Grab Bag
| This section is for Mac-related items that do not fit in the other categories. It is also the main place for items that have nothing to do with the Mac. |
Interviews & Podcasts
Until the advent of Internet radio and podcasting, I gave very few interviews. Here are four of them:
- MacDirectory interview [February 2005]
- Amazon.com interview [October 2000]
- World Without Borders interview [1998]
- Apple Wizards interview [November 1997]
Now, you can hear me regularly as part of the MacNotables podcasts. I also occasionally can be heard on radio shows such as Tech Night Owl LIVE.
MacFixIt makes the news
They say no publicity is bad publicity. Maybe so, but we cut it close with this article in the New York Times (December 2001). MacFixIt found itself at the center of a controversy when, as part of a larger article on Mac OS X 10.1.1, we included information on how to convert an OS X 10.1 Update CD into a full Install CD. We discovered how to do this while trying to solve a significant troubleshooting issue. Skipping over details: Users with the update CD could not reinstall OS X 10.1 if needed. They instead needed to reinstall 10.0 and then update in stages back to 10.1 (much more time-consuming). Our solution allowed these OS X users to reinstall OS X 10.1. Unfortunately, it also allowed users who did not own OS X to convert the free 10.1 update CD to a functioning full Install CD. As a result, Apple "asked" us to remove the material. We did.
This made more news than we ever imagined or wanted - with coverage on wired, cnet, as well as the New York Times. It was also covered on many technology Web sites. Much of the coverage unfortunately emphasized the more "sensationalistic" aspects of the story. Mac Night Owl was one site that offered a more reasoned assessment of the situation.
Othello
I have had a long-standing interest in the game of Othello (also known as Reversi). It's a strategy board game, akin to Go or checkers. I played in tournaments from 1981-1986, sponsored by the USOA (United States Othello Association). In 1984, I was U.S. National Champion.
I also self-published a strategy guide to the game called Othello: Brief & Basic. It wound up getting a brief review in Games magazine years ago. Here's a quote: "The book can, literally overnight, turn a beginner into a formidable opponent. Excellent." [Note: I hope to have a PDF version of the guide posted here eventually!]
Computer programs that play Othello have become amazingly strong in recent years - to the point that it is almost impossible for a human to win against them (in fact, unless you have a potential winning position by the midgame, it is impossible to win against the best programs, as they play perfectly for the latter half of the game). Unfortunately, most of the Otherllo/Reversi games available for the Mac are not of this caliber. But there are a few good ones.
For the Mac, the best Othello program you can get is Cassio. Not only does it have every feature you could possibly want in an Othello program, it is by far the strongest computer opponent that I have yet to play against. If you can beat this program at its champion levels, you should seriously consider competing for the world title.
For the Palm PDA, I enjoy Reversi Master. It is surprisingly strong and can use a "book" of well-known Othello openings.
[Note: Bruno de la Boisserie provides links to numerous other computer Othello programs for the Palm and Mac platforms. Some of the software is out-of-date and may be difficult or impossible to find. Some of them may also be available only in French. But the list is worth checking out. Of special note, Bruno recommends PilOth as the best program for the Palm OS.]
For more background on Othello, including where to go to play online, see one of these two excellent sites: Othello Strategy Guide and Othello University.