSentry provides a fast, easy, and non-technical way to improve both the stability and performance of your system.
A common reason for programs crashing are memory-related problems. Frequently, either a memory-leak bug or not enough memory being assigned to an application is responsible for these problems. The memory requirements of an application constantly vary as the application is being used, and effectively tracking a program's memory usage requires a dynamic approach.
ApplicationSentry provides you with an easy way to dynamically monitor the memory requirements of your applications -- even when ApplicationSentry is not displayed on your Desktop! The benefits of this include helping you determine which activities lead to memory-related problems and helping you more efficiently use the RAM that is installed on your computer. In fact, ApplicationSentry lets you directly observe a memory leak as it occurs -- and alerts you before your programs crash!
ApplicationSentry also shows you which applications don't have the proper amount of RAM assigned to them, so the memory on your Mac can be safely and efficiently assigned to where it's really needed. Another benefit of using ApplicationSentry as a guide for assigning the appropriate amount of RAM to an application can be a DRAMATIC IMPROVEMENT IN THAT APPLICATION'S PERFORMANCE!
ApplicationSentry is both a good diagnostic tool that doesn't require any technical expertise on your part and a method to alert you to impending trouble before a problem develops. You also are able to dynamically observe how the memory requirements of your applications vary based on the activities they are performing.
THE FOLLOWING LIST INCLUDES SOME OF THE FEATURES IN ApplicationSentry:
* Doesn't require launching a separate application
* Doesn't require any technical knowledge about the computer
* Doesn't require learning a bunch of keyboard commands
* Doesn't get in your way when using your computer
* Gives you a choice of a Thermometer Gauge or a text-based display.
* Gives you a clear, comprehensive display which includes the name of the active application, the amount of RAM assigned to the application, the amount of RAM being used by the application, the percentage of the assigned RAM that is being used, and the amount of RAM that is still free
* Gives you the option of placing ApplicationSentry anywhere you choose on your Desktop
* Gives you the option of hiding/showing ApplicationSentry's display with a click of the Mouse or with a keyboard shortcut
* Gives you an Auto-Alert option which works even when ApplicationSentry is not visible
* Gives you the option of setting the memory usage level that triggers an Auto-Alert
* Gives you a built-in Help system that describes the function of each button (they are really pretty self-descriptive, though) and provides built-in tips on using the program
* Gives you a quick visual prompt as to what is going on by dynamically updating the color of the display to reflect the amount of memory being used by your applications
* Includes several additional features which are described in the program's documentation
Information about additional features included in ApplicationSentry -- along with screen snapshots -- may be found at <http://www.kagi.com/MacEase>.
REQUIREMENTS
A Macintosh computer with System 7.0 or later (including Systems 8, 8.1, 8.5, and 8.5.1) and a 68020 or later processor. ApplicationSentry works fine with Virtual Memory and RAM Doubler.
SPECIAL PRICE
While the regular registration fee is only $19., until the end of March I'm offering EvangeList readers an even lower, special price of $17. ApplicationSentry includes a 30-day money back satisfaction guarantee. To receive the special price, please be sure to use the <http://order.kagi.com/?L8T2> URL.
A free, fully-functional 10-day demonstration version of ApplicationSentry may be downloaded at <http://www.kagi.com/MacEase>.
Technical support may be obtained by emailing me at the following address: <applicationsentry@macease.com>.
_________________
Why scour the Web for high-tech stories when we do it for you? Sign up for Geoff's Gems at:
<http://www.garage.com/mailingLists.shtml>
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Date: Fri, 5 Mar 1999 02:05:16 -0800 From: The EvangeList Mailing List <evangelist@apple.com> Subject: Tidbit - Menagerie of Macs Issue #4
This tidbit is from:
Brad Harrison <mailto:MacManA9F4@aol.com>
Issue #4 of the Menagerie of Macs was sent out on February 23. It contained the Essential PowerBook User's Handbook, written by myself, as well a pair of articles by Janko Luin called, Why Mac Users Aren't Stiffnecked, and Have You Ever Tried Linux? A few other goddies were also included. To subscribe simply send a message to my at <MacManA9F4@aol.com>. If are subscrbied but haven't yet gotten your first issue please e-mail me. Back issues are available upon request.
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End of EvangeList Digest V1 #1386 *********************************
