Features

• Apple¿s powerful desktop management solution for Mac OS X
• Distribute software and remotely control and configure systems
• Offer real-time online help to end users
• Create detailed software and hardware reports
• VNC-compatible screen sharing, task lists, and more

Features

• Real-time motion graphics design software for easily creating motion graphics
• Behaviors technique for creating animation without complex keyframing
• Simple interface for unmatched onscreen interactivity and real-time feedback
• Combine text, graphic, and video elements for instant gratification
• Works with Final Cut Pro, DVD Studio Pro, Adobe Photoshop, and Adobe Illustrator

Features

• Super-modern operating system combining the strength of UNIX with the elegance of Macintosh
• Aqua user interface is intuitive for new users; has powerful features for professionals
• Innovative organizational features such as the Expos? and Finder
• Protected memory and advanced memory management increase system stability
• Designed with built-in best-of-class applications includeing Mail, Safari, and Internet Connect

Reviews (2)

Very Easy to Set Up
I found OS X Server 10.3 very easy to set up. Share points were easy to set up too. Print sharing was a bit confusing to set up, and only works with network PostScript printers. I had hoped to share my three inkjet printers too.

Definitely a great product.

Panther server - not as good as OSX 10.1.4 server!
Wow, as a user of OSX 10.1.4 server unlimited, I was fairly happy, I trusted Apple to improve things in Panther OSX 10.3.3 Server - oh what a dissapointment! In 10.1.4, the Server Admin is easy to figure out, easy to work with - and they RUINED it in Panther! Now I have a messy obtuse interdependent server admin thing - I can't believe it, there is no obvious way to set up share points! I read through the documentation, and it just doesn't work, probably I need to tweek some scripts on the command line - but hey, if I wanted to do this, I'd get a Windows server. I find OSX 10.1.4 server and Windows 2000 Pro server do a much better job of serving ) OS9.22 clients. Yes, with Panther server, I can see it in on my OS9.22 machine in the same subnet - it shows right up, when I connect it says "negotiating" for 20 seconds. This is with 1 client connected to a
fast machine with tons of ram doing just file sharing! Oh I might figure this
thing (Panther server) out - but if Apple wants me to spend $2,000 to $6,000 getting their training to use this, I'll spend that money getting a Windows 2000 Pro server going - that's no walk in the park, but at least I can figure it out without spending hundreds of hours studying or paying consultants. Sheesh. ... Read more

Features

• Plug in and go with your miniDV camcorder and FireWire
• Non-destructive, non-linear editing--the freedom to edit like a pro
• Transitions, filters, and effects with real-time previewing
• Advanced titling, including Boris Calligraphy
• In-canvas compositing with motion key frames

Reviews (1)

Digital Video Editing Becomes My Passion
Storyboard to Final Cut Express

Final Cut Express Storyboard gives me a visual look at my movie. I control-click the Final Cut Express browser and choose large icon new. Then, I drag the clips into the order that I want them to be played. Next, I click on the projectÕs tab in the Browser and save it. Finally, I save the entire project.

Now to add my new storyboard to Final Cut Express sequences. Draw a marquee around the Storyboard clips. Next, I drag the clips from my Final Cut Express Browser to my Timeline and save the project. To protect them, I can lock them to make sure that they cannot be modified. I can lock and unlock them with the F4 key for video tracks and the F5 key for audio tracks.

Working with Final Cut Express

Creating titles and credits with Express is important. The key is the Video Generator. You can create synthesized clips that you superimpose over your existing video clips in the Final Cut Express Timeline.

For good-looking titles, you can use san serif fonts such as Arial, Futura, Gill Sans, Helvetica and Impact. I have found using bold, red or blue 30 point fonts effective for my titles.

You need to watch for the 20 percent factor. The 'Title Save Boundary' is 20 percent smaller than your television screen. To see the boundaries in Final Cut Express, go to View then to Show Title. Best to keep your titles within the safe zone.

Final Cut Express allows you to create rolling credits like the credits at the end of a movie. You can set the duration of your video clips plus set the in and out points for speed of the text and scrolls.

Pro Reaction

Final Cut Express is wonderful for making storyboards, titles, transitions and effects using software digital tools. Final Cut Express 2 supports up to 99 video and audio tracks. Express has various editing tools from Ripple editing, Razor Blade Tool, Pen Tool to Slip and Slide editing.

Express allows you to import iMovie projects. You can also import your Final Cut Express project to iDVD complete with special chapter marker. Express comes with an excellent hardcopy paper manual for learning how to use Final Cut Express 2. The manual is easy to follow without computer jargon.

Con Reaction

You have to work at learning how to use the Final Cut Express application. You have to spend the time to read and work with the Final Cut Express manual.

You cannot capture DV across time-code breaks. You cannot import your Final Cut Express project to iMovie or QuickTime with chapter markers and comments.

Final Remarks

Express is better than iMovie applications and gives you professional storyboard, title and video effects. ... Read more

Features

• Apple¿s powerful desktop management solution for Mac OS X
• Distribute software and remotely control and configure systems
• Offer real-time online help to end users
• Create detailed software and hardware reports
• VNC-compatible screen sharing, task lists, and more

Features

• Versatile, resolution-independent, professional, digital-effects compositing software
• Quality transformations and tracking tools; shape-based morphing and warping
• Timing controls for speeding up, slowing down, or syncing a clip
• Masking and rotoscoping; paint tool; color-correction tools
• Integrated Primatte and Keylight keyers for high-quality results

Amazon.com Review

For all the budding Spielbergs and Lynches out there, Apple’s Final Cut Express is a great first foray into the world of movie magic. Even if you’re only looking to polish up your vacation videos, Final Cut Express offers easy-to-use controls and an open workspace that welcomes all abilities.

In a nutshell, Final Cut Express is a pared-down version of the popular Final Cut. The technology behind both packages is the same, so you can count on high quality output. But you, as the average user, won’t be burdened by the more technically robust features. In fact, while we were editing, we couldn’t think of a feature that we wished was included in Final Cut Express--this package allowed for plenty of different ways to modify your video, including audio effects, filters (like sepia, black and white, opacity, brightness, color control), and transitions (such as fade, wipe, and so on).

We started by viewing Apple’s online help videos to learn the lingo of compositing, transitions, and ripples and rolls. These serve as an invaluable introduction to the package, especially since the package does not include a Help menu.

Setting up Final Cut Express is a breeze, with or without a camera in place. And getting going is easy too. If you’re familiar with other software packages that use layers, you’ll easily transition into the layers (both audio and video) that Final Cut Express uses. If not, it’s easy to learn. You can layer up to 99 clips of video together in the timeline to get just the right effect. Our favorite feature of Final Cut Express is the ability to import not only still images and a range of video, but also Photoshop documents. When importing files from Photoshop, Final Cut Express retains all of the layers, meaning you can animate your presentation’s titles and graphical elements easily. The package’s animation capabilities let you really get some creative results out of your project: you can create an audio-accompanied slideshow, animate your title work, or even create a picture-in-picture effect, just to name a few. --Emilie Herbst ... Read more

Features

• This powerful, flexible Digital Video (DV) features a complete toolset for editing, compositing and real-time effects
• Create your own digital film sequences by inserting, overwriting, or replacing clips -- drag them directly into the canvas or timeline
• Precision tools and techniques allow you to work wonders -- use tools like slip, slide, ripple, roll, split and extend
• Draw from a library of hundreds of different special effects- transitions, filters and effects, all rendered in real-time
• Integrated titling creates flowing text effects across the screen, with filters, effects and compositing

Reviews (6)

Finally updated -- addendum to my previous review
Okay, Apple finally updated FCE, and after downloading the patch, FCE now will do what it is supposed to do without crashing. A few of the controls still are not quite up to the "pro" standard -- which is mildly annoying, given that the promotion for the software was that it was "just like Final Cut Pro except that you are limited to DV editing." However, it is now more than adequate for even advanced amateurs and its compositing and slow-motion capability are outstanding. 99% of users will never push it as far as I do, and I recently did an 8-layer composite with greenscreen, three layers of pyro effects, filters and motion on every layer and slow-motion applied. Came out great and didn't crash once. I only wish they had updated it earlier.

I had real problems
Okay, maybe I'm pushing the limits of Final Cut Express doing 5-layer composites, but I routinely crash the program so badly on my 800mhz iMac that the program actually won't boot again until I throw away the User Preferences file. It also crashes if I try to adjust "Brightness and Contrast" and export the file as an AVI. Be warned -- it's better than iMovie but it does NOT have all the features of Final Cut Pro -- not even close. The motion commands are crippled and the software itself has yet to be updated, which indicates that Apple isn't making this a priority. I've tested FCP and found it has none of these problems, so I expect I'll have to upgrade.

Great intro into pro editing...
Believe it or not I purchased FCP 3.0 a year ago as well as several books and cdRom based tutorials, but never really caught on to Apple's way of editing. The migration I made over from PC based Media Studio pro and Rex Edit proved difficult for me. That said I recently purchased a new PowerBook and took advantage of a $99 promotional buy of FCE. With nothing to lose I have found the intro to Fianl Cut Pro within Final Cut Express very encouraging.

This software along with PeachPit Press's Final Cut Express Quick Start have proven to be a great combination and easily understandable introduction to a very Pro based Tool. And, don't just look at FCE as a temporary editing solution until you spend the $1000 for FCP4, but even as a full featured set editing app all by itself.

With the exception of Studio's and individuals requiring professional level editng and capabilities intended for commercial and theatrical releases etc... FCE should prove to be money well spent at either$299, $249 and for sure $99
dollars!

NEF

Fabulous
This is a great software if u are inbetween iMovie and Final Cut Pro but you are worried about price. Great title and effects editing. Overall a smart purchase for a smart product

Powerful, intuitive, and easy to get started
I bought a copy of Final Cut Express to edit a short film that I had shot on MiniDV. My previous experience was with Adobe's Premiere which I used without any formal training to my unfortunate frustration. These are some of my observations after finishing my first rough cut with Final Cut Express.

Final Cut Express 1.0.0 had a scary "unexpectedly quit" error that had me simultaneously sweating and squirming. There's a temporary work-around and it's fixable with a downloaded patch (1.0.1) from the Apple Support website.

Rendering clips happened quickly enough on my 700MHz G3 iBook.

I've found Final Cut Express to be very easy to use and control. The controls are simple to use and understand. The main thing is that, unlike with Premiere, I didn't become immediately frustrated with it. I'm positive that Premiere was simply "too professional" a package for me to handle. I'm sure that on the right system and with the right training it is an excellent product. For me right now, I just need a step up from iMovie.

According to the manual all the controls and instructions are applicable to the Final Cut Pro interface. Final Cut Express appears to be a good training ground for those who eventually will migrate to the Final Cut Pro. The documentation also says that Final Cut Express projects can be opened in Final Cut Pro, though Final Cut Express cannot open Final Cut Pro projects.

I still haven't scratched the surface of the capabilities of the package. The manual on the CD-ROM is a 600+ page .pdf file that covers not only the technical procedures for performing video and audio tasks, but also provides some advice and hints that you should keep in mind during shooting to make the post-production steps easier. ... Read more

Features

• Comprehensive set of music creation tools
• Combines composition, notation, and audio production facilities
• Total-recall mixing and automation; plug-in processing
• Hundreds of customizable key commands
• Ideal for film, TV, and video post-production facilities

Features

• Super-modern operating system combining the strength of UNIX with the elegance of Macintosh
• Aqua user interface is intuitive for new users; has powerful features for professionals
• Innovative organizational features such as the Expos? and Finder
• Protected memory and advanced memory management increase system stability
• Designed with built-in best-of-class applications includeing Mail, Safari, and Internet Connect

Features

• Video editing tool for editing and finishing in SD and HD formats
• Native DVCPRO HD editing of broadcast-quality HD 720p and at 1080i
• RT Extreme with HD real-time multi-stream effects and transitions
• Digital Cinema Desktop for easy HD previewing
• Creative, professional, and extensible; easy-to-use

Reviews (2)

Tron, and on and on!
Get this game if you know any of the following: (a) what a lightcycle is? (b) who the MCP was? (c) why 1982 was a great year for Disney?

Back in 1982, the original movie Tron was an incredible change in how computer animation and live motion video merged. It was an introduction into the world of the microprocessor ... a world geeks like me just knew really existed! (OK, the cat's out of the bag ... I am a Tron geek, and I just had to get my hands on this edition of the video game, newly released for the Macintosh.)

One the other hand, as big a geek as I am, I am not really much of a gamer. After I had downloaded the Jedi Knight: Jedi Academy demo, it wasn't ten minutes before I had accidently killed Chewebacca with my lightsaber. I'm fairly sure that my karma, along with my force-self, is permanently damaged. As usual, I digress ... back to the game.

Tron 2.0 opens twenty years (surprise!) after the original. Your role, as Jet Bradley, the son of Adam Bradley (once again played by Jeff Bridges), is defined by the fact that your father has disappeared, his prize computer system is under a mysterious attack, and you've been transported into the virtual world of the microprocessor, a world where software programs are the characters populating the scene.

Immediately, I was in love. I felt like I was deeply and thoroughly immersed into the game.

After a brief introduction, I was pleased to find a nice training field which helped me learn to control actions via keystrokes and mouse movements (you can play the game with a track-pad, but I didn't have any luck with controlling fine movements that way.)

The story was fun, with a nice sound track and voice quality.

Plus, actually playing with the lightcycles was really, really fun.

I needed to keep the guidebook out, and periodically pause the game to collect and plan out how I wanted to move and interact with the game. I didn't find this much of a burden, but it wasn't entirely routinely obvious to me what I was supposed to "do" next.

One thing I liked, unlike some games which allow the main character to obtain a limitless supply of tools and devices, Tron 2.0 requires the player to plan out what things to add, and what to let go (much like really programs, bogged down by too much stuff or insufficient resources, the character is challenged to routinely upgrade in order to succeed.)

While the game allows interaction over the net for gameplay, I didn't actually connect with anyone and try this. But as a single player action game, I was more than suitably impressed.

I'm off on vacation now, where I'll introduce my young nephew to the movie Tron and to the game Tron 2.0; he is very good at games, and I imagine he'll be showing me a thing or two within just a few days.

Tron 2.0
Tron 2.0 (for mac) makes you feel like you are back in the 80s, back when you first watched the movie, now you can play the game, you feel like you are actually in the game and running around and saving people.
simply,
this game rocks ... Read more

Amazon.com Product Description

Final Cut Pro 3.0 is professional, nonlinear editing software that lets you work in a range of professional editing formats--from digital video to Standard Definition and High Definition--within the same application. Final Cut Pro 3.0 also allows you to work in different modes, such as editing, effects, and trimming modes. With its G4 real-time effects, you won't need PCI hardware to preview transitions and effects in real time. And now it's available for Apple's most advanced operating system, Mac OS X.

Final Cut Pro 3.0 features a new voice-over tool that works with the microphone built into your PowerBook G4, so you can capture audio directly to the timeline for quick scratch tracks and voice-over work right in the field. You also get a new set of color-correction tools--including primary and secondary color correctors, range checking, zebra-stripe overlays, and waveform and vectorscope monitors--as well as precise controls to ensure broadcast-legal video levels.

Final Cut Pro 3.0 includes the new Autosave Vault, which saves and time-stamps projects at intervals you specify--allowing you to easily return to previous stages of your project. Plus, Final Cut Pro 3.0 features productive editing tools in a mode-free interface that provides three-point editing, JKL keyboard navigation, match frame, extend and split edit functions, multiple and nested timeline project support, and timecode overlays. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

If you aren't Copalla, you may be in over your head
Although this program has an astounding number of features, it also has an astoundingly high learning curve. Unless you are planning on shooting an actuall short or full length film, it is too much software. It is definitely not for the amature weekend videographer, and is best left for the pros. I use it only because my job requires it (courtroom tech support). Final Cut Express is somewhere between iMovie and FCP, and one fourth of the cost. Check out the reviews for that product. It is far less hassle and has almost as many features and capabilities.

Good for people with unlimited budgets who like Macs
Widely recognized as one of the best professional video editing programs currently available, but at [$$$] for the software and several thousand for the Mac-only hardware required to run it to full potential it's not even an option for most computer users. Meanwhile, there is an increasingly dizzying array of powerful and affordable editing solutions available for Windows-based PCs, so unless you already have a Mac it would make sense to investigate those options before considering FCP. For example, check out the latest offerings from Ulead, Vegas Video, Pinnacle, Matrox, Avid and Canopus before concluding that FCP is the only game in town. Personally I use the Canopus DVStorm2 and have found it to be an amazing tool; I had a chance to play with FCP and didn't see a compelling reason to switch.

Lost for words...
This software, in one word, is AMAZING.
I spent many hours using iMovie, and wanted to do more interesting things with my movies. I decided to buy Final Cut Pro 3, and I fell in love with it. I can layer tracks on top of tracks, slice tracks in to parts, create sophisticated transitions and effects, etc...

With a Mac, Final Cut Pro 3, and a DV camera, you can really make your own movie, literally... All this costs the consumer around three grand, this is a steal.

The possibilities are endless, let's say you want to transform a person's face, maybe blur it out, or highlight it, you can do this with FCP, and it is easy.

Powerhouse in a package
For a grand you get an editing system that works, an effects compositor which is absolutley *great* for DV material and can also hold its own with After effects once you upgrade the hardware. Incredible growth tool. I've used it for three years and I'm *still* learning cool things about it.

This was the tool that inspired the very first Final Cut Pro KeyGuide™ -- now bundled with Tom Wolsky's Final Cut Pro 3 Editing Workshop, available here on Amazon. Get this, get that, and get a going career!

Amazingly Well Done
I use this software in my school for a Video Production class. It is amazingly easy to use, yet creates amazingly complex and well made films. I wouldn't recommend trying to use it on an I-mac though. I would suggest using a G4 to properly use this software. There are a few minor faults in the editing area. For one thing it is almost impossible to input extra footage into an almost finished video. Nevertheless, it is a great program. The effects are amazing. If you don't have a digital camera to use with your computer you will need to get a VCR and a converter. If you have the cash to buy this software and have some fun with it I would definitely suggest getting it. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Despite the Hype, FCP 4 is a Step Down for Many Power Users
Unfortunately, several time-saving, creativity-enhancing features that I was accoustomed to in FCP 3 were removed for FCP 4. Functional draft renders, my favorite (albeit flawed) feature from FCP 3 no longer exist. This is quite an area of debate, but experienced editors should see why the new (largely useless) rendering system is far inferior to the previous one. The life-saving Shift-F function is also gone, the new "automatic" capturing system makes file management horribly inconvenient, and the online help file has been replaced with a cumbersome .pdf document. Support for Adobe Photoshop files is still poorly implemented. The bundled LiveType program is also much more awkward to use than one might expect from how it's been marketed. (LiveType is not an integrated extension of FCP, but a completely separate--and SLOW--application.) At this point, I feel I am a less efficient editor for having made this upgrade. Why Apple could not build on what they had instead of dropping helpful features is beyond me.

Regardless of what you hear...
I have been editing for 20 years. FCP on a Dual 2.0 Ghz G5 is the best editing solution for the money I have ever seen. It blows away the $75k+ systems that I have used for less than a tenth of the price. FCP at less than $1,000 and a G5 at $$$$$$$ is all you need other than a camera. You can make broadcast quality video with this simple setup. $$$$$$$ for computer and software plus $$$$$$ for a camera that will hold up to a $$$$$$$Betacam... give me a break!!

Don¿t waste your money
Apple is quickly loosing market share to Avid and vegas ,and this is a quickly produced solution. Final cut follows with the standard Apple policy of falling several years behind the competition and then jumping 6 months ahead only to fall behind with no upgrades for years. After spending several weeks using this program I have gone back to Avid

My recommendation is to stay away from final cut and all apple products. For the same price as this you could buy a PC and Vegas 4.0

Sorry but it's got more bugs than FCP 3.04
It's true, it has more new features and is a world beater as
far as other editing apps BUT FCP 3.0 is still the biggest
bang for buck simply because it has fewer bugs. While I
believe FCP 4.0 is probably two to three thousand dollars
worth of software combined in one package....it still needs
work. If you are running anything lower than OS X 10.2.5
you will also need to upgrade the OS and Quicktime as well.
My advice is: if you do not own FCP 3.0 then go ahead and
purchase FCP 4.0 because you'll be able to upgrade as soon
as Apple puts out 4.x etc. If you have FCP 3.0 then you might
want to wait until 4.x hits the shelves (assuming it does as
opposed to being a download). As an active editor I am forced
to wait rather than causing a lot of back-ups to safeguard
client's files. Regardless of all this, FCP is still King of Cuts.
For more information cruise the FCP forums and discussion
lists.

THE BEST OF THE BEST
Final cut pro 4.0 adds a lot of useful features that the version 3 didnt have. This includes soundtrack (create ur own music for royalty free use) and a new title maker that adds animations to your titles. With this a new compression program to make your movies for DVD and a lot of bug fixes from version 3, why would u want any other editing program. I know $1000 sounds a lot, but if you have the cash, this program is better than anything else, that includes those $15,000+ editing workstations as well. Simply put= THE BEST MONEY CAN BUY ... Read more

Features

• Add-on music content package for GarageBand music creation software
• Triples the music content for musicians and aspiring musicians alike
• Over 2,000 additional loops including many for hip-hop and electronica
• Over 100 additional software instruments
• Over 100 additional pro-quality effects presets and 15 additional guitar amps

Reviews (1)

Splendid add on for a splendid program
What can you do with GarageBand? Better question: What can't you do? GarageBand is the answer to the amateur and not-so-amateur musician's prayers. Not only is it the easiest mulitrack recorder I've ever used (and I've used a bunch), it is the best drum machine out there--bar none. That is, provided you have enough drum loops to get you started. And that is reason enough to buy the Jam Pack. It adds a host of new percussion loops. It also adds new instruments (both loops and instruments you can play from any USB or MIDI keyboard).

Can't rave enough. ... Read more

Amazon.com Product Description

HyperCard 2.4 is a powerful development tool created by Apple for theMacintosh. Notable for its versatility, HyperCard is a dynamic tool for creating custom software solutions for users at all levels of skill and experience. HyperCard features like navigation, hypertext, media integration, and scripting have greatly influenced the evolution of the World Wide Web. HyperCard organizes information into easy-to-use "stacks" of cards through which users can navigate and search for the information they need. By simply clicking on a button, they can view related text, see a graphic, hear a sound, watch a QuickTime movie, or listen to text out loud.

HyperCard 2.4's new features include a suite of new commands and properties allowing users that write HyperTalk scripts to have unprecedented access to QuickTime functionality. HyperCard 2.4 has the ability, via a HyperTalk script, to loop a movie providing continuous play for unattended applications like multimedia kiosks. With QuickTime's ability to synchronize a text version of a movie's script with the movie, HyperCard 2.4 now allows the user to immediately navigate to any point in the QuickTime movie text using a simple find command. In addition, HyperCard users can also resize, flip, mirror, rotate, or skew a QuickTime movie. HyperCard allows developers to create new interactive applications for the classroom, for entertainment, or wherever the need for multimedia presentations exists. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

The MOST intuitive of all creative solutions!
I started with Hypercard 1.0 when it was bundled free with the first mac computers. I kept updating it until I felt that I had to move on and learn some of the new programs like LiveMotion. Still I kept going back to Hypercard to work on various ideas. I had written some of my own scripts -- some of them amazingly complex and nothing else could suit my needs. Other people have not been able to explain why Hypercard is so wonderful and I can't either -- all I know is that it is the MOST intuitive of all creative solutions! There is nothing like it! I wish the original Hypercard designers would read some of these reviews and begin updating it again by popular demand. But never mind, Hypercard 2.4 is exceedingly powerful.

HyperCard: The "Swiss Army Knife" Nobody Knows
   HyperCard is an application unlike most others. What it does is, it lets you build your own tools. For your own purposes. The way you want them to work. It wouldn't be inappropriate to compare HyperCard to MS Visual Basic, because both of them *do* pretty much the same thing; the difference is *how* they do it.
   Visual Basic veils its power behind cryptic dialog boxes and unforgiving syntax; HyperCard goes out of its way to make its power *accessible* to the user, with a minimum of fuss and bother. With Visual Basic, you're pretty much *required* to muck around with a semi-arcane programming language if you want to get *anything* done; with HyperCard, the English-like language (HyperTalk) is something you can *choose* to delve into when you decide you want to do *more* than you were already doing.
   Here's a concrete example of the HyperTalk languge; a "handler" (mini-program) which lets you move something around by clicking and dragging.

  on mouseDown
    repeat until the mouse is up
      set the location of me to the mouseLoc
    end repeat
  end mouseDown

   As I said, HyperTalk is rather English-like. If you can figure out how and why this handler does its thing, congratulations -- you're ready to start "rolling your own" with HyperCard! Bad news: Sadly, Apple Computer has never really known what to do with HyperCard, and has never made any serious attempts to publicize nor sell (nor even support) the program. Good news: Feed the keyword "hypercard" into google.com (or whatever other search engine you prefer), and you'll find any number of links to the community of HyperCard users.
   Q: So after all that, what can you do with HyperCard?
   A: What do you *want* to do with HyperCard? People have used it to build games (most notably Myst), educational software, personal information managers, utilities, multimedia presentations, productivity applications, and God only knows what else.
   HyperCard. It might just have a place on *your* hard drive.

Software Erector set - easy to use, powerful results
This is a great piece of software for many uses:

- learning fundamentals of programming

- creating your own custom software

- developing applications for profit

Very easy to learn:

- You can create simple software without writing any code

- The scripting language built-in is very powerful and also very intuitive (the syntax is very english-like)

- All of the objects and code are re-usable so you can repurpose works you have made and share (or borrow) from others

Polished, and powerful features:

- Integrate color graphics, sound, and quicktime movies (Myst was created with HyperCard)

- Control other software and share data

- Extend the language with a wide range of external commands and functions

Oh, HyperCard!
Oh, HyperCard! Alas, HyperCard! Poor, misunderstood, underappreciated HyperCard. It's a floor polish. It's a salad dressing. It's...(SNAP!) oops, sorry. Got a bit carried away there.

How to describe HyperCard is a problem which has perplexed better minds than mine. Suffice to say that if you're looking for a better way to create specialized applications for your Macintosh, you could do worse than to try HyperCard, Apple's amazing "Software Construction Kit". At first glance, HyperCard is a remarkably flexible database manager built on the "index card" metaphor. But with the judicious use of HyperTalk, HyperCard's built in scripting language, it's much more. Using myself as an example, with little prior programming experience I put together a simple but elegant application which I use to track and sort qualifying results and starting lineups for my local Speedway, and I'm currently working on an animated game to help teach my five year old son how to draw his letters. Others have done much more, and plenty of examples can be found all over the Internet. Most of these "stacks" you can use for free; such is the HyperCard developers' ethic.

Yes, HyperCard does have its limitations. Its color tools are somewhat lacking, and its last significant update was quite some time ago. Reports would have it officially "dead" as far as Apple is concerned, which for all intents and purposes means no further development. And while HyperTalk is rather intuitive, it is still a programming language with at least a slight learning curve. And programming can be WORK. Intellectually challenging, yes, but work nonetheless.

But so what? If you use only the stacks that come with it, you'll get your money's worth from HyperCard. And I suspect you'll do more, lots more. Its capabilities as a multimedia presentation tool should be more than obvious, and consider that the fabulous "Myst" was created using HyperCard. You'll likely find a use for it in most every portion of your computer life. And when you do, you'll question as so many already have how such a far-sighted company such as Apple could ever neglect such a useful, powerful, and--let's face it--inexpensive tool such as HyperCard. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Secret Goodness!
WebObjects is a framework for deploying database-driven webpages and services. While it does not have the same exposure as ColdFusion, ASP, PHP, etc etc, it is a very strong competitor. I came to it from a PHP and MySQL background, and while it took a couple of weeks to get to grips with the WebObjects outlook, it is now a total joy to work with.

The main thing about WebObjects that seperates it from the rest is the fact that it is an object-oriented system. Once you have the objects set up, you very rarely have to interact with the database at all, as the framework deals with all of the sql calls. Indeed, because of this fact, the database itself is totally removed from the logic, and so a vast range of databases can be used interchangeably: MySQL, OpenBase, Oracle, and any JDBC database. And relational databases are even easier, suprisingly enough, especially when compared to how difficult relationships are to follow with PHP.

Everyone working with any high-traffic databse-driven website should at the least check this out. I did, and now I'm a total convert. There is a free 30-day trial available at the apple website.

What Apple Doesn't Tell You.
One of WebObjects best kept secrets is the EOModeler. The EOModeler allows you to design a database, create entity relationships [including foreign keys], encapsulate business logic in WO rules and stored procedures, and then generate/update your database from the model. All of this is done from within an Apple quality GUI, and it explicity supports OpenBase, Oracle, MSSQL Server, MySQL and Sybase [but it should work with any JDBC driver or JNDI driver].

Furthermore, you can then automatically generate an entire Java client application from this model. AND, you can reverse engineer a model and application from an existing database.

Outside of that, the Apple review tells you what you need to know [aside from the fact that the WebObjects server supports load balancing and remote application server access]. This is a fantastic product. Believe the hype! ... Read more

Amazon.com Product Description

Mac OS X Server is a UNIX-based operating system designed for superior performance and reliability. This robust foundation provides advanced computing and networking capabilities such as preemptive multitasking, symmetric multiprocessing, and support for IPv6 and IPsec. Mac OS X Server features a server-optimized implementation of Java 2 and the latest in Web services and security standards. Cutting-edge remote-management tools allow you to securely manage and monitor your services from anywhere on the network, or even over the Internet.

Built on open standards, Mac OS X Server is a model citizen in a multiplatform world. It uses native protocols to enable Mac, Windows, and UNIX clients to share files and printers. Apple's new Open Directory architecture offers centralized management of network resources using LDAPv3 directory services. Mac OS X Server also supports NFS resharing over AFP, giving Mac clients easy access to enterprise storage with improved security.

Mac OS X Server 10.2 features revolutionary new tools that simplify the administration and support of Mac OS X systems. Workgroup Manager provides directory-based management of users, groups, and computers, allowing you to manage organizational resources more efficiently. You can set user and group preferences, control access to network resources, and standardize desktop environments. Workgroup Manager works with any LDAPv3 directory server, enabling you to leverage your existing network infrastructure. ... Read more

Amazon.com Product Description

AppleWorks 6.2.2 is optimized for OS X and features six applications for your core tasks: word processing, page layout, image editing, spreadsheets, databases, and presentations. This version of AppleWorks opens and saves Microsoft Word and Excel files using DataViz translators, and converts your documents to PDF using Print Preview in Mac OS X. You can add text, images, sounds, movies, spreadsheets, charts, and tables to any document by dragging and dropping. For presentations, you can include titles, captions, pictures, music, and video, sort your slides using drag-and-drop, and prepare speaker's notes for each slide. You can also use an assistant or template to get a head start on your document, and tap into an expanding library of Internet-based templates. There are over 50 fonts to choose from. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Time, time, time
It's incompatible with my MacLinkPlus; everything must become Appleworks 5 before it can then be translated into AW6 and the same thing works in reverse. I can't cut & past text from my old fave WordPerfect for Mac. And it's the slowest somemabitch, at least in iMac X+, that I've ever had the impatience to work with. Spinning wheel: working, working, working, all right already: finish working! It's basically sound, but I can't call up the usually codes to see what is really going on, as I could with WordPerfect. Its translation to html is a nice attempt but full of hesitancies, mistranslations, & that goddamned eternal spinning wheel: processeing, processing. I really think I *could* like this word process if they fixed up the speed, efficiency, & translatability, & added the "seeing within" features I like. [I had hoped WordPerfect would make something for Mac X+, but they say no.]

Appleworks-Small package, Big Punch
Appleworks 6.2 has all the features of Microsoft Office and more.For only $80.00 it is less than half the price of Office and since it is from Apple it is designed just for your computer. ... Read more

Product Description

Mac Os 9.2.2 Upgrade Cd ... Read more

Features

• Update To The Last Version Of OS 9
• Must have OS 9.1
• Save A Several Hour Download
• Genuine Apple CD ROM

Product Description

A new point of view The world's most elegant user interface just got easier. A completely new Finder provides a vastly improved view of the system, with one-click access to your favorite files and folders, whether on your hard drive, iDisk, network servers or removable media. On top of that, Panther returns search results as you type in queries to find your stuff, refining the list as you narrow options. Sure you could quantify that as up to six times faster than Jaguar, but you'll probably think Panther's done almost before you stop typing. It's just that fast. Compare that to finding files on a Windows-based machine and, well, there's simply no comparison. DVD 2 Contains Apple iApps (iMovie, iPhoto, iTunes, etc.) Must have a DVD drive to install. ... Read more

Features

• Finder - Find everything you need just a click away.
• Exposé - Quickly tile open windows and reveal files on your desktop.
• iChat AV - # Talk face-to-face over the Internet with top-notch video.
• FileVault - Secure your documents with AES-128 encryption.
• Fast User Switching - Change users without logging out of your applications.