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By Bob LeVitus
It didn’t take long; earlier this week Apple released
Mac OS X Update 10.3.1, which
can be downloaded (http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=120271)
or installed via the Software Update System Preference pane.
According to the accompanying tech note, this update “delivers
enhanced functionality and improved reliability for the
following applications, services and technologies: FileVault,
Printing, WebDav, and FireWire 800 drives. This update also
includes the latest Security Updates.”
I installed the update two days ago and have not had any
issues since. Of course I wasn’t having any issues
before the update, so you can take that with however many
grains of salt you like.
Apple still recommends you update the firmware of FireWire
drives before installing Panther and so do I. The best thing
to do is check with your FireWire drive’s maker—they’ll
be able to tell you if an update is needed or recommended
for your particular drive.
Finally, I’m still leery of FileVault,
even though the 10.3.1 update is supposed to fix it, I’m
still not ready to commit the contents of my Home directory
to encryption just yet.
I hate to sound like a broken record but my experience with
Panther has been superb. None of the reported issues have
bitten me and I have had fewer applications quit unexpectedly,
fewer occasions to log out or restart, and fewer headaches
overall since my upgrade.
And it’s not just me. I hear it all the time from
other early adopters. One guy on a list I subscribe to said
Panther is “by far the best OS I’ve ever used.
I’m actually astonished it’s so good.”
He noticed the speed improvements as well, saying, “all
operations seem to be twice as fast as before.”
But enough about Panther—I want
to introduce you to Inspiration, a unique program
that helps you brainstorm, develop ideas, organize, outline,
diagram, and much more.
The multi-award winning Inspiration has been around as long
as I can remember and at its heart it’s still the
same program, offering a combination of outline processing
and diagramming, coupled with the ability to switch between
the linear outline view and free-form diagram view instantly.
Inspiration is as easy to use as ever, but the latest iteration,
version 7.5, has an updated, uncluttered interface that
invites experimentation. Other new features include integrated
notes, hyper-linking to any file or web site, audio support,
and my very favorite—one-click instant transfer of
your document to Microsoft Word or AppleWorks with all formatting
intact.
As always, Inspiration comes stocked with 50+ useful templates
in areas such as Language Arts (Fiction Writing, Textual
Analysis, Biographical Essay, etc.), Social Studies (Conflict
Resolution, Effect of Event, Article Comparison, etc.),
Science (Experiment Design, Lab Report, Hypothesis Proof,
etc.), Planning (Goal Setting, Lesson Plan, Resume, etc.),
and Thinking Skills (Idea Map, Problem Solution, Venn Diagram,
Areas of Influence, etc.). I love them and rarely start
a project without one (thus avoiding the dreaded, “staring
at a blank page” syndrome).
Almost everything I write starts with Inspiration. First
I select an appropriate template. Next I use RapidFire mode
(in diagram view) to spew multiple ideas and topics onto
the screen, then I drag the items around hoping to organize
them visually by linking related items and forming logical
relationships between ideas. After this I switch to outline
view and organize my ideas, thoughts, and notes into something
more cohesive and linear. Finally, I use the “Trasnfer
to Word Processor” command and polish the piece in
Microsoft Word.
When it comes to organizing my thoughts, nothing inspires
me like Inspiration.
Inspiration. 7.5. S.R.P.
$69.
Inspiration Software, Inc., Portland, Oregon.
800-877-4292 or 503-297-3004.
Bob LeVitus
is a leading authority on Mac OS and the author of 41 books,
including The
Little iTunes Book and
Mac OS X for Dummies, 2nd Edition. E-mail comments to
doctormac@boblevitus.com.
Copyright © 2003 Bob LeVitus
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