3248 lines
159 KiB
Erlang
3248 lines
159 KiB
Erlang
|
||
|
||
|||||| |||||| || || |||||| ||||||
|
||
|| || ||| || || ||
|
||
|| ||| |||| |||||| || |||| Your
|
||
|| || || || ||| || ||
|
||
|||||| |||||| || || |||||| |||||| GEnieLamp Computing
|
||
|
||
|| |||||| || || |||||| RoundTable
|
||
|| || || ||| ||| || ||
|
||
|| |||||| |||||||| |||||| RESOURCE!
|
||
|| || || || || || ||
|
||
||||| || || || || ||
|
||
|
||
|
||
~ WELCOME TO GEnieLamp APPLE II! ~
|
||
""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""
|
||
~ POLISHING GREEN APPLES: Hooked on Storage, Part 4 ~
|
||
~ THE TREASURE HUNT: HyperStudio Stacks ~
|
||
~ PAL NEWSLETTER: New GEM and more! ~
|
||
~ APPLE II HISTORY: Part 22, Telecommunications ~
|
||
~ HOT NEWS, HOT FILES, HOT MESSAGES ~
|
||
|
||
\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\////////////////////////////////////
|
||
GEnieLamp Apple II ~ A T/TalkNET OnLine Publication ~ Vol.3, Issue 27
|
||
""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""
|
||
Editor....................................................Douglas Cuff
|
||
Publisher.............................................John F. Peters
|
||
\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\////////////////////////////////////
|
||
~ GEnieLamp IBM ~ GEnieLamp ST ~ GEnieLamp [PR] ~ GEnieLamp Windows ~
|
||
~ GEnieLamp A2Pro ~ GEnieLamp Macintosh ~ GEnieLamp TX2 ~
|
||
~ GEnieLamp A2 ~ LiveWire (ASCII) ~ GEnieLamp MacPRO ~
|
||
~ Solid Windows ~ Config.sys ~ A2-Central ~
|
||
~ Member Of The Digital Publishing Association ~
|
||
GE Mail: GENIELAMP Internet: genielamp@genie.geis.com FTP: sosi.com
|
||
////////////////////////////////////\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\
|
||
|
||
>>> WHAT'S HAPPENING IN THE APPLE II ROUNDTABLE? <<<
|
||
""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""
|
||
~ June 1, 1994 ~
|
||
|
||
|
||
FROM MY DESKTOP ......... [FRM] HEY MISTER POSTMAN ...... [HEY]
|
||
Notes From The Editor. Is That A Letter For Me?
|
||
|
||
HUMOR ONLINE ............ [HUM] REFLECTIONS ............. [REF]
|
||
Internet Fileman. Facts About Postal Service.
|
||
|
||
BEGINNER'S CORNER ....... [BEG] ASCII ART GALLERY ....... [ASA]
|
||
Polishing Green Apples. That Doggie in the Window?
|
||
|
||
THE TREASURE HUNT ....... [HUN] PAL NEWSLETTER .......... [PAL]
|
||
Yours For the Downloading. May 1994 Report.
|
||
|
||
APPLE II ................ [AII] LOG OFF ................. [LOG]
|
||
History 22: Telecommunications. GEnieLamp Information.
|
||
|
||
[IDX]"""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""
|
||
|
||
READING GEnieLamp GEnieLamp has incorporated a unique indexing system
|
||
""""""""""""""""" to help make reading the magazine easier. To
|
||
utilize this system, load GEnieLamp into any ASCII word processor or
|
||
text editor. In the index you will find the following example:
|
||
|
||
HUMOR ONLINE ............ [HUM]
|
||
[*]GEnie Fun & Games.
|
||
|
||
To read this article, set your find or search command to [HUM].
|
||
If you want to scan all of the articles, search for [EOA]. [EOF] will
|
||
take you to the last page, whereas [IDX] will bring you back to the
|
||
index.
|
||
|
||
MESSAGE INFO To make it easy for you to respond to messages
|
||
"""""""""""" re-printed here in GEnieLamp, you will find all the
|
||
information you need immediately following the message. For example:
|
||
|
||
(SMITH, CAT6, TOP1, MSG:58/M475)
|
||
_____________| _____|__ _|___ |____ |_____________
|
||
|Name of sender CATegory TOPic Msg.# Page number|
|
||
|
||
In this example, to respond to Smith's message, log on to page
|
||
475 enter the bulletin board and set CAT 6. Enter your REPly in TOPic
|
||
1.
|
||
|
||
A message number that is surrounded by brackets indicates that
|
||
this message is a "target" message and is referring to a "chain" of two
|
||
or more messages that are following the same topic. For example: {58}.
|
||
|
||
ABOUT GEnie GEnie's monthly fee is $8.95 for which gives you up to
|
||
""""""""""" four hours of non-prime time access to most GEnie
|
||
services, such as software downloads, bulletin boards, GE Mail, an
|
||
Internet mail gateway, and chat lines, are allowed without charge.
|
||
GEnie's non-prime time connect rate is $3.00. To sign up for GEnie
|
||
service, call (with modem) 1-800-638-8369 in the USA or 1-800-387-8330
|
||
in Canada. Upon connection type HHH. Wait for the U#= prompt. Type:
|
||
JOINGENIE and hit RETURN. When you get the prompt asking for the
|
||
signup/offer code, type: DSD524 and hit RETURN. The system will then
|
||
prompt you for your information. Need more information? Call GEnie's
|
||
customer service line (voice) at 1-800-638-9636.
|
||
|
||
SPECIAL OFFER FOR GEnieLamp READERS! If you sign onto GEnie using the
|
||
"""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""" method outlined above you will
|
||
receive an *additional* six (6) free hours of standard connect time
|
||
(for a total of 10) to be used in the first month. Want more? Your
|
||
first month charge of $8.95 will be waived! Now there are no excuses!
|
||
*** GET INTO THE LAMP! ***
|
||
""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
//////////////////////////////////////// GEnie_QWIK_QUOTE ////
|
||
/ /
|
||
/ NTSC _does_ stand for "never the same color," doesn't it? /
|
||
/ /
|
||
/////////////////////////////////////////// J.SCHONBLOM ////
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
[EOA]
|
||
[FRM]//////////////////////////////
|
||
FROM MY DESKTOP /
|
||
/////////////////////////////////
|
||
Notes From The Editor
|
||
"""""""""""""""""""""
|
||
by Douglas Cuff
|
||
[EDITOR.A2]
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
>>> IN WHICH WE CONSIDER SERPENTS' TEETH <<<
|
||
""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""
|
||
|
||
Now, look. I know you don't think you're hurting anybody, but your
|
||
mother and I are very worried about some of the things you've up to
|
||
recently.
|
||
|
||
Like what? Well, do you recognize this?
|
||
__________________________________________________________
|
||
| |
|
||
| REPRINTING GEnieLamp |
|
||
| |
|
||
| If you want to reprint any part of GEnieLamp, or |
|
||
| post it to a bulletin board, please see the very end |
|
||
| of this file for instructions and limitations. |
|
||
|__________________________________________________________|
|
||
|
||
Have you ever seen it before? You have.
|
||
|
||
Have you ever bothered to look at the end of GEnieLamp A2 to READ the
|
||
instructions? You haven't. Well, here's a shortened version:
|
||
|
||
Material published in this edition may be reprinted under the follow-
|
||
ing terms only. Reprint permission granted, unless otherwise noted,
|
||
to registered computer user groups and not for profit publications.
|
||
All articles must remain unedited and include the issue number and
|
||
author at the top of each article reprinted. Please include the
|
||
following at the end or the beginning of all reprints:
|
||
\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\////////////////////////////////////
|
||
(c) Copyright 1993 T/TalkNET Online Publishing and GEnie. To join
|
||
GEnie, set your modem to 2400 baud (or less) and half duplex (local
|
||
echo). Have the modem dial 1-800-638-8369 (USA) or 1-800-387-8330
|
||
(Canada). When you get a CONNECT message, type HHH. At the U#=
|
||
prompt, type: JOINGENIE and hit the [return] key. When you get the
|
||
prompt asking for the signup code, type DSD524 and hit RETURN. The
|
||
system will then prompt you for your information. Call 1-800-638-9636
|
||
(voice) for more information.
|
||
////////////////////////////////////\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\
|
||
|
||
Don't squirm in your chair! That stuff that you find "too boring to
|
||
read" is important. Damned important.
|
||
|
||
Yes, I know you've heard it all before, but apparently it hasn't
|
||
sunken in, or I wouldn't be seeing Apple II newsletters each month that
|
||
reprint whole sections of GEnieLamp A2, and the only acknowledgement is
|
||
"Downloaded from GEnie". No mention of GEnieLamp, no mention of the issue
|
||
number, and certainly no sign-up information. You've even been leaving off
|
||
our COPYRIGHT information!
|
||
|
||
No, your mother and I are NOT "being mean". We work work long, hard
|
||
hours each month to provide a free magazine for the Apple II community.
|
||
No, we do NOT get paid.
|
||
|
||
We're not ASKING you to pay for what we write, just watch how you
|
||
quote it. If you don't care enough about our work to give us proper credit
|
||
for us, don't copy it for your own purposes.
|
||
|
||
It doesn't matter if you think our rules are "dumb". You have to
|
||
abide by them if you use our material. If you don't want to abide by them,
|
||
you can't use our material. There is no third option whereby you get to
|
||
use our material according to YOUR rules.
|
||
|
||
"All the other kids' parents let them?" Can you name any? Sure, I
|
||
can name a newsletter that DOES take the trouble to credit us properly --
|
||
WAUCtalk. There are others too, all of them bored to tears by all this
|
||
garbage and wondering when the heck I'm going to start my "real" editorial.
|
||
They have to sit through this -- which is wholly unfair to THEM -- just so
|
||
you can feel important because you won't play by the rules.
|
||
|
||
When you start ACTING like a grown-up, that's when.
|
||
|
||
Yes, you can come downstairs again when you're ready. Just remember
|
||
-- this bored me more than it bored you.
|
||
|
||
[*][*][*]
|
||
|
||
|
||
Sorry about that, people. Domestic matter.
|
||
|
||
I'm pleased to report that the PAL Newsletter is back this month, but
|
||
you'll also find that the Apple II Hybrids column is missing... don't
|
||
worry, it will be back next month, I promise! Darrel Raines's DR's
|
||
Examining Table is missing again this month -- unfortunately, I wasn't able
|
||
to find a guest reviewer this month.
|
||
|
||
-- Doug Cuff
|
||
|
||
GEnie Mail: EDITOR.A2 Internet: editor.a2@genie.geis.com
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
_____ ______ _ _ ___ ___
|
||
/ ____| ____| (_) | | / _ \|__ \
|
||
| | __| |__ _ __ _ ___| | __ _ _ __ ___ _ __ | |_| | ) |
|
||
| | |_ | __| | '_ \| |/ _ \ | / _` | '_ ` _ \| '_ \ | _ | / /
|
||
| |__| | |____| | | | | __/ |___| (_| | | | | | | |_) | | | | |/ /_
|
||
\_____|______|_| |_|_|\___|______\__,_|_| |_| |_| .__/ |_| |_|____|
|
||
| |
|
||
|_|
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
[EOA]
|
||
[HEY]//////////////////////////////
|
||
HEY MISTER POSTMAN /
|
||
/////////////////////////////////
|
||
Is That A Letter For Me?
|
||
""""""""""""""""""""""""
|
||
by Douglas Cuff
|
||
[EDITOR.A2]
|
||
|
||
o BULLETIN BOARD HOT SPOTS
|
||
|
||
o A2 POT-POURRI
|
||
|
||
o HOT TOPICS
|
||
|
||
o WHAT'S NEW
|
||
|
||
o THROUGH THE GRAPEVINE
|
||
|
||
o MESSAGE SPOTLIGHT
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
>>> BULLETIN BOARD HOT SPOTS <<<
|
||
""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""
|
||
|
||
[*] CAT2, TOP7 ................. New Co-Pilot in planning stages
|
||
[*] CAT29, TOP1 ................ New Co-Pilot in planning stages
|
||
[*] CAT28, TOP4 ................ Shareware Solutions II title change?
|
||
[*] CAT42, TOP5 ................ Shortage of SCSI cards
|
||
[*] CAT43, TOP13 ............... ProSel-16 and OptionList
|
||
|
||
|
||
>>> A2 POT-POURRI <<<
|
||
"""""""""""""""""""""
|
||
|
||
INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY DON'T GET NO RESPECT Well, Software of the Month
|
||
"""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""" Club has done it again.
|
||
|
||
Issue 181 includes Jason Harper's SHRConvert v2.1.
|
||
|
||
It was my understanding that when SuperConvert was introduced as a
|
||
commercial product, he withdrew SHRConvert as shareware. I think I
|
||
remember a bruhaha a few months ago where LRO was chastised for including
|
||
it on the hard drives they sold.
|
||
|
||
() ()
|
||
Rich ('-') (R.HARE2, CAT2, TOP20, MSG:168/M645;1)
|
||
|
||
|
||
HYPERCARD: MISSED IT BY THAT MUCH! We are indeed sold out of HyperCard
|
||
""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""" IIgs. More maddening, a few months
|
||
ago Addison-Wesley told us they had 2,000 copies of the HC IIgs Script
|
||
Language Guide, but when we called to order more last week they claimed
|
||
they were out of print. We contacted the product manager of the Apple
|
||
Library who checked for us and confirmed that the books had been recycled.
|
||
|
||
This leaves A2Pro and Script-Central as the only living repositories
|
||
of HyperCard IIgs information.
|
||
(TOM.W, CAT23, TOP33, MSG:5/M645;1)
|
||
|
||
|
||
GLEN BREDON'S WHEREABOUTS He retired recently, and so far as I know, is
|
||
""""""""""""""""""""""""" in the process of finishing off the writing of
|
||
a textbook. That is a MAJOR project. I hope we will be seeing more of him
|
||
when it is done.
|
||
|
||
Gary R. Utter (GARY.UTTER, CAT30, TOP3, MSG:129/M645;1)
|
||
|
||
|
||
EXPRESS TIP I wanted to pass along a tip I just figured out for using
|
||
""""""""""" Express...
|
||
|
||
Since some programs don't start the Print Manager, Express cannot
|
||
print from within those programs. One such program is the "DoubleSolitaire"
|
||
game I sometimes play. Even though it is a desktop program, it does not
|
||
use the Print Manager. I tried to edit the ToolStartup Record, but it
|
||
doesn't even use resources (imagine a new program out there not using
|
||
resources!).
|
||
|
||
I had a whole bunch of printing to do that was already spooled on
|
||
disk, so I tried this: I opened ShadowWrite NDA, which is a Word Processor
|
||
NDA (so naturally uses the Print Manager) for those who are not familiar
|
||
with it, and Express took off printing, even within the Solitaire game,
|
||
even with the NDA window not frontmost.
|
||
|
||
So the tip is, if you want to spool-print from within a desktop
|
||
application that does not use the Print Manager itself, open an NDA that
|
||
does use it and leave the window in the background, Express will take care
|
||
of the rest.
|
||
|
||
Also, another tip is for programmers of new Applications: Please
|
||
start up the Print Manager, even if you are not going to use it yourself
|
||
from within your application, so that us Express users can still print in
|
||
while in your application!
|
||
|
||
Ken Lucke < Delivered by Co-Pilot & Spectrum v1.0>
|
||
(K.LUCKE, CAT43, TOP10, MSG:232/M645;1)
|
||
|
||
|
||
@ROUND BUG IN APPLEWORKS? I forgot which category was the spreadsheet cat
|
||
""""""""""""""""""""""""" here but I've got a bug for you.
|
||
|
||
Using AppleWorks 4.1 on an Apple IIGS, the @round function has
|
||
stopped working. I noticed this in 4.0.2 as well. I'm not sure about
|
||
earlier versions of aw4, but it did work in aw3.
|
||
|
||
Try placing the number 1.234 in cell A1
|
||
|
||
Not place @round(a1,2) in B1.
|
||
|
||
You'll get 1.234.... Surprise!
|
||
|
||
Quality Computers --- Power for Pperformance.
|
||
(QUALITY, CAT38, TOP5, MSG:66/M645;1)
|
||
|
||
|
||
BUG IN RAMFAST 3.01E ROM (NO IDEA ABOUT 3.01EZ) Uhm... the built in
|
||
""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""" backup / restore function
|
||
in this version of the rom _IS_ broken. BUMMER!!!
|
||
|
||
The backup function appears to work properly, leaving one with a
|
||
false sense of security. As near as I'm able to tell at this point the
|
||
partition map for the device(s) being backed up is not written to the
|
||
backup in the proper format, so one can't restore from the backup. [I have
|
||
been able to recover data from these backups, it's not fun, but I can do it
|
||
if _really_ needed]
|
||
|
||
I've also had problems trying to restore from a tape that was made
|
||
using the 3.00l roms. (restores fine with 3.00l rom, but not with 3.01e)
|
||
This makes me suspect that there may also be a problem in the restore
|
||
function itself.
|
||
|
||
Also I am unable to load a tape and bring it up on the Finder
|
||
desktop. (GS/OS can't reconise... Eject or Format.... Yeach!!!):
|
||
|
||
>>> This does NOT affect GSTape!!!! (which still works just fine :)
|
||
|
||
Not only have I made sure that Jawaid is aware of this problem, but I
|
||
learned that he too has recently been "bit" by this. (he had a HD fail and
|
||
couldn't use his backups... he was able to get the "dead" drive going long
|
||
enough to recover data, but he learned :) I would expect that he's busy
|
||
trying to find the bug(s) and correct them.
|
||
|
||
-Harold
|
||
Resident solder slinger.
|
||
(H.HISLOP, CAT11, TOP8, MSG:287/M645;1)
|
||
|
||
>>>>> I hope so. I reported the problem here back in early March
|
||
"""""
|
||
Speedy....Keep smilin'
|
||
(R.REEDY, CAT11, TOP8, MSG:288/M645;1)
|
||
|
||
|
||
DISCONTINUED SOFTWARE AT COMPUSULT I just received a catalog that I
|
||
"""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""" requested form Compsult. It is a
|
||
company in CA that specializes in discountinued software. The Apple section
|
||
is very small so I will post it here for anyone interested. They anly list
|
||
the GS stuff. They have ALOT more stuff for the Amiga and the Commidore and
|
||
of coures MessyDos. They have some Mac stuff too. I did notice that the
|
||
list of the Apple stuff does not include some of the titles I saw at the
|
||
booth they had in Phx a couple of weeks ago. So if you are looking for
|
||
something you could call them and ask about it. Here is the Apple ][ GS
|
||
list:
|
||
|
||
Final Assault $ 5.00
|
||
Balance of Power $16.00
|
||
List Plus $ 5.00
|
||
Mean 18 Famous Courses $ 5.00
|
||
Writer Choice Elite $10.00
|
||
Jack Nick. Crse Vol.1 $ 9.50
|
||
Jack Nick. Crse Vol.3 $ 5.00
|
||
Muscle Cars for TD II $14.50
|
||
Super Cars for TD II $14.50
|
||
Jack Nick. Intl. Cse V2 $ 5.00
|
||
Jigsaw Image Library #2 $ 5.00
|
||
Jigsaw $10.00
|
||
Deluxe Write $20.00
|
||
Three Stooges $10.00
|
||
Kings Quest 4 $15.00
|
||
World Tour Golf $10.00
|
||
Print Shop Part Graphics $ 5.00
|
||
|
||
Compsult
|
||
PO Box 5160
|
||
San Luis Obispo, CA 93403
|
||
(805) 544-6616
|
||
credit card orders 1-800-676-6616
|
||
|
||
I hope this helps someone.
|
||
|
||
___________ /\ ___________
|
||
---------- | ---------- D. Singleton
|
||
~~~~~~~~ | ~~~~~~~~
|
||
/ |\
|
||
(D.SINGLETON2, CAT2, TOP20, MSG:170/M645;1)
|
||
|
||
|
||
ZIP GS AND CPS FOLLOW Harold.. I reset all my Zip delay settings
|
||
""""""""""""""""""""" according to your guidelines as described in Zip
|
||
topic 2, message 87, (all delays disabled except CPS follow), and my GS
|
||
runs even faster still!
|
||
|
||
BTW, what does CPS follow do?
|
||
|
||
...mike (moving faster and faster)
|
||
(DRIBNIX, CAT22, TOP10, MSG:151/M645;1)
|
||
|
||
>>>>> CPS Follow means that when you set your GS to Normal speed (using
|
||
""""" the Control Panel, for instance), the ZipGS automatically slows
|
||
down to 1 MHz.
|
||
(POWERPC.PRO, CAT22, TOP10, MSG:153/M645;1)
|
||
|
||
|
||
SPECTRUM AND SECOND CHANCE ON QUIT Anyone who's been annoyed by the fact
|
||
"""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""" that Spectrum doesn't verify a quit
|
||
command, add the following line to the file "User.Script" in the
|
||
"Spectrum.Scripts" folder (create the file if it doesn't already exist;
|
||
it's run automatically by Spectrum each time Spectrum is run):
|
||
|
||
Record "Accidental Quit Protection Enabled!!^M"
|
||
|
||
This will ensure that you get at least one chance to cancel a quit
|
||
command, no matter what. :-)
|
||
|
||
...Sloanie (A2PRO.HELP, CAT43, TOP16, MSG:72/M645;1)
|
||
|
||
|
||
PRINT SHOP GS EASTER EGG I was cleaning out my garage again today, and I
|
||
"""""""""""""""""""""""" was going through some old user group
|
||
newsletters when I came across a note that I hadn't paid attention to when
|
||
it was published years ago. Did you know that in PSGS if you click on the
|
||
word "printer" at the top of the screen in the printer setup screen you get
|
||
a prompt to enter a custom printer driver?
|
||
|
||
The note went on to include an IWII driver that supposedly corrected
|
||
a problem with printouts because the printer was always printing bi-
|
||
directionally.
|
||
|
||
I tried it tonight, and sure enough, it's there. Haven't entered the
|
||
driver because I haven't noticed a problem, but now I'm going to have to
|
||
look.
|
||
|
||
I got my copy of PSGS when I bought my second GS (actually my third,
|
||
but it's the one my son uses - the second is in the garage) and it's an
|
||
original disk, but he didn't have the manual. So I have no idea if this is
|
||
mentioned in the dox or not. If anyone is interested, I could post the
|
||
codes to enter here.
|
||
|
||
Dave Rogers (D.ROGERS2, CAT6, TOP34, MSG:132/M645;1)
|
||
|
||
|
||
>>> HOT TOPICS <<<
|
||
""""""""""""""""""
|
||
|
||
HFS FST AND FINDER As an aside... I, and others, have verified that under
|
||
"""""""""""""""""" certain circumstances (not always predictable), the
|
||
HFS FST will TRASH the directory structure. There is however one sure fire
|
||
way to avoid this. Do not ever allow the Finder to create a Finder.DooDoo
|
||
(Finder.Data, Finder.Root, etc) file on the HFS volume. Also do not attempt
|
||
to copy one of these files to the HFS volume. (either to the root
|
||
directory, or any subdirectory) [it seems that the HFS FST attempts to
|
||
interpret the data in these files so it may be stored in the directory
|
||
structure instead of a file, as is normal for the HFS file system, and it
|
||
fails miserably in it's efforts]
|
||
|
||
-Harold
|
||
Resident solder slinger.
|
||
(H.HISLOP, CAT20, TOP15, MSG:12/M645;1)
|
||
|
||
>>>>> This is quite incorrect. The FST does nothing special to try and
|
||
""""" convert the GS desktop files to the Mac desktop file on HFS disks.
|
||
There certainly could be a directory corruption bug in the FST, but it has
|
||
nothing to do with Finder data files. I have no idea where this very-much
|
||
incorrect rumor got started, but it's not true.
|
||
|
||
Jim (MURPH, CAT20, TOP15, MSG:14/M645;1)
|
||
|
||
<<<<< My personal experience, and that of quite a few others, indicates
|
||
""""" that the HFS directory structure will be trashed if Finder.DooDoo
|
||
files are present, but appears to be stable if these don't exist. [ergo
|
||
it's reasonable to assume that something wierd is going on with the
|
||
handling of Finder.DooDoo files] This could be (apparently is) an erronious
|
||
conclusion, but hey... it walks like a duck, etc :) This is usually a
|
||
repeatable on demand situation (>75% incident of trashing the directory
|
||
upon demand for me).
|
||
|
||
I'm not refering to the Desktop file at all, only the Finder.xxx files.
|
||
|
||
-Harold
|
||
Resident solder slinger.
|
||
(H.HISLOP, CAT20, TOP15, MSG:15/M645;1)
|
||
|
||
>>>>> Desktop file, Finder.xxxx file, whatever, it doesn't matter.
|
||
""""" Neither are special-cased by the HFS FST, so it's very-much a
|
||
coincidence. Quite possibly the problem could be brought about easily by
|
||
the manner in which the Finder uses GS/OS calls, but it has nothing to do
|
||
with HFS-level data translation, 'cause that doesn't happen.
|
||
|
||
Jim (MURPH, CAT20, TOP15, MSG:16/M645;1)
|
||
|
||
>>>>> Doug Pendleton writes:
|
||
"""""
|
||
> Do you have any suggestions on how to avoid the HFS trashed volume
|
||
> problem that Harold and you have been exchanging messages on?
|
||
|
||
I'm sorry to say, but I really don't. I've actually never experienced
|
||
the problem myself. This is most-likely because I really only use the FST
|
||
as an interchange mechanism - I just use it to read HFS-format disks from
|
||
my various Macintosh machines. It's difficult, if not impossible, to
|
||
suggest a work-around for a problem that you haven't seen and have no idea
|
||
what it's root cause may be. Sorry.
|
||
|
||
Jim (MURPH, CAT20, TOP15, MSG:18/M645;1)
|
||
|
||
|
||
PROBLEM DOWNLOADING MAC FILES WITH SPECTRUM SOLVED! As long as the
|
||
""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""" Macintosh program you
|
||
are downloading has been wrapped in MacBinary (almost all files are) you
|
||
can download to any Apple II and the Mac will be able to unpack it. The
|
||
trick is in getting the file from the Apple II to the Mac.
|
||
|
||
If you have a IIgs and Spectrum, you can download the file directly
|
||
to an HFS disk. Then take the disk over to the Mac and strip off the
|
||
MacBinary header. You should now have a perfectly normal Mac archive
|
||
(Stuffit) that the Mac can unpack.
|
||
|
||
If you have a IIgs, but you don't have Spectrum, download the file to
|
||
a ProDOS disk (just like you would any Apple II file.) Now return to
|
||
Finder, move the file to an HFS disk, and follow steps listed above.
|
||
|
||
If you don't have a IIgs, you will need to use Apple File Exchange to
|
||
move the file to a HFS disk. Then follow the rest of the steps and all
|
||
should go well.
|
||
|
||
- Tony Ward (A2.TONY, CAT2, TOP4, MSG:117/M645;1)
|
||
|
||
>>>>> Actually, Spectrum automatically strips off the MacBinary header
|
||
""""" (whether you want it to or not). That means when you download the
|
||
file onto an HFS disk, you WILL have a Stuffit or Compact Pro archive file
|
||
that looks like it should in the Mac Finder.
|
||
|
||
The problem with this method, however, is if you download the file
|
||
onto a ProDOS volume. Then, you have a Mac archive file WITHOUT a
|
||
MacBinary header, and if you move it onto an HFS disk for transfer to a
|
||
Mac, the Mac won't know what to do with it because it has no valid Mac
|
||
filetype information. (As far as the Mac is concerned, it is some sort of
|
||
generic binary Apple II file).
|
||
|
||
So, if you are going to be successful with downloading Mac files with
|
||
Spectrum, do it directly to an HFS disk, and you won't have to bother with
|
||
the MacBinary-stripper program.
|
||
|
||
Steve Weyhrich <IX0YE>--<
|
||
(S.WEYHRICH, CAT2, TOP4, MSG:122/M645;1)
|
||
|
||
<<<<< Thanks for clearing that up. I always thought Spectrum handled
|
||
""""" MacBinary according to the "Binary II Down" check box, but I never
|
||
actually tested it. Apparently, Spectrum always strips MacBinary whether
|
||
you want it to or not, regardless of the "Binary II Down" check box. This
|
||
is bad.
|
||
|
||
New rule: Don't use Spectrum to download Mac files unless you download
|
||
directly to a HFS disk.
|
||
|
||
- Tony Ward (A2.TONY, CAT2, TOP4, MSG:124/M645;1)
|
||
|
||
>>>>> Hold it
|
||
"""""
|
||
I routinely douwnload Mac files with Spectrum. Spectrum DOES strip
|
||
the MacBinary headers, and it will modify the names of the files to match
|
||
ProDOS naming conventions.
|
||
|
||
However, it will also save the necessary file information (Spectrum
|
||
knows Resource Forks, and so does ProDos). I just double checked to be
|
||
sure. I downloaded half a dozen files from the Mac RT last night, and this
|
||
morning I dumped them onto an HFS floppy and put them in the Mac. No
|
||
problem, none at all.
|
||
|
||
I can't account for anyone having problems doing this, and if anyone
|
||
IS having problems, we need to figure out why.
|
||
|
||
Gary R. Utter (GARY.UTTER, CAT2, TOP4, MSG:129/M645;1)
|
||
|
||
>>>>> When the IIGS Finder copies a file from ProDOS to a Mac disk, it
|
||
""""" extracts the Mac filetype and creator out of an "optionList" so it
|
||
can set the type/creator on the Mac disk. If you are using AFE to move a
|
||
ProDOS file from a ProDOS disk, AFE knows NOTHING about the "optionList" so
|
||
AFE sets the type to "PDOS".
|
||
|
||
So, use the IIGS Finder to copy from ProDOS to an HFS disk, then
|
||
insert that HFS disk into the Mac (no further conversion necessary).
|
||
(SEVENHILLS, CAT43, TOP15, MSG:528/M645;1)
|
||
|
||
>>>>> Ah, now THAT might be the key to the problem. I've been using
|
||
""""" ProSel 16's file utility (the 16-bit Cat Doctor) to copy my files,
|
||
and I'll bet that Gary always uses the Finder. I'll try it using the
|
||
Finder (which is not so annoying to use now, since I =finally= have a Zip
|
||
GS.
|
||
|
||
Steve Weyhrich <IX0YE>--<
|
||
(S.WEYHRICH, CAT43, TOP15, MSG:529/M645;1)
|
||
|
||
>>>>> I can almost guarantee ProSel 16 is why you're having trouble.
|
||
""""" It's older and probably unaware of the optionList. If the (System
|
||
6+) Finder doesn't work then you might have to download to an HFS disk in
|
||
the first place (though I think the optionList is set regardless, so that
|
||
step shouldn't be necessary).
|
||
|
||
--Dave (SEVENHILLS, CAT43, TOP15, MSG:531/M645;1)
|
||
|
||
>>>>> What? I am not sure what you are saying. Is optionList newer than
|
||
""""" SYSTEM 6.0.1? I don't know if ProSel-16 is aware of optionList or
|
||
not, but I do know that ProSel-16 was updated for SYSTEM 6.0.1.............
|
||
|
||
FYI, ProSel-16 relies HEAVILY on GS/OS, and uses it a great deal.
|
||
|
||
I'll re-read this thread later this weekend, and see if I can
|
||
summarize, send to Bredon and see what he sez.
|
||
|
||
BUT, IF ProSel-16 can't handle something, its most likely because
|
||
GS/OS cannot.
|
||
|
||
Chuck
|
||
Charlie's AppleSeeds
|
||
(A2.CHUCK, CAT43, TOP13, MSG:243/M645;1)
|
||
|
||
>>>>> The optionList was not used until System 6.0, and is only used for
|
||
""""" keeping Macintosh file information. For instance, the Macintosh
|
||
type and creator and the like are in the file's optionList.
|
||
|
||
If ProSel-16 causes files to lose their Macintosh type and creator
|
||
information when you copy them, then it doesn't recognize the optionList,
|
||
and that's a Bad Thing.
|
||
(POWERPC.PRO, CAT43, TOP13, MSG:244/M645;1)
|
||
|
||
>>>>> Option Lists..
|
||
"""""
|
||
These are described in my copy of the GS/OS Reference (for GS/OS
|
||
System Software Version 5.0 and later) but, as Sheppy points out, they
|
||
weren't used until System 6.0 (as we didn't have the "extra" FST's till
|
||
then, so there was no use for option lists :)
|
||
|
||
(back from snOOping ProSel-16 8.84...)
|
||
|
||
Uhm... it sure looks to me like option lists aren't being supported.
|
||
(all I see are nulls where the option list long pointer should be in the
|
||
call lists... ugh.)
|
||
|
||
-Harold
|
||
Resident solder slinger.
|
||
(H.HISLOP, CAT43, TOP13, MSG:245/M645;1)
|
||
|
||
>>>>> I'll pass this info on to Glen Bredon, regarding optionsList....
|
||
"""""
|
||
Chuck (A2.CHUCK, CAT43, TOP13, MSG:247/M645;1)
|
||
|
||
|
||
WHAT HAPPENED TO TMS? An update on PowerCity controversy.
|
||
"""""""""""""""""""""
|
||
This morning I called Power City and spoke with a man named Tony
|
||
Brown. I told him my sob story (I will spare you this again) and asked him
|
||
if Power City had been TMS.
|
||
|
||
Tony Brown from Power City told me that TMS has not become Power
|
||
City. He said that Zorch had obviously been in touch with Power City, and
|
||
they had helped him with his problem, as they would have helped me with my
|
||
problem. (I don't want their help if they had not been TMS) and that is
|
||
why he had an invoice with Power City name on it. He again told me what
|
||
the salesman had told me in April, This rumor had been started because this
|
||
company is located down the road from where TMS had been, and some
|
||
employees previously employed at TMS, had become employed at PowerCity. It
|
||
is obvious to me that some people who frequent this board have been stiffed
|
||
by the demise of TMS, and it would be wrong to paint Power city with TMS's
|
||
problems if they do not have the same owners.
|
||
|
||
I have no reason to believe that Tony Brown is lying. I am inclined
|
||
to believe that this is the truth. I know the importance of posting things
|
||
like this on busy bbss and I didn't think it was fair that this rumor
|
||
should go unanswered (especially since I had posted that this was not true
|
||
before). I asked Mr Brown if I could post a synopsis of our conversation
|
||
tonight and use his name; he said I could.
|
||
|
||
To finish the conversation, He inquired as to what Computer I used
|
||
the drive on, and when told, he said "Oh, well we don't sell products for
|
||
the Apple II". I told him you certainly do.
|
||
|
||
Well, enough of this.
|
||
|
||
bill (W.GEORGE2, CAT20, TOP13, MSG:486/M645;1)
|
||
|
||
>>>>> "Is it legal for these guys to just close down and quit honoring
|
||
""""" their warranties?"
|
||
|
||
It is not only legal, it was unavoidable. I know those guys, and they
|
||
would NOT have done this if they had any choice. They were driven out of
|
||
business by something (probably the shortage of Quantum drives, and
|
||
competition from bigger companies).
|
||
|
||
"Forget about TMS, They have forgotten about you."
|
||
|
||
Again, I know thase guys, and I would be VERY surprised if they have
|
||
forgotten about their customers. Remembering their customers is not the
|
||
same as being able to do anything for them, however.
|
||
|
||
Let's get a little balance here folks. You can be sure that Steve,
|
||
Scott and Greg suffered a lot more financial and personal distress over
|
||
this than any of YOU did. All these guys did was fail in a business that
|
||
they spent years of blood, sweat and tears building up from nothing. They
|
||
didn't set out to screw anyone.
|
||
|
||
FYI, all the TMS drives were Quantum or Syquest mechanisms, which
|
||
come with a two year warranty of their own. That warranty is still good,
|
||
honored by Quantum and Syquest. For the past couple of years, they used
|
||
CRU cases, which are ALSO waranteed by the manufacturer, for at least a
|
||
year. Now I don't know how to contact CRU, but they are a MAJOR supplier
|
||
of hard drive cases to assemblers like TMS and APS and MacLand and what
|
||
have you. They DO advertise in the Computer Shopper, and it is entirely
|
||
likely that you can track them down and get that cable from them at a real
|
||
reasonable price. (But probably not under warranty at this point,
|
||
although, who knows, it might be.)
|
||
|
||
The cable (for those who might be making one) is a 50 pin header
|
||
which feeds two 50 pin Centronics connecters. The only thing unusual about
|
||
the TMS cable in this case is that the 50 conductor ribbon cable has been
|
||
seperated about every 10 conductors or so in order to make it a bit more
|
||
flexible, allowing you to connect both 5.25 and 3.5 form factor drives
|
||
without stressing the cable. (I purchased one of the "seperated" cables
|
||
when I wanted to install a Syquest mech in a case that had originally held
|
||
a Quantum 105, and found that the "solid" cable wouldn't flex far enough by
|
||
about 1/8th of an inch.)
|
||
|
||
Anyway, what TMS did, in terms of their two year warranty, was to
|
||
make things easeir for you by taking in your defective Quantum or whatever,
|
||
swappign out a new one, and sending your old one back to Quantum. They
|
||
served as a "middleman", in other words, and while they definitely had
|
||
costs in doing this, they didn't REALLY do anything, warrantywise, that you
|
||
can't do for yourselves. As Tim has already discovered, Quantum will be
|
||
quite accomadating about warranty work, they are NOT interested in screwing
|
||
their customers, and you will find (in my experience, at least) that
|
||
Syquest is the same way.
|
||
|
||
I know it's aggravating (I probably have more TMS equipement on hand
|
||
than anyone reading this), but TMS never set out to screw anyone, and if
|
||
they had been able to stay in business, this would not have happened. I
|
||
really hate to see people slamming them just because their business (and
|
||
their livliehood) went down the tubes.
|
||
|
||
Gary R. Utter (GARY.UTTER, CAT20, TOP13, MSG:91/M645;1)
|
||
|
||
|
||
SKULLEY'S REVENGE VIRUS? I think I may have a virus, new to the Apple
|
||
"""""""""""""""""""""""" Community, on my Apple IIgs. At the suggestion
|
||
of Tom Zuchowski, I am posting a description of some of the effects I have
|
||
noted, here, in hopes that someone that reads this can help me with a
|
||
solution.
|
||
|
||
Tom,
|
||
|
||
Thank you for responding. Yours is the only response I've had to
|
||
date. I've been struggling with this virus for over one year now, and just
|
||
haven't been able to get rid of it.
|
||
|
||
The virus 'program' seems to interfere with AppleWorks as well as
|
||
other programs, causing crashes to occur at the most unexpected moments. I
|
||
think I received the virus shortly before I installed GEM last year and
|
||
blamed some of the early instability on that program. Since that time I've
|
||
had plenty of evidence of a virus, so now know those crashes were no fault
|
||
of GEM.
|
||
|
||
Some of the odd happenings, I now attribute to the virus are as
|
||
follows:
|
||
|
||
1) The 'kicker' that convinces me that I have a virus is that when I
|
||
take a look at the Clipboard, using Edit from the Menu Bar, I see a picture
|
||
of a grinning skull. The skull fills the Clipboard and has a crack
|
||
appearing on top of its head.
|
||
|
||
2) Another odd thing that has happened since the virus came is that
|
||
the Apple Menu (bar) becomes transparent. By that I mean when I pull down
|
||
a menu item (File, Edit, View, Special, etc.) I can see right through it.
|
||
The writing on the menu list is written over any windows that may be open.
|
||
The resulting garble is hard to read at best.
|
||
|
||
3) Yet another feature of the virus is that some times when opening a
|
||
window, the writing on the Title Bar becomes gibberish. Other times one or
|
||
more of the file information lines become gibberish. Sometimes all the
|
||
written data in the window becomes gibberish, and sometimes it will all
|
||
appear normal.
|
||
|
||
4) Sometimes when you open a window in the finder, it will be filled
|
||
with multicolored dots. At times the color fills the whole window and at
|
||
times it only fills part of the window with the remaining part appearing
|
||
normal. When the color fills the whole window, if you wait a while, the
|
||
titles for each file will begin to appear. One can double-click where the
|
||
icon for the program startup should be located, and it will appear to
|
||
operate normally (except for AppleWork/GEM). Then when quitting that
|
||
program, the windows on the finder desktop all appear normal.
|
||
|
||
5) The once rock stable operation of the Classic AppleWorks program
|
||
has become a thing of the past. I have deleted and re-installed this
|
||
program on my hard disk many times over the past year, trying to solve the
|
||
problems.
|
||
|
||
One time, last fall, two files (with identical names??) appeared in
|
||
my AppleWorks folder and defied any attempt to place them in the trash or
|
||
otherwise to delete them. I finally got rid of them by initializing that
|
||
section of my hard drive.
|
||
|
||
Just recently (about two weeks ago) when the problems again became so
|
||
severe I couldn't use the computer, I tried reformatting my hard drive for
|
||
the second time. (I tried this last year too.) When I reloaded AppleWorks
|
||
and applied TimeOut Ultramacros, everything appeared normal. However when
|
||
Itried to boot UltraWorks, the program crashed on startup. I then tried
|
||
restarting AppleWorks.Sys with the same results. I next tried shutting
|
||
down and restarting by booting AppleWorks from my 3.5-inch drive. The
|
||
results were the same. I then got an AppleWorks disk, I knew was clean of
|
||
any virus and tried booting it from the disk drive. Same results. Then I
|
||
tried something I had never done before. I turned off my hard disk. I
|
||
then booted AppleWorks from the 3.5-inch drive. Every thing worked fine,
|
||
that time!! It made me feel that the virus must be residing on the hard
|
||
drive.
|
||
|
||
None of the above features appear in the memo describing Apple II
|
||
viruses you wrote to me. Could this be a new Apple virus? Any help in
|
||
identifying the virus and in getting rid of it would be appreciated. Right
|
||
now that computer wouldn't make a good fishing sinker. I'm always afraid
|
||
that I might inadvertantly infect my daughters computers or those of other
|
||
relatives and friends.
|
||
|
||
Thank you for your response.
|
||
|
||
Doug (D.FISHKIN, CAT12, TOP16, MSG:70/M645;1)
|
||
|
||
|
||
>>> WHAT'S NEW <<<
|
||
""""""""""""""""""
|
||
|
||
TENTATIVE ICONFERENCE SCHEDULE ICONFerence July 21-23 1994 Tentative
|
||
"""""""""""""""""""""""""""""" Session Schedule, as of May 27:
|
||
|
||
Keynote speaker: Randy Brandt, Project Manager, AppleWorks 4.0
|
||
|
||
Pat Wilson, Microsoft - Special Preview of Microsoft Windows 4.0
|
||
(Chicago) (non-disclosure required)
|
||
Pat Wilson, Microsoft - Microsoft Office for Windows Demo (2 hours)
|
||
Nick Dazio et al - Launch of the The Mensch Computer
|
||
Roger Wagner - subject to be announced
|
||
Mike Westerfield - subject to be announced
|
||
Michael Lutynski - Animasia 3-D
|
||
Jim Maricondo - UNIX & the Internet; UNIX and the Apple IIgs: GNO/ME
|
||
Bill Lynn - Way Cool & Way Cheap Macintosh Utilities
|
||
Greg Nelson - Multimedia Authoring with CD-ROM
|
||
Nathaniel Sloan - The Ins and Outs of Telecom Scripting
|
||
Joe Kohn - Looking Good in Print
|
||
Joe Kohn - All About the Internet
|
||
Lane Roathe - How to get a job in the computer industry
|
||
Erick Wagner - Apple II Interfacing, How to Control and Monitor
|
||
Real-World Devices
|
||
David Ciotti - Soldering for Beginners, Which End of the Iron is Hot?
|
||
|
||
We are also still hopeful that we can get a session on Mac System 7.5
|
||
from Apple. Anything else you'd like to see that not's on the list yet?
|
||
(TOM.W, CAT23, TOP10, MSG:136/M645;1)
|
||
|
||
|
||
APPLE II T-SHIRTS GS Resources "II Infinitum!" T-Shirts, now available
|
||
""""""""""""""""" for $15.00 each plus $2.00 S/H, in the following sizes
|
||
and shirt colors:
|
||
|
||
Sizes:
|
||
Adults
|
||
S, M, L, XL, XXL, XXXL
|
||
|
||
Children
|
||
S (6-8), M (10-12), L (14-16)
|
||
|
||
Shirt Colors:
|
||
Black, White, Navy, Red, Royal Blue, Lt. Blue, Turquoise, Kelly
|
||
Green, Jade (Green), Bright Yellow, Yellow Gold, Aqua, Pink,
|
||
Fuchsia, Purple, Maroon, Watermelon, Ash, Wedgewood, Peach, Mint
|
||
Green, & Orange.
|
||
|
||
Each shirt will have the infamous "II Infinitum!" logo in gray and
|
||
blue on the front, along with the words "II Infinitum!" under it in blue.
|
||
(Darker T-Shirt colors will look best.)
|
||
|
||
To order send your check or money order for $15.00 per shirt and
|
||
$2.00 S/H (each order), along with you name, address, phone number, email
|
||
address, Size, color, and quantity to:
|
||
|
||
Jeffery S. Rash
|
||
GS Resources, T-Shirts
|
||
30 Woodgreen Dr.
|
||
Thomasville, NC 27360
|
||
|
||
Make your checks payable to "Jeffery S. Rash". Please allow 4 to 6
|
||
weeks for delivery.
|
||
|
||
Please fill free to put this press release into any A2 newsletters,
|
||
magazines, etc.
|
||
|
||
________________________
|
||
| |
|
||
|____ ____ ____|
|
||
********* | | | | *********
|
||
*************| | | ****************
|
||
***** **| | ******** *****
|
||
**** | |******** | ****
|
||
**** | ****** | ****
|
||
**** | ********| | ****
|
||
***** ******** | |** *****
|
||
*************** | | |*************
|
||
*********_| |____| |_*********
|
||
| |
|
||
|________________________|
|
||
|
||
II Infinitum!
|
||
(GS.OZONEMAN, CAT4, TOP2, MSG:250/M645;1)
|
||
|
||
|
||
TIMEOUT DESKTOOLS IV Just wondering how DeskTools IV (?) is progressing.
|
||
"""""""""""""""""""" I ordered a set back in the Fall, and the received a
|
||
note in January the program was still in development, and would be released
|
||
in the "next few weeks".
|
||
|
||
Haven't heard anything since...
|
||
(N.SPANGLER, CAT42, TOP24, MSG:69/M645;1)
|
||
|
||
>>>>> I saw someone working on a manual for it the other day so it's
|
||
""""" getting close. B)
|
||
(II.ALIVE, CAT42, TOP24, MSG:70/M645;1)
|
||
|
||
>>>>> DeskTools IV should ship soon. The programs are about done, and the
|
||
""""" installer was nearly finished as of Friday. I think the docs will
|
||
be done next week and it should ship by May 16.
|
||
(BRANDT, CAT42, TOP24, MSG:71/M645;1)
|
||
|
||
|
||
BIG RED COMPUTER CLUB TO CLOSE Just got Scarlett the other day and am
|
||
"""""""""""""""""""""""""""""" saddened by the announcement that BRCC
|
||
will "close it's doors by the end of 1994." Sorry to see them go--thank
|
||
goodness for Softdisk, QC, GS+, Joe Kohn (SS II), and GEnie. We still have
|
||
alot to be grateful for...but it hurts.
|
||
|
||
John (J.STANKOWSKI, CAT2, TOP7, MSG:138/M645;1)
|
||
|
||
>>>>> I have little doubt that a large part of the reason BRCC is closing
|
||
""""" down is that it put so much effort into bringing new software to
|
||
the IIGS and got so little in return. Yes, Out of This World sold around
|
||
3,000 copies, but although that's good for the Apple II community, it's
|
||
really not a lot, especially considering the number of Apple II users out
|
||
here.
|
||
|
||
And Lost Treasures of Infocom... I'm willing to say they probably didn't
|
||
sell enough of those to even break even, which is another shame -- a couple
|
||
of VERY minor problems aside, it's an excellent package, and a lot of fun.
|
||
(POWERPC.PRO, CAT2, TOP7, MSG:140/M645;1)
|
||
|
||
>>>>> To tell the truth, I'm thinking more along the lines of Scarlett
|
||
""""" readers needing another source for Apple II information, and SSII
|
||
could certainly meet that need.
|
||
|
||
The reality of the situation is that many of the software licenses
|
||
that BRCC had were time-limited. By that, I mean, that BRCC only had the
|
||
rights to publish some of the programs for a year or 2. So, a lot of the
|
||
original commercial titles that BRCC sold are no longer theirs to sell.
|
||
|
||
Although I don't know it for a fact, I imagine that John Wrenholt got
|
||
out the old spreadsheet, and concluded that it just wouldn't be financially
|
||
advantageous to re-new the licensing agreements.
|
||
|
||
BRCC is many many times larger than SSII, and therefore has many more
|
||
resources. If BRCC decided that it wasn't financially feasible for them to
|
||
continue marketing some of the older games, I'm sure that it wouldn't be
|
||
feasible for me to attempt to market them either.
|
||
|
||
I've known for a long time that this was coming. Please keep in mind
|
||
that BRCC's decision was not strictly based on finances. John Wrenholt
|
||
started BRCC more than 12 years ago, and in the computer industry, that's a
|
||
heckuva long time. So, don't discount the "burned out and tired" aspect of
|
||
it.
|
||
|
||
Probably 6 months ago, or more, I talked with BRCC about the
|
||
possibility of SSII somehow taking over the Scarlett subscriber list.
|
||
There were just so many details involved, that we both just dropped the
|
||
ball. The last time I talked to John, I did suggest that maybe we continue
|
||
the conversation at KansasFest.
|
||
|
||
In the meanwhile, I'm just really saddened by this turn of events.
|
||
John Wrenholt has always been one of the Apple II people that I've always
|
||
respected and admired. I've learned a lot from John, and as I told him
|
||
just a few weeks ago, in a lot of ways I used Scarlett as a model for SSII.
|
||
(Remember, my involvement with Scarlett was in the pre-commerical software
|
||
phase of BRCC.)
|
||
|
||
I mourn the loss of BRCC, and feel that the Apple II community is
|
||
losing a very old and good friend.
|
||
|
||
Joe Kohn
|
||
(BRCC Librarian 1989-1992)
|
||
(J.KOHN, CAT6, TOP3, MSG:141/M645;1)
|
||
|
||
|
||
NEW X-10 SOFTWARE A new version of the X10 Survival Kit is now available.
|
||
""""""""""""""""" The Kit consists of:
|
||
|
||
X10House (v 2.2) - new features:
|
||
|
||
* Events can now be updated via an Update Event dialog.
|
||
* A Sound dialog allows selection of sound files and volume settings.
|
||
Sound files no longer have to be in the X10.Data folder.
|
||
* Events that are being corrected for sunrise or sunset are now
|
||
flagged in the display list and when printed.
|
||
* A Preferences option to automatically update the CP290 clock during
|
||
startup.
|
||
|
||
X10Doctor (v 1.1) - new features:
|
||
|
||
* Events that are being corrected for sunrise or sunset are now
|
||
flagged in the various lists.
|
||
* Menus and dialogs have been added to control X10ACE, PowerScreen
|
||
and Virtual10.
|
||
* Uses the IIgs Battery Ram to determine Daylight Savings / Standard
|
||
Time for sunrise / sunset corrections. Time no longer has to be
|
||
selected in the Setup dialog.
|
||
|
||
|
||
X10ACE (new) -
|
||
|
||
Automatically Corrected Events. X10ACE allows you to apply sunrise
|
||
and/or sunset corrections to specific events at an interval of your
|
||
choosing. The corrections can take place during boot-up, or X10ACE
|
||
can remain memory resident and apply the corrections at a specific
|
||
time of day (for those who run their IIgs 24 hrs a day). X10ACE is an
|
||
Init and is placed in the System.Setup folder. Requires a desktop
|
||
environment.
|
||
|
||
PowerScreen (new) -
|
||
|
||
A "screen blanker" that uses the CP290 to turn your monitor off and
|
||
on. PowerScreen can be controlled from X10Doctor or from a seperate
|
||
NDA, both use IPC (InterProcess Communication) to "talk" to
|
||
PowerScreen. PowerScreen is an Init and requires a desktop
|
||
environment and System 6.x. You will have to attach an appliance
|
||
module to your monitor for PowerScreen to work.
|
||
|
||
Virtual10 (new) -
|
||
|
||
An automatic schedule loader that allows you to load multiple
|
||
schedules (up to 128) throughout the year. Requires a desktop
|
||
environment and System 6.x. Virtual10 can run in 3 modes:
|
||
|
||
* Normal boot-up: Virtual10 will check during boot time to see
|
||
if it's time to load a schedule.
|
||
|
||
* Auto-boot: Virtual10 will set 2 events in the CP290 to
|
||
auto-boot your IIgs at a specified time of day and then turn it
|
||
off. During auto-boot Virtual10 will do the schedule check
|
||
then, if it detects the Finder, it will use IPC to tell the
|
||
Finder to do a "safe shutdown" and then wait for the 2nd CP290
|
||
event to turn off the power. An appliance module must be
|
||
attached to the IIgs for auto-boot mode to work.
|
||
|
||
* Memory resident: Virtual10 will remain in memory and check
|
||
each day at a specified time to see if it's time to load a
|
||
schedule. This mode is for people who run their IIgs 24 hrs a
|
||
day.
|
||
|
||
2 bonus NDAs
|
||
(1 bonus NDA if you have the previous version of the X10 Survival Kit)
|
||
|
||
The shareware fee is $22 (US). If you have registered a previous
|
||
version of X10House, the upgrade is $7. To get your copy, send a
|
||
check or money order to:
|
||
|
||
Art Coughlin
|
||
230 Clamer Road
|
||
Trenton, NJ 08628
|
||
|
||
I've uploaded a "demo" copy of X10House v2.2 to the library. The
|
||
uploaded version is fully functional except the Set button on the Update
|
||
Event dialog is disabled. File number 22718.
|
||
|
||
/\
|
||
//\\ rt
|
||
//~~\\........
|
||
(A.COUGHLIN, CAT6, TOP10, MSG:101/M645;1)
|
||
|
||
|
||
RUN-TIME HARDPRESSED I've uploaded HPRT v1.0 to the A2 library (file
|
||
"""""""""""""""""""" #22768).
|
||
|
||
If you haven't been following the discussions, HPRT is a
|
||
stripped-down version of HardPressed that can only expand files, and only
|
||
knows about the LZSS module. However, it's freely distributable, and can
|
||
be used for things like user group mailings and on-disk magazines (see the
|
||
documentation for info about commercial use though... it's still free, but
|
||
we'd like a little free advertising in return).
|
||
|
||
Owners of HardPressed may find it useful for things like bootable
|
||
800K system disks, since the whole thing is in a single 96 block INIT
|
||
instead of half a dozen different files. It's also nice for sending
|
||
LZSS-compressed stuff to your friends who don't have HP.
|
||
|
||
To demonstrate HP and HPRT to people who don't know anyone with HP,
|
||
I've also uploaded a collection of files compressed with HP (file #22769).
|
||
The archive is about 100K (I tried to keep it small so that people would be
|
||
willing to download it), and is about 10K smaller than it would have been
|
||
had I used GS/ShrinkIt to pack everything instead of HardPressed.
|
||
|
||
Let me know if you have any problems with these.
|
||
|
||
- Andy (FADDEN, CAT37, TOP3, MSG:192/M645;1)
|
||
|
||
|
||
15 ATARI GAMES AEC Apple II Software Clearance Specials:
|
||
""""""""""""""
|
||
Atarisoft for the Apple II:
|
||
|
||
BattleZone Centipede Defender Dig Dug Donkey Kong
|
||
Galaxian Gremlins Joust Jungle Hunt Moon Patrol
|
||
Ms. Pac-Man Pac-Man Robotron 2084 Stargate Track & Field
|
||
|
||
Any 5 Titles: Your Choice $29.95
|
||
All 15 Titles: $74.95
|
||
|
||
Track & Field includes the special controller, which also works for
|
||
the Atari 2600 Version.
|
||
|
||
Other Titles Available:
|
||
|
||
Epyx: California Games (GS) $9.95
|
||
Epyx: Final Assualt (GS) $9.95
|
||
microIllusions: FirePower GS $9.95
|
||
|
||
MouseWrite 1.4.5 (128K //e) (Mouse NOT Required) $9.95
|
||
|
||
Misc Books:
|
||
|
||
Assembly Lines: The Book. by Roger Wagner $9.95
|
||
AppleWorks: The Program for the Rest of Us. $9.95
|
||
AppleWorks Reference Card (Laminated-- From Apple) $1.00
|
||
|
||
Orders only: 800/995-7773 -+- Q&A 619/721-7733 -+- Fax 619/721-2823
|
||
(T.DIAZ, CAT46, TOP7, MSG:61/M645;1)
|
||
|
||
|
||
>>> THROUGH THE GRAPEVINE <<<
|
||
"""""""""""""""""""""""""""""
|
||
|
||
UPDATE ON SOUNDMEISTER PRO The board was never built, to this day. It
|
||
"""""""""""""""""""""""""" exhists in the form of a working prototype and
|
||
simple test Applicat Z does not support digitizing to the hard disk.
|
||
Never did. If thats the featere people are going to want, that may be the
|
||
sticky part.
|
||
|
||
the Soun Z and was not part of the deal for the SoundMeister. The
|
||
artwork/layout of the Pro was not started. It exhists in wirewrap form only
|
||
at this time.
|
||
|
||
We are going to look into it more, if it appears to be a finishable product
|
||
without too much more engineering, then a deal can be worked out, and only
|
||
then. Having a working wirewrap prototype is one thing, getting it on a PCB
|
||
and working can be another half of the game.
|
||
|
||
Digital Session software in it's current for supports the Pro hardware if
|
||
found, fully with more capability. Very much similar to what the Audio
|
||
Anoiimator is capable of. In fact, if the complete technical specs to the
|
||
AA were available, Digital Session could be made to support it much better
|
||
than AEs's software did.
|
||
(T.DIAZ, CAT46, TOP7, MSG:44/M645;1)
|
||
|
||
|
||
WHAT ABOUT ECON? Certain products are being sold off and the ones that
|
||
"""""""""""""""" you are aware of are the SoundMeister and Digital
|
||
Sessions to Alltech. Other information is forthcoming. Econ still exists
|
||
as a corporation, but their future is in vertical market Macintosh and
|
||
Power Macintosh products. It is unfortunate, but they just can't seem to
|
||
be able to make a living on Apple IIgs products alone any more. The market
|
||
is just not what it used to be and the Pronis do really regret the
|
||
situation.
|
||
|
||
Tyler
|
||
(PPC.TYLER, CAT35, TOP2, MSG:57/M645;1)
|
||
|
||
|
||
A BUNCH OF SHORT MESSAGES ABOUT APPLEWORKS 4.1! AW 4.1 should ship in
|
||
""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""" June with about 20 or so
|
||
bug and quirk fixes, and an updater for ReportWriter and PickFonts.
|
||
(BRANDT, CAT42, TOP29, MSG:359/M645;1)
|
||
|
||
<<<<< > Have you found anything on the Mail Merge spacing problem
|
||
"""""
|
||
Yep. It's fixed in AW 4.1.
|
||
(BRANDT, CAT42, TOP29, MSG:355/M645;1)
|
||
|
||
<<<<< I plan to include an updated of RFP on the AW 4.1 disk if QC
|
||
""""" approves. I expect it to ship in June. I'm waiting on a slinky card
|
||
to solve a couple of bugs related to that before we ship.
|
||
(BRANDT, CAT17, TOP14, MSG:193/M645;1)
|
||
|
||
<<<<< Sales people haven't heard of AW 4.1, and won't until we know when
|
||
""""" it will ship and how much the update will cost. It won't be much,
|
||
and will likely be available online as well.
|
||
(BRANDT, CAT17, TOP14, MSG:198/M645;1)
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
SHAREWARE SOLUTIONS II TO (RE)PUBLISH CONTACTS GS What a difference a day
|
||
""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""" can make!?!? All
|
||
copies of Shareware Solutions II, Issue 5, have been mailed, and it's now
|
||
time for Shareware Solutions II to take yet another giant leap on its
|
||
exciting Apple II journey into the future!
|
||
|
||
Shareware Solutions II is branching out.
|
||
|
||
Shareware Solutions II is expanding.
|
||
|
||
Shareware Solutions II is growing.
|
||
|
||
Shareware Solutions II is taking on a new project.
|
||
|
||
Shareware Solutions II is pleased to announce that it is now the
|
||
publisher, and exclusive distributor, for a IIGS commercial software
|
||
product.
|
||
|
||
Previously available from Simplexity Software, ContactsGS is a IIGS
|
||
New Desk Accessory that allows you to keep and easily maintain a
|
||
rolodex-style name and address databse that is accessible from the IIGS
|
||
Finder and from within any Apple IIGS program that displays the Apple Pull
|
||
Down Menu.
|
||
|
||
ContactsGS was written by (Burger) Bill Heineman.
|
||
|
||
Pricing information is not yet available. The ContactsGS NDA,
|
||
however, should be available for sale within the next several weeks.
|
||
First, though, a manual needs to be written.
|
||
|
||
Stay tuned for additional details.
|
||
|
||
Joe Kohn (J.KOHN, CAT28, TOP4, MSG:568/M645;1)
|
||
|
||
<<<<< > Can you refresh us as to what ContactsGS is and does
|
||
"""""
|
||
Sure I can. It's a IIGS New Desk Accessory that, in essence is a
|
||
name, address and telephone number database.
|
||
|
||
When accessed from the Apple Pull Down Menu, ContactsGS takes up
|
||
about 2/3 or 3/4's of the screen. Call it up, and you're ready to start
|
||
entering information into the different fields.
|
||
|
||
There are fields for Last Name, First Name, Street Address, City,
|
||
State, Zip, Telephone Numbers, and then there are 2 Misc.fields that allow
|
||
you to jot down any info you want. Each of those Misc fields can hold a
|
||
total of 80 characters (when running System 6 or later). With System 5, I
|
||
believe that each Misc field can only contain 42 characters.
|
||
|
||
Like other databases, you can sort your data. You can also use
|
||
ContactsGS to dial your telephone using 2 different methods. If you have a
|
||
modem connected to the built in modem port, you can call up any particular
|
||
record, and if you click on the Modem option, it'll dial that phone number.
|
||
Or, you can transmit the tones to the built in (or external) speaker.
|
||
Theoretically, you could then hold up your touch tone phone to the speaker,
|
||
and it'll dial the number.
|
||
|
||
On that last point, my neighbor told me yesterday that I have a very
|
||
loud modem, because he heard me testing that feature out. I laughed when
|
||
he said that.
|
||
|
||
ContactsGS stores the data in an ASCII Text file, where the different
|
||
are separated by Tabs, and each record ends in a carriage return.
|
||
|
||
One of the options in AppleWorks, when creating a new database file
|
||
from an already existing ASCII text file, asks (paraphrased) if the fields
|
||
are separated by tabs and each record ends with a Return. So, just choose
|
||
that option when loading in the ContactsGS data, and it'll import
|
||
everything.
|
||
|
||
And, I plan to add some automation for the AW import/export of data.
|
||
|
||
Joe (J.KOHN, CAT13, TOP24, MSG:180/M645;1)
|
||
|
||
|
||
BYTEWORKS TO RELEASE NEW PROGRAM We're in the process of releasing a new
|
||
"""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""" program for the Apple IIGS that is not a
|
||
programming product. I'd like to see about getting an area set up here in
|
||
A2 to support it, since A2Pro doesn't fit the bill. I'd also be interested
|
||
in scheduling some conferences to chat with A2 folks about the new program.
|
||
|
||
Who do I talk to over here to get the ball rolling on something like
|
||
this?
|
||
|
||
Mike Westerfield
|
||
(BYTEWORKS, CAT2, TOP4, MSG:374/M645;1)
|
||
|
||
|
||
USER GROUP CD UPDATE The Apple IIGS SIG and Mac SIG here in Germany are
|
||
"""""""""""""""""""" producing a joint CD. It will contain about 180 (?)
|
||
disks worth of Macintosh PD and 250 disks worth of Apple IIGS PD. Provided
|
||
everything works out well (this week the HD contents are copied onto a CD-R
|
||
for delivery to the CD production firm and I do hope there'll be no glitch
|
||
in that process) the CD will cost US$ 43.00 resp. CAN$ 60.00 plus s/h.
|
||
|
||
Shipping the CD airmail with jewel case to the US or Canada will cost
|
||
US$ 10.00 resp. CAN$ 14.00, shipping the CD with booklet and inlay card in
|
||
a 5.25" disk mailer will cost US$ 6.25 resp. CAN$ 8.75. (I suggest you buy
|
||
your own jewel case and get the CD in a floppy disk mailer...) I will
|
||
accept cheques in US or Canadian currency. Please, add US$ 2.00 resp. CAN$
|
||
3.00 for cashing fees. So to get the CD, mail me a cheque for US$ 51.25
|
||
resp. CAN$ 71.75. I'll post my address here, when the CD is done. Guys
|
||
living in Europe send me an Eurocheque for DM 77.00 (CD with jewel case).
|
||
Within Germany the price will be DM 72.00 (for nonmembers of AUGE).
|
||
|
||
Udo - ... just a IIGS freak -
|
||
(U.HUTH, CAT20, TOP15, MSG:32/M645;1)
|
||
|
||
|
||
FOUNDATION RESOURCE NOW FREEWARE Yes, that's right! Foundation, the
|
||
"""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""" resource editor created by Lunar
|
||
Productions, is now Freeware. It should arrive on GEnie in just a few
|
||
short weeks, after undergoing some revamping and modification.
|
||
|
||
We're waiting for some missing source files to be sent to us, and for
|
||
the completion of the port from ORCA/C v1.3 to ORCA/C v2.0.1 of the source
|
||
code. Then we'll be making minor modifications, to add new copyright
|
||
messages (to indicate freeware status) and to list the names of some new
|
||
maintenance contacts.
|
||
|
||
The source code has been released as freeware as well, and will be
|
||
uploaded to GEnie at the same time as Foundation v1.0.2 is uploaded.
|
||
However, in order to help control and maintain Foundation, a small group of
|
||
people, including myself and Andy Wells (who is doing the port to ORCA/C
|
||
2.0.1), are asking that a small group of people be selected to maintain an
|
||
"official" version of Foundation.
|
||
|
||
This is NOT intended to keep other people from making changes to
|
||
Foundation. The plan is to have the "official" source maintained and
|
||
available online for download, and to allow other people to make changes
|
||
and/or suggestions and submit them for inclusion in the "official" version
|
||
of Foundation.
|
||
|
||
This is a great opportunity for the Apple II community to come
|
||
together to build its own software library -- as a team. Let's make
|
||
Foundation great!
|
||
|
||
A topic will be created in A2Pro, after Foundation has been released,
|
||
for discussing changes to it and programming issues about it.
|
||
|
||
Eric Shepherd (POWERPC.PRO, CAT13, TOP39, MSG:1/M645;1)
|
||
|
||
>>>>> For the benefit of those like me who don't understand, what is the
|
||
""""" purpose of a resource editor? (Please, don't tell me it edits
|
||
resources!)
|
||
|
||
Charlie (C.HARTLEY3, CAT13, TOP39, MSG:2/M645;1)
|
||
|
||
<<<<< A resource is a small bit of data that contains information used by
|
||
""""" a program. Resources are often used to contain the necessary data
|
||
to create menu bars, windows, and buttons, along with lots of other things.
|
||
|
||
A resource editor lets users and programmers alter these resources.
|
||
A resource editor can, for example, be used to change the name of the
|
||
Finder's trash can from "Trash" to "Land of the Dead" (which I have done
|
||
:). A programmer could use a resource editor to create and modify the
|
||
menus in a program he or she is writing.
|
||
|
||
It's a wonderful tool when used properly, and gives a lot of power to
|
||
its users.
|
||
|
||
The original Foundation Project was eventually supposed to result in
|
||
two resource editors: Foundation for developers and Foundation for users.
|
||
The User's version of Foundation would have more warning messages and would
|
||
be easier to use. The programmer's version (which is the only existing
|
||
version) is a little harder to use, but is still a very effective tool.
|
||
|
||
The freeware Foundation Project will almost certainly combine these
|
||
into one package, probably involving a Foundation which features an Expert
|
||
mode for programmers that know (or THINK they know) what they're doing and
|
||
a User mode for weekend resource editors.
|
||
|
||
Anyone who currently has Foundation: your input is welcome! Although
|
||
the first freeware release will be almost identical to Foundation v1.0.2,
|
||
we'll want your suggestions for 1.0.3!
|
||
|
||
Eric Shepherd (Sheppy)
|
||
(POWERPC.PRO, CAT13, TOP39, MSG:3/M645;1)
|
||
|
||
|
||
EDIT MAC RESOURCES ON A IIGS? Softdisk has mentioned publicly that they
|
||
""""""""""""""""""""""""""""" plan to write a read/write Macintosh
|
||
resource manager for the IIGS eventually.
|
||
(POWERPC.PRO, CAT13, TOP39, MSG:24/M645;1)
|
||
|
||
|
||
ETHERNET CARD FOR APPLE II? I'll tell you what I am working on - a driver
|
||
""""""""""""""""""""""""""" to allow to use one of these SCSI Ethernet
|
||
units so prevalent in the Mac world. I've contacted several different
|
||
makers, but I'm still waiting for anything useful to be given to me. A
|
||
couple of the companies sound more promising, but I'll be giving them
|
||
another round of pestering this week, and continue until I get direct
|
||
answers.
|
||
|
||
Anyway, I'm pleased to see there is a fair amount of interest in this
|
||
sort of thing, both here and on the Internet Apple II group. I will
|
||
definitely let everyone know if anything comes of it. In the meantime, if
|
||
anyone has any experience (good or bad) with any of these Ethernet boxes,
|
||
please drop me a line or post in an appropriate area (maybe CAT 12, TOP 4 -
|
||
A2-Mac, or perhaps a new category). I'd like to know if there are any
|
||
significant differences between these units, especially in terms of speed.
|
||
|
||
Michael Hackett
|
||
Some Assembly Required
|
||
(M.HACKETT, CAT12, TOP23, MSG:240/M645;1)
|
||
|
||
|
||
DISCQUEST ENCYCLOPEDIA ON CD > Sequential isn't answering its e-mail...
|
||
""""""""""""""""""""""""""""
|
||
All: I apologize for this, but I've been hard at work on Compton's
|
||
Interactive Encyclopedia.
|
||
|
||
> Does this mean current owners of diskQust can get the update by getting
|
||
> the Encyclopedia?
|
||
|
||
If you currently own discQuest, you can get the Compton's front-end
|
||
software free if you buy the Compton's CD-ROM from Sequential for $99 (well
|
||
below the regular retail price, I might add).
|
||
|
||
> Will it work with other CD's beside the Encyclopedia? I have noticed
|
||
> that "Comptons" is on a lot of CD's.
|
||
|
||
We don't know yet. We will be looking into this; there are at least
|
||
_four_ different CD's that are Encyclopedia's from Compton's! Each seem to
|
||
be a bit different.
|
||
|
||
Jawaid (PROCYON.INC, CAT20, TOP12, MSG:{460}/M645;1)
|
||
|
||
|
||
>>> MESSAGE SPOTLIGHT <<<
|
||
"""""""""""""""""""""""""
|
||
|
||
Category 13, Topic 25
|
||
Message 117 Wed May 04, 1994
|
||
A2.CHUCK at 22:49 EDT
|
||
|
||
I was asked to send an E-Mail telling all about Charlie's AppleSeeds,
|
||
and while flattered, decided it would be a good idea to tell the world
|
||
about Charlie.
|
||
|
||
Charlie's AppleSeeds was established as a result of three problems
|
||
that developed within the first year after I obtained my Apple IIe
|
||
Computer.
|
||
|
||
First, I quickly became addicted to the computer. After I had a
|
||
checkbook up and running, had typed in all the interesting but frustrating
|
||
Nibble programs and had nothing much left to do, I started an AppleWorks
|
||
database of all of my VA manuals on procedures, regulations and laws.....
|
||
That lead to the second problem; memory. With a 128k machine, I quickly
|
||
had about 8 database files that literally took several hours each night to
|
||
add a mere 100 new lines of data to.
|
||
|
||
That lead the final problem; my wife would not hear of me spending
|
||
budget money on my TOY! The argument got rather bitter at times. Finally
|
||
she did agree to allow me to buy a memory card on the Master Card and pay
|
||
it back from my $25 a payday allowance. I then spent days driving all over
|
||
San Diego County looking for an inexpensive memory card to replace the
|
||
extended 80 column card. I finally ended up at the store where I purchased
|
||
the machine in the first place, and, GET THIS, the dealer that sold me the
|
||
computer, gave me $129 in trade for the Extended 80 Column card, towards
|
||
the purchase of a 768k Checkmate card.
|
||
|
||
Rather than relieved, I felt, "I can do better than this!" So, I went
|
||
down town to get a business license, register a company name and set up a
|
||
sales tax account with the state. I knew that I had to have a fictitious
|
||
name (business name) and that I had to search local records to make sure it
|
||
was not in use in San Diego County. I had always been a garden hobbyist,
|
||
and as I was driving down town, trying to think of a really neat name, I
|
||
remembered Charlie Appleseeds, the guy that planted Apple Trees all over
|
||
the place in the 19th century. Well, heck, I got the name wrong, it was
|
||
Johnnie, but since I was Charles, at the time it seemed to fit, since I
|
||
would be selling memory cards and those are found in Apple Computers, and
|
||
Appleseeds are the things inside an Apple, I had my name.
|
||
|
||
I then established business relations with Checkmate, a great bunch
|
||
of people back in 1986. I advertised in the local computer magazine which
|
||
came out every two weeks, and allowed cheap ads. I would get about 20
|
||
calls and send a great deal of time on the phone, advising people, knowing
|
||
from what they were telling me that they would find out what I thought was
|
||
the way to buy, then buy somewhere else. My first sale was to Jean in
|
||
Chula Vista, and it was AutoWorks by Alan Bird, NOT a Checkmate memory
|
||
card!
|
||
|
||
Then I would do things like create massive speadsheet price lists
|
||
that I forgot to audit, and then end up selling programs and memory cards
|
||
for like less than a dollar over my cost...... After the first six months,
|
||
everything I had in the bank was owed to the California Sales Tax guys. I
|
||
was depressed.
|
||
|
||
BUT, during that time, I was doing a lot of beta testing and leg work
|
||
for the programmers at Software Touch (Alan Bird, and Mark Simonsen).
|
||
After AutoWorks was released, coincidentally with MacroWorks (Beagle Bros
|
||
Randy Brandt), I wrote a letter to every Apple II magazine editor about how
|
||
great the program was and Paul Statt actually called Alan Bird as a result
|
||
of my letter writing campaign and some good things started to happen for
|
||
Software Touch.
|
||
|
||
Then one day when I stopped by Alan's office, he showed me a new
|
||
feature that he had working inside AppleWorks, MY FAVORITE PROGRAM. That
|
||
window turned out to be TimeOut. I was involved with beta testing of all
|
||
the TimeOut but had no idea until just before the AppleFest that year, that
|
||
Mark Simonsen had bought out Beagle Bros. At that point, there were seven
|
||
TimeOut packages and four more nearly completed. I had acquired the
|
||
competitions programs from Pinpoint and was very impressed with what they
|
||
offered, and then I got a newsletter that had an article about the Pinpoint
|
||
User Group assistance program; I forget what it was called now, but it got
|
||
me to thinking that the Beagle Bros TimeOut family needed something similar
|
||
because not only were we introducing a massive number of add-on programs,
|
||
but we were rapidly providing changes, enhancements and bug fixes. So I
|
||
went to Mark Simonsen with what became the Beagle Buddy idea, which we
|
||
started up in early 1988. My idea was that I would keep these Local Apple
|
||
II User Group AppleWorks gurus updated and current on all of the TimeOut
|
||
stuff and get them to help me sell Beagle Bros software to their user group
|
||
members. I ran the Beagle Buddy program for three years without pay from
|
||
Beagle Bros, but free reign at the shop, so to speak. The program was
|
||
taken in-house and became part of the advertising budget, but the full-time
|
||
employees never really had the time to devote to the program that I had
|
||
provided.
|
||
|
||
When AppleWorks 3.0 was introduced, Beagle Bros took me to San
|
||
Francisco to the AppleFest with them, and I met the buyer from Programs
|
||
Plus and Roger Coats. I had just, after a year, convinced Professor Glen
|
||
Bredon to let me publish and distribute ProSel and ProSel-16, and Programs
|
||
Plus started buying, on average, 50 copies of ProSel-16 per month, while
|
||
Roger Coats was buying upwards of $6000 (wholesale value) worth of Beagle
|
||
Bros product from me. Let met tell you, it was a neat feeling to take a
|
||
box containing fifty 3.5" disks to the Mail Bank and asking that they be
|
||
shipped COD for $2,000.00! And how depressing, in June 1991 when I had to
|
||
write over $4500 worth of checks to pay income taxes because 1990 was such
|
||
a great year. AND ALL IN MY SPARE TIME TOO!
|
||
|
||
In all the years since 1986 when I started, I have never regretted
|
||
starting my little side business, but I have done all this without paying
|
||
nearly enough attention to my kids and wife, and now, they are letting me
|
||
know. I am still addicted to my Apple II systems (I have three in the
|
||
house, and a computer room, stuffed with box, magazines and computers).
|
||
Last year was pretty slow, but still more than I did in sales in 1988, and
|
||
while this year seems pretty slow too (where the heck did all the Apple II
|
||
Buyers go?), things are not entirely bleak. I am starting to sell hard
|
||
disk drives, something I have wanted to do for three years, and now that I
|
||
have a really nice drive enclosure (the Diplomat), drives smaller than 540
|
||
megs are hard to find. However, with TMS closing their doors and Quality
|
||
Computers growing so fast that they are having (apparently) a hard time
|
||
finding sales people knowledgeable in Apple II, I feel more than ever that
|
||
I must continue to try to stay active in business for the Apple II Users.
|
||
Its almost like an obligation to me. I don't want to stop what I am doing,
|
||
business wise, and I don't want to turn my back on Apple II Users. I use
|
||
almost everything I sell and that makes it easier for me to sell. It also
|
||
allows me to assist users after the sale!
|
||
|
||
So, there you have it; Charlie's AppleSeeds, how and why.
|
||
|
||
Chuck
|
||
Charlie's AppleSeeds
|
||
9081 Hadley Place
|
||
San Diego, CA 92126-1523
|
||
Phone/Fax 619-566-1297
|
||
|
||
========================== END ========================================
|
||
|
||
Too keep my hand in, I am also doing the software for the A2GEnie
|
||
Disk of the Month (locating and downloading, then writing a brief
|
||
discriptor file) and recently, I started doing the same for Resource
|
||
Central with their A2-Central On Disk.
|
||
|
||
Chuck
|
||
|
||
[*][*][*]
|
||
|
||
|
||
While on GEnie, do you spend most of your time downloading files?
|
||
If so, you may be missing out some excellent information in the Bulletin
|
||
Board area. The messages listed above only scratch the surface of
|
||
what's available and waiting for you in the bulletin board area.
|
||
|
||
If you are serious about your Apple II, the GEnieLamp staff strongly
|
||
urge you to give the bulletin board area a try. There are literally
|
||
thousands of messages posted from people like you from all over the
|
||
world.
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
[EOA]
|
||
[HUM]//////////////////////////////
|
||
HUMOR ONLINE /
|
||
/////////////////////////////////
|
||
Fun & Games On GEnie
|
||
""""""""""""""""""""
|
||
by Steve Weyhrich
|
||
[S.WEYHRICH]
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
Here for your amusement, in honor of our own Brian Tao:
|
||
|
||
|
||
>>> INTERNET FILEMAN <<<
|
||
""""""""""""""""""""""""
|
||
(to the tune of "Wichita Lineman")
|
||
|
||
I am a FileMan for the I'Net
|
||
And I cruise the main node
|
||
Searchin' on the run
|
||
For another hot upload.
|
||
|
||
I send them zingin' through the wires
|
||
I upload them while online
|
||
And the Internet FileMan
|
||
Is still on the line...
|
||
|
||
The last batch needs ver-i-fi-cation
|
||
Hope that Sysop's been trained
|
||
And if that virus scan fails
|
||
It will cause no end of pain
|
||
|
||
And I need them more than want them
|
||
And I want them all for MINE
|
||
And the Internet FileMan
|
||
Is still on the line...
|
||
|
||
[*][*][*]
|
||
|
||
|
||
EDITOR'S NOTE: "InterBrian" Tao is a member of the A2 RoundTable who
|
||
voluntarily uploads program and messages from the comp.sys.apple
|
||
groups to GEnie's A2 libraries.
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
[EOA]
|
||
[REF]//////////////////////////////
|
||
REFLECTIONS /
|
||
/////////////////////////////////
|
||
Thinking About Online Communications
|
||
""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""
|
||
by Phil Shapiro
|
||
[P.SHAPIRO1]
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
>>> SOME FACTS ABOUT THE U.S. POSTAL SERVICE <<<
|
||
""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""
|
||
|
||
Last month this column included the recommendation that the U.S.
|
||
Postal Service raise the rate of first class stamps from 29 to 40 cents.
|
||
Loyal readers of the column were kind in letting me know that the editorial
|
||
was long on opinions and short on facts. Taking a second look at the
|
||
editorial, I can't help but agree with them.
|
||
|
||
Here then is the U.S. Postal Service revisited -- but this time
|
||
supported by facts.
|
||
|
||
THE QUANTITY OF MAIL DELIVERED EACH YEAR The first fact that stares you
|
||
"""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""" in the face when dealing with
|
||
the U.S. Postal Service is the humongous quantity of mail that is delivered
|
||
each year. I called the national headquarters of the U.S. Postal Service
|
||
in Washington D.C. and asked them how much mail they delivered last year.
|
||
A polite and friendly postal service employee informed me that the Postal
|
||
Service delivered 171,219,994,000 pieces of mail in 1993.
|
||
|
||
Well, that looks like a large number, certainly, but what does it
|
||
mean in more practical terms? In practical terms, the Postal Service
|
||
delivers about 500 million pieces of mail per day.
|
||
|
||
If this doesn't seem like a large number, try this little experiment:
|
||
Take a day off from work sometime, and in your free time casually sort and
|
||
deliver 500 million pieces of mail. [Or just try counting to 500 million.
|
||
-- Ed.]
|
||
|
||
How much does all this mail weigh? In 1993 the Postal Service
|
||
delivered 19,592,264,000 pounds -- that's 19 billion tons -- of mail.
|
||
|
||
To make this figure more meaningful, we can say that the Postal
|
||
Service delivers 10 million tons of mail per year. On a daily basis that
|
||
works out to 27,400 tons per day. To help haul that mail to your mail box,
|
||
the Postal Service uses 100,000 trucks.
|
||
|
||
SHIFTING HARD COPY MAIL TO ELECTRONIC MAIL If just one percent of all of
|
||
"""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""" the current mail were shifted
|
||
to electronic mail, the load on the U.S. Postal Service would be
|
||
substantially diminished. (To the tune of 5 million fewer pieces of mail
|
||
to deliver each day.) If ten percent of all current mail were shifted to
|
||
electronic mail, the load on the U.S. Postal Service would be diminished by
|
||
50 million pieces of mail per day.
|
||
|
||
A ten percent reduction in mail volume would yield all sorts of
|
||
efficiencies: Fewer sorting machines would be needed, fewer mail carriers
|
||
would be needed, fewer delivery trucks would be needed, fewer fuel would be
|
||
needed for those trucks, fewer mechanics would be needed to repair the
|
||
trucks, etc.
|
||
|
||
HUMAN NATURE SLOW TO CHANGE But you can bet your last postage stamp that
|
||
""""""""""""""""""""""""""" people are not going to change the way they
|
||
communicate unless they start feeling the pinch in their wallet. Raise the
|
||
price of a first class stamp to 40 cents, and a lot of people will have a
|
||
spontaneous new interest in learning about telecom.
|
||
|
||
To be sure, in some ways it's unfair to talk about shifting hard copy
|
||
mail to electronic mail. Some mail, such as glossy advertising flyers, is
|
||
just unsuited to the e-mail format. (Thanks be!) And other mail has no
|
||
meaningful ASCII content at all. (Tangible merchandise and other types of
|
||
"non-letter" mail.)
|
||
|
||
But over 90 percent of current mail is ASCII text, being physically
|
||
shuttled around the country by trucks and planes. How much more efficient
|
||
would it be to shuttle this mail around via computers? Plenty.
|
||
|
||
The U.S. Postal Service has ambitious plans to modernize its sorting
|
||
facilities in the next ten years. Billions of dollars are being allocated
|
||
for this venture. Wait a second, folks. That money is being thrown into a
|
||
huge hole. Far better to use that money to subsidize inexpensive terminals
|
||
for each and every person in the country.
|
||
|
||
Set up free public access terminals in public libraries, railway
|
||
stations, shopping malls, government buildings -- anywhere where people
|
||
could sit down and jot off a quick e-mail note to a colleague, a
|
||
legislator, Al Gore, or Bill Gates. You shouldn't have to own your own
|
||
dedicated phone line to travel down the information superhighway. On-ramps
|
||
should be provided wherever human beings have a need or an interest to
|
||
communicate.
|
||
|
||
Then we as nation can get serious about moving ahead in the
|
||
Information Age -- without having to worry about sorting and delivering 500
|
||
million pieces of mail per day.
|
||
|
||
-Phil Shapiro
|
||
|
||
[*][*][*]
|
||
|
||
|
||
The author takes a keen interest in the social and economic
|
||
dimensions of communications technology. He can be reached on
|
||
the InterNet at: pshapiro@aol.com.
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
//////////////////////////////////////// GEnie_QWIK_QUOTE ////
|
||
/ /
|
||
/ The skull in the clipboard doesn't sound good. Sounds /
|
||
/ very possibly like somebody's screwing around on your /
|
||
/ system. That really steams me. I consider the /
|
||
/ Apple II community to be, like, my extended family. /
|
||
/ To have a relative screwing around with MY system /
|
||
/ would make me really ticked off. /
|
||
/ /
|
||
/////////////////////////////////////////// POWERPC.PRO ////
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
[EOA]
|
||
[BEG]//////////////////////////////
|
||
BEGINNER'S CORNER /
|
||
/////////////////////////////////
|
||
Polishing Green Apples
|
||
""""""""""""""""""""""
|
||
by Steve Weyhrich
|
||
[S.WEYHRICH]
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
>>> HOOKED ON STORAGE (Part 4) <<<
|
||
""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""
|
||
|
||
STAKING OUT YOUR TURF If you've been following the previous installments
|
||
""""""""""""""""""""" in this series, I have led you through the decision
|
||
of when and if to purchase a hard disk or other mass-storage device, and
|
||
how to find and connect one to your particular flavor of Apple II. Now we
|
||
need to discuss methods of dividing up (and safe-keeping) all that lovely
|
||
space for most efficient use.
|
||
|
||
|
||
BACKGROUND Unless the hard disk that you purchased is only 20 megs in
|
||
"""""""""" size, you will likely need to partition (divide) that disk to
|
||
be able to make use of it. There are many reasons for partitioning, and
|
||
the size you choose depends on your particular needs.
|
||
|
||
First, the ProDOS operating system has a built-in limitation of 32
|
||
megs per disk volume. In 1994 this limit seems just a bit too
|
||
constricting, especially on the Apple IIgs, where large programs are more
|
||
the rule than on 8-bit Apple II's. In 1979, however, when SOS (the
|
||
Sophisticated Operating System for the Apple III) was designed, 32 megs was
|
||
as enormous a size as 32 GIGAbytes seems to be today. ProDOS was designed
|
||
to be compatible with SOS, and thus the 32 meg per volume limit remains to
|
||
this day. It would be POSSIBLE to overcome that limit, but not without a
|
||
major rewrite of ProDOS, and the hassles of compatibility problems with
|
||
older software. It is unlikely that we will ever see this changed, now
|
||
that the status of the Apple II unit at Apple Computer is a mere shadow of
|
||
its former self; so, like everything else we do in the Apple II world, we
|
||
learn to make do with what we have.
|
||
|
||
An obvious solution to this problem would be to take whatever size of
|
||
disk you've purchased and divide it up into multiple 32 meg volumes, with
|
||
the final one being the remainder after the division. For example: A 120
|
||
meg hard drive would be divided up into three 32 meg partitions, with a
|
||
fourth partition that was something under 24 megs in size. That last
|
||
partition would not be EXACTLY 24 megs in size, although the mathematical
|
||
logic works out that way. Some of the space on the hard disk needs to be
|
||
used for a partition map that lets the SCSI controller keep track of where
|
||
a partition begins and where it ends. A 300-meg drive would be split into
|
||
nine 32-meg volumes, with less than 12 megs remaining.
|
||
|
||
|
||
BACKUP Real life, however, is not that easy. The decision on how many
|
||
"""""" partitions to make, and what their sizes should be, depends on
|
||
more than what the operating system will allow. One consideration to make
|
||
is this: What do you plan to use in making backups of this hard disk?
|
||
|
||
"Backups? I have to make BACKUPS too?!" Darn right you do.
|
||
Murphy's Law of Data Loss states that the likelihood of losing all or part
|
||
of your disk files is inversely proportional to the amount you are at risk
|
||
of losing. In other words, if all you have to lose are the files on a 143K
|
||
floppy disk, it won't disappear easily. When you have an 800K disk, it
|
||
gets a bit more risky. With 32 megabytes, you can almost guarantee that
|
||
eventually, SOMETHING will clobber your disk and cause you to lose hundreds
|
||
of files, many of which may be difficult to replace. So, the rule is BACK
|
||
UP YOUR FILES, and do it regularly. Did you hear me? *B*A*C*K* *U*P* --
|
||
Do it regularly! You've been warned. Don't you come whining to ME when
|
||
your disk crashes and that file you worked on for two whole WEEKS is gone
|
||
forever!
|
||
|
||
|
||
BACKWORK What should you use for doing your backups? You have several
|
||
"""""""" choices available to you:
|
||
|
||
Floppy Disks (5.25) PLUS: Dirt cheap
|
||
'''''''''''''''''''
|
||
MINUS: To back up a full 32 meg volume it would
|
||
take just over 234 of these disks and probably an
|
||
entire day of time. Probably would cause
|
||
repetitive strain injury, too. And acne.
|
||
|
||
Floppy Disks (3.5) PLUS: Still pretty cheap
|
||
''''''''''''''''''
|
||
MINUS: Full 32 meg backup still takes a LOT of
|
||
disks, over 40 of them. Still slow, but not as
|
||
bad as 5.25 disks.
|
||
|
||
Tape Drive PLUS: MUCH more convenient than floppy disks.
|
||
'''''''''' Time spent doing a backup depends primarily on
|
||
how much money you choose to spend on a tape drive
|
||
to begin with. The least expensive, a 3M 40-meg
|
||
SCSI tape drive (available for as little $150
|
||
used), may take an hour to back up a full 32 meg
|
||
partition; however, it is VERY reliable. Other
|
||
SCSI devices are available, with larger capacities
|
||
and faster backup times, but their cost is
|
||
significantly higher.
|
||
|
||
MINUS: Because tape access is sequential rather
|
||
than random, recovering individual files from a
|
||
backup tape can be a slow and tedious process
|
||
(just as locating and playing a specific song on
|
||
an audio cassette is less convenient than on a CD
|
||
or vinyl recording).
|
||
|
||
Syquest Cartridges PLUS: Pretty good speed for both backup and
|
||
'''''''''''''''''' recovery of disk volumes. Sizes run from 44 meg
|
||
up to 270 meg per cartridge.
|
||
|
||
MINUS: The initial outlay for a drive runs from
|
||
$230 and up, with the 270-meg drives costing more
|
||
than $550. Also, individual cartridges are
|
||
expensive, costing over $70 apiece. Still, $70
|
||
for 40 megs of storage is cheaper than buying
|
||
another hard drive.
|
||
|
||
Floptical disks PLUS: As with Syquest cartridges, good speed.
|
||
'''''''''''''''
|
||
MINUS: Still an expensive hardware item, and
|
||
size is usually 21 megs (actually more like 19 or
|
||
20 megs of useful storage), so it would take about
|
||
one and a half to store a full 32 meg volume (more
|
||
about this later).
|
||
|
||
Hard Disk PLUS: Using a second hard drive of the same size
|
||
''''''''' for doing backups is not as silly as it might
|
||
sound. The cost of a second hard drive may be
|
||
less expensive than buying a Syquest and
|
||
cartridges, for example, and it should be as fast
|
||
as what you have right now.
|
||
|
||
MINUS: The backup hard drive is subject to the
|
||
same failures and losses as the original drive is,
|
||
and if something goes wrong with the backup drive,
|
||
you've lost EVERYTHING that you stored on it the
|
||
last time you did your backup.
|
||
|
||
|
||
BACK TO WHERE WE WERE So, if the point of this article is to talk about
|
||
""""""""""""""""""""" partitioning a hard disk, why so much time spent on
|
||
discussing methods of doing backups? Because backups are so important, and
|
||
you will be doing them regularly (RIGHT?), it will help you to have your
|
||
hard disk organized in such a fashion as to get the most out of your chosen
|
||
backup method.
|
||
|
||
For example: If you plan to do your backups to 800K floppy disks, you
|
||
can decrease the amount of time spent on one volume by making them smaller.
|
||
If it takes 40 disks to back up a full 32 meg volume, consider that it
|
||
takes only 26 disks to back up a 20 meg volume. You have more volumes to
|
||
back up, perhaps, but fewer disks per volume.
|
||
|
||
If you buy a Floptical drive, the disks on which you will do your
|
||
backups will be around 21 megs in size (not quite all of the 21 megs on
|
||
those disks are available). So, it might make sense to divide your hard
|
||
disk into 20 or 21 meg partitions, so you can more efficiently use the
|
||
space on those Floptical disks. The same goes with the 40 meg 3M tapes:
|
||
Two 19 meg partitions will fit onto a single 40 meg tape (some space is
|
||
used for tape directory), so creating 19 meg partitions may be the most
|
||
efficient way to divide that space. None of the Syquest cartridge sizes
|
||
come out to exact multiples of 32 megs, so it may be prudent to set the
|
||
sizes of your partitions to coincide with the available space to use in
|
||
doing backups with THAT device.
|
||
|
||
|
||
BACKUP METHODS And, since we've gone so far down the backup path as to
|
||
"""""""""""""" talk about backing up full volumes, and the consequences
|
||
of those choices, this would be as good a time as any to discuss what
|
||
software is available for doing backups. The cheapest method of doing
|
||
backups is to just use a file copy program and copy files one by one over
|
||
to a backup disk until it is full, and then repeat the process until the
|
||
entire hard drive partition is completed. This will certainly work, and
|
||
has the advantage of letting you decide exactly WHICH files you REALLY need
|
||
copies of. The disadvantage is it is a labor-intensive process that you
|
||
will not do as regularly as you should.
|
||
|
||
[By the way: I do know some folks who NEVER make backup copies of
|
||
their system files or commercial software, since they have the originals
|
||
around to reload if something happens to trash the copies they use on their
|
||
hard drive. This is all fine and dandy if you never make any patches to
|
||
these programs. However, the more complicated the software, the more it
|
||
can be customized to your likings, and the hassle involved in reinstalling
|
||
and reconfiguring all those programs needs to be weighed against the
|
||
convenience of being to simply restore it all from a backup if something
|
||
DOES crash.]
|
||
|
||
There are two main methods used in doing backups: A FULL-VOLUME
|
||
backup copies ALL the files from the hard disk to the backup media, either
|
||
as an automated file-by-file copy, or as a literal image, block by block,
|
||
of the original disk. A full-volume backup really should be done
|
||
periodically to make sure that all the files on your hard drive are safely
|
||
stored SOMEWHERE.
|
||
|
||
The second method of backing up files is called an INCREMENTAL
|
||
backup. Incremental backups only copy certain files to the backup disks.
|
||
This can be done either by date of the files, or by whether or not files
|
||
have changed since the last full-volume backup (whether the "backup-bit" is
|
||
set; this is something the operating system takes care of).
|
||
|
||
People who are EXTREMELY careful about their disks and their
|
||
work-in-progress will do a full volume backup weekly, and an incremental
|
||
backup on a daily basis. (I've even heard of those who do this on a daily
|
||
and HOURLY basis.) The advantage of incremental backups can be seen when
|
||
there are several versions of a program, for example, which change when the
|
||
program is being developed. If it turns out that a new method being used
|
||
simply doesn't work, the programmer can go back to the version he saved
|
||
three days ago and start from there again, rather than trying to remove all
|
||
the changes he added since then.
|
||
|
||
|
||
BACKUP SOFTWARE: 8-BIT
|
||
""""""""""""""""""""""
|
||
|
||
Backup II For the Apple II Plus/IIe/IIc computers, the least expensive
|
||
''''''''' option for hard disk backup is a program called Backup II,
|
||
written by Apple Computer. However, the program has given problems to some
|
||
people, and it is possible that recovering a single file may simply not
|
||
work. For instance, if one disk in a series of backup disks develops a bad
|
||
block; the entire backup may be unavailable. However, it is "free" for the
|
||
cost of a download from the A2 Library on GEnie (a part of file #13735,
|
||
SCSI.UTILS.BXY).
|
||
|
||
EasyDrive Quality Computers sells this program, which is a file selection
|
||
''''''''' utility for 8-bit Apple II's. It also has a hard drive backup
|
||
and restore utility, but is limited to being able to only do a full-volume
|
||
restore. That means if you only need to recover ONE file, you had better
|
||
have a spare hard disk partition that you can make use of, to restore the
|
||
last full backup of the disk where the file was last stored.
|
||
|
||
EasyDrive's backup utility is unique in its ability to use multiple
|
||
different sizes of backup media. For example: You could begin a backup
|
||
from a 32 meg hard drive partition to a 21 meg Floptical disk. If that
|
||
disk became full before the backup was completed, you could finish it on
|
||
3.5 floppy disks.
|
||
|
||
ProSel 8 Glen Bredon's ProSel 8 is the oldest and most comprehensive of
|
||
'''''''' the available disk management programs for the Apple II. One of
|
||
its many features is a hard disk backup package that also allows recovery
|
||
of specific files. However, you must know the name of the file you wish to
|
||
recover to successfully do so without restoring the entire backup. For
|
||
this reason, it is a good idea to use the included Info Desk utility to
|
||
make a full disk directory on either paper or a disk file and store it
|
||
somewhere safe before doing a backup, so you can find the exact file and
|
||
path at recovery time.
|
||
|
||
ProSel 8's disk backup software uses an image, rather than
|
||
incremental, method of backup. Also, it is hard coded to use either 5.25
|
||
OR 3.5 disks, but not a mixture of them (as EasyDrive can do).
|
||
|
||
One feature of ProSel 8 that should be discussed here: Disk
|
||
optimization. Because of the feature of ProDOS that dynamically allocates
|
||
disk space as it is needed, files have a tendency to eventually become
|
||
fragmented as they are saved over and over. This may begin to slow down
|
||
the loading files from the disk. To combat this creeping lethargy, disk
|
||
optimization/defragmentation utilities were developed, and ProSel 8 had one
|
||
of the first: Beach Comber.
|
||
|
||
This brings up the limitations of Beach Comber. To properly plan
|
||
your disk partitioning in such a way as to allow use of this program, keep
|
||
the following information in mind. If you have a plain vanilla Apple IIe
|
||
or IIc, with 64K or 128K of memory, Beach Comber will not work if your disk
|
||
partitions are greater than 10 meg in size. If you have a 1 meg RAM card,
|
||
you can use Beach Comber to defragment hard disks up to 20 meg in size. To
|
||
defragment a 32 meg disk partition requires an Apple IIgs, and the
|
||
optimization utility in this ProSel-16 is more comprehensive anyway.
|
||
|
||
How critical is disk defragmentation anyway? If you are using 3.5
|
||
disks (which do not have the memory limitation mentioned above), it may
|
||
make quite a bit of difference. If you are using an older, slower hard
|
||
drive or interface card, disk optimization may also achieve some
|
||
performance improvement. On an Apple II High Speed SCSI card, or on a
|
||
RamFAST card, with a newer SCSI drive, the improvement achieved may be
|
||
minimal.
|
||
|
||
|
||
BACKUP SOFTWARE: 16-BIT
|
||
"""""""""""""""""""""""
|
||
|
||
ProSel-16 Like ProSel 8, this 16-bit version of ProSel is primarily a
|
||
''''''''' program selector, but has many utilities that come with it,
|
||
including a backup and restore utility that is done by file, rather than as
|
||
a disk image. Backups can be done for an entire volume, for changed files
|
||
only (those with the backup bit set), and for files newer than a certain
|
||
date. Files can be restored either individually or through an entire set.
|
||
|
||
The limitations of this set of utilities are primarily due to its
|
||
roots in the Apple II text screen. (Although most ProSel-16 displays are
|
||
in super hi-res graphics, they only use it to the extent of printing text
|
||
that is indistinguishable from Apple II text, except they can be in
|
||
multiple colors.) When ProSel was first written for 8-bit Apple II's, it
|
||
started as a program selector, and then more features were added as the
|
||
author, Glen Bredon, felt it necessary to add them. When the Apple IIgs
|
||
came to be, the utilities were updated to make use of the GS/OS
|
||
environment; however, their appearance was NOT changed, except in minor
|
||
ways. Access to desk accessories is available, and the mouse can also be
|
||
used. However, despite all its power, ProSel-16 has been known to be
|
||
difficult for a new computer user to make use of; it just works differently
|
||
from graphic-based programs like the GS Finder. I find ProSel-16 to be
|
||
extremely valuable; but then, I've been using it since I had a IIc, and am
|
||
familiar with it.
|
||
|
||
Salvation-Bakkup Vitesse sells a collection of utilities that is
|
||
'''''''''''''''' currently bundled as Salvation Supreme. It includes a
|
||
program launcher (Wings), virus checker (Deliverance), Backup/Restore
|
||
utility (Bakkup; yes, that IS how they spell it), and more. The Salvation
|
||
utilities are GS/OS desktop-based; that is, they use the graphic user
|
||
interface in a similar fashion to the GS/OS Finder, with icons, windows,
|
||
and so on. It is preferred by many GS users who like to use programs that
|
||
adhere to the Apple's desktop guidelines, and allows access to desk
|
||
accessories via the Apple menu. Beyond this general information about
|
||
Salvation-Bakkup, I do not have any personal experience on which I can draw
|
||
for making comparisons. For a discussion of Salvation-Bakkup compared to
|
||
ProSel (from Vitesse's point of view), you can download file #10167,
|
||
"VITESSE.BXY", in the A2 Library. (From ProSel's point of view, try file
|
||
#10051, "COMPAR.BXY".) There is a demo file of Bakkup in file #9854,
|
||
"SALV.DEMO.BXY", in the library as well. It works but has some features of
|
||
the commercial version disabled.
|
||
|
||
Universe Master Another graphic-based disk backup program, this has a
|
||
''''''''''''''' demo file of version 1.0 available in the A2 Library,
|
||
file #19188, "UM.DEMO.BXY". It performs disk repair operations as well as
|
||
backup and restore. The version 1.1 revision has been due to be released
|
||
for about a year now, and it is hoped that Econ will have this available
|
||
soon.
|
||
|
||
GS-Tape This utility by Tim Grams is supposed to make use of a tape
|
||
''''''' backup drive very easy. It does full or partial backups, and I
|
||
believe that it will span over several tapes, which makes it more efficient
|
||
to backup from 32 meg partitions to 40 meg 3M tapes. I found that I was
|
||
unable to try the demo file, #19742 "GSTDEMO.BXY", because it claimed that
|
||
there was no valid RamFAST driver available (not true); apparently it
|
||
chokes because I've used a utility to rename the partition names of my hard
|
||
drive to something else. It requires the RamFAST SCSI card, obviously, and
|
||
needs version 3.0 or higher of the ROM for that card.
|
||
|
||
|
||
THE BOTTOM LINE If you plan to get a hard drive larger than 20 megs in
|
||
""""""""""""""" size, you need to be aware of what I've discussed here
|
||
about planning your partitioning properly. It will save you headaches
|
||
later, especially if you do your backups regularly.
|
||
|
||
|
||
NEXT TIME A look into the world of hard disk directory organization.
|
||
""""""""" Hasta la vista... baby.
|
||
|
||
|
||
[*][*][*]
|
||
|
||
Steve Weyhrich is a family physician from Omaha, Nebraska.
|
||
He has been using Apple II computers since 1981, and writing
|
||
about them since 1990. He follows closely the events that
|
||
continue to shape the destiny of the legendary Apple II and
|
||
IIgs computers, and compiles a monthly column called the "A2
|
||
News Digest" for A2-Central disk magazine. He is also the
|
||
author of the "Apple II History", available on fine BBSes
|
||
everywhere.
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
[EOA]
|
||
[ASA]//////////////////////////////
|
||
ASCII ART GALLERY /
|
||
/////////////////////////////////
|
||
How Much is That Doggie in the Window?
|
||
""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""
|
||
by Susie Oviatt
|
||
[SUSIE]
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
..,,,,,,,,,..
|
||
.,;%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%;,.
|
||
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|
||
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|
||
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|
||
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|
||
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|
||
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|
||
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|
||
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|
||
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|
||
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|
||
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|
||
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|
||
`%/%%%%//%%//,%%%///%%%%@@@S@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@S%%%%////%%,///%%%%%'
|
||
%%%%//%%%%/,%%%%%%%%@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@SS@%%%%%%%%,//%%%%%'
|
||
`%%%//%%%%/,%%%%@%@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@S@@%%%%%,/////%%'
|
||
`%%%//%%%/,%%%@@@SS@@SSs@@@@@@@@@@@@@sSS@@@@@@%%%,//%%//%'
|
||
`%%%%%%/ %%S@@SS@@@@@Ss` .,,. 'sS@@@S@@@@%' ///%/%'
|
||
`%%%/ %SS@@@@SSS@@S. .S@@SSS@@@@' //%%'
|
||
/`S@@@@@@SSSSSs, ,sSSSSS@@@@@'
|
||
,%%//`@@@@@@@@@@@@@Ss,sS@@@@@@@@@@@'/
|
||
.,%%%%@@00`@@@@@@@@@@@@@'@@@@@@@@@@@'//%%,
|
||
.,%%%%%%a%@@@@000aaaaaaaaa00a00aaaaaaa00%@%%%%%,
|
||
.,%%%%%%a%%@@@@@@@@@@000000000000000000@@@%@@%%%@%%%,
|
||
%%%%%%a%%@@@%@@@@@@@@@@@00000000000000@@@@@@@@@%@@%%@%%,
|
||
%%%aa%@@@@@@@@@@@@@@0000000000000000000000@@@@@@@@%@@@%%%%,
|
||
%%@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@00000000000000000000000000000@@@@@@@@@%%%%%,
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
[EOA]
|
||
[HUN]//////////////////////////////
|
||
THE TREASURE HUNT /
|
||
/////////////////////////////////
|
||
Yours For the Downloading
|
||
"""""""""""""""""""""""""
|
||
by Charlie Hartley
|
||
[C.HARTLEY3]
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
Welcome back to the Treasure Hunt! This month we will take a look at
|
||
some HyperStudio stacks and related materials. Unless otherwise indicated,
|
||
these are freeware stacks.
|
||
|
||
[*][*][*]
|
||
|
||
|
||
Much Ado About Shakespeare (by Larry McEwen)
|
||
''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''
|
||
|
||
This six-disk multi-stack is about as nice a presentation as I have
|
||
seen done with HyperStudio.
|
||
|
||
To quote the author, "The ultimate objective for creating MUCH ADO
|
||
ABOUT SHAKESPEARE is to interest the user in Shakespeare's works and to
|
||
promote a desire to read them.
|
||
|
||
"The immediate objective is to provide the user with a brief overview
|
||
of the life, theatre, and the works of Shakespeare as seen through both 19th
|
||
and 20th century introductory writing, art works, and photo and lithographic
|
||
plates. Synopses of the plays are included as aids to study and
|
||
understanding."
|
||
|
||
Mr. McEwen, who is a retired teacher, has succeeded admirably in
|
||
reaching his immediate objective. His love for his topic shines through in
|
||
the quality of the material.
|
||
|
||
This massive presentation includes 259 cards, 856 buttons, 298 text
|
||
fields, more than 250 separate graphics, and more than 47,000 words. As you
|
||
might have guessed, this is not free.
|
||
|
||
To get this masterpiece, you are looking at close to five hours of
|
||
downloading time at 2400 baud. At $3.00 an hour, that's about $15.
|
||
|
||
In addition, Mr. McEwen has copyrighted this work and requires that you
|
||
send $25 to the Immune Deficiency Foundation if you wish to keep it. Let him
|
||
tell you why you should do this in his own words:
|
||
|
||
"MUCH ADO ABOUT SHAKESPEARE was created during 1990 and 1991. During
|
||
that period of time I was growing an intra-spinal-cord tumor. I finished it
|
||
the night before my entry into the hospital for spinal cord surgery the next
|
||
morning. On that day, my wife walked from the hospital to a nearby postal
|
||
service center and sent all six disks to Roger Wagner Publishing.... During
|
||
the next few months, v2.0 of MUCH ADO ABOUT SHAKESPEARE was finished and was
|
||
advertised in the Roger Wagner Publishing Company catalog at $29.95.
|
||
|
||
"This is an improvement over those early versions. Because my immune
|
||
system continued to deteriorate, I found that I was sick more days per month
|
||
than well. Finally, I faced the fact that I could no longer work
|
||
productively and was disabled. As a hobby for those very few days in some
|
||
months when my energy level allowed me to dabble with the IIgs, I finished
|
||
v3.11 of MUCH ADO ABOUT SHAKESPEARE.
|
||
|
||
"This is a good cause and we need help. The first case of Primary
|
||
Immune Deficiency Disease which caught the public's eye and ear was the case
|
||
of the 'Houston Bubble Boy', a boy who lived in 1950's Texas. His story was
|
||
made into a movie. A very young John Travolta starred as the 'Bubble Boy'
|
||
whose short life was contained within that plastic sterile environment.
|
||
|
||
"The Primary Immune Deficiency Diseases do not receive the attention
|
||
that the HIV 'AIDS' cases do. Our cases do not get the headlines, and they
|
||
do not get the political attention or the budgetary appropriations.
|
||
|
||
"Thank you for your help and kind consideration. Thank you!"
|
||
|
||
So there you have it, folks. About 40 bucks will get you a fine
|
||
HyperStudio presentation AND a warm feeling in your heart. Go for it!
|
||
|
||
Here is the information you will need to download MUCH ADO ABOUT
|
||
SHAKESPEARE. Make certain you are using GS/OS 6.0.1. Mr. McEwen has tried
|
||
it with System 5.0.4. and found no problems. However, it was written in this
|
||
form under System 6.0.1. If you are using your own HyperStudio, make certain
|
||
you are using version 3.1j or above.
|
||
|
||
First download either file #22583 or #22584 depending on whether you
|
||
need the runtime version of HyperStudio or not. Then download each of the
|
||
other files listed below.
|
||
|
||
File# File Name # bytes Description of file
|
||
|
||
22583 SHAKESPR.1.BXY 219904 Much Ado Shakespeare #1 w/runtime
|
||
22584 SHAKESPR.1X.BXY 103680 Much Ado Shakespeare #1 w/o runtime
|
||
22585 SHAKESPR.2.BXY 483328 Much Ado About Shakespeare - Disk 2
|
||
22592 SHAKESPR.3.BXY 520192 Much Ado About Shakespeare - Disk 3
|
||
22587 SHAKESPR.4.BXY 497024 Much Ado About Shakespeare - Disk 4
|
||
22588 SHAKESPR.5.BXY 492160 Much Ado About Shakespeare - Disk 5
|
||
22589 SHAKESPR.6.BXY 442112 Much Ado About Shakespeare - Disk 6
|
||
22639 MENU3.SHKPR.BXY 39168 Menu.Stack.3 plus corrected Read.Me
|
||
|
||
Each download has a copy of the Read.Me file on it. The copy on
|
||
download #22639 is the most accurate. That file gives more information,
|
||
including the address for your payment. It also contains detailed
|
||
instructions for how to put the stacks on separate 3.5 disks or on your hard
|
||
drive.
|
||
|
||
Some final pointers: Mr. McEwen has included several hidden buttons in
|
||
these stacks. To find them, remember to press both the option and command
|
||
keys simultaneously. This will force a display of the locations of any
|
||
hidden buttons. Also, I'm not entirely pleased with how the stacks exit back
|
||
to HyperStudio. The best way I've found to leave these stacks is to press
|
||
command-M to get the menu bar displayed. Then you can use it to move on.
|
||
|
||
[*][*][*]
|
||
|
||
|
||
Sound Effects Stacks (by Joel Helton)
|
||
'''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''
|
||
|
||
There are three volumes of these sound effects stacks by Joel Helton.
|
||
Joel has recorded these sounds from his own LPs.
|
||
|
||
Volume 1 contains the following sounds (sound file name in brackets, if
|
||
different): radio static [AM.STATIC] , bong, door creak [CREAKDOOR],
|
||
explosion, gunshots, telephone ring [TELEPHONERING], telegraph, wireless,
|
||
thunder/rain [THUNDERRAIN], and wind.
|
||
|
||
Volume 2 contains the following sounds : steam engine [STEAMENGINE],
|
||
diesel loco [DIESELLOCO], puke (yes, that's right), pocket change, more
|
||
thunder [THUNDER], warning signal, and dog howling.
|
||
|
||
Volume 3 contains the following sounds: Twilight Zone [TWLIGHTZONE],
|
||
20th Century [TWENTIETH], Scary Organ [SCARYORGANMUSIC], Lone Ranger
|
||
[LONGRANGERSTART], Far East [FAREASTMUSIC], Dramatic [DRAMATICMUSIC], and
|
||
Dragnet [DRAGNET.SND].
|
||
|
||
The quality of the sounds is good, for the most part. If you're
|
||
looking for sounds like these, these downloads may be just the ticket.
|
||
However, these are fairly large downloads, and many sounds are available
|
||
elsewhere. I have not had time to determine how many of them are available
|
||
in the library as individual sounds. Searching in the library on the
|
||
individual sound names should let you know.
|
||
|
||
Here is the information that you need to know to download these files:
|
||
|
||
File# File Name # bytes Download Time at 2400 baud
|
||
|
||
15934 SND.FX.01.BXY 444288 approximately 41 minutes
|
||
15935 SND.FX.02.BXY 435456 approximately 40 minutes
|
||
15949 SND.FX.03.BXY 515328 approximately 48 minutes
|
||
|
||
[*][*][*]
|
||
|
||
|
||
Sounds of History Stacks (by Joel Helton)
|
||
'''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''
|
||
|
||
Also from Joel Helton, three stacks that give us a taste of the sounds
|
||
of history in the 20th century. He describes the first stack this way: "This
|
||
stack contains scanned pictures using the Quickie hand scanner. Each graphic
|
||
matches a sound file. For instance, you can see a graphic of the Hindenburg
|
||
explosion and listen to a part of the famous radio broadcast of the disaster.
|
||
Others include Charles Lindbergh, Caruso singing 'Over There', and Edward
|
||
VIII giving up his throne for the woman he loved."
|
||
|
||
Joel describes the second stack this way: "Included in this stack are
|
||
sound files of: the start and end of World II, Challenger disaster the
|
||
dropping of the first Atomic Bomb, and Winston Churchill's 'finest hour'
|
||
speech. Also included are Quickie scanned graphics."
|
||
|
||
This is how he describes the third stack: "In this stack are sound
|
||
files of famous moments in baseball history (via radio broadcasts). Also
|
||
included are scanned graphics.... Sounds include: Larson's perfect game,
|
||
Lou Gehrig retiring, Babe Ruth retiring, and Bobby Thompson's homerun.
|
||
|
||
The black and white graphics are well done, as are the sound clips,
|
||
even if they are too brief at times. Keep in mind, however, that the longer
|
||
the sound clip, the longer the download.
|
||
|
||
These stacks require at least HyperStudio 2.1 to function, and work
|
||
just fine with the latest version. Here is the information that you need to
|
||
download these files.
|
||
|
||
File# File Name # bytes Download Time at 2400 baud
|
||
|
||
11813 SND.HISTORY.BXY 538020 approximately 48 minutes
|
||
12084 SND.HIST.02.BXY 437220 approximately 40 minutes
|
||
12120 SNDS.HIST.3.BXY 378000 approximately 34 minutes
|
||
|
||
[*][*][*]
|
||
|
||
|
||
Earth Stack (uploaded by N.JENTZSCH1)
|
||
'''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''
|
||
|
||
I was disappointed with this stack. According to the long description,
|
||
it was written by a high school senior for his final project for an honors
|
||
science class, and was to be a "suggestions" stack on ways to save the
|
||
environment.
|
||
|
||
I cannot fault the student for his facts. The problem is with his
|
||
presentation. In a word, the stack is boring. It fails to make use of the
|
||
tools that make hypermedia effective. Beyond a few graphics and some
|
||
connecting buttons, this is essentially a written report.
|
||
|
||
Usually I try not to criticize like this. However, since this stack
|
||
takes over two hours to download at 2400 baud, I felt the need to caution
|
||
others about its contents.
|
||
|
||
If you really must see it for yourself, here are the details.
|
||
|
||
File# File Name # bytes Download Time at 2400 baud
|
||
|
||
12061 EARTHBASE.BXY 679140 approximately 60 minutes
|
||
12085 EARTH.DATA.BXY 718200 approximately 64 minutes
|
||
|
||
[*][*][*]
|
||
|
||
|
||
Viking History Stack (by Ms Ross's 5th/6th graders)
|
||
'''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''
|
||
|
||
This is a neat stack. Created by fifth and sixth graders at Idelwild
|
||
Elementary School in Tacoma, Washington, it is a fine example of what
|
||
children can do with HyperStudio.
|
||
|
||
Apparently each child took one aspect of Viking lore and created one or
|
||
more cards for it. Even the simplest of them are informative and contain
|
||
original artwork. Some of them allow the viewer to decide what he wants to
|
||
know more about by providing several buttons.
|
||
|
||
Since it only takes about 10 minutes to download this stack, I can
|
||
recommend it to you highly. The pleasure of seeing how creative the kids can
|
||
be is worth the download.
|
||
|
||
Look for file #22176, titled VIKING.BXY, uploaded by T.MCNAIR4, and
|
||
containing only 107,648 bytes.
|
||
|
||
[*][*][*]
|
||
|
||
|
||
Egypt Stack (by Ms Ross's 5th Grade Gifted Class)
|
||
'''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''
|
||
|
||
This is not as good as the Vikings stack, in my opinion, but it is
|
||
still good enough to merit your attention, especially if you are looking for
|
||
examples of how kids can use HyperStudio. It is another 10 minute download
|
||
at 2400 baud.
|
||
|
||
Look for file #20986, titled EGYPT.STACK.BXY, uploaded by T.MCNAIR4,
|
||
and containing 105,088 bytes.
|
||
|
||
|
||
[*][*][*]
|
||
|
||
|
||
Button School (by Bill Lynn)
|
||
''''''''''''''''''''''''''''
|
||
|
||
Bill Lynn is a master at creating neat HyperStudio stacks. This stack
|
||
is an excellent tutorial on creating animated buttons for your stacks.
|
||
|
||
Bill begins by explaining basic button drawing, and continues with five
|
||
additional lessons that detail how to create a variety of button styles.
|
||
Included are momentary pushbuttons that appear to be pressed and then
|
||
released, momentary flashing pushbuttons that do the same but with a change
|
||
in color, latching pushbuttons and lighted latching pushbuttons that stay
|
||
down until you click outside the button area, and finally lighted
|
||
latching/reset pushbuttons that display a pattern of buttons. In this last
|
||
case, the button stayed depressed until another button in the array is
|
||
pressed.
|
||
|
||
This is file #17302, titled BUTN.SCHOOL.BXY. It contains only 63,616
|
||
bytes. This is a must-have stack if you want to learn how to create your own
|
||
buttons for your stacks.
|
||
|
||
[*][*][*]
|
||
|
||
|
||
Animation School (by Bill Lynn)
|
||
'''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''
|
||
|
||
Bill Lynn has also created a comprehensive tutorial on "cel" animation
|
||
in this stack. Learn how to create your own animations by following his
|
||
clear and easy to follow examples.
|
||
|
||
This is an updated version of the original stack first published on
|
||
Stack-Central. It takes advantage of the new features of HyperStudio 3.0 and
|
||
later versions.
|
||
|
||
Bill first teaches you how to create a flower in bloom with expanding
|
||
petals. Next, he describes how to do a paddle ball in motion animation. He
|
||
also teaches you how to create your own "dialog boxes" and how to use masks
|
||
to create large scale animation.
|
||
|
||
This is a $5.00 shareware product. It is file #18907, titled
|
||
ANIMSCH3.0.BXY, containing 367,360 bytes. Expect it to take about 34 minutes
|
||
to download at 2400 baud.
|
||
|
||
[*][*][*]
|
||
|
||
|
||
That's it for this month. I hope you have found something here to whet
|
||
your interest. Drop me a line and let me know what you think of this column
|
||
and offer any suggestions you might have about what should be in it.
|
||
|
||
Next time we'll take a look at some great graphics files uploaded by
|
||
Pat Kern. Until then, happy downloading!
|
||
|
||
-- Charlie Hartley
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
[EOA]
|
||
[PAL]//////////////////////////////
|
||
PAL NEWSLETTER /
|
||
/////////////////////////////////
|
||
May 1994 Report
|
||
"""""""""""""""
|
||
by GEna Saikin
|
||
[A2.GENA]
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
PAL (Planetary Apple League) is an online user group and has a meeting
|
||
the third Sunday of every month in the Apple II RT (m645;2).
|
||
|
||
Last summer, the idea of an online usergroup was conceived by Lunatic
|
||
E'Sex in a dorm room at Kansas Fest, and took root. With the waning support
|
||
of the Apple II in general, it was felt that an online user group would help
|
||
infuse new interest and fill in the gaps, for folks finding themselves
|
||
without a nearby group. GEnie has the best Apple II support of all online
|
||
services -- Apple II Forever!
|
||
|
||
MAIN MENU Many Apple II publications have come and gone. Yet there are
|
||
""""""""" many strong survivors out there -- among them, A2-Central,
|
||
published by Resource Central.
|
||
|
||
Sam Latella had the idea of compiling newsletters from Apple II
|
||
usergroups from around the world. Tom Weishaar got wind of his idea, and
|
||
suggested that he incorporate it into A2-Central -- a marriage made in
|
||
heaven! He will be writing a monthly column encapsulating what's going on
|
||
around the world in the Apple II world -- taking articles and snippets from
|
||
newsletters worldwide.
|
||
|
||
This is an intro to his A2World, in his own words:
|
||
|
||
---------------------
|
||
|
||
Not another International Apple ][ User Group Newsletter!!!
|
||
|
||
Welcome to the beginnings of a truly International Apple ][ newsletter
|
||
called A2World...<----- "What else would we call it."
|
||
|
||
Ever wonder what other Apple ][ users groups were doing around the
|
||
world or just A2 users in general? Well I have, and actually have talked to
|
||
several people around the world, and exchanged newsletters. I've chatted
|
||
with people in several countries like Italy and Israel. The information from
|
||
these A2 users is vast and unbelievable.
|
||
|
||
Now you're probably asking why am I mentioning this? Well for
|
||
starters, I'm interested in this kind of information, and secondly I think
|
||
you are too :-). Want to find out more about the A2World Newsletter? Well
|
||
then join us at the next PAL meeting on MAY 15, 1994 (at 4:00pm) to find out
|
||
more about A2World, and the far off places it could lead you and ][.
|
||
|
||
--------------------
|
||
|
||
THE LIBRARY STACK As usual, A2 has a bunch of great files for everyone.
|
||
""""""""""""""""" Below is a collection of files posted as the Dean's List:
|
||
|
||
+22594 A2NDX9404TX.BXY Apr '94 A2 Category/Topic Index (TXT)
|
||
+22591 A2.DOM.0494.BXY A2 Disk of the Month, April 1994
|
||
22571 FGS.DEMO.BXY Demo - GS specific financial application
|
||
22563 MENUFIX.BXY MenuFix NDA - changes menu bar colors
|
||
22562 WORLD.GS.BXY World - IIgs text adventure game
|
||
22559 GSTAPE.UPD.BXY Updates GSTape to v2.1.3
|
||
22558 FILEPSG.202.BXY File Passage v2.0.2 - GS file utilities
|
||
+22550 GLAMPA29404.BXY GEnieLamp A2, April 1994 (AWP version)
|
||
22546 MATHGRPH221.BXY MathGraphics v2.2.1 - function plotter
|
||
22530 SPLASH.ED.BXY IIgs splash screen editor
|
||
22528 MUSICOMP2.2.BXY MIDISynth Music Composer v2.20
|
||
22525 ZIPGS.FAQ.BXY Documentation on accelerators
|
||
+22521 QUITTER4.0.BXY Quitter v4.0 for ProDOS 8
|
||
|
||
(The +'s denote that these files are ProDOS 8)
|
||
|
||
WHAT'S NEW IN A2? There are many new things happening in the Apple II RTC
|
||
""""""""""""""""" here on GEnie. Among them is the release of an updated
|
||
GEM for not only AppleWorks 3.0, but for AppleWorks 4.0.2 as well. Below is
|
||
further information on this release:
|
||
|
||
GEM (GEnieMaster) There are two new versions available for this venerable
|
||
''''''''''''''''' GEnie front end for the Apple II in the A2 library: GEM 4
|
||
for AppleWorks 4.0 (File #22690, GEM4.V4.22.BXY) and GEM 3, for AppleWorks
|
||
3.0 with UltraMacros 4.2 installed (File #22688, GEM3.V4.22.BXY). If you do
|
||
not have AppleWorks 4.0 or UltraMacros 4.2, do not despair, the "standard"
|
||
version of GEM (4.21) is still available (File #20978, GEM.4.21.BXY), and all
|
||
you need is AppleWorks 3.0 -- you don't even need UltraMacros, since the
|
||
run-time version is included with GEM. You also need one of the following
|
||
telecommunications programs for GEM to work properly: ProTERM 3.0, Talk Is
|
||
Cheap 3.2, or Point-to-Point 4.0. (Or later versions, of course.)
|
||
|
||
The folks in A2 will be supporting all 3 versions of GEM. Stop by A2
|
||
Category 29 to get quick answers to your GEM questions. The A2 experts in
|
||
offline processing are more than willing to help.
|
||
|
||
If you have an Apple IIgs, we also have available a program called
|
||
Co-Pilot, a full desktop offline message processor that does not require
|
||
AppleWorks. A new upgrade to Co-Pilot is currently being tested and will be
|
||
available soon.
|
||
|
||
ICONference July 21-23, 1994 will mark the annual conference, sponsored
|
||
''''''''''' by Resource Central in Kansas City, MO. This year, there will
|
||
be more platforms represented... including the new Power Mac.
|
||
|
||
Traditionally, this is a conference for programmers and developers, but
|
||
there are many seminars of interest to non-programmers, and of course, much
|
||
of the fun is meeting people in person that you've only met online! Last
|
||
year, activities outside the conference included such zany things as a
|
||
bag-biting contest and Roger Wagner's imitation of Spiderman, as he attempted
|
||
to scale the roof at Avila College, where the conference is held. It's three
|
||
days of learning, fun and hilarity.
|
||
|
||
Please see Category 23 (Resource Central Online), Topic 10 for further
|
||
information on the conference.
|
||
|
||
New Hosts As you have probably noticed, there are some new faces in A2
|
||
''''''''' conducting RTCs. Let's welcome Tim Kellers, Doug Pendleton,
|
||
Cindy Adams and Eric Sheppard (Sheppy)!
|
||
|
||
Cindy Adams helps out on Sundays and co-hosts the PAL meetings. Tim
|
||
Kellers hosts the first half of the RTC on Tuesday nights. Doug Pendleton
|
||
and Harold Hislop are our resident solder slingers, hosting a hardware
|
||
conference on Wednesday night; and Sheppy holds down the fort for the first
|
||
half of Saturday's RTC.
|
||
|
||
|
||
CONCLUSION Remember that the Apple II RT has nightly conferences from 9
|
||
"""""""""" p.m. to 1 a.m. seven days a week, and an afternoon conference on
|
||
Sunday, from 2 p.m. to 8 p.m.
|
||
|
||
Our bulletin board is a wealth of information on all sorts of topics,
|
||
from hard drives to the intricacies of desktop publishing. We also have a
|
||
category dedicated to buying and selling equipment... many good buys can be
|
||
found there!
|
||
|
||
With over 22,500 files uploaded to our library, there is no doubt that
|
||
the file you are looking for -- if it's not a commercial release -- can be
|
||
found! Just explore!
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
[EOA]
|
||
[AII]//////////////////////////////
|
||
APPLE II /
|
||
/////////////////////////////////
|
||
Apple II History, Part 22
|
||
"""""""""""""""""""""""""
|
||
by Steven Weyhrich
|
||
[S.WEYHRICH]
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
>>> APPLE II HISTORY <<<
|
||
""""""""""""""""""""""""
|
||
Compiled and written by Steven Weyhrich
|
||
(C) Copyright 1994, Zonker Software
|
||
(PART 22 -- TELECOMMUNICATIONS)
|
||
[v1.1 :: 04 May 94]
|
||
|
||
INTRODUCTION As we near the conclusion of the Apple II history series, we
|
||
"""""""""""" will this month dwell on telecommunications services available
|
||
for Apple II users. Admittedly, my direct experience here is limited except
|
||
for a year or two on CompuServe, and several years on GEnie. The information
|
||
presented on America Online, Delphi, and the Internet is, unfortunately,
|
||
second hand. If anyone wants to better educate me on errors in what I've
|
||
presented, feel free to send me e-mail at s.weyhrich@genie.geis.com and set
|
||
me straight!
|
||
|
||
|
||
REACH OUT AND BYTE SOMEONE Since the earliest days that it was available,
|
||
"""""""""""""""""""""""""" there have been those who have found ways to
|
||
communicate using their computers with other Apple II users over the phone
|
||
lines. Although some inexpensive imaginative methods have been employed
|
||
(such as A.P.P.L.E.'s "Apple Box" that used the cassette port to send and
|
||
receive programs via the phone line), the release of the DC Hayes Micromodem
|
||
II in about 1979 made it possible for a new type of computing. Although
|
||
there were those who wanted to use their Apple II as a home terminal for
|
||
access to a school or business mainframe from home, many users created their
|
||
own small systems that could be called from elsewhere. These "bulletin board
|
||
systems" consisted of a single computer that was always waiting to answer the
|
||
phone. When it rang, the computer would answer the phone and establish
|
||
two-way communication via the modem. A program running on this computer
|
||
would then allow the calling computer to do various things, such as reading
|
||
messages left by other users, to posting messages for others to read. As
|
||
these systems became more sophisticated, it became possible to send and
|
||
receive programs or other data files on these BBSes, play games, and
|
||
participate in online surveys. The system operator ("sysop") was responsible
|
||
for maintaining the software and the message databases, often leaving his
|
||
computer on for 24 hours a day to be available for callers.
|
||
|
||
The success of these small, local systems encouraged the larger,
|
||
mainframe-based systems to expand and offer services to non-business users
|
||
during off-peak hours. They figured that since the equipment was idle during
|
||
that time anyway, they might as well have SOMEONE use it and earn them some
|
||
extra money. Most of the major online services that started in the late
|
||
1970s are still in business, in one form or another, and others have entered
|
||
the game since then. Competition has increased, the number of users
|
||
accessing these national systems has grown, the number of features offered
|
||
has also gone up, and the cost of online communication has dropped.
|
||
|
||
The ability to transfer files from one Apple II to another has evolved
|
||
over time. Initially, an Applesoft or Integer BASIC program might be
|
||
"downloaded" (sent from the BBS to the calling computer) by simply doing a
|
||
"LIST" of it. That was fine, unless the program had some machine language
|
||
parts added on. Then, the bytes of that assembly code had to be sent as hex
|
||
digit pairs (i.e., 20 00 BF 65 10 03 04, etc.), since anything shared between
|
||
the computers had to be in printable ASCII codes. With the noise possible on
|
||
some telephone connections, this could result in a single character becoming
|
||
garbled now and then, resulting in a program that wouldn't run because of the
|
||
error that was introduced. Various programs for the Apple II were devised
|
||
over time to make this more efficient, including some that used the method of
|
||
encoding the hex bytes (digit pairs) into single printable ASCII codes that
|
||
were then decoded on the receiving end into a usable program.
|
||
|
||
Eventually, Apple II BBS programs (and the terminal programs that were
|
||
used to call those BBSes) began to use the "XMODEM" standard devised in 1982
|
||
by Ward Christensen to more efficiently and accurately send such files over a
|
||
phone line. As Apple software became more sophisticated, and as the files
|
||
became larger and larger (particularly with the introduction of the IIgs),
|
||
protocols were established to allow more than one file to be sent in a single
|
||
transmission. The first major protocol that was agreed upon among the major
|
||
online services was the Binary II protocol. Designed in 1986 by Gary Little,
|
||
this allowed a standard method of grouping files that could work for any of
|
||
the disk formats available on the Apple II. In 1988, Andy Nicholas designed
|
||
a more comprehensive method of not only putting several files into a single
|
||
file (usually called an "archive"), but also compressing those files to save
|
||
time and space when transmitting them between computers. He called this
|
||
protocol "NuFX" (NuFile eXchange), and implemented it and the data
|
||
compression in a program called ShrinkIt (and later GS-ShrinkIt) that he
|
||
released as "freeware" -- that is, he did not charge for the use and
|
||
distribution of his program. The NuFX protocol was adopted by Apple Computer
|
||
as the official protocol for file transmission for the Apple II, and Nicholas
|
||
later went to work at Apple after his graduation from the college that he was
|
||
attending when he designed the protocol.
|
||
|
||
|
||
NATIONAL ONLINE SERVICES Since there are far too many local systems to
|
||
"""""""""""""""""""""""" discuss in even a passing manner here, let's take
|
||
a look at the various nationally available systems and their history as it
|
||
applies to the Apple II.
|
||
|
||
|
||
Internet (1970s-Present) The United States Department of Defense began a
|
||
'''''''''''''''''''''''' computer network in the late 1960s called ARPAnet
|
||
(Advanced Research Project Agency Network) to facilitate communication
|
||
between widely scattered universities and research centers. To make it
|
||
possible to have real-time intercommunications, electronic mail, and the
|
||
ability to exchange files and other important information, they developed a
|
||
set of standards to make it possible to carry out these functions. The
|
||
effort was very successful, and eventually the university research groups
|
||
wanted to use it for everything, not just Department of Defense work.
|
||
Eventually it was opened up to non-Defense projects (with restrictions to
|
||
prevent commercial ventures) and it was called Internet. To gain access to
|
||
Internet required a computer "node" (usually through a university). Although
|
||
the term "Internet" -- sometimes simply "the net" -- is often used to refer
|
||
to all these computer networks, there are at least three major ones that are
|
||
linked together at most sites: Internet, Bitnet, and Usenet. Internet is
|
||
most commonly used to send electronic mail and messages.<1>
|
||
|
||
With the widespread penetration of Internet across the country, there
|
||
have developed many different groups and forums, including ones that were
|
||
specific to the Apple II. Since Internet was already in existence when the
|
||
Apple II was released, and long before any home users with modems created
|
||
single-user bulletin board systems, it probably represents the first online
|
||
"service" available for the Apple II. The original newsgroup was called
|
||
"comp.sys.apple", and in 1990 its name was changed to "comp.sys.apple2" to
|
||
distinguish it from newsgroups that were dedicated to the Macintosh. Through
|
||
Internet addresses, Apple II users can even communicate directly with
|
||
employees of Apple who have accounts on the net.<1>,<2>
|
||
|
||
|
||
The Source (1979-1989) The Source began in 1979 and lasted until 1989.
|
||
'''''''''''''''''''''' For much of its life, it was owned by Reader's
|
||
Digest. It was accessible through Telenet or Tymnet nodes; that is, through
|
||
computers in a locality that act as gateways to many other online computer
|
||
services across the country. (Often there is an additional fee for using the
|
||
Telenet or Tymnet node, besides the charges for the specific service being
|
||
accessed.) The Source had many online services available, including over
|
||
twenty financial and business services, access to several national and
|
||
international news services, and computer-specific news features. An online
|
||
encyclopedia, shopping, interactive games, and airline reservations were also
|
||
available. One feature unique to The Source was the capability to create
|
||
"scripts" that the mainframe kept track of (rather than being on the user's
|
||
local terminal program disk). These scripts could be used to quickly move to
|
||
certain areas and perform repetitive functions (such as scanning and reading
|
||
electronic mail, and checking for new files in the library).
|
||
|
||
The Apple II had a presence on The Source from its earliest days, but
|
||
the APPLESIG was updated in 1987, and Joe Kohn (who has written articles for
|
||
inCider/A+, had worked with the Big Red Computer Club, and now has his own
|
||
newsletter, "Shareware Solutions II") was the chief sysop. He operated the
|
||
APPLESIG from May 1987 until The Source closed down.
|
||
|
||
Kohn worked to make APPLESIG a major information source for Apple II
|
||
users. Registered with Apple as a user group, they had expert advice
|
||
available, as well as a large library of articles and software. The online
|
||
charges were lower for APPLESIG, which also made it attractive for users. As
|
||
with other online services, a bulletin board section was also maintained for
|
||
ongoing discussions between users about various topics of interest. They
|
||
also had an online presence maintained by "The Apple IIgs Buyer's Guide", and
|
||
were allowed to reprint articles from "MicroTimes" and "A+" magazines.<3>
|
||
|
||
According to Kohn, one thing that likely contributed to the demise of
|
||
The Source was their insistence on a $10 monthly minimum charge, long after
|
||
other national online services had either eliminated or significantly lowered
|
||
such charges. [Recently, monthly minimum charges have returned to some
|
||
networks. -- Ed.] Another problem that he identified was that their system
|
||
was not as easy to use as some other services (although former users feel
|
||
that the Source's library search protocol was better than any other). The
|
||
Source was bought out by CompuServe, and its subscribers merged with that
|
||
service in 1989.<4>,<5>
|
||
|
||
|
||
CompuServe (1979-Present) This service originally began as "Compu-Serv"
|
||
''''''''''''''''''''''''' in 1969 as an in-house computer processing center
|
||
for Golden United Life Insurance Co. During the next ten years they expanded
|
||
their offerings to business users, and by 1972 had over four hundred accounts
|
||
across the country. In 1977 the name was officially changed to "CompuServe
|
||
Incorporated", and by 1979 they were ready to begin offering service to
|
||
computer hobbyists. Their new service was called MicroNET, and it started on
|
||
July 1, 1979 after two months of testing with the 1,200 members of the
|
||
Midwest Affiliation of Computer Clubs. Items available online were bulletin
|
||
boards, databases, and games. Soon after they started this, an Apple II
|
||
special interest group was begun. It gave itself the name "MAUG" (for
|
||
"MicroNetted Apple User Group").
|
||
|
||
In 1980, CompuServe merged with H&R Block, and changed their personal
|
||
computer service name from MicroNET to CompuServe Information Service. They
|
||
have continued to expand their services and capabilities through the years,
|
||
and are widely available across the country.<6>
|
||
|
||
Each user on CompuServe is assigned an eight or nine digit ID code,
|
||
divided into five digits, a comma, and then the other three or four digits.
|
||
For example, a user's code might be 76543,4321. When directing electronic
|
||
mail to a specific user, it is necessary to use that ID code so the system
|
||
knows exactly WHICH Joe Smith you want to receive your message.
|
||
|
||
The bulletin board and message sections on CompuServe are divided up
|
||
into Forums, usually dedicated to a specific service. The MAUG section
|
||
covers more than one forum, since the message traffic is too large to manage
|
||
in a single forum. Messages within a forum are organized under major
|
||
subject, and then under minor subjects. Each message is assigned a number,
|
||
and the various messages are linked together into "threads". For instance,
|
||
user #1 asks a question about a brand of modem. User #2 links his answer to
|
||
that message and answers the original question. User #3 also answers the
|
||
question, but adds a comment about terminal programs. User #4 picks up on
|
||
THAT comment, and adds his views about the terminal program that HE likes,
|
||
without mentioning anything about the modem question that user #1 asked. And
|
||
on it goes. Eventually, the topic will probably die out, to be restarted
|
||
later by someone else when it is necessary. The message thread can be
|
||
followed when reading these posts, or you could simply read all the messages
|
||
sequentially by their message number. A sequential scan would read ALL
|
||
messages about ALL topics, whether the messages were connected or not.
|
||
Following the thread pursues one conversation; following all the messages
|
||
pursues ALL conversations that are going on.
|
||
|
||
One problem that can occur with this type of system depends on the
|
||
volume of message traffic. The software that CompuServe uses will assign a
|
||
new number to each new message, but when the total number of messages has
|
||
passed a certain point, the first messages will be deleted. If the range of
|
||
messages when signing on Monday runs from 15000 to 17000, by Tuesday it may
|
||
run from 15500 to 17500 (and the first 500 messages from 15000 to 15499 have
|
||
disappeared). If there are any especially useful conversations going on, the
|
||
Sysop (system operator) for that forum may choose to save the messages and
|
||
their threads into a file in the library for access in the future by those
|
||
who were not involved in the conversations when they were going on.
|
||
|
||
Each forum on CompuServe has the capability of supporting live
|
||
conferences, where many users can be present simultaneously and hold live
|
||
interactive conversations (as opposed to the bulletin board conversations
|
||
where you must post a message, and then log on later to see if there has been
|
||
a reply to it).
|
||
|
||
The MAUG libraries hold programs that have been uploaded for years;
|
||
some are from the early part of the 1980s (if you can wait for the file scan
|
||
to get back that far). Of course, there are also many files that are new,
|
||
and they are added daily by the active people there.
|
||
|
||
As with the other major online systems, there are many other services
|
||
available online besides the MAUG forums, including news services, online
|
||
shopping, games, and more.<7>
|
||
|
||
|
||
Delphi (1982-Present) In 1982 the General Videotex Corporation began an
|
||
''''''''''''''''''''' online service called Delphi (probably named after
|
||
the oracle of ancient Greek mythology). They have not been a major player in
|
||
the competition for customers between national online services, but neither
|
||
have they succumbed to financial pressure and passed away. Like The Source,
|
||
they are accessible through Telenet and Tymnet. They have had an Apple II
|
||
SIG (Special Interest Group) since around 1985. Erik Kloeppel was head Sysop
|
||
(and still may be) for that SIG for several years.
|
||
|
||
In January 1992, General Videotex purchased the BIX online service
|
||
operated by Byte magazine in an effort to enlarge Delphi and increase its
|
||
market share. Delphi today is unique in the degree and scope of its access
|
||
to the Internet.
|
||
|
||
|
||
GEnie (1985-Present) GEnie is owned and operated by General Electric, and
|
||
'''''''''''''''''''' the name stands for "General Electric Network for
|
||
Information Exchange". It has been in business since 1985, and, like other
|
||
online systems, offers many different services to its subscribers, including
|
||
news, an online encyclopedia, online shopping, games, financial information,
|
||
and areas of interest to users of various brands of computers.
|
||
|
||
Where CompuServe's sections are called Forums, GEnie calls their
|
||
sections RoundTables (or RTs for short). Each RT is divided up into a
|
||
bulletin board, library, and conference rooms (called "Real Time
|
||
Conferences", or RTCs). The bulletin board is divided up into a number of
|
||
categories, and each category consists of a number of topics. Each topic
|
||
then has individual messages that (hopefully) deal with that topic. Unlike
|
||
CompuServe, messages will not disappear from a topic until the Sysop decides
|
||
to delete them (and this does not occur until the number of messages either
|
||
get too large to be manageable, or they become old and outdated). If a topic
|
||
contains messages that are particularly helpful (such as information about
|
||
the use of a common computer utility program), the messages may stay up for
|
||
YEARS. If it becomes necessary to purge old messages, they may be placed
|
||
into the library so they are still available for reading in the future.
|
||
|
||
As for user IDs, GEnie decided to use a combination of letters and
|
||
other symbols to give each user a unique name, instead of the number system
|
||
CompuServe employs. A new user is typically assigned a user name that
|
||
consists of their first initial, a period, and their last name. If there is
|
||
another user with the same user name at that point, a number is added. For
|
||
instance, Joe Smith would be given the name J.SMITH; if there already are
|
||
three Joe Smith's on the system, then this name would be assigned as J.SMITH4
|
||
to tell him apart from the others. A user may ask for a different name (for
|
||
a price) if the one assigned to him or her is not satisfactory. These tend
|
||
to be as varied as vanity license plates on automobiles. If J.SMITH4 owns a
|
||
restaurant, he may ask GEnie to give him a name such as EAT.AT.JOES instead
|
||
of his original name.
|
||
|
||
GEnie started supporting the Apple II computer on October 27, 1985,
|
||
about five days prior to its going public. Kent Fillmore was the first Apple
|
||
Information Manager, and the first Sysop was Cathy Christiansen. Fillmore
|
||
started the America Apple RoundTable (AART), for the Apple ][ and ///
|
||
Computers, as well as the A2PRO RT (Apple II Programmers) with Michael
|
||
Fischer (MFISCHER), A+ Magazine RT with Maggie Canon (A.PLUS), the Apple/Mac
|
||
User Group RT with Leonard Reed (BIBLIA), the ProTree RT with Bob Garth
|
||
(PROTREE), and the GEnie Sysop's private RoundTable.<8> Fillmore left GEnie
|
||
in October 1987 and Tom Weishaar took over some of those RTs. Fillmore later
|
||
returned to GEnie in June 1992 to become the Product Manager for Computing
|
||
RoundTables/ChatLines.<9> Currently, Weishaar has formed a new organization
|
||
called ICON, standing for International Computer Owner's Network. ICON has
|
||
taken over the management of A2 (Apple II) and A2Pro (Apple II Programmer)
|
||
RTs, the Mac and MacPro RTs, and the PPC (Power PC) and PPCPro (Power PC
|
||
Programmer) RTs.
|
||
|
||
To stay competitive with older and sometimes larger information
|
||
services, GEnie has usually kept its online costs below those of the other
|
||
systems. The association with Tom Weishaar and his newsletter, A2-CENTRAL
|
||
(originally OPEN-APPLE), has been beneficial for both. GEnie's 100,000th
|
||
member in March 1988 was an Apple II user that joined because of a special
|
||
offer through OPEN-APPLE. Weishaar has been able to keep more direct contact
|
||
with Apple II users, from both those who work professionally with the II to
|
||
those who use their Apple II's for special purposes only.<10>
|
||
|
||
|
||
AppleLink-Personal Edition / America Online (1988-Present) Beginning in
|
||
'''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''' May 1988, Apple
|
||
Computer contracted with Quantum Computer Services to start a consumer
|
||
version of its AppleLink network. Apple's original network, in operation
|
||
since 1985, had been used primarily for communication functions within Apple
|
||
Computer and its various sites across the country, as well as a source of
|
||
technical support for certified Apple developers. When their new consumer
|
||
service, AppleLink-Personal Edition (ALPE) was introduced, they changed the
|
||
name of the original network to AppleLink-Industrial Edition. Apple's hope
|
||
was to use ALPE as a method of providing better support to its customers.
|
||
|
||
AppleLink-Personal Edition was unique for an online computer service in
|
||
its use of a custom terminal program. Rather than requiring the user
|
||
(possibly a novice) to spend a lot of time in learning how to use a terminal
|
||
program, a modem, AND ALPE, Quantum and Apple designed a special program that
|
||
handled all the communications details, including the sign-on password. Each
|
||
time that the user signed-off from ALPE, a new, randomly selected password
|
||
was selected and saved on the ALPE disk for the next time. ALPE was aware of
|
||
this password, and so the chances of someone breaking in on another user's
|
||
account and using time (and money!) was nearly eliminated.
|
||
|
||
The ALPE terminal program was intuitive, as was the use of the
|
||
Macintosh (and Apple IIgs) desktop interface. Icons (pictures of desired
|
||
functions) were selected with the mouse or cursor (depending on how you had
|
||
it configured). Making the call and logging in were handled by the terminal
|
||
program, transparently to the user. When the connection was made, a choice
|
||
between Apple-specific services and ALPE general services was available. The
|
||
general section was directed to entertainment, business services, online
|
||
shopping, and general education. There was also a place for playing online
|
||
games, alone or with other users. An "auditorium" could be used for members
|
||
to attend conferences with special guests, allowing direct questions and
|
||
answers with the guests.
|
||
|
||
The Apple Community section was the part with the greatest importance
|
||
to the dedicated Apple II (or Macintosh) user. Here direct contact with
|
||
Apple Computer, Inc. was available (through the "Headquarters" icon), as well
|
||
as other hardware and software vendors. Apple product announcements and
|
||
information about products in testing could be found here, as well as direct
|
||
access to Apple engineers and developers. There were Forums (special
|
||
interest groups) for various aspects of Apple computing, Apple University
|
||
(with courses on productivity, programming, and specialized software
|
||
applications), and Software (library of available programs for downloading).
|
||
|
||
In 1990, AppleLink-Personal Edition was modified to connect with the
|
||
services Quantum provided for other home computers, and the name was changed
|
||
to America Online. It was still slightly less expensive than the other major
|
||
online services, and because of the icon-based terminal software, still the
|
||
easiest to use for the beginner.<11>
|
||
|
||
|
||
CONCLUSION The main benefit for an Apple II user on a large, online
|
||
"""""""""" service such as those described above is the availability of
|
||
many experienced users that can provide prompt, timely answers to questions
|
||
or problems. Some hardware and software companies maintain an online
|
||
presence, to allow immediate feedback for their customers with technical
|
||
problems. There are also many files in the libraries on these services,
|
||
providing software at low cost, some quite professionally written. Apple
|
||
Computer has also allowed most of these services to act as official "user
|
||
groups", and so have availability of official technical notes and file type
|
||
description notes for the Apple II series.
|
||
|
||
|
||
[*][*][*]
|
||
|
||
NEXT INSTALLMENT: Renaissance?
|
||
""""""""""""""""
|
||
|
||
NOTES
|
||
"""""
|
||
|
||
<1> E'Sex, Lunatic. GEnie, A2 ROUNDTABLE, Feb 1992, Category 2, Topic
|
||
16.
|
||
|
||
<2> Bouchard, J. GEnie, A2 ROUNDTABLE, Jan 1992, Category 12, Topic 7.
|
||
|
||
<3> Kohn, Joseph. "The Source", CALL-A.P.P.L.E., Jan 1989, pp. 25-28.
|
||
|
||
<4> Kohn, Joseph. (personal mail), GEnie, E-MAIL, Feb 1992.
|
||
|
||
<5> Utter, Gary. GEnie, A2 ROUNDTABLE, Feb 1992, Category 2, Topic 16.
|
||
|
||
<6> Gerber, Carole Houze. "Online Yesterday Today And Tomorrow", ONLINE
|
||
TODAY, Jul 1989, pp. 12-19.
|
||
|
||
<7> Apfelstadt, Marc. "All About CompuServe", CALL-A.P.P.L.E., Nov
|
||
1988, pp. 44-47.
|
||
|
||
<8> E'Sex, Lunatic. GEnie, A2 ROUNDTABLE, Feb 1992, Category 2, Topic
|
||
16.
|
||
|
||
<9> Fillmore, Kent. GEnie, A2 ROUNDTABLE, Sep 1991, Category 2, Topic
|
||
16.
|
||
|
||
<10> Weishaar, Tom. "All About GEnie: General Electric's Online
|
||
Information Service", CALL-A.P.P.L.E., Sep 1988, pp. 46-50.
|
||
|
||
<11> Cooper, Vince. "AppleLink-Personal Edition", CALL-A.P.P.L.E.,
|
||
Jul-Aug 1988, pp. 8-13.
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
//////////////////////////////////////// GEnie_QWIK_QUOTE ////
|
||
/ /
|
||
/ Today, I called Shreve Systems to order a tape drive. I /
|
||
/ made the mistake of asking if they had any SCSI tape /
|
||
/ backup drives for the GS. The salesperson said: "Uh, /
|
||
/ no." Realizing my mistake, I asked if he had any for /
|
||
/ the Mac. "Oh, sure." When I told him that SCSI drives /
|
||
/ work on the GS, he sounded amazed. /
|
||
/ /
|
||
///////////////////////////////////////////// RON.ROYER ////
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
[EOA]
|
||
[LOG]//////////////////////////////
|
||
LOG OFF /
|
||
/////////////////////////////////
|
||
GEnieLamp Information
|
||
"""""""""""""""""""""
|
||
|
||
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||
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||
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|
||
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|
||
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|
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||
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[EOF]
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