Dec 96 Newsbits
Volume Number: 12
Issue Number: 12
Column Tag: Newsbits
By Jessica Courtney
Claris Announces Claris Home Page 2.0
for Mac OS and Windows 95/NT
Claris Home Page 2.0 is the next version of web authoring software for Mac OS
and Windows 95/NT users. New features include built-in site publishing, with
auto-consolidation of files; support for popular multimedia plug-ins, including
QuickTime and Shockwave; spell checking and support for multiple fonts; client-side
image maps for linking to other pages and sites, and HTML editing enhancements such
as syntax coloring (color-coding of HTML tags).
Claris Home Page 2.0 users will also be able to re-size and position Frames by
pointing and dragging with their mouse, preview background GIF images from within
Claris Home Page, drag and drop tab-delimited text from spreadsheet and database
documents to automatically create tables within their web page, and specify row
heights and column widths within tables.
The new version will also provide concurrence between WYSIWYG and HTML
modes. This will allow users to go to the precise location in which they were working
in the previous mode.
Apple Updates Mac OS to System 7.5.5, Explains Numbering Strategy for
New System Releases
Apple recently released System 7.5.5 Update, a set of system software
enhancements that significantly improves the overall reliability and performance of
all Mac OS-compatible systems. It provides one update for all computer systems
currently running System 7.5.3 and integrates all improvements found in the System
7.5.3 Revision 2 update released last June.
System 7.5.5 includes numerous performance, reliability and network
improvements. It is also the final system software release for the Macintosh Plus, SE,
Classic, Portable, SE FDHD, SE/30, LC, II, IIx, and IIcx, and the PowerBook 100.
Future Mac OS releases will require 68030-, 68040-, or PowerPC processor-based
systems that support 32-bit memory addressing.
Apple has also standardized how the version number will change for future
system software releases. If major architectural changes are being delivered, the first
digit of the version number will be incremented. If new features are added to a system
software reference release without major architectural changes, the second digit will
be incremented. When system software updates are delivered with only reliability and
performance improvements, the third digit will be incremented. System 7.5.4 Update
was not made available to the general public due to a problem with the software.
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Do-It-Yourself Database(TM)
With DIY-DB, anyone can build working databases on the Web without a
knowledge of database systems or CGI-scripting.
Online configuration is easy with DIY-DB. Just load and go onto any server
running Java, then link to common database engines such as mSQL or ODBC-compliant
databases. DIY-DB makes it easy to build a database on the Internet or Intranet from
scratch. Everything is done - down to the consistent look and feel of presented pages.
It’s easy to add your own logos and text to customize databases for individual sites.
DIY-DB let’s you present different views of the database, for example, private
and public views. You can set password protection of each record or on an entire view.
In each view you can allow or disallow operations such as deletion or addition of
records and the ability to edit or re-edit existing records. Individual fields may be
editable (read and write), visible (read-only) or invisible.
The use of the Internet for business sales is increasing exponentially. Up until
now, small businesses have been hampered by lack of skills and resources to easily
publish database information such as catalogues. What Netscape has done for the Web in
page presentation, DIY-DB is doing for database publication on the Internet or
Intranet.
Microsoft Delivers ActiveX on the Macintosh
Beta Release of ActiveX SDK for Macintosh Enhances Cross-PlatformSupport for
ActiveX.
Microsoft Corporation announced worldwide availability of the beta release of the
MicrosoftÆ ActiveX Software Development Kit (SDK) for the Macintosh. The move is
an important step toward making ActiveX interpretability technology available across
all popular computing platforms. With the new SDK, Macintosh developers can create
native ActiveX Controls and interactive content that will be immediately viewed by
users of Microsoft Internet Explorer version 2.1 for the Macintosh.
Earlier this year, Microsoft announced an agreement with Metrowerks Inc.,
under which Metrowerks is providing integrated support for ActiveX and COM as well
as the integration of ActiveX with Java in its industry-leading CodeWarrior
application development products for the Macintosh. The ActiveX SDK for the Mac gives
developers the programming interfaces and utilities they need, while the CodeWarrior
products offer easy-to-use graphical tools for creating applications.