Putting Vista in the fast lane | CNET News.com

Putting Vista in the fast lane
Published: August 8, 2005, 4:00 AM PDT
By Ina Fried
Staff Writer, CNET News.com

Microsoft hopes to tackle an age-old problem with the next version of Windows: How to keep PCs running like new.
With Vista, the new client version of Windows due next year, Microsoft is addressing what’s become a sad truth for most people: PCs run more slowly over time.

Vista will automatically de-fragment hard disks, make better use of memory to more quickly load programs, and include a new performance control panel that will identify performance bottlenecks, according to the company.

The goal is to keep PCs running like new long after they’re purchased. “Certainly a year after a user gets a Vista system, if they do the sort of standard things we encourage users to do (install Windows updates, etc.), it should run the same as when they initially got it, said Gabriel Aul, a group program manager in Microsoft’s Windows division.
If your PC is like most, it was at its optimal performance the day you turned it on and has slowed down ever since. It’s not your imagination, either, nor is it the phenomenon that occurs on crowded freeways in which it seems everyone else is going faster.

Macromedia – Press Room : Macromedia Announces Fireworks 8

MACROMEDIA ANNOUNCES STUDIO 8
New suite offers advanced design, development, and maintenance tools from desktop to mobile

San Francisco, CA – August 8, 2005 – Macromedia, Inc. (Nasdaq: MACR) today announced Macromedia Studio 8, the essential suite for web designers, developers, video professionals, and graphic artists to design, develop, and maintain interactive online experiences. Combining the latest releases of award-winning Macromedia Dreamweaver, Macromedia Flash Professional, and Macromedia Fireworks, and key productivity tools Macromedia Contribute and Macromedia FlashPaper, Studio 8 offers a new level of expressiveness, efficiency, and simplified workflow to create websites, interactive media, and mobile content.

Mac OS X 10.4 Orientation – Atomic Learning, Inc.

Welcome to our FREE orientation tutorials for Apple® Mac OS® X version 10.4 (Tiger). There are a ton of significant improvements in this release we think you’re going to want to check out.

The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW)

Mighty Mouse, first look
Posted Aug 2, 2005, 4:04 PM ET
by Jay Savage
Filed under: Reviews, Cult of Mac, Hardware

I didn’t get a chance to run out to the Apple Store this morning; I’ve just been sitting at my desk drooling all day. c0nsumer was luckier; he ran right out first thing and picked one up. He says the layout is pretty intuitive, although there’s a little learning curve for people used to traditional 5-button mice, and overall he likes it, even the scroll ball. And of course, you can’t beat it for looks. Why it’s taken Apple this long to get a 5-button mouse out, we still don’t know. But it sounds like they’ve taken the time to get it right. Drivers weren’t part of the 10.4.2 update, though (more of the surprise Laurie’s enjoying), so you’ll need to install the included drivers, which include a new pref pane for the programmable features, to get started.

Mac Tips & Tricks, OSX Tips & Tricks

MacTips is a resource showcasing tips and tricks for the Mac. All levels of Mac users can learn something from MacTips, so take a look around!

JavaScript Cheat Sheet – JavaScript – ILoveJackDaniels.com

The JavaScript cheat sheet is designed to act as a reminder and reference sheet, listing methods and functions of JavaScript. It includes reference material for regular expressions in JavaScript, as well as a short guide to the XMLHttpRequest object. A description of what is on the cheat sheet follows, or if you are impatient, you can go straight to the full size JavaScript cheat sheet.