I read an article about three years ago that discussed the "phoniness" of computers in television and cinema. One point that the author chose to make was that computers, real computers, didn't make noise every time a user pressed a key or clicked the mouse. Real computers had alert sounds and nothing more. After all, said this author, who would want a computer that made noises every few seconds? It'd get annoying!
I must say that, three years ago, I agreed with this guy. After all, I spend entirely too much time on my Mac, and if it started making noises every three seconds I'd just about go nuts! Or so I thought.
Once again I've been proven wrong, and again Apple Computer, Inc. is the responsible party. Of what do I speak? Mac OS 8.5's Appearance control panel — specifically the soundset options. Not only have I gathered quite a collection of soundsets, I've written an AppleScript that rotates my soundsets every five days. Not only do I download every soundset I can find, I plan to create my own "best of" collection some day. Not only do I love my Mac making noise, I actually show it off to other people.
I was wrong — this is just too darn cool! During a long work session, dragging a file, emptying the trash, or inserting a disk makes me smile. Blip, bloop, swooooosh, tweedly-twink. In stereo! This is fun! In fact, I propose that never before has using a computer been this much fun. Granted, this will most likely change when Mac OS 8.6 is released. Perhaps it will change sooner, should some nifty themes be released. But for now, right at this instant, I'm having the biggest ball I've ever had!
To avoid having yet another of my famous "ramblings without a point," I'll let you, the reader, make a point. Do so by sending me email at erik@applewizards.net . Tell me what you think of your noisy little machine. Is it annoying, or have you too been sucked into this endlessly fun hole-o-noise?
  Erik J. Barzeski
erik@applewizards.net
 
 
Next Month...
In case you haven't figured it out, items we schedule are often subject to change. Why? Products get delayed and features get shuffled around. However, here's what we're planning for the December issue of Apple Wizards (to be released 1 December 1998).
Reviews
• Tomb Raider II — Aside from the breasts, this gal has a lot to offer. Find out what the eunuch staffer Marc (just kidding Marc!) thinks of this busty babe and her battle skills. Assigned Staffer: Marc Messer.
• Resorcerer 2.2 — ResEdit's toast. It's not being developed, it's a dead end. Is Resorcerer your next hacking tool? Your next programming must-have? Find out next month… Assigned Staffer: Erik J. Barzeski.
• IconDropper 3.2 — 32-bit icons, wahoo! They're here! Oh wait, how do you store them, retrieve them, and use them? Ah, IconDropper. Assigned Staffer: Daria Aikens.
• Food Chain — In a game with Seaosaurs, Hovenboofs, Yug Yugs, and Magmaraptors, almost anything goes. Is this the next Tetris? Assigned Staffer: Jeff Frey.
• DiskWarrior — Your disk loves you — love it back. Defragment it and take good care of it. Perhaps DiskWarrior will help. Assigned Staffer: Pete Burkindine.
Feature Article (Desktop Video Pour Vous)
Next month we'll discuss desktop video and how you can use it to spice up your Mac. We're not going to talk about multi-thousand-dollar investments and we're not going to talk about producing full-length films, but we will make some recommendations and get you started.
Macintalk
Bruce, the Macintalk columnist, is planning to interview members of REAL Software, makers of REALBasic. Look for their comments in next month's edition of Macintalk.
Regular Columns
All of our columnists are very open to suggestions. If you'd like to see something discussed in any column, just email the author. We've got a Feedback form on our website, and our email addresses are all over the issue. Just drop us a line and we'll see what we can do!
