Mac OS 8.1 Update 7 --

Visit Macs Only!'s Hands-on Mac OS 8.1 Installation and Use Page.

If you are having trouble getting Mac OS 8.1 and are a CompuServe member, Mac OS 8.1 is available now at Go MACDEV in Library [16] as OS81.SEA. Use MacCIM for a much faster download than via the internet.

Yesterday I finished converting most of my SCSI hard drives, including my only SyJet 1.5 GB cartridge, to the new HFS+ or Extended Format. The only exceptions are the IDE drives in my PowerBook 3400 and PowerBase and the two SCSI drives in/on my 7100/80. I'll get to them today. There's nothing to it: 1) Backup the data on the drive, 2) Initialize the drive with Drive Setup 1.4 (or SilverLining Lite 2.2 from La Cie or "Erase Disk" under the Special menu -- I used all three), 3) Restore the data from the backed up files. I've had no problems doing it nor any subsequent problems so far. Here's what happened to the storage numbers on disks with significant amounts of data:

Hard Drive Free Space (MB)

Hard Drive	Mac OS 8.1 HFS	Mac OS 8.1 HFS+
3.2 GB Quantum Stratus	146.0	564.6
1.0 GB Connor	60.9	160.9
1.2 GB Quantum Fireball	485.9	581.1

HFS+ is worth it to me. However, be sure to read the ReadMe file carefully, make a Disk Tools diskette first and don't try the internal drive on a Mac with a 68040 CPU.

Today's reports of CompUSA/Apple stores under construction include: Austin, TX (Paul Gartland), Grand Rapids, MI (Marvin Miller), and Towson, MD (Gary Davis). Thanks for keeping up the reports to me so that the CompUSA Watch Page! is complete and up to date.

Remember the "Ping of Death"? Well, NEWS.COM reported on the Iomega Zip drive "Click of Death." It seems that an unsettling percentage of Iomega Zip drives are dying after emitting a load clicking sound.

Dana Baggett found this article on Microsoft's appeal to the preliminary injunction issued by Judge Jackson preventing Microsoft from requiring Internet Explorer to be included with Windows 95 on Pcs. The article covers the three points of appeal.

From Brian Goldstein,

"The PowerBook Source was static while I was away, but we are now back online; so I thought I'd let you all know. Perhaps you can alert your readers, as many casual viewers have stopped venturing our way in my absence. It would be much appreciated.

Second, we review the Farallon AirDock IR Printer Adapter for the PowerBook today on The PowerBook Source. The new product is quite an enhancement to these well equipped new IR enabled PowerBooks. This is one of the first truly useful devices to take advantage of this 'Book feature...you can read all about it today on our main news page."

Conflict Catcher v4.1.1 is out. [Thanks MRP.]

NewerTECH released MAXpowr G3 Installer 1.3.2 for its G3 CPU cards. [Thanks Version Tracker.]

NEWS.COM reported that this week Hayes showed off a $300 DSL modem to work with the superfast digital suscriber line technology that gives 100 times the speed of a 56 K modem and 50 times the speed of a dual channel ISDN connection though copper phone lines. Now if the phone companies would only gear up to provide DSL access more rapidly.