According to Tom Yager at InfoWorld, VMware will announce, if not release, their VMware software for OS X next week. You can get more details in his post, VMWare for Mac to debut August 7.

August 7th is, of course, the first of Apple's WWDC, and yet another year when I am unable to make it.

We've been hearing rumours, including from VMware themselves, that they would be working on a version of the Virtual Workstation (and perhaps other) software for OS X for almost as long as OS X on Intel hardware was announced.

The fax machine quickly overtook telex as the main method for sending and receiving letters and notes between companies. At the time - about 20 years ago - Telex was the only form of large scale text-based, instant communication, and was the only legally binding method of electronic communication.

The fax machine meant that in addition to ASCII text, you could send letters, letter heading, graphics, and it could be used be anybody who could dial a telephone. That made a big difference to how, why and when it was used.

Although email has replaced the large scale generic text based communication, faxes still rule when it comes to sending hand written notes, or when you need to send a form that can be filled in and sent back. I also know of companies that still use it as the prime method for proofs and as the main method for accepting orders, even though the orders are often computer generated and then printed and faxes in each case.

The fax machine quickly overtook telex as the main method for sending and receiving letters and notes between companies. At the time - about 20 years ago - Telex was the only form of large scale text-based, instant communication, and was the only legally binding method of electronic communication.

The fax machine meant that in addition to ASCII text, you could send letters, letter heading, graphics, and it could be used be anybody who could dial a telephone. That made a big difference to how, why and when it was used.

Although email has replaced the large scale generic text based communication, faxes still rule when it comes to sending hand written notes, or when you need to send a form that can be filled in and sent back. I also know of companies that still use it as the prime method for proofs and as the main method for accepting orders, even though the orders are often computer generated and then printed and faxes in each case.

I wrote some initial thoughts on my new MacBook Pro (MBP) at end of last week and now, ten days on, I think it's time to write some more about the machine in use.

At the moment, I'll concentrate on its desktop use for the simple reason that it's never left my desk, been off it's power cord, or disconnected from the second 20" LCD that I use with it. In essence, it's moved less than my iMac Intel Core Duo, which at least moved from the right desk to the left when the MBP arrived.

Overall, I'm very happy. It's very quick - I would say slightly snappier and more responsive than my iMac, which has a slower processor and faster disk. I mentioned this before and actually just assumed it was the 'new silicon' smell giving me a false impression. My unit has 2GB (just like the iMac) which obviously helps.

I wrote some initial thoughts on my new MacBook Pro (MBP) at end of last week and now, ten days on, I think it's time to write some more about the machine in use.

At the moment, I'll concentrate on its desktop use for the simple reason that it's never left my desk, been off it's power cord, or disconnected from the second 20" LCD that I use with it. In essence, it's moved less than my iMac Intel Core Duo, which at least moved from the right desk to the left when the MBP arrived.

Overall, I'm very happy. It's very quick - I would say slightly snappier and more responsive than my iMac, which has a slower processor and faster disk. I mentioned this before and actually just assumed it was the 'new silicon' smell giving me a false impression. My unit has 2GB (just like the iMac) which obviously helps.

There was a lot of buzz last week about OmniGroup and their rumoured new application. OmniGroup are well known in the Mac community for producing some wonderful Mac OS X software, including OmniWeb (browser), OmniGraffle (diagramming application) and OmniOutliner.

Their new applications fills in a gap in the Mac market, in the form of an effective and capable Mac project planning application, and is called, appropriately, OmniPlan.

There was a lot of buzz last week about OmniGroup and their rumoured new application. OmniGroup are well known in the Mac community for producing some wonderful Mac OS X software, including OmniWeb (browser), OmniGraffle (diagramming application) and OmniOutliner.

Their new application fills a gap in the Mac market in the form of an effective and capable Mac project planning application and is called, appropriately, OmniPlan.

Just occasionally I have cause to contact the helpdesk of an online service that I might be using. Most often it's related to some issue that I cannot otherwise resolve, or there is a problem or information mismatch between what I expect on the website, and what I get.

This week, I had just such an issue with LinkedIn, a service of which I am a huge fan. I sent a detailed email explaining exactly what I expected to see, and what I was actually getting, and gave as much information as possible about what the problem and issue was.

Today, I get a response to my query. Unfortunately, as happens 9 times out of ten, I've given a stock response that demonstrates, very clearly, that the 'Customer Services Representative' gave a cursory look at my problem, assumed that they knew what the problem was, and tried to answer it by telling me something I already knew.

Just occasionally I have cause to contact the helpdesk of an online service that I might be using. Most often it's related to some issue that I cannot otherwise resolve, or there is a problem or information mismatch between what I expect on the website and what I get.

This week, I had just such an issue with LinkedIn, a service of which I am a huge fan. I sent a detailed email explaining exactly what I expected to see, and what I was actually getting, and gave as much information as possible about what the problem and issue was.

Today, I get a response to my query. Unfortunately, as happens 9 times out of ten, I've been given a stock response that demonstrates, very clearly that the 'Customer Services Representative' gave a cursory look at my problem, assumed that they knew what the problem was, and tried to answer it by telling me something I already knew.

Microsoft cuts support for Windows 98 and Windows ME at the end of the month. Are we sorry to see it go?

Well, Windows ME I will happily say good bye and good riddance to. It was neither one thing nor the other, coming in between Windows 98 and before Windows 2000, and in my experience suffering the worst effects of both OS.

Windows 98, though, I have always liked when used in a standalone environment. As a stable, reliable, desktop operating system without network support, Windows 98 has always been stable for me. In fact, up until Windows XP, I used Windows 98 for the majority of my virtual machines as I could be sure of the stability.