Special Thanks...
My Mac would like to thank Bill Perry billperry@pobox.com for the new My Mac character. He created the new character, as-yet-named, found on the cover and a few other pages throughout. Bill has more poses for us coming in the next few months, and we are eagerly awaiting them! Please be sure to take a look at some of his other work on his web site, Hired Gun Studios, at www.mymacpro.com/hgs . (Yes, My Mac's parent company, My Mac Productions, is also the web master of that web site)

Newton
Much ado has been made about Apple's decision to stop making the Newton. I have even seen some demonstration pictures on the Web from people who want to see the product continued, supported and improved. Although I haven't owned one, I've had a chance to use a Newton so I can understand how some of you reading this who now own one can be concerned with its future. But while many might see them as insanely great little machines, to be perfectly honest, I just don't see what the big deal is. Sure, it's a neat note taker. But that's all it really ever was. Steven Segal may have used it to avert worldwide devastation from an Earthquake-making device in the movie "Dark Territory", but what real impact has it had in the real world? Though Segal may appear in realistic movies, the reality is that the Newton is just an electronic note pad. It's a fussy little thing, meant to be sized for your pocket, but unless you're wearing a gun holster to slide it into, a briefcase or purse would be both better suited for size and protection.

Before you think me insensitive to the concept, let me say that it's well known that Apple is in the process of making a replacement palm-sized device to fill the void. This new product will run a form of the Mac OS and promises to be an even handier device able to perform many more real world tasks than the Newton's design could allow. Imagine a mini-Mac in your hand! Wouldn't that just be great? You could take it home, plug it into your keyboard ABS port, and exchange information with your desktop Macintosh. Perhaps you could even use it to view the latest issue of My Mac Magazine! You could then take My Mac with you to your favorite place for reading :-)

America On-Hold
It has been almost a year since I stopped using America Online. It was a hard thing to give up, but toward the end, all I ever really used the service for was email, which made it not even worth the $9.95 a month I was paying for the service.

A month ago, a relative asked me to come over and help her set up her new computer (Macintosh, of course!). One of the things she really wanted to do was get on AOL so she could chat with people from work.

After getting her all set up, she offered to let me "have" one of her email addresses on AOL, since I wasn't using the service any longer. Why not, I thought. I did kind of miss it at times.

Now, a year since my departure from AOL, all I can say upon my return is "Wow, I'm glad I left!" And I really mean that. Every time I log on, I am bombarded with full-page advertising, my mailbox is chock full of junk email, and I get instant messages inviting me to porn Web sites every half-hour (if I'm even on that long). Is this what AOL has become? If so, what is the point? For those of you still stuck on the AOL bandwagon, I would strongly urge you to contact a local Internet Service Provider. Your Web browsing will be twice as fast, you can still have "Buddy Chats" by using AOL's Instant Messaging service (it's free) and you will have a much more productive time online.

Clicking Coincidence?
Last month, I published a letter about the "Click of Death" problem some users of the Iomega Zip drive are having, including a response from Iomega. At the time, I had never had any problems with my Zip drive, or with any of the disks.

I have now experienced the problem firsthand. I slipped in a client's disk, only to have the drive sit there and "Click, Whirl, Click" until my computer locked up tighter than a clam. After a hard restart (pulling the plug out of the wall and plugging it back in) the disk is now dead. I have yet to contact Iomega, but I'm now reconsidering just how stable a back up medium Zips really are. Not sure I really trust them now, which I know is unfair after only one bad disk, but I keep some very important information on these things. I would hate to lose that information.

Another New Apple Ad!
Wow! Apple Computer Inc. has done it again. This time in less then a month. Intel, still reeling from last months "Snail Ad" was once again rocked by the new "Bunnies" ad which Apple released this month. In it, one of those really lame disco dancing Intel guys (they are called "Bunnies" if you didn't know) is on fire. Great ad, and of course Apple is to be commended on its ongoing efforts to put the "Intel Inside" in its place. That is, getting toasted by the new G3 Power Macs!

Retailers are taking a look at...
CompUSA which experienced a jump in sales of Mac products from 3% of the business for the company to 13% of the total business in the first month of the Apple "Store within a Store" concept. If that isn't enough incentive, Fry's Electronics has just opened its first "Store within a Store" facility.

Another Year, Another Milestone
This issue, #36, marks the beginning of the fourth year of operation for My Mac Magazine. My Mac has grown from a simple, one-person operation (Tim Robertson) to a group effort, involving a growing collection of talented individuals who passionately write about a subject very dear to their hearts... the Mac. Each month, they take time from their busy schedules to tell you about what they have already researched, reviewed, read, and tested in the hopes that the information will make your experience with the Macintosh even more enjoyable.

To all of the staff, from the beginnings of My Mac - writers like Pam Wilson, Michael Rio, Carolyn Curtis, Evan McCarthy... to the writers of today... and the writers yet to come... a thank you from both Tim and me. Without you, My Mac is nothing... with you... a work of art in progress.

And for those of you that have never seen how the first issue of My Mac started off...

The times, they have a'changed... My Mac will continue to grow, to change and to expand in an effort to bring the best of the Mac world to you. Thank you for your support and readership.

Editor's note: "Bits and Pieces" writer Grant Cassaday would like his readers to know that he hasn't left My Mac, but has been tied up with moving and so has been unable to assemble his column this month.

The same goes for Mike Wallinga who is taking a break (tough college schedule) from writing his monthly column, Wall Writings.

We're happy to report that they both promise to be back for our May issue.