"Benchmarks on MacBook Pro done
http://eshop.macsales.com/benchmark/
Any of the 100, 133MHz systems have them in their factory stock database to compare to. (i.e. Select one of the older Mac systems on the linked base page, then on the comparison page there's a long list systems you can select to see results of various apps/games/benchmarks comparing new macs to upgraded older models.)
I'm not changing over from my 1.67GHz G4 17in PB.... Too slow in adobe apps. :>(
-Jamie "

" Final run - while they last...
The last of the NewerTech miniStack V1 FireWire/USB2 Oxford911+ Enclosure Kits w/Integrated USB 2.0 & Firewire Powered Hub are being moved at $59.00 as listed on the XLR8YourMac Specials page.
These are brand new and with the cool auto-power, thermal monitoring features - which along with the great design helped make this product of the year, Top Product, and Editor's Choice in 2005. While they last, this is the direct link to the XLR8YourMac readers discounted price.

The new for 2006 V2 model is available for $79.95 here:
http://eshop.macsales.com/item/Newer%20Technology/FWU2MSV2/
The V2 is nearly identical, except one USB2 and One FW400 hub port have been moved to the back of the left side for easy access. Convenient for those accessories you connect and disconnect versus the back panel ports better for those that stay connected in terms of reaching over.

Shipping for either unit is only $4.50 or less within the continental US and $7.95 or less for 2 Day Air for any US destination.
Best Regards,
Lawrence R. O'Connor
Other World Computing "

" This site reports a serious vulnerability in Safari:
http://www.heise.de/english/newsticker/news/69862
When you download a shell-script disguised as a jpeg it will be automatically executed.
I haven't seen anyone on this site mention this problem before but if it has been addressed the ignore my posting.
I have tested the proof of concept myself and found it actually does what it says, even though the user that I tried did not have admin rights. You can try it yourself:
http://www.heise.de/security/dienste/browsercheck/demos/safari/Heise.jpg.zip
No worries, the shell script only does a "ls -l". But someone wanting to do wrong could wipe out you home directory with it.
It is the result of the option in Safari "Open 'safe' files after downloading". Being a .jpg in a zip file Safari will open the file and try to execute the result. In this case it will not op preview but recognizes the file as a shell-script and start a terminal session.

Their solution is to disable this function in Safari (uncheck option to Open Safe Files after downloading).
I disagree on this solution. First of all it will not help in every situation since mail has similar functionality and who knows what third party program does also do this?
Second: this is one of the functions that makes OSX so user-friendly.

I have solved this issue this way:

First: I use an Admin user to install software and do system maintenance. This user will NOT be used to logon to the system. Ordinary users should not have admin rights. You ordinary users can install software by entering the admin password.

Second: for ordinary users disable the right to execute system utilities in the parental controls.

I checked this and this time nothing happens if I download the given file.

What is your opinion on this? Is this a serious flaw? Should Apple do something about it? What do you think of the solution given on the "heise online" site and my solution?
-Speijk"

BTW - Unsanity has posted a v1.3 update to Paranoid Android to deal with this also. I welcome other feedback on this.

" System: Digital Audio Dual G4 running OS X 10.4.x
PCI SATA card connected Maxtor Maxline III SATA 7L250S0 250GB

Hi, Mike. Just thought I would update you on my experience with the Sonnet PCI SATA card on my Digital Audio G4. I have been experiencing "white noise" when sound comes through my USB speakers ever since I upgraded using this card (Sonnet Tempo Serial ATA 2-Port Internal Card). (that's a rebranded Firmtek 2 port card model)

I had emailed Sonnet, and they had never heard of the problem, and suggested I contact Firmtek directly. I had been corresponding with George Rath there, and in the end he simply suggested I "throw away" my card, and purchase a SeriTek/1V2+2, as this card MAY fix my problem. From his email:

There is a very small percentage of the users who are having issues even with the MIC29150 regulator due some tolerance Apple made the motherboards. Most likely the best solution would be for you to order a SeriTek/1V2+2

I know they can't guarantee a working solution for every user, but I thought I would post this to you so that other users don't run into the same situation as I am in now: useless piece of equipment.
Thanks, Cam G. "

" Purchased two MaxLine III hard drives both 300GB one before xmas and the other in jan, now I'm having lots of problems with my powermac G5 2.7GHz dual, if the second drive is connected to one of the sata bays, the computer behaves strange, and i get a spinning mouse pointer as soon as i start fulling one of second drive up, and i find i can't do anything, sometimes disk utility can`t even see the second drive,
i have taken them out and given it to a friend who run a powermax test on his p.c. but found not problem with any of the drives, have you heard of this problem?,
-Lee "

I asked Lee if the problems only started after adding the 2nd one? (the one bought in Jan.). And did ASP note any difference in the later drive? (drive revision/firmware difference, etc.) Also asked he send his OS version and G5 bootrom version just for the record. He replied:

" Thanks for getting back to me, The OS I'm using is 10.4.4. my Boot Rom version is 5.2.4f1.
The problem started after I added a second Maxtor drive. I've tried just using one of them and everything is fine, but when I add the second drive that's when the computer starts playing up and I get a spinning cursor (BBOD).
At first i thought it was just the second sata bay (B), as these drives do fine on their own.
(I asked him if the problems were seen with both drives when used alone - or if only one exhibited the problem in case there was some firmware differences that could affect this, or if one drive might have a defect. I also suggested he contact Maxtor tech support to see if they knew of any issues with G5 onboard SATA.-Mike)
the two drives have different revisions - the newer one brought in Jan. is BANC1G10 and the other drive brought in November is BANC1E00. I will contact Maxtor and apple to see if they can help.
I think you could be right about this, I'm now going to conduct a test and clone my hard drive onto the second drive so both are the same, then I will try both drives in each bay to see if this problems still happens, i will keep a note of the older and newer drive by there names and I will then put them both together in the end to see if this still happens. I will get back to you as soon as I can.
my friend is also going to lend me a external SATA case to try the drive out in through the firewire port. I will let you know the out come of all of these.

Here's a copy from the Disk utility log report...
-Lee

Feb 21 15:05:06: Disk Utility started.
Verify and Repair disk "Untitled"
Checking HFS Plus volume.
Checking Extents Overflow file.
Checking Catalog file.
Invalid sibling link
Volume check failed.

Error: The underlying task reported failure on exit
Disk Utility stopped repairing "Untitled" because the following error was encountered:
The underlying task reported failure on exit
1 HFS volume checked
1 volume could not be repaired because of an error
(his mail also included log info on simply erasing some partitions on the drive (OK), but to save space that's not included here-Mike) "

I've seen similar Disk Utility errors before ("underlying task reported failure") on drives that had corruption/directory damage here. (thankfully Disk Warrior again recovered one recently.)
I've had several G5 owners post reports in the database here on Maxline III drives but I don't remember any problems like this with them (most I suspect added one of them, although I can't remember all the reports.) The BBOD/system freeze sounds similar to the problems mentioned with some WD drives and a post yesterday mentioned a similar problem with a Seagate 500GB after waking from sleep. (BTW - Another Seagate 7200.9/500GB owner wrote his drive took a long time to spin back up after sleep but after it did he didn't see any problems.)
Just for the record, I asked Lee to let me know his OS version used and the bootrom version (Apple system profiler will show that).

Hard Drives:
• IDE Fujitsu MHT2040AH 40GB in (Pismo) PowerBook G3 2000 (OS X 10.4)
  (PB G3 Pismo illustrated HD install guide here)
• IDE SerialATA PCI card connected Maxtor Maxline III SATA 250GB in (Digital Audio) Dual G4 (OS X 10.4)
  (reported "White Noise" on USB Audio after installing 2-port SATA PCI card - see above for details)
• IDE (SerialATA onboard) Seagate ST3300831AS 300GB in G5 Tower (OS X 10.4) (used in RAID 0 config)
• IDE (SerialATA onboard) Seagate ST3400832AS (7200.8) 400GB in G5 Tower (OS X 10.4)
• IDE Seagate ST3250823A 250GB in iMac G4 (OS X 10.4)
  (iMac G4 15in take-apart article here)
• Firewire (cased) Seagate ST3500841A 500GB used w/G5 Tower (OS X 10.4)

You can find full owner reports (latest shown first) by searching the database by drive/brand/interface/mac models (the latest reports are shown first in searches). For guides to installing CD/CDRW/DVD drives or Hard drives in many mac models, see the IDE Articles page. The Firewire articles page also has guides on case kits, installing drives, etc.
If you've added a IDE, SCSI, Firewire or USB hard drive, CDRW, tape drive, etc. make sure you add a report to the database. (If you post an updated entry - make sure you use the same name, etc. as you did before so I can find your past entry. Thanks.)
(Incomplete entries are deleted. Do not post questions in the database, it's for drive reports not questions on what drive to buy - for that try searching the database for reports from owners of your mac model on the drive type/brand/interface, etc. you're interested in.)

• Other World Computing G4 1.2GHz in (orig. G4/400) G4/AGP (rated 10)
• Sonnet G4 1.8GHz (7447A) in (orig. Quicksilver 733) G4/AGP (rated 10)
  
  (Full reviews of G4 and G3 upgrades compared to stock CPUs, including real world apps/game tests, install info, etc. are linked at the CPU upgrades page. OC/CPU module articles are on the Systems page.)

You can find the full reports by searching the database selecting the indicated Mac model and upgrade card brand/type. If you've upgraded the CPU on your Mac, please post an entry in the database. Search the database for entries from most every upgradable Mac model *before* you buy. (Searchable by mac model/upgrade brand).