I just posted updated versions of my iPhoto Date Manipulation AppleScripts which now work with iPhoto 6.

This is definitely the best version of iPhoto yet, but the biggest positive change regarding scripting is that dates are now read/write properties. Before dates were read-only strings whose format would sometimes vary. Because dates can now be set as AppleScript date objects my long nightmare of UI scripting can finally come to a end. No more need to internationalize ambiguous dates, no more counting interface splitter groups to figure out what was visible, no more “keystroke”, and no more appallingly slow performance.

Another good part is that all my date logic was abstracted using proper date objects, so that all translated perfectly. Once I noticed that dates were finally writable, it took very little time to update the specific routines to work with the new version.

Now I feel like it would actually be worth my time to create Automator actions, the absurdly delicate nature of UI scripting would have previously made that a nightmare.

Problem: The subdirectory (/school/dept/) needs to be accessed via password. The parent subdirectory (/school/) is otherwise empty and should redirect to the main page for any attempted requests.

Solution: Change options to deny Indexes, then use the main page’s url as the 403 error page. Here’s the complete file:

Options -Indexes
ErrorDocument 403 http://www.joemaller.com

On my previous MacBook Pro post, Ted asked, “Will the new intel Apple computers allow us to load our current version of Final Cut Pro 5?”

Probably not, but I ordered one anyway.

Jobs said in the keynote that all Apple’s pro apps would be universal binaries in March. Also on Apple’s MacBook Pro Core Duo page they list an FCP benchmark with an footnote indicating they tested with beta apps.

Apple will be offering a $49 crossgrade for pro apps.

Universal applications are designed to run flawlessly on both Intel- and PowerPC-based Mac computers. Universal versions of Final Cut Studio, Logic Pro, Logic Express, and Aperture will be available by March 31, 2006.

If you own a current PowerPC version of one of these products, you’re eligible for a low-cost “crossgrade” to the Universal version when it becomes available.

“Not supported” doesn’t mean “doesn’t work”, but for $49 (yes, another $49) the apps should be good to go. Based on past history, whatever new thing is announced at NAB will be another paid upgrade (there are already FCP6 rumors). So if you’re not going to be immediately updating your hardware to Intel, it would probably be wise to wait until April to see what’s next for FCP. That $49 could be put towards the next upgrade.

I’m guessing March is when we’ll see the pro towers refreshed. I’m also expecting to see new 17 and 12 inch MacBooks sometime in February, maybe just after the MacBook Pros start shipping, much like the iPod Video was announced on October 12th, only 5 weeks after releasing the iPod Nano on September 7th. My longshot prediction has the end of the iBook brand as well, with iBooks becoming sans-pro MacBooks based on single-core Intel chips. Too bad, I liked the name iBook much more than MacBook.

• Finally, Google Earth for Macs Officially beta released sometime on January 10th, just noticed.
  tags: Google earth mac macosx maps osx +

• Programming in Lua Free online version of the book.
  tags: lua programming scripting +

Here’s the page: MacBook Pro

First thoughts:

• The top of the screen looks thicker in some photos, kind of out of balance with the sides. The little extra bit of material up there makes the whole machine appear a little bit squat, despite being almost identical to my current machine’s dimensions.
• FireWire 800 is gone. Expected that, but not quite so soon.
• Express Card 34 (for 34mm width) is the successor to PCMCIA cards. It’s much smaller and apparently related to PCI-Express. I didn’t even know these were on the horizon. Oh well, my 6-in-1 PCMCIA memory card adaptor just crapped out anyway. ExpressCard is significantly faster than the PCMCIA interface, hopefully we’ll see some SATA interfaces soon.
• Love the new power connector. I’ve seen so many power jacks break, probably more than any other part on a PowerBook. This plug probably costs 10x more than the previous one, but Apple’s going to save a fortune in AppleCare power-jack repairs.
• These are Fast. I’m currently using a 1.25ghz PowerBook, which was already bettered by the grey-bar 1.67 G4 Apple’s new numbers are trouncing. I’m probably looking at something like an 8x speed boost come February. Glad I waited, also glad I didn’t steer everyone wrong by advising them to wait on purchases.
• The name feels a little goofy, especially the “pro” caboose. It’s going to take a while to get used to how that one feels in the ears.
• This release begs the question about the rest of the intel portables. Is the iBook going away? When, if ever, are 17″ MacBooks going to be released? What about twelves? Six Powerbook models have been sort-of replaced (they’re still for sale?) with two models. iBooks just went from near-parity with PowerBooks to remarkable suckiness.

Other thoughts:
John Gruber agrees that the name is sort of goofy, though less charitably:

[The MacBook Pro] name is terrible I mean just horrible, like some crappy Mac accounting software from 1987″

Cabel Sasser’s already posted MacBook Pro Pics

Engadget, “We think we’re in love”

Michael Tsai: “I can’t think of an Apple product name that’s worse than ‘MacBook Pro.'”

Via MacRumors IRC (irc.macrumorslive.com#macrumors):

10:48 Apple Store just loaded.

10:42 Show’s over, time to go reload the Apple Store site a few hundred times.

10:38 My Amex just wriggled free from my wallet and lept up onto my desk all on it’s own, it looks tired and dispirited, much like a salmon. Apple store is still down.

10:35 MacBook Pro: Fastest notebook ever. Thinner than 17″ PowerBook, 15.4″LCD, bright as a cinema display, IR sensor (returns!) with Apple Remote. 5.6lbs. $1999 1.67 Core Duo; $2499 1.83GHz. Shipping in February!

10:32 4 to 5x faster!! two processors (meaning dual core or 2x dual core?) I’m such a nerd. A happy nerd, but a serious nerd.

10:31 AHHHHHH!!!! No more powerbook! MacBook Pro (see my prediction below!)

10:30 LAPTOPS!

10:26 I’m hoping there’s a one more thing and that thing is portables, but it’s starting to seem unlikely at this point.

10:20 Quark (bleh) has a universal binary beta shipping today. Adobe?

Microsoft is claiming everything works with Rosetta, no date on universal binaries yet. Now saying updates in March.

What’s up with March? Apple’s pro apps and Office in March, I guess that’s when towers will get intel chips.

10:14 Intel iMac? 2 to 3 times faster than the previous G5 iMac! Holy crap. It’s using the Core Duo. Two cores, each core faster than the G5 They do know how bad this makes PowerBooks look, they have to. IOP’s G5 iMacs absolutely smoke my PowerBook.

10.4.4 is entirely native on Intel! iLife and iWork are all universal binaries, totally expected that.

10:08 iWork ’06, just go try it? lol. HARDWARE!…

10:06 One hour and no mention of Intel? If they end this without new hardware, the stock’s gonna get hammered. Intel’s stock started tanking about 12:30pm, currently down $0.32 (1.2%).

9:55 here comes iWeb, (tried SandVox yet?). AAPL just topped $80. Based on MacRumors IRC, iWeb seems very .Mac focused. Good, smart niche and doesn’t yank the rug out from under Dan Wood again.

9:30 Apple’s stock is up $3.60, 4.75% already.

iLife updated, major overhaul to iPhoto. THANK YOU. iPhoto 5 was a dog. Really wish I could see screens, iLife site not updated yet (no surprise).

9:27 10.4.4 today! nice. hope it reduces the number of beachballs I’m still seeing.

My predictions:
Lots of new hardware, more than was rumored. I’m convinced that new PowerBooks will be released alongside new iBooks. Unless the lines are merged into a two-tiered ‘book. The primary distinction will be Core Duo in PowerBooks and Core (single) in iBooks. There will be no updates to towers until later in the year, probably around NAB and the next FCP update.

Don’t care much about iPod stuff, though I think Bruce is right to point out the biggest coming market is sending digital entertainment around the house. Viiv addresses some of this, but people are soon going demand that their stuff plays wherever they want.

Several large software companies will be onstage to announce universal binaries available today (or when the new comps ship).

The biggest question for me is whether or not Final Cut Pro will be updated to universal binary now, or will wait until NAB in April. I’m figuring it won’t be updated, the larger user base isn’t on PowerBooks. Much as I want a new machine, I might wait a bit to see it all plays out if FCP isn’t done yet.