New & Noteworthy: AOL IM; Linux Installer; Eudora

AOL Instant Messenger 3.0.750 is out. New features include a Stock Ticker, a new menu layout (to make things easier to find and give a more logical layout to the feature set), enhanced File Sharing and AppleScript support, and more - plus bug fixes.

LinuxPPC Installer update "provides the easiest installation possible, and fix a few bugs along the way. All users about to install LinuxPPC on a Power Mac should download it." The Linux site also notes that users installing Linux on a G3/BW should check a web page by Robert Shaw forvarious tips and info.

CHRP-based systems coming in 2000 On a related note, a MacWEEK article reports that, by early 2000, Prophet Systems will deliver a sub-$1,000 desktop system based on the RISC architecture. They will use both the current G3 and forthcoming G4 processors. "While the company said the new boxes will run open-source OSes such as Linux and Darwin, it's unclear whether Mac users could also take advantage of the cheaper systems without a licensing agreement from Apple."

Eudora Pro 4.22b3 is out.

G3/BW: Multiple Keyboards, Shift Key During Startup Apple TIL article #60461 notes the following: "I have an Apple USB Keyboard connected to a port on my computer, and a second Apple USB Keyboard connected to a port on my display. If I try to disable extensions during startup by holding down the Shift key on one of the keyboards, the computer start up with extensions on." The reason: "When the computer starts up, it detects devices on the USB chain. You can see the Caps Lock key light blink as each keyboard is detected. This initialization procedure takes slightly longer and the keyboard lights will blink more than once if more than one keyboard is connected. If you hold down a key before the keyboard has been detected by the computer, it will not be recognized." The solution: "Hold down the Shift Key after the keyboard Caps Lock light blinks for the last time, before the Happy Mac icon."

New Olympus digital cameras Olympus has announced the C-2500L, a 2.5 megapixel (1712 X 1368) filmless digital camera for $1499, and the D-450 Zoom, a compact point & shoot camera that offers a 1.3 megapixel resolution CCD and 3X optical zoom lens at $499.