Jul 99 NetProLive
Volume Number: 15
Issue Number: 7
Column Tag: NETPROLIVE
More on Mac OS X (Server)
by Todd Stauffer
Find the Sites Discussing the Latest Apple OS
The owner of an Apple Specialist shop and I spent some time in the last few weeks just
trying to find the basics on the Apple's hearlded, if largely secret, foray into the world
of server Oses. This bizarre and exciting convergence of Unix, NextStep and Mac OS has
everyone's imagination a flutter. But we were just trying to get basic information on
Mac OS X Server, an announced, demoed product.
"An Apple rep told me it doesn't include AppleShare," he told me.
"Sure it does," I replied. I produced the PDF from Apple's Web site that told me it was
so.
After we took a hard look at the PDF, we noticed that it clearly mentioned file services,
but there was nothing about AppleShare-based print services. Would Mac OS X Server
ship without such print services? Would it be IP only? Could that be true? Would it
really matter?
Clearly, there isn't enough information on this topic to help someone as dumb as me
answer a simple question. That means it's time for a NetProLive hunt.
The Official Word
Of course, the official, customer-level info on Apple's Web site can be found at Apple's
Mac OS X Server page. Most of us have gotten used to Apple's servers well enough by
now to be able to guess that URL. But at the time of writing, that's not exactly the
world's most useful site on all things Mac OS X related.
The real action for decision-makers in the Mac space is where such information is
usually hidden -- on Apple's developer site. It doesn't cost anything to access the Mac
OS developer pages, where you'll find much more information that seems to be kept
reasonably up-to-date. It's a pain when Apple's policies of secretive development keep
from hearing enough about the future direction of the OS strategy.
That said, you'll find some good information here, including some FAQ documents,
technology overviews, developer resources and so on. Even if you aren't a
programmer, it's likely that, at some point you'll be called upon to justify the
purchase of Macs or Mac OS X software. You'll find some of the tools you need to prep
that argument on these pages. For example, what makes a NetBoot-friendly
application? It's buried a bit, but you'll find the answer -- geared toward the
developer, mind you -- among these pages. (Specifically, you'll see this sort of thing
at the Mac OS Server Developer Page.
Mac OS X Server Page
http://www.apple.com/macosx/
Mac OS X Developer Pages
http://developer.apple.com/macosx/
Mac OS X Server Developer Pages
http://developer.apple.com/macosx/server/
Omni Development, Inc. is pretty clearly dedicated to the proposition that while all
Macs may be created equal, Macs running Mac OS X are a little more equal than others.
Aside from their software produces -- OmniWeb browser, OmniPDF viewer and the
OmniImage image viewer and translation program -- Omni as manages some great
lists for the Mac OS X user.
Omni offers three Mac OS X lists -- administration, developer and generally
discussion. If you're taking the wider view of Mac OS X, you might appreciate the lists
discussing Enterprise Objects Framework, NEXTSTEP programming, Portable
Distributed Objects and WebObjects. Best of all, you don't have to wait around the
message to come in before you learn something. Omni offers the opportuinty to browse
or search the mailing list archives to help you find questions quickly. (I should point
out that I assume the search engine is useful - I've yet to get the server to repond to a
search query after trying on three different occasions. Hopefully that's a glitch that
won't affect you by the time you read this.)
Stone Designs, Inc., the once-OpenStep-now-Mac-OS-X developer, offers a developers
corner (DevCorner) that offers some articles on Mac OS X and development for OS X
and related environments. There isn't a heck of a lot there, but you can take a quick
glimpse at the much-hearlded 13-line word processor app, which shows the power of
OpenStep/Rhapsody and, we assume, Mac OS X APIs.
If you're looking for newsgroups, rumor has it that the Next computing hierarchy of
newsgroups offer some discussion of projects once codenamed Rhapsody, especially in
the general discussion areas and the advocacy groups. You may be able to learn
something from OS X Server users here. Plus, you can peruse the Next marketplace
and pick up a color NextStation for around $400-500. What could be cooler than that?
I would certainly be remiss in this round-up if I failed to mention Stepwise, which is
certainly one of epicenter Mac OS X (and Server) discussion on the Web. Plenty of
articles abound, along with links to other sites offering Mac OS X news, official Apple
installation guides and Mac OS X-related news. There's also a file library and an
archive watch page tracks updates to important servers elsewhere. Plus, there's a
decent community of folks who visite StepWise, offering some mailing lists and other
communications. For the lists, check out Stepwise's links list, which offers a useful
little round-up of lists around the Web - including their own and Omni's.
Omni Development Mailing List Archives
http://www.omnigroup.com/MailArchive/
Stone Designs
http://www.stone.com/
Omni Development Mailing List Search
http://www.omnigroup.com/MailArchive/search.html
Next on Usenet
comp.sys.next.* (many groups under hierarchy, including the two I mentioned:
comp.sys.next.advocacy, comp.sys.next.marketplace)
StepWise
http://www.stepwise.com/
______________________________
Todd Stauffer is online editor for Net Professional, as well as a book author,
magazine writer and Web magazine editor. His latest books, "Mac Upgrade and Repair
Bible" and "Upgrading and Repairing Your PC Answers!" are available at better
bookstores everywhere. Reach him at online@netprolive.com or at
http://www.mac-upgrade.com/ on the Web.