[LfGrdMike]

Hopefully a review of what is currently shipping will clear up any questions that people may have about issues with the PB�s.

My 12-inch PowerBook has been a blessing. I love everything about it so far, and have noticed �no issues� for as far as I have had it. All of the Rev A issues I have noticed are fixed on the current shipping Rev A�s it appears. No sticky track pad, heat issues, sound pops, or any of the things I read about. My specs are in my signature.

As far as use goes I have found that it plays games very well. I have run: Starcraft. Jedi Knight II, SWGB, Ghost Recon. Myth II 1.42, Myst III Exile. I deleted some of these games now but all ran very well. I left Starcraft, SWGB, Ghost Recon, and JKII on the HD.

Photoshop seems to run well for me, but I don�t do a lot with it so I cant say much its version 7. I also have Office, which runs very well. On the iMac I had to turn off Quartz Text smoothing because of slow downs, and on the PowerBook I can leave it ON! I was very happy about that. I got the 86 dollar brenthaven laptop bag custom made for the 12 inch powerbook. Thanks to the help of people on these forums I picked up a Kingston security cable too. Being in college is like being in an airport my friend already got notebooks stolen the paper kind not the computer. So I need to keep my eyes open and never keep it out of site but the security cable will help a lot.

I also am going to pick up a pad lock later, and password protect screen effects for every 2 minutes, and put it to sleep every 3. Then use a password like this. Pick a line like �Neptune god of the Sea. Take the first letter of each word and make it upper case and lowercase. Then stick in some symbols �*%&%&�. SO I could use something like �Ng*O&tS� To remember it easily make a patter. Upper case lower case. This is practically impassable.

So far I am very happy with this powerbook. I plan on getting panther, and am impressed so far.

I am majoring in computer science, and I do a lot of PHP and MySQL when I�m not out with my friends or doing HW. I found that only using apples preview for PDFs was better because acrobat sucks that�s the only other thing. So I took acrobat off, and took faxSTF off too.

Couldn�t be any happier. I plan on saving up and getting flash maybe after panther but not for awhile.
Hope this helps someone with their decison.

Oh and the iPod is just awesome I don't even need to tell you how I love that. I already sent in for my rebate.

[bobpensik]

i have the same PB and i love it soo much!!

[PeterKG]

My 12-inch PowerBook has been a blessing. I love everything about it so far, and have noticed �no issues� for as far as I have had it. All of the Rev A issues I have noticed are fixed on the current shipping Rev A�s it appears. No sticky track pad, heat issues, sound pops, or any of the things I read about. My specs are in my signature.

So if you don't get the popping sound on your 12" then Apple must have found a fix. If the fix is not a software fix, then it must be a hardware fix that they should repair under warranty.

Can you and others with a later purchase of the 12" confirm you don't get the popping? I think even more then heat, the popping is a larger issue as it slows applications with sound, thus making the computer seem less then speedy.

[kennedy]

What popping sound? (I have had my PB12 for a couple weeks now... and I have no idea what you're talking about... so, I guess they fixed it.)

[PeterKG]

Originally posted by kennedy:
What popping sound? (I have had my PB12 for a couple weeks now... and I have no idea what you're talking about... so, I guess they fixed it.)

It happens in any application that has sound. For instance, in Mail. App if you get a mail notification with sound, there is a delay and then a popping of sound that occurs.

It's been widely known and discussed since they first were introduced. Most people were hoping for a firmware or software update to fix it.

[BkueKanoodle]

Sorry to dissappoint you, but many pasword cracking tools look for pattern recognition on symbols interspersed among a dictionary word.

Better yet is to think of an acronym, Like IAOTWM ( I Out of this World Man!) replace all vowels with numbers or symbols, and upper lower case every hard letter besides Vowels. Also make the punction in the sentence part of the actronym. Like this

I@0tWm!

Any password based on a dictionary word, even with extra symbols thrown in, make the odds of cracking it much higher.

[PeterKG]

Originally posted by BkueKanoodle:
Sorry to dissappoint you, but many pasword cracking tools look for pattern recognition on symbols interspersed among a dictionary word.

Better yet is to think of an acronym, Like IAOTWM ( I Out of this World Man!) replace all vowels with numbers or symbols, and upper lower case every hard letter besides Vowels. Also make the punction in the sentence part of the actronym. Like this

I@0tWm!

Any password based on a dictionary word, even with extra symbols thrown in, make the odds of cracking it much higher.

[bbales]

Originally posted by PeterKG:
It happens in any application that has sound. For instance, in Mail. App if you get a mail notification with sound, there is a delay and then a popping of sound that occurs.

It's been widely known and discussed since they first were introduced. Most people were hoping for a firmware or software update to fix it.

I have had my 12-in PB for 7 months now and have NEVER heard a popping noise. My biggest woe is that I've had 4 kernel panics -- no clue as to why. But this machine is never turned off and is used several hours a day. (Of course, I could say the same for my 400 MZ desktop, and I've only had two kernel panics in 18-plus months of using OSX.

Oh well. My point was that not everyone has the popping noise.

[kennedy]

Originally posted by PeterKG:
It happens in any application that has sound. For instance, in Mail. App if you get a mail notification with sound, there is a delay and then a popping of sound that occurs.

Interesting... I missed those discussions.
Fortunately, it has not happened with mine.
Since I've had it, I've had iTunes playing about 30% of the time, have a nice tone that goes off about once every 10-15 minutes from Mail, a different one from Lotus Notes, and I've never heard any pops... nor even a delay from iTunes... I've been real impressed with the multi-tasking and iTunes ability to play without missing a beat.

FWIW.

[LfGrdMike]

Like I said I don't get the popping noise at all, and i found out about it before I purchased teh machine on mac addict and was very concerned. I took a gamble, and got the 12 sense so many others liked it. I also figured it couldnt be that bad. So far no popping noise, and no rev a issues exist as I said in the first post. I did use a saying for my password but understand what you mean about patters. Still you would have to be desperate to get in. Even so UNIX is really secure.

If you got apple care perhaps you original buyers who have the problem should ask apple about it. I have no pop noise, and no one else here that has recently bought a 12 has it either. From the sounds of it.

[BkueKanoodle]

Originally posted by LfGrdMike:
Still you would have to be desperate to get in. Even so UNIX is really secure.

Unix/Linux/BSD is not "really secure". Take a look at bugtraq and you'll find the majority of the Exploits are for Linux/Unix OS. Yes they can be made very secure, but its inaccurate to assume just because your using a *nix derivative, your secure.

For example, check out this article:

http://www.globetechnology.com/servl...ry/Technology/

Even factoring in the blaster and sobig worm, this particular survey found more Linux attacks then Windows.

Of course this reflects the current market share of the server market pretty nicely. (Hence why BSD only makes up 2% of the attacks) but it proves my point.

And of course, if they crack your root password, the best most secure OS in the world won't help you, your already 0wned.

[LfGrdMike]

Well im not really worried. I mean they had a hackers contest going on a while back and i think a hacker recieived 15 points to break into a mac. 2 points to break into a windows machine. I understand no OS is perfectly secure, but you can be sure OSX is pretty damn secure. It would take effort for someone to break in. Even if it doesnt I am not really worried about it. Like I said restore CD

But, that was an intersting article. Also I find it hard to agree with you about linux because well linux servers are real popular. It also all depends on how its configured.

So all you hackers can kiss my

Thanks for the info though, it was interesting on a more serious note.

[BkueKanoodle]

Originally posted by LfGrdMike:

So all you hackers can kiss my

That sounds like an invitation to try out my new password cracker

[matija]

About the sound pops. They happen, when PB is on battery power and there was no sound in about 30 secs and thus, the sound system (or some part of it) turns itself off to conserve power. The pop happens before the sound is played, when the system turns on.
Strangely, the pop also happens when you have the speakers muted.

So, try this: unplug your 'book and after a minute of silence play something. And listen very carefully, because it will pop only once.

[kennedy]

Originally posted by matija:
So, try this: unplug your 'book and after a minute of silence play something. And listen very carefully, because it will pop only once.

And you guys consider it a problem? Something that you have to "listen very carefully" to hear?

Okay... I hear it in my very new PB12... I wouldn't call it a pop, though... maybe a faint click. Compared to the similar "power up" click that my subwoofers on my high-end home theater system, that is nothing... and so natural that I would have never thought anything of it.

Of course, now it'll probably start annoying me. Thanks, guys.

[LfGrdMike]

All check it out and let you know it a bit im on my iMac right now.

[PeterKG]

Originally posted by kennedy:
And you guys consider it a problem? Something that you have to "listen very carefully" to hear?

Okay... I hear it in my very new PB12... I wouldn't call it a pop, though... maybe a faint click. Compared to the similar "power up" click that my subwoofers on my high-end home theater system, that is nothing... and so natural that I would have never thought anything of it.

Of course, now it'll probably start annoying me. Thanks, guys.

The delay and sound pop happens before any sound happens. What I asked is if people with newer builds experience this? It may not bother you, but it does me and it also slows down the system. It is also something first buyers complained quite a bit about. Maybe not as much as about heat issues and warping.

[kennedy]

Originally posted by PeterKG:
The delay and sound pop happens before any sound happens.

Right, I get a little click before the real sound starts up.

What I asked is if people with newer builds experience this?

Hardware builds or software builds? I have a 2-week old PBook. But I am not running Panther.

It may not bother you, but it does me and it also slows down the system.

Slows down the system? This only happens when its waking up the sound system, right? So, other than an occasional bit of latency, it won't slow down the performance of the system at all. Are we talking about the same thing?

It is also something first buyers complained quite a bit about. Maybe not as much as about heat issues and warping.

Given it is described as a "pop", I suspect they've quieted it significantly. Mine makes a muted "click"... I don't think any would describe it as a "pop". Now my 18" subs... they make a good hearty "pop" when they first start receiving a signal.

HTH.

[PeterKG]

Hi Kennedy,

Yes it's a delay ending with a pop of sound. But it not only happens at start up, it happens whenever any sound is about to happen, such as an alert to new mail, or any other sound starting up. That is why I say is slows the system. If you are using anything with sound you get constant lag due to the pop of sound first occuring. When say "newer build" I meant hardaware as I am running 10.2.6.

It must have been corrected as no one here seems to know what I'm talking about. I swear I'm not crazy! I still love my 12" PB I'm just thinking if it's something Apple fixed then I want to send mine in for the fix, before my warranty is up.

[amazing]

BkueKanoodle:

If you go on to read the user comments on that article, you'll see some well-thought-out criticisms about the methodology of the purported study, and also some criticisms of the British security firm that seems to engage in sensationalist and dubious self-publicity. All in all, it seems to be a study that isn't worth the bytes it's published with.

Also, the bugtraq reports on linux don't impact OS X, so how it that a commentary on Jaguar security?

[BkueKanoodle]

Originally posted by amazing:
BkueKanoodle:

If you go on to read the user comments on that article, you'll see some well-thought-out criticisms about the methodology of the purported study, and also some criticisms of the British security firm that seems to engage in sensationalist and dubious self-publicity. All in all, it seems to be a study that isn't worth the bytes it's published with.

Also, the bugtraq reports on linux don't impact OS X, so how it that a commentary on Jaguar security?

I did read the criticisms, as well as the response from the slashdot crowd. (typical linux zealots) While I don't purport that Windows is more secure, or even that the methodology behind the report is spot on, (Statistics prove that 78% of all statisitcs are made up) It does point out that *nix variants are not as "secure" as the zealots would have you believe. Of course much like the Mac Crowd, Linux users have a tendency to attack any study which draws heat to their beloved system.

In addition many of the critiques are full of useless requests for statistics that aren't needed to evaluate the report. For example we already know what the market share for webservers on the internet are. Here:

http://www.coolheads.com/egov/combin.../s19/img3.html

Linux 67%
Windows 24%
Other THe rest

Knowing this, we can compare the original survey results and see that the numbers match very closely to the number of market share. This follows closely the argument from the Pro Microsoft crowd that the reason MS is attacked is because they are the market leader. And for years, linux backers have howled that that argument was fallacious. Recents events have proven them wrong. Of course this is the same argument that Mac'ers have made. I still challenge OS X to see how "secure" it is when it is on 90% of the market. That kind of indepth hacker attention can bring any OS to its knees

Now that Linux can no longer hide behind security through obscurity, it is natural that you would see more breakins as the market share increase. For years the Linux camp has claimed that they are more secure then windows, and now when they tires meet the road and they have the chance to prove it, they have failed.

Since its impossible to report on unreported breakins, somebody making assumptions and complaining how the report doesn't include unreported breakins is an idiot. The people doing the survey have to go on the numbers they get. It would be sensationalist and wrong to extroplate numbers out of thin air.

Furthermore many of the exploits on bugtraq are with 3rd party code, code which can be compiled and run on OS X. Thus it can leave the same vulnerabilies on any machine, even one running OS X.

This refering link was not meant as a statement that OS X, or Linux was not a suitable machine for a secure solution, but rather that the possibility does exist that Unix is not "real secure" as the previously mentioned.

If you rely on your OS to provide your security for you, your hosed. With the proper attention, prompt patching, administration and support, any OS can be made reasonably secure, even Windows, but it won't make you safe.

I should also point out with its increased complexity, and archane structures. *nix is an easier box to make unsecure through misconfiguration. This is probably the second leading cause of successful breakins, behind social engineering, which no OS in the world can protect you from.

I am not a MS apologist, I realize all OS's have their uses, and I find faults with them all. I use a Mac everyday at home. I use Windows and Linux at work. Someday, I will find the perfect OS that does it all for me. I really want that OS to be from Apple. But I have some high standards they would have to pass first.

Security is in your mindset, not your operating system.

[LfGrdMike]

Well I think you are either picky or yours makes a bigger pop then mine. Why its not even a pop I confirm what kennedy says. Its a VERY faint pop. I wouldn't of even known it existed if Kennedy didnt say to put your ear next to the speaker. In no way does it slow down performance. In no way does it bother me. To me its not even a problem.

[LfGrdMike]

The only way you could likely put a security hole on OSX is if you ran something that you didnt know what it was. You would be stupid to do this however. Therefore I cant agree with you about the security thing. OSX and Linux are more secure than windows. Sure some desperate dirt bag with nothing better too do might figure out how to get it, but not many would make such an effort. They would have to really have "no life". So I wouldnt worry about it. It also probably depends on the linux variant you use. Such as Red Hat, or Mandrake. During the hackers contest windows was the easiest to break in. If you could break into linux or UNIX you would have to apply effort and time. Not many would do that.

[BkueKanoodle]

Originally posted by LfGrdMike:
The only way you could likely put a security hole on OSX is if you ran something that you didnt know what it was You would be stupid to do this however. Therefore I cant agree with you about the security thing. OSX and Linux are more secure than windows. Sure some desperate dirt bag with nothing better too do might figure out how to get it, but not many would make such an effort. They would have to really have "no life". So I wouldnt worry about it. It also probably depends on the linux variant you use. Such as Red Hat, or Mandrake. During the hackers contest windows was the easiest to break in. If you could break into linux or UNIX you would have to apply effort and time. Not many would do that.

Not to continue an offtopic point. but heres goes:

Ah, security through obscurity. Thats a really dangerous mentallity to have. The more "37EET" a system, the more prestige in breaking it. The hackers contest was a joke intended to attract script kiddies. There a some very dangerous people out there, they don't want prestige, fame, or an easy to crack system, they want something with valuable data on it. And they don't want to be caught, so some hacker contest doesn't mean squat.

I suggest for a good security primer, you read

Maximum Security -Anonymous &
The Art of Deception- Kevin Mitnick

I think you'll begin to understand why security isn't about an OS. When you're responsible for millions of dollars worth of data, Security is something that wakes you up at night in a cold sweat. Its not something to be blase, about, and it definitely about which OS you run.

Even with personal machines, the amount of personal data people keep on their machines could ruin their life. Every OS has a hole, whether it been found yet is a different story. With enough time, and enough machines in the market it will be found eventually.

FUD, blanket statements, mistruths, misconceptions and outright
lies about Windows, Linux, or OS X has no place in that discussion.

Heres a site that discusses Mac OSX security,

http://www.securemac.com/macosxsecurity.php

Notice that their have been exploits in the past, further proff that their will continue to be exploits in the future.