Welcome to the latest edition of Medicine Man. I am your virtual on-call Macdoctor.
To ask a question (sorry, no house calls), just pop by the Apple Wizards website at http://applewizards.net/special/med-man.shtml — the website is open 24 hours a day, 8 days a week.
This won't hurt a bit… I promise!
 
Black-and-Blue Mark #1
How do I put a new menu in the top menu bar?
Ice Pack #1 
If you are looking
for a product that will
allow you to add any
type of menu to the
menu bar, you are out
of luck. I only know of
products that allow
users to add specific
types of menus.
For instance, Internet
Menu (freeware from
Tri Bar Software),
adds a menu that allows
users to launch your
favorite Internet applications and Control Panels from the menu bar.
Another option is to use Microsoft Office Manager, which is bundled with Microsoft Office. It allows users to place almost any application in a special menu, allowing for quick application launches.
If any readers out there know of a product that allows users to add a menu to which they can add any Finder capability, please send the good doctor an email!
 
Daddy, I Have a Boo-Boo #2
I'm running OS 7.5.3. What is the highest OS I can run on without going to 8.0? I am not on a PowerPC (I have a Quadra 650). Most (well all) of my software is pretty old and I expect won't run on OS 8 anyway. Thinking you're going to say 7.6, is there anyplace to download it (free preferably)?
A Rub and a Kiss #2
 
Before you consider upgrading to anything lower than
Mac OS 8.0, you should know that your computer, with
its 68040 processor, is perfectly capable of running
operating systems all the way up to Mac OS 8.1. In
addition, most older software will continue to work
fantastically under Mac OS 8.1. Most likely, the only
problems will be slight appearance quirks. If you can put up with those, you can take advantage of all the new features that Mac OS 8.1 offers
If you still want to stick with a version older than Mac OS 8, then the latest is Mac OS 7.6.1. While Apple is usually pretty good about releasing older operating systems for free on the Internet, it has not done so with Mac OS 7.6.1 yet. The latest version on their FTP site is 7.5.3. As a result, you'll need to buy the software. The lowest price for Mac OS 7.6.1 that I was able to find was $29 (bundled with a free copy of ClarisWorks 4.0), from MacResQ at http://www.macresq.com/ .
 
DOH! #3
I was wondering if there is any way to alter settings in my computer to optimize my modem speed and dial-up access.
Don't Have a Cow, Man! #3
 
While I can't promise a
significant amount of
added speed, I can give
you a few tips for
noticeably faster access.
First, make sure that you
have the correct modem
selected in the
Modem Control Panel.
If your modem is not
listed, you probably can
download a "Modem Script" for your modem from your modem's manufacturer. Once it is downloaded, place it in the Modem Scripts folder inside the Extensions Folder
Secondly, if you are using a 56k modem, make sure that you are dialing into
a number that supports the 56k speeds. You also have to make sure the phone number supports the 56k protocol you are using. Most 56k modems use V.90, but older ones may use older protocols. If your ISP only supports V.90 and you have a modem that uses an older protocol, you most likely can download a V.90 upgrade from your modem manufacturer's website.
Finally, you can use NavCom Cache Control from Day Job Softworks. NavCom Cache Control allows you to increase Netscape Navigator and Communicator's RAM cache settings to make accessing already visited web sites much, much faster.
While these tips may make your surfing a little bit faster, the only real way to increase surfing speed is to get a broadband connection such as DSL or Cable. Check with your local Telco and cable company to see what broadband options are available in your area.
 
Medicine Man's Prescriptions
Here are the most important software updates of the past month. Let me remind you that keeping your software up-to-date is one of the most important elements to maintaining a stable Mac. Without further ado:
3Dfx Voodoo3 Drivers
http://www.3dfx.com/view.asp?IOID=306
Yeah! Mac users can now use Voodoo3 PCI cards in their Macs. Be warned, however, these drivers are intended for developmental use only and no technical support is provided.
The Apple Font Manager Update fixes a few bugs that, in certain obscure situations, could cause fonts to become corrupted and crash the computer. This update is only needed for Macs running Mac OS 8.6
MacLinkPlus
http://www.dataviz.com/upgrade/upgmlp_home.html
DataViz has updated its ever-so-famous file conversion utility, MacLinkPlus, to version 11. The new version sports support for AppleWorks, Microsoft Word/Excel 2000, and more.
