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Mac OS X Services in Snow Leopard

Mac OS X Services let one application supply its powers to another; for example, a Grab service helps TextEdit paste a screenshot into a document. Most users either don't know that Services exist, because they're in an obscure hierarchical menu (ApplicationName > Services), or they mostly don't use them because there are so many of them.

Snow Leopard makes it easier for the uninitiated to utilize this feature; only services appropriate to the current context appear. And in addition to the hierarchical menu, services are discoverable as custom contextual menu items - Control-click in a TextEdit document to access the Grab service, for instance.

In addition, the revamped Keyboard preference pane lets you manage services for the first time ever. You can enable and disable them, and even change their keyboard shortcuts.


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Published in TidBITS 410.
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15 Dec 1997 | Print Printer-Friendly Version of This Article

Rare MacPicasso Unearthed

by Tonya Engst Send Email to Author

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Rare MacPicasso Unearthed -- After reading last week's Holiday Gifts issue (TidBITS-409), several readers inquired about contact information for purchasing a MacPicasso 516 video card. We hadn't realized how difficult it would be to locate a U.S. source for the card. Anne-Marie Concepcion <amarie@sdandc.com> did the legwork to identify Software Hut as the U.S. distributor. She wrote, "Software Hut says the MacPicasso 516 has been discontinued, and they have none in stock. Software Hut will offer an updated version of the low-end board, the MacPicasso 523, for the same $119.95 price." Software Hut also told Anne-Marie the 523 wouldn't be available until January, so she purchased an inexpensive card from MacConnection instead.

The plot thickened when I called Software Hut to confirm Anne-Marie's information. The representative stated the 523 should be available on Thursday of this week, but could not confirm the pricing before this issue went to press. Also, Kai Niggemann <canine@muenster.de>, who lives in Germany and originated the MacPicasso suggestion, said the Picasso 516 is "still being advertised in Germany." If you don't live in the U.S. or Germany, you might have luck with either company, or you could just purchase a different video card. [TJE]

Software Hut (in the U.S.) -- 610/586 5701 -- 610/586 5706 (fax)
<softhut@erols.com>
Villagetronic (in Germany) -- 05066-7013-10 -- 95966-7013-49
<orders@village.de>

 

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