SIXTYK  I say this knowing I have been a vocal supporter of this program here.

I have been a paid member of Second Life since 2005. I have enjoyed playing but as time goes on, I am finding more and more to complain about.

The program has become more and more demanding of hardware resources. My G5 that handled the game beautifully a year ago can barely keep up now. I have heard the same from people with much more recent hardware.

They seem to be bent on cramming as many "features" into the software as possible with little concern for stability of the overall system. I keep hearing about "Windlight" which my system can't handle but there appears to be no intention to the long-standing and well documented issue with overlapping alpha-textures.

They seem content with band-aid solutions and workarounds rather than actually fixing things. How long have we been hearing about inventory database issues and disappearing inventory?

It is my impression that if you are willing to spend a lot of money, Linden Labs loves you. If you are a "premium" member, giving them $120 a year, they're happy to let you pad their member totals so they look good in their next CNet article.

I stick around because I am hoping Linden Labs will see what is happening and right the ship... but I am losing faith...  
(Version 1.18.5.3)

SIXTYK  I have a cell phone with a fairly limited calling area because I rarely travel out of that area.

When I do travel out of the area, I use Skype. Its free, most hotels anymore have Wi-Fi accss and Skype works as advertised.

What else do you want?  
(Version 2.6.0.151)

SIXTYK  Fair enough, but don't I have the same right to point out the strengths?  
(Version 1.13.3.2)

SIXTYK  You make a claim that it doesn't work and you are being reasonable.

I make a claim that, in my experience with the program, it does work and I am being smug?

Sure thing. Not everybody has to agree.  
(Version 1.13.3.2)

SIXTYK  Really? Its running well for me. There are some some occasional performance issues based on the recent spike in active users. It used to be that Second life would struggle if there were around 10,000 people logged on at once. Now it typically handles 20,000 or more. If an issue comes up they tend to address it. They are always working on performance and stability.  
(Version 1.12.1.13)

SIXTYK  Whiny nit-picking, I know...but technically, it was "System 7" not "OS 7". *grin*  
(Version 5.9.4)

SIXTYK  Are you running the PPC version in Rosetta or the Universal version (which I believe is still in beta)?  
(Version 1.12.1.13)

SIXTYK  I hadn't played in a few months so when I ran the software yesterday, It needed to update as I expected. There was an error during the auto-update so I downloaded the installer to do it myself. The installer won't open either.

Tried it on a PowerMac G5 and an iBook G4  
(Version 5.0)

SIXTYK  Its an issue of using a PPC program on an Intel Mac...there's bound to be a performance hit.

I'd be willing to speculate that a universal version is in the works...just a guess though.  
(Version 5.0.297)

SIXTYK  More questions, I know (that means I'm interested).

Is there any possibility of a demo of the burning plugin in the future? I'm a little cautious about buying it without knowing with 100% certainty that it will work with my system.

Next question. As I said, I have an iBook G4 that I use as my DJ system but because its optical drive is not CD+G compatible, I have to rip them on my G5 which is no big deal. I'll be storing the ripped files on an external 160 GB hard drive and my question is, can both computers reference the same k-Tunes library files (primarily the XML files) so that the actual import to library only has to be done once?

Hmmm... This seems to be venturing toward tech support. Perhaps it would be better for me to email you...

P.S.: I bought k-Tunes Lite last night. Thanks :)  
(Version 1.0d43)

SIXTYK  Well, at the time that I wrote that, I had only tried the iTunes method... I decided to try it that way first before downloading the LAME codec.

I have since tried ripping tracks using LAME and it is quite a bit simpler.

I did have one idea I wanted to pass along though I don't know if it can even be done... It would be a nice feature if I could select a 640x480 pixel graphic to replace the black screen between songs. Basically to have my logo come up between singers instead of just the black screen.

Just a thought.

Good work anyway... You will likely be getting my money very soon *grin*  
(Version 1.0d43)

SIXTYK  Me again... While I have not yet attemped to import pre-ripped tracks again, I successfully used the current preview release to rip the first 3 tracks from a store-bought CD+G.

I am hoping later developments will help simplify the ripping process but overall, I am impressed.

I like the keyboard combos to trigger pitch and tempo controls and they worked nicely.

I ran the video to a second monitor which likewise, worked great! This is turning out to be a solid product and I'm looking forward to see its continued deveopment.  
(Version 1.0d43)

SIXTYK  Considering most current games are conspicuously absent from the Mac platform, I consider the fact they have a Mac version at all to be a good first step.   
(Version 1.9.0.21)

SIXTYK  There is a proposal in the voting items (I will try to find the link) to get a Mac-specific client written but at last check it had not received enough votes to be reviewed by Linden Labs for consideration. I have all of my available votes allocated in favor and again, I will try to find the link to post here.

The Linux version is allready in development. Great.  
(Version 1.9.0.21)

SIXTYK  I don't know which amuses me more, that somebody made this or that 259 of you have downloaded it...

Seems like a waste to me.  
(Version 1.0)

SIXTYK  I have been using this program since I found it on my old Mac User Group in the mid 1990's. It has always been a useful, solid and stable program and well worth the surprisingly low shareware price.

I work for a printing company and we occasionally get images from customers in strange, non-Mac formats. This program has converted every one of them into something we can use and edit and that is only scratching the surface of what this program can do.  
(Version 5.8.2)

SIXTYK  I will be in contact with you through the apropriate channels.  
(Version 1.0d41r42)

SIXTYK  Did you see that little blue tag at the begining of my comment? It said REVIEW. That means I downloaded the software, tried it out and I chose to express my opinions and experiences with the software as it is presently available. I even acknowledged that this program is still in development and that I did not expect things to be perfect. I was not asking for tech support as this is not the place for it.

Part of the purpose of MacUpdate is for the people who are using these programs to post their comments and reviews as a reference to those who might be interested in downloading it.

I would suggest that you try not to take it so personally when people comment here with less than heaping praise for a program that is not even finished yet.

I know that this is an unfinished program. I know you are working on it. I understand that you can not do tech support via.MacUpdate.

This is what you have available now. This is the version I tried and these are the experiences that I had with it. I don't think my comments were out of line.  
(Version 1.0d41)

SIXTYK  First thing I want to acknowledge that this program is still under development and not a finished, polished version.

After watching the development here for well over a year now, I decided to download it and try it out. I tried my iBook G4 as well as my G5 desktop with the same results... I can't import my MP3 and CDG files. I followed the elaborate instructions on the website, re-naming the files to k-tunes specifications (an intense pain with the number of tracks I would be using), zipping the MP3 and CDG files together... to no avail. I still can't import tracks. I want to be able to drag and drop the songs just like I do in iTunes.

Another concern, I find the lack of documentation with the software annoying at the very least. Documentation os only available via he web which is inconveninent in my opinion.

I want to be able to run my Karaoke collection on my iBook, with the MP3 and CDG files stored on an extearnal drive (the iBook only has 40 GB to start with). I still think kTunes shows the most promise for allowing me to do that eventually, but at least in my experience, it is not there yet.  
(Version 1.0d41)

SIXTYK  I love how my non-Mac acquaintences are attempting to rub it in that (A) Apple has to patch some potential security holes and (B) that *gasp* an actual virus may have been found.

First of all, Apple releases security updates several times a year. They are always checking for POTENTIAL security holes and when they find them, they close them.

Second, Apple, to my knowledge, has never claimed OSX was invincible. OSX was released in 2000, it is 2006 now and OSX has been hit ONCE. That's a pretty good record. Personally, in my 15 years of Mac experiece, I have been affected by a grand total of 2 viruses... NVIR-A and NVIR-B. That was back in 1993. How many Windows viruses and spyeare showed up just last year?  
(Version 2006-001)

SIXTYK  There were actually two different 1.8 GHz G5 models.

The first was the mid-range system when the G5 was first introduced. 1.8GHz, 8GB max RAM and PCI-X. It was discontinued with the release of the dual 1.8 GHz system.

Roughly a year later, Apple released a second 1.8 GHz system, this one with 4GB max RAM, and standard PCI. It also has the liquid cooling system.

I believe it is this second system that this update deals with.  
(Version 1.1)

SIXTYK  I'm a little confused...

I installed this on my 12 inch iBook (1.33 GHz/512 MB RAM) and it runs great... it looks good... smooth animation...

I installed it on my G5 tower (1.8 GHz/1 GB RAM/PCI-X) and it struggles to hit 5 fps... very jerky...almost stop-motion appearance...

I would think the G5 would outperform the lower-end laptop...  
(Version 1.1)

SIXTYK  Don't know if it can be done...

I would like to see an option that would let you restrict your results to a specific city or even state.

I live in Nebraska, but my home is less than 4 miles from Iowa where gas taxes are cheaper. When I get the results, even for as small as a 5 mile radius, I get a list of Iowa gas stations and never the prices at the stations closest to me.

It would help me out if there were a way to filter my results to Omaha, NE or even just Nebraska.

Its the downside to living on a state line I guess. Great widget otherwise.  
(Version 2.99)

SIXTYK  I downloaded this because when I am at home, it is much easier to write messages with the keyboard than with the phone itself.

To test it, I sent myself a message but when it got to my phone it said the following:

"You have a new multi-media message waiting for you at (web address)!"

I generally only get that message when someone sends me pictures.

If it helps, I'm on Cricket.  
(Version 3.0.1)

SIXTYK  This is an honest question and not an attempt to badmouth. I am sorry if it appears otherwise.

I guess I am just curious as to what is involved in making these applications "portable." Many of these portable programs have been posted by the same developer but not the developer(s) who actually created Adium, Firefox, etc.

I understand that the source code for most of these programs are publicly available under Open Source. I'm not accusing the developer(s) of any sort of infringement.

I simply wish to understand what is involved in making these programs portable. Are files packaged differently? Are there changes to the programming itself?

As I said, I'm just curious.  
(Version 0.88r2.1)

SIXTYK  You should probably leave the iTrip signals as-is. Restore the original tuner files from the CD or download them and don't change them for any reason.

That should fix it.  
(Version 2.0.1)

SIXTYK  A couple things...

First, arent these functions allready included in OSX? I realize that sometimes third party programs will offer increased functionality or convenience but if that is the case, you haven't made that clear.

Second, you're offering a separate MP3 player AND an iTunes controller? Which do you want us to use?  
(Version 6.5)

SIXTYK  "...used it a while back, but left to Adium..."

Why don't you read the reviews before you comment on them?  
(Version 1.5.5)

SIXTYK  Been using PokerPages for about a year and a half along with a few other poker clients/sites on both Mac and Windows.

PokerPages is very stable It runs great on both my G5 and my 300 mhz G3.

They didn't mess around with things like cute, animated, talking avatars which is fine with me. Players are identified by screen name and chip count which is all I really need. I want a poker game against other live human beings. I don't need all that other stuff. PokerPages gives me what I want.

It is not difficult to find the free events and tables. Free tournaments start hourly or sooner and you can play Hold 'Em, Omaha, 7 Card Stud, Hi-Low and Razz. No-limit, limit, pot-limit, etc.

Very well done.  
(Version 5.0)

SIXTYK  Um... I use Windows PostScript fonts in Suitcase and I believe OSX will run them from the library as well.  
(Version 1.0fc4)

SIXTYK  Are you people reading the descriptions? The loops you can download here are free, but are part of a much larger collection of loops that the developer sells for $30.

Its a try before you buy thing.  
(Version 1.0)

SIXTYK  But wait! At Mac Expo they will be previewing Quark 7 which will introduce a host of 'new features' like transparency and OpenType.

Since they are previewing it now, I figure it should be available by summer (of 2008) and will introduce a host of bugs and conflicts which Quark will address just in time for its release of Quark 8 sometime in 2012.

InDesign is killing you Quark. I'm not sure that you care.  
(Version 6.5)

PHIL HUSE  *** ATTENTION 40 GB iPOD OWNERS! ***

I have a 40 GB iPod with a dead hard drive. The iPod is all of 3 weeks out of warranty.

After a less than reassuring visit to tech support I started checking Ebay for a replacement drive so I could fix it myself for far less than the $280 that Apple is asking.

Instead I found a large number of 40 GB iPods with dead hard drives.

If you have one of these iPods, please do 2 things:

1) Reply to this comment. (I'd like to keep a running count)

2) Call Apple, leave feedback at http://www.apple.com/feedback/ipod.html, tell people, tell the place you bought it.

Eventually Apple was pressured to replace defective batteries. Maybe we can get our iPods back.  
(Version 2005-09-06)