JSLMG  I just updated to 3.1.1, and I'm seeing strange behaviors. I'm wondering if others are seeing these too:

Computer did not shut down or restart properly when installing the update. Had to do a hard shutdown after about 15 mins of waiting for restart.

After rebooting, certain login items did not start, notably Classic Menu and Meteorologist, both of which have disappeared from the Login Items list in System Preferences. I had to put them back into the list.

Computer did seem rather slower than I remember it, though that could just be an effect of my impatience after the initial restart problem.

Computer: Intel Mac mini, running 10.5.2  
(Version 3.1.1)

JSLMG  It is working now, though I'm not sure why.

Others are reporting the same bug after installing. At first, even a restart did not fix the problem.

So, what's the fix, I wonder?  
(Version 0.3.1)

JSLMG  Strange. I wonder if it depends on OS version. I'm running 10.5.1 with Safari 3.

I'll try it again, report results here.  
(Version 0.3.1)

JSLMG  You can use Classic Menu, a $10 shareware, to make aliases for your apps then organize the aliases into aliased folders that would then appear in the Apple Menu. That way, you can leave your apps in their default folder while still having your personal organization. Both you and your computer will be happy.  
(Version 2.8.2)

JSLMG  With respect to Martin, yes, we'll report the problem to him directly, but the point of having user reviews is to warn people about problems with a given app, and MacUpdate *does* provide a "troubleshooting" option as well.

If you put problematic software on the web, in public, you should expect to be held accountable in public. If you try to direct users to only report problems to you directly, then there is a sense of self-protection there that does not suit the needs of the users' community very well.  
(Version 0.3.1)

JSLMG  Yes, Ad block worked great until this update. Now, it breaks Safari completely. No web access.

How careless and irresponsible to release such a thing to the public without full testing!  
(Version 0.3.1)

JSLMG  Good point, Xypher! Obviously, the developer is not doing this so he/she can offer the next great innovation in audio for the Mac. The purpose is far different from that, and that purpose may actually be an innovation in itself.  
(Version 1.5.1)

JSLMG  With so many slam-dunk reviews, I'd like to try it... I live in Asia. Any plans for international support?  
(Version 1.7)

JSLMG  There are just so many of these already! Does this one have anything that is different from all the others?   
(Version 0.1)

JSLMG  ...And even if it doesn't mess up your system--App Enhancers are benign but useless on my Leopard--you won't be able to use them. The pref panes for them just won't load.  
(Version 1.3.7.2)

JSLMG  An intriguing new app! This little gem will fill some gaps in the word-processing category. It has the look/feel of Apple's Pages, but saves a .doc file as easily as NeoOffice. It is, as another reviewer here wrote, "textedit on steroids," and there's nothing wrong with that.

I first tried it out when I was in a pinch: I was editing a document encoded in an Asian language but written in Roman alphabet; NeoOffice couldn't handle it, and wouldn't wrap the lines properly. I knew that MS Word and Abiword could handle that document, but I needed something else--a WP that worked on Leopard and wasn't made by Microsoft. Bean did it... it handled the document when NeoOffice fell victim to a bug.

In short, Bean will fill a gap left by Abiword, which has not been released (yet) for Leopard. The simple interface is refreshing--many users prefer keyboard shortcuts, anyway. It's a fine start for a new app.  
(Version 0.9.11)

JSLMG  I reinstalled it after the developer responded, so I could report on it. Turns out, after reinstall, it works fine. In fact, it's the most functional of all the dock changing apps I've found so far.

Would be nice to see an option to change the color of the 2D dock's background. Also, a way to add reflection to a 2D dock. That would be marvelous.

Thanks!  
(Version 1.1)

JSLMG  I was able to get a dock theme entered into the editor, but still cannot get it to apply. I used the "BezelStyle" theme from leoparddocks.com. I clicked on "New Theme" in PimpMyDock, then saved the theme to my desktop. I dragged each image into the image window on the editor. But when I clicked apply, there was no change--the dock remained default in both 3D and 2D.

No go on this dock-changing app, or any other, for that matter!  
(Version 1.3)

JSLMG  So, where do we find these "docktheme" files? I tried the downloads at leoparddocks; none work--they do not go into the editor.

The only thing that's working so far in this app is toggling between 2D and 3D--and it does that better and more smoothly than the other dock changers available.

Actually, I've tried four different dock changers, and none of them actually works on my Leopard. These developers all have a long way to go before they can efficiently, easily overcome the Leopard Dock.  
(Version 1.3)

JSLMG  It looks as if this app is broken on my Leopard. After changing color settings and clicking "Apply," then entering my system password as required, the dock quits, but then it never restarts. I have to click "Restore Apple Defaults" in the bottom left corner to recover my dock.  
(Version 1.1)

JSLMG  A couple of corrections here:

First, Jing is not a video player--I recognize that. What it needs is a way for users to select video players.

Second, .swf is not RealPlayer's sole format--it is a format that plays in RealPlayer, but it is actually a Flash format.

Someone here said "download the stand-alone Flash player." I'm looking at jing's website now, to see what it says about its connection with Flash. The only indication I get of this is waaayyy down at the end of its FAQ, where it lists system requirements. Why not put it on the top page, with a big asterisk, "Requires Adobe Flash Player."

Otherwise, if the designers aren't able/willing to do that, redesign it.  
(Version 1.4.3445)

JSLMG  Sorry, but that is not what I am "saying."

I do not expect Jing to open anything with RealPlayer. I would expect Jing to open a video file in its very own player.

Go back to my original comment: I said that when I saved a file in Jing, the format was by default .swf. This is a Real Player format. When I double-clicked the file to open it, it automatically opened--or tried to open--in Real Player, not Jing. But then Real Player crashed before the file could open. This led me to conclude that Jing was using Real Player as its file helper.

I was able to open that same file successfully--no crashing--in QuickTime, by right-clicking, then choosing QT from the "Open With" menu. That worked.

I wanted to set preferences in Jing for such things as (1) default file format, and /or (2) default video player. No such preferences exist. Without such control over how Jing behaves, it's a dead-end app in its current state, as far I'm concerned.  
(Version 1.4.3445)

JSLMG  Too many workarounds for me. I'd expect any app I download and try for the first time to work immediately on a mac. This is not Linux, folks. Anyway, why would I open a video using Safari??? It should work with a commonly used video player.

Also, I'm not going to get rid of my real player--too useful for too many other things. Never tell someone to discard one app that in order to use another one. That is just plain and simple, poor design.

Sorry, folks, I uninstalled Jing the same day I got it, and I have no plans to try it again. It's just not ready yet.  
(Version 1.4.3445)

JSLMG  I was able to open it with Quicktime but right-clicking on the file. However, I find the video too jerky, not smooth enough to use to demonstrate the application that I wanted to demonstrate. I see no way to change the video settings in the preferences. It just isn't usable for my needs.   
(Version 1.3.2913)

JSLMG  This app is not working for me. It saves files as .swf by default. However, my RealPlayer freezes when trying to load the video, and I have to force quit it.   
(Version 1.3.2913)

JSLMG  Another anonymous reviewer, writing in November 2003, suggested a command-line way to do what this app does. Generally, there is another, even less tricky way to get rid of whatever an installation puts on one's computer, by hand and using nothing but the Finder.

When you install an application, it will usually put everything in three locations--that's it, just three locations. If you know where those locations are, you can usually uninstall by dragging to trash. Here are the three locations to check:

(1) simply trash the application package itself--that's the most obvious first step.

(2) look in your home folder for "Library," then "Application Support". Look for any folders bearing the name of the application there. Trash it.

(3) go back to the "Library" level in home, and look for the "Preferences" folder. Look in preferences for any files bearing the name of the application (sometimes it's the maker of the application) you want to delete. Trash them.

Then, empty trash. That's really all there is to it.

Some applications--but not very many--will also deposit files in the system level. To check this, open the hard drive, open "Library," open "Application Support," and repeat as above. Then, open "Preferences" folder, repeat as above.

You can usually do all of this without logging in as root.

And again: Thanks to Spotlight, we can now perform searches for any remaining files an application has left behind.

The whole operation only takes me about one or two minutes, and I get to use the resources already available. I don't need to pay $25.

Which brings me to my real point: What does this app do that I couldn't do myself? Why is it worth $25 when it's already so easy on a Mac to have full control?

This app WOULD be a great little convenience tool if it were free. I'd download it in a heartbeat, but I'm not going to pay $25 for something I can easily do myself for free.  
(Version 1.10.5)

JSLMG  Thanks. I forgot about the indexing. Hopefully, that was it.   
(Version 10.4.8)

JSLMG  The installation and restart seemed to be fine, but then after restart, some weird OS shananigans started happening. Happily, everything seems to be OK now, but only after some drastic measures. Here goes:

First, this is on a G3 iMac, slot-loading indigo. RAM is an upgrade, but this has not been a problem before, don't know if it's a factor now.

(1) At restart, there was no "double restart" as expected. At first, I thought, OK, no problem.

(2) After restart, I checked that the upgrade had in fact happened, which it had, then repaired permissions.

(3) Opened Mail, began composing a message. Tried attaching a document to the message, and then when all heck broke out.

(4) When I clicked on the "attach" button in Mail, Mail froze, the beachball spinning. No "attachments" dialog as expected.

(5) I waited about 2 minutes, then decided this baby was frozen for good. Attempted force quit from the dock--would not force quit. Attempted force quit from the Apple Menu--would not force quit.

(6) Decided to try force quitting Mail from the Activity Monitor. But, Activity Monitor froze too on opening. I got the GUI, but no list of processes, just the spinning beachball.

(7) I was beginning to wonder whether this problem was affecting other apps, so I opened Safari, but no problems there.

(8) I checked Console for system messages... It said directory service had crash dumped, sent a report to the crash log.

(9) Mail still would not force quit; Activity Monitor would not force quit.

(10) Tried a normal computer restart from the Apple Menu.

(11) No dice on normal restart -- Window server froze on shutdown, with just desktop background and a transparent blue bar at the top in place of the menubar. Computer would not power down.

(11) OK, enough was enough, so I did a Cuda reset.

(12) Computer restarted as normal at reset. After reboot, I went straight back to Mail, which is now functioning fine. I checked console, and found no further system crash dumps.

Don't know what caused this, but this was the roughest system update I've ever experienced. Any comments?  
(Version 10.4.8)

JSLMG  The VLC website is broken in my Safari, so I cannot download this player. Elements do no load in their proper places, and all links are broken. Safari v. 2.0.4, Mac OS 10.4.7, iMac G3.

Please repair so I can get this great player!  
(Version 0.8.5)

JSLMG  Version 2.0 is a big, big improvement over 1.0. It's great that the developers got to work and resolved so many issues! First, scrolling is nearly as smooth as in OpenOffice in X11. In 1.0, it was jumpy, slow, and virtually unusable. Second, menus work properly. In 1.0, NeoOffice crunched the CPU when a menu was clicked. The interface is nicer too. With all the problems in NeoOffice 1.0, I've been using OpenOffice 2.0 in X11 instead, but now it looks like I'll give NeoOffice a good, long try once again, keeping OpenOffice on standby.  
(Version 2.0b3)

JSLMG  This solves one major issue for me: somehow KDE in rootless mode on X11 was not rendering some GUI components properly, namely the Kicker, which was oversized with a large white border around it. Using KDE Launcher, somehow the Kicker looks as it should in rootless mode. Yes, looks like you've solved the GUI issues you set out to solve!

There is another benefit to this, as well: Because KDE Launcher makes a new copy of the .xinitrc file, it is possible to run KDE plus another desktop implementation in X11. That means you can keep X11 set to, say, Gnome, or just the default. No need to open .xinitrc in Pico and change all those "#" signs! Saves loads of time and reduces the chance of errors.

You could even run two desktop implementations simultaneously, though I'm still trying to figure out a reason why anyone would want to. Neat idea, though.  
(Version 2.1.1b)

JSLMG  I agree with the second poster. X11 does honor .xinitrc. What's needed is quick way to switch desktops, as is offered in some unix desktop managers like Enlightenment or Windowmaker. I would bet that most X-windows users are working through X11, since it's included with Apple.  
(Version 1.1)

JSLMG  I can see two features here that separate this file manager from the others: (1) Point-and-focus, which is a lot like KDE in Linux; and (2) with the side-panel open, just point and get file info. THAT is a feature that Apple should build into its Finder!

But, seriously, Carsten, there are some fundamental interface features missing here, and I think you need to justify why you've left them out of something you're charging for. It's the only ethical thing to do.

Where is the toolbar? No buttons to press? No quick way to return to the previous menu? This is somehow not in accordance with Apple's human interface guidelines. There's no way anybody should pay for this thing until basic interface features are included, or at least until a satisfactory explanation for their omission is offered.   
(Version 1.1)

JSLMG  This app has one indispensible feature over Desktop Manager... If I use Desktop Manager alone, and I switch open applications that are on separate desktops, I cannot see the application I've switched to. I have to change desktops to see it.

But in Virtue, If I click in the dock on an app I want to bring to the front, the desktop will change for me, bringing the app to the front.

And, more importantly, it operates in sync with Desktop Manager--i.e., the desktops in each app are the same. What you see with Desktop manager, you also see with Virtue. That means I can use the two together, no confusion!

So, I use virtue to add that missing functionality to the still-venerable Desktop Manager: switching apps also switches desktops.

Makes my Mac feel more and more like "Unix"...  
(Version 0.52r155)

JSLMG  Doesn't work on my Blue and White G3 running 10.4.6. I copied the demo program to my desktop, opened it, got a scrambled mess of half-rendered windows in full-screen mode over a gray background, with disjointed buttons. Imported a couple of songs, but can't find them in the GUI, and can't play them. There is a message when I open the program saying, "There was an error in the program please send the content of your clipboard to support@discosw.net." I don't know where to find this "content of clipboard." Could this be a program released before it's ready? Long before it's ready? Or could it be one of those that won't work on a G3? If it's the first, it should be removed from public distribution. If it's the second, that fact should be included in the description of system requirements.  
(Version 1.0.1)

JSLMG  Keep in mind that this one is not the only "free" x86 emulator available for Mac. There's Bochs--which requires a little Unix knowledge--and QemuX, another attempt at giving Qemu a nice interface, but one that remains pretty buggy. Hopefully, Q emulator will be more successful than these.  
(Version 0.8.0a949)

JSLMG  Actually, no emulator of any kind is needed on a Mac for .doc files. Yes, NeoOffice, clunky and resource-hungry as it is, is one option. AppleWorks works just fine, and is fast too. It saves any document you can later open in MS Word should you so desire. If you're using Mac, why not just use what's already there? Test it out...It's a lot of more cross-platform than you might think, and no emulator needed.  
(Version 0.8.0a949)