You probably already know that AppleWorks combines six core capabilities into one easy-to-use application. But did you know that AppleWorks 6.2—the latest version of this award-winning software program—now runs in Mac OS X?

It’s true.

And in addition to being the first productivity suite to run on Apple’s new operating system, the latest version of AppleWorks:

Is in the movies—the Desktop Movies, that is.

That’s how Fremont High School’s principal Pete Tuana and teacher David Ramos-Beban illustrated the overwhelming success of the school’s Digital High School Initiative. The educators invited school board members, district administrators, faculty, family, and friends to a special meeting at which they showed attendees the over 50 Desktop Movies students had produced using their AirPort-enabled iBook computers.

“This demonstration on the iBooks,” explains Tuana, “was designed to allow school board members to see how computers can be used in the classroom for research and personalized learning.” “Working with the iBooks gives students the chance to do immediate research at their desks,” Tuana adds. “They can gather and analyze information, and use a variety of resources, just as they did with the videos.”

Monsters may lurk under your kids’ beds and in their closets, but don’t be angry with them—it’s just their job.

In “Monsters, Inc.,” we find that the critters in the closet have another deep, dark secret: They’re more afraid of kids than kids are of them. This new animated comedy is being developed by Walt Disney and Pixar (which also delighted us with “A Bug’s Life,” “Toy Story,” and “Toy Story II”) and features the voices of John Goodman, Billy Crystal, Steve Buscemi, and many others. It appears in U.S. theaters on November 2, but you can take a peek at the new trailer today.

Who says you can’t teach an old animator new tricks?

Take Art Leonardi. He’s spent 40+ years creating Pink Panther and Bugs Bunny cartoons the old-fashioned way—by hand, with a team of artists slaving over the cels. But Leonardi recently traded in his traditional tools, and now he’s using a Mac, a mouse, and a revolutionary new animation product—Toon Boom Studio—for all his animation needs.

“I’m a walking, one-man studio,” he says. “I’m the controlling agent. I control the music, the sound effects, the design, the color, everything.”

With Toon Boom Studio and his Mac, Leonardi can make animated films more quickly, more easily, and less expensively than he ever could before.

Which applications do you use the most on your Mac? If your answer is “word processing and email,” then Microsoft has the perfect solution for you.

It’s called Word + Entourage 2001 SE, a “special edition” package that brings you both Microsoft Word and Entourage for just $149—that’s less than the cost of Word 2001 by itself. With these two great applications you can:

Do you like to have the very latest software updates for Mac OS X running on your Macintosh? Then we have an easy way for you to keep current. It’s called Software Update, an application you can set to automatically download new updates as they’re released. Here’s how.

First, open System Preferences (from either the Dock or Apple menu). Then click on the Software Update icon. In the dialog box, click the radio button next to “Automatically,” then use the drop-down menu to set the frequency to Daily, Weekly, or Monthly. That’s all there is to it.

Software Update will also let you “Update Now,” if you hear about a new upgrade you want to download immediately. And, if you’d like to see a list of all of the updates you’ve downloaded and installed, you can do that, too. Just by clicking the “Show Log...” button.

Like a slice of Caribbean real estate to call your own? A little tropical island nation where you call the shots?

Then make plans to visit Tropico, where you’ll be installed as “El Presidente” and have numerous decisions to make. Should you be a wise and compassionate leader or a hard-as-nails dictator? Should you create a tourist paradise and bring in off-shore visitors or concentrate your resources on other ventures, such as digging mines?

The choice is yours. Just watch out for scheming military generals (who may be planning a coup) and pesky journalists (who ask too many questions and take too many pictures).