Since Apple itself currently does not intend to upgrade the browser, Cyberdog users are hoping that Apple will be willing to license the Kantara Development Company to use the Cyberdog source code. Important upgrades--not just additional parts--will require access to the Cyberdog source code. Kantara was apparently led to believe that this would happen, but it hasn't. In fact, after many months of waiting for Apple's written agreement, Apple declared its unwillingness to license the use of the Cyberdog source code, which is patented.

It seems to me that Apple would profit economically through allowing--at no cost to Apple--the upgrading and continued use of an excellent browser which is only available on a Mac. Apple would also profit in terms of the appreciation felt by some of the most loyal of loyal Mac users, those of us who use Cyberdog. It has not been a marketing plus for the company when Apple has had to cancel--often because of financial constraints--the continued development of technologies which many people appreciate and have grown to depend on. Why make this trend worse--arbitrarily, and for no financial reason? Is that a good marketing strategy for the Mac OS?

It is not in Apple's interest to stifle Cyberdog development. This would result in Cyberdog eventually losing relevance to new Internet trends. With significant--and significantly good--technologies being canceled regularly, how will Apple be able to assure new customers that Mac features that look attractive today will be around tomorrow? Computers cost too much money for most people to make the purchase blindly.

So Cyberdog lovers have written a petition to Apple.

We're asking Apple to license the Cyberdog source code so the Dog can keep up to date with changing Internet conditions. And I'm asking anyone reading this--regardless of which browser you might prefer for yourself--to help us. I figure if it's good for Apple, it's bound to be good for all of us who love our Macs. And having choices available--even if they're only available for Mac people--is vital to all who use, or ever might hope to use, any kind of computer. Just as PC users should hope the Mac survives, people who don't even use Cyberdog have a personal stake in its survival.

If you want to help us, the way you "sign" the petition is to just type in your name and your e-mail address in the two boxes on the petition's web page [petition closed now - Ed.], and then click on the Submit button just below those fill-in boxes. That's all there is to it. You don't even have to be a Cyberdog user--just someone who is interested in seeing Apple license this technology, and willing to say so publicly.

If you sign the petition, your personal e-mail address information will not be given to anyone and will go only to Apple Computer, Inc. You won't get unwanted e-mail as a result of signing.

We invite you to try out Cyberdog for yourself. Do something unusual! Think Different! It's available on the MacOS 8.0 CD. We hope too, that you'll stop by our newsgroup. The world's best tech help is available there from many experienced users and several developers. You can get there by going to the cyberdog.general newsgroup via links through Apple. Or go directly to this address: news://cyberdog.apple.com/cyberdog.general I'm guessing that you're comfortable with Thinking Different; if I weren't, I'd still be using my old PC. And there is a striking similarity between experiences in switching to a Mac and in switching to Cyberdog. I didn't hate my old PC, but I love my Mac! And for all the same kinds of reasons, I love Cyberdog!

"Only one browser mail-client duo has held up to everything I've flung against it. And practically no one (at least no vendor) is going to be happy to hear which one it is -- Apple's Cyberdog. Too bad Apple officially prefers Internet Explorer." -- from TechWeb

"What matters is that you finally have a choice: you can succumb to using four or five behemoth applications to engage in your Internet business (including the several included with Mac OS 8), or you can get it all in one easy-to-use and powerful package -- Cyberdog." -- from Webintosh

"But Cyberdog is far from moribund, if users' glowing praise is any indication. And, among others, third-party developer Kantara Development Inc. of Newport Beach, Calif., is determined to continue to build parts for the Cyberdog suite" ... "the company plans to release the beta of an improved Cyberdog browser as well as an upgraded searching tool." -- from MacWeek

Mary Grimsley is an author, PTA veteran, and regular contributor to the cyberdog.general newsgroup. In other words, an average Mac user. A former PC user, she joined the Mac community in 1995 after hearing Steve Jobs on NPR. She has since become and avid fan and outspoken Mac advocate. She has even been mistaken for an Apple sales Rep. Mary continues to promote Cyberdog and can be reached at marygrimsley@sprintmail.com

The Fight To Save Cyberdog Goes On

Column Update 10/22/98

Dear Mac Friends,

Many of you have written me with encouraging words, and many of you have signed our petition. Thank you very much for both! The number of people signing the Cyberdog petition has steadily increased as people have heard about it. This update is to tell you about a disappointing development which makes necessary a revision in some of the previous information (including the links). The column was first published on September 15--not so long ago, but a lot can happen very quickly, even in just a day. That day came for us yesterday--Wednesday, October 21-- when we discovered that our status as Apple/Cyberdog supporters at Apple was completely wiped out.

It started out to be (we thought) some server glitch on Tuesday night. But an inquiry to the webmaster brought the news yesterday that he had just found out that the leadership at Apple had wiped out our newsgroups and everything else for Cyberdog linked from Cyberdog's homepage there. (That's the homepage link shown in a graphic near the start of the column and linked in addresses on the column's third page.) The Cyberdog homepage had been critical for Cyberdog users and linked to many resources housed only at Apple. There had been, among many other things, a download available for the Cyberdog 2.0 software. It was freely available. Now there's no Cyberdog 2.0 available from Apple anywhere. Apple's FTP site contains an old version--Cyberdog 1.2.1--only. I can't imagine anyone really wanting to download this early version if they knew what it was, and I wonder why the space couldn't be used for something which would actually help Mac users. Even worse: downloading it without knowing that it's old stuff might give a prospective user a totally false impression of Cyberdog's functionality today. You might imagine that Cyberdog users are feeling stunned now, almost too stunned to write. But we need to explain the new situation, supply new links, and ask for your continued support, so. . .

We are dashing around. . .

as of this writing--trying to get going with a newsserver situation to handle the (fairly large) volume of readers who regularly used to read the newsgroups. Most people haven't had much trouble using Cyberdog in the basic ways, so we don't regularly see too many posts asking for emergency tech help, but cyberdog.general was read often by many users just looking for extra knowledge and tips. We didn't expect Apple to carry Cyberdog support forever. But given that it was included on the OS 8.0 CD, many people will be deciding to give Cyberdog a try for several years ahead. Many users--especially ordinary users--either never upgrade their operating system during the life of the current computer, or seldom do so. When the OS 8.0 users try to connect now to any of the Cyberdog resource site links supplied with the software (built into the notebook), none of the links are going to work for them anymore. How will they find out where they can get help and information? It's sad to think of all the people who are going to be bewildered by having nowhere to turn to when using Apple software. The company has been known for its excellent software support.

New Links

Our new newsservers links are not working all the time yet; we're having to scramble now to get the setups finished so that the two sites mirror one another. The sudden cutoff without notice from Apple has made it especially tough.

Here's the address for Cyberdog's new homepage: http://www.cyberdog.org/ The homepage link works well. The page and its links are still being built, and will eventually contain many additional items.

For connecting directly to the cyberdog.general newsgroup, use one of these links: news://news.cyberdog.org OR at news://news.cyberdream.net/cyberdog.general

Cyberdog newsgroups lists can be found at either news://news.cyberdog.org OR at news://news.cyberdream.net

As soon as the mirror arrangement is set up, the connections should hold up reliably. The webmaster at cyberdream.net has already requested of Apple that they give permission to make Cyberdog 2.0 available for download from cyberdream.net. She is also planning to build a web interface for our newsgroups at http://cyberdog.cyberdream.net. The three sites mentioned in the column which are not a part of Apple--Cyberdog Central, Biscuit, and Cyberdog for the Curious--are still available and contain a great deal of information. All three sites, along with our homepage and newsservers, should be a source for continuing updates on software availability and tech help.

Rescue Cyberdog 2.0 !

We're not going to stop the petition drive soon. It's nearing the 3500 signature mark now. We are planning, though, to send in those signatures received by the date of that interim point. At the same time, we'll keep the petition online and continue collecting signatures for the more complete submission to Apple later. The other thing we're planning to do soon would be to begin a new petition to Apple--asking them to please Rescue Cyberdog 2.0. The second petition will probably go up within a few days and should be linked from the same page the first (ongoing) petition links from. Many users operating Cyberdog from a downloaded copy need to be able to reinstall the software when necessary. But there's no way that's possible now, unless a user had correctly guessed that Apple would suddenly disconnect the Cyberdog 2.0 software from its archives--and then prudently decided to make backups of it. Many users don't do backups of software freely available. As additional people continue to find out about Cyberdog, they'll want to download it. Apple spent a huge amount of money developing the software. Wouldn't it be a shame now to withhold it from its many Mac users who want to use it? It's almost like taking back a Christmas gift which is already delighting the family. The difference, of course, is that taking away this gift to our family won't refund the money Apple spent on it. Many Mac family members will continue to want Cyberdog--because not everyone is satisfied with a choice between the Big Two browsers. Many of us do, indeed, Think Different.

Thanks so very much for your help!

Mary Grimsley

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