info-mac@uw-beaver (05/02/85)
From: Moderator John Mark Agosta <INFO-MAC-REQUEST@SUMEX-AIM.ARPA>
INFO-MAC Digest Thursday, 2 May 1985 Volume 2 : Issue 40
Today's Topics:
Second Pre-Release of Columbia Macintosh Kermit
Re: Latest official software versions
Rumors about the new finder
Re: Inside Mac (telephone version) Error
Inside Mac at $25
[ summary of replies to: ] Re: plotting from the MAC ?
Making icons appear
Megabyte Mac Review
SofTech/Volition Modula-2 for Mac?
simple printer drivers?
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Tue 30 Apr 85 16:54:58-EDT
From: Frank da Cruz <SY.FDC@CU20B.ARPA>
Subject: Second Pre-Release of Columbia Macintosh Kermit
This is to announce the second pre-release of Columbia Macintosh
Kermit, version 0.6(4). It fixes a few problems with the first
pre-release that were reported to Info-Kermit. These are discussed in
detail in Info-Kermit, but briefly they are:
. Version number incorrect -- 0.5(0) should have been 0.6(1) . Bare
CR's rather than CRLF's in .HQX file . Saved settings files not
correctly closed in all cases . Transferred files not correctly closed
in all cases . Can't get back to Switcher using Apple menu . Outgoing
filenames not converted to uppercase . Certain limitations and
features not documented
The files are available via anonymous FTP from CU20B as
<MACKERMIT>*.*, and replace the earlier files in the same area. These
are the new or changed files:
CKAAAA.HLP List of files
CKMFIO.C Macintosh file i/o
CKMKER.BLD (new) Instructions for building
CKMKER.BWR Beware file -- list of bugs, edit history
CKMKER.HQX Binhex'd MacKermit resource file
CKMKER.MAK Makefile
CKMKER.RC Resource Compiler input
CKMKER.RSRC MacKermit resource (8-bit binary)
CKMSAV.C Settings Saver
CKMSUM.C (new) SUMACC fiddling
CKMUSR.C User Interface
CKMUTL.C Utilities
The first "real" release of this program will coincide with the next
release of Unix C-Kermit, upon which it is based. This will probably
be a few weeks hence, so in the meantime, keep sending comments and
suggestions to Info-Kermit@CU20B.
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 1 May 85 16:38:25 cdt
From: werner@ut-ngp.ARPA (Werner Uhrig)
Subject: Re: Latest official software versions
From: lsr@apple.UUCP (Larry Rosenstein) Newsgroups: net.micro.mac
Subject: Re: Latest official software versions Date: Thu, 25-Apr-85
18:53:49 CDT
I talked to one of our software librarians to find out the latest
software versions. This list is as of 4/25/85 and applies only to
released software.
MacPaint: version 1.5 MacWrite: version 4.5 MacDraw: version 1.7
MacTerminal: version 1.1 System File: dated 04/08/85 Imagewriter:
dated 03/06/85 Finder: dated 04/08/85 (version 4.1) Font/DA Mover:
dated 04/09/85
The librarian didn't know the version numbers of MacProject or
MacPascal, but there has only been 1 released version of those
products.
As for obtaining new releases of software, I think that in general the
procedure is to get the updates from a dealer. You might need to
bring in the original disk as a proof of purchase. (This is
especially true for things like MacTerminal and MacDraw that are not
bundled with the Macintosh.) For distributing the new Finder, the
dealers should have a system update disk, which automatically installs
the new Finder, standard file package, Imagewriter, etc. files on a
disk. (The last 4 files listed above are contained on the system
update disk.)
Hope this clears up some of the confusion.
-- Larry Rosenstein Apple Computer
UUCP: {nsc, dual, voder, ios}!apple!lsr CSNET: lsr@Apple.CSNET
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 1 May 85 16:32:57 cdt
From: werner@ut-ngp.ARPA (Werner Uhrig)
Subject: Rumors about the new finder
From: planting@uwvax.UUCP (W. Harry Plantinga) Newsgroups:
net.micro.mac Subject: Rumors about the new finder Date: Thu,
25-Apr-85 07:50:51 CDT
I heard from an Apple person that the version of the finder to be
released in a couple of weeks may be 4.5 instead of 4.1. He said that
version 4.5 supports full hierarchical directories, etc. THe only
problem with it is that it uses about 66k, which may be a little large
for 128k macs, so they may want to shrink it down a bit before
releasing it. Seems that there are different people working on
different versions of the finder for different purposes, and there is
more than one possibility for what will be released.
Harry Plantinga
{seismo,allegra,ihnp4,heurikon}!uwvax!planting
planting@wisc-rsch.arpa
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 1 May 85 16:32:05 cdt
From: werner@ut-ngp.ARPA (Werner Uhrig)
Subject: Re: Inside Mac (telephone version) Error
From: mikem@uwstat.UUCP Newsgroups: net.micro.mac Subject: Re: Inside
Mac (telephone version) Error. Date: Fri, 26-Apr-85 13:26:41 CDT
Lines: 15
> Hi, In my version on Inside Mac, pages 16 and 18 of the > Serial
Drivers Programmers Guide are really the pages from the > Sound Driver
Programmers Guide. > Could someone else please check if their version
has the same problem. > Well, I have enough responses to confirm that
this is a general problem. If APPLE is listening, could you post the
correct pages to usenet??, otherwise you may have numerous requests
for the correct information.
--
Mike Meyer -- Phone +1 (608) 262-1157 (Leave messages at 262-2598)
ARPA: mikem@Statistics <==> mikem@Wisc-Stat.ARPA UUCP:
...!{allegra,ihnp4,seismo,ucbvax,pyr_chi,heurikon}!uwvax!uwstat!mikem
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 30 Apr 85 11:15 EST
From: epp%umass-cs.csnet@csnet-relay.arpa
Subject: Inside Mac at $25
The Promotional Edition of "Inside Mac" is now available for $25 from
Apple Computer, Inc. 467 Saratoga Avenue Suite 621 San Jose, CA 95129
This is copied from the inside front cover, dated 3/15/85 from the
Macintosh Developers Group
"After many months of work the Macintosh Division's User Education
Group (responsible for all the Macintosh documentation) has completed
the manuscript for 'Inside Macintosh'. We've finalized production
arrangements with a major publisher and you can expect to see the
final edition at better bookstores everywhere by late summer '85.
However, we can't wait that long and don't expect you to either.
We've therefore produced this special Promotional Edition to handle
the demand for 'Inside Macintosh' until the final edition becomes
available. The contents of this edition are still preliminary and
subject to change; the final edition will include many updates and
corrections. The production quality of the final edition will be
significantly improved from this inexpensive edition.
"Now, here are answers to some questions we anticipate:
"Q. I purchased the three-ring binder version of 'Inside Macintosh'
from your mail-house for $100 and also bought the Software Supplement
for $100. Is this Promotional Edition the final copy I'm supposed to
receive for purchasing the Software Supplement?
"A. No. As promised, Supplement owners will receive a copy of the
final version when it's available."
I ordered my copy 4/10. It was shipped 4/19 received 4/29 (I'm on the
East-Coast)
The Promotional Edition is printed on a light weight, low grade paper.
------------------------------
Date: Wed 1 May 85 17:59:29-CDT
From: Werner Uhrig <CMP.WERNER@UTEXAS-20.ARPA>
Subject: [ summary of replies to: ] Re: plotting from the MAC ?
[ thanks to all who replied. below is what I learned, somewhat
condensed. ]
Mesa Graphics, PO Box 506, Los Alamos, NM 87544 has two products:
Tekalike and Plotit which driver plotters. I seen both in action.
Tekalike is their Tektronix terminal emulator, and in addition to
imitating a Tektronix terminal it will save screen images and/or plot
them. Plotit will plot MacPaint documents on a plotter. Their
conversion of bit maps to vector graphics is something of a tour
d'force - it is also pretty slow for some kinds of pictures.
----- ----- -----
I have had experience using a package called (naturally) MacPlot from
MicroSPot in England. It has its problems, but then again, I AM
getting plots out (from MacDraw or MS Chart).
------------------------------
Date: 1 May 85 09:35:00 EST
From: JOE WEINSTEIN <weinstein@bbnv1>
Subject: Making icons appear
Reply-to: JOE WEINSTEIN <weinstein@bbnv1>
To all those who are still having problems getting their programs'
icons to appear:
The problem is that if the Finder has already copied the application's
bundle (perhaps even from an earlier version) into the Desktop file,
it will not see the new information even if you set the Bundle Bit
using Set File. Although there may be an easier way around this, the
only solution I have found is to open the DeskTop file using the
Resource Editor, find the copy of the application's bundle resource in
it, open it, find out what resource ID's the Desktop file uses for its
icons (these will be different from what your application assigned)
and for its file references (these will also be different), open the
desktop's ICN# and FREF resources and delete those entries with the
ID's you have just determined, and then delete both the BNDL resource
in the desktop corresponding to your application and the resource
whose type name is identical to the signature of your application
(CCOM for most of the SUMACC stuff, unless you specified something
different in the bundle).
In addition, remember that you must use Set File to set the
application's creator to its intended signature, which must be the
same as the type name of the version info for the application, and to
set its bundle bit.
Once you have deleted all existing references to your application from
the desktop file as explained above, the Finder whould take care of
copying the new information into it, and La Voila! Its icon will
appear!
Phew! There really should be an easier way of doing this than munging
Desktop files!.
P.s. remember to backup your disk first, in case you really screw up
the Desktop file.
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 1 May 85 16:29:49 cdt
From: werner@ut-ngp.ARPA (Werner Uhrig)
Subject: Megabyte Mac Review
From: dennisg@sdcrdcf.UUCP (Dennis E. Griesser) Newsgroups:
net.micro.mac Subject: Megabyte Mac Review Date: Mon, 22-Apr-85
16:46:51 CDT
Perhaps you have seen advertisements for the megabyte Mac expansion
offered by Micrographic Images. I have had a beta-test version for
awhile, and would like to offer my comments.
WHO MAKES IT?
The board was designed by Spies Labs, a manufacturer of Apple and IBM
add-in cards. The system is sold by Micrographic Images, but only
through computer dealers.
INSTALLATION
The unit is a single piggyback board. It is as wide as the Mac logic
board, but only extends from the edge to a little past the RAM array.
The unit carries a complete 1Mbyte of 256K DRAMs. The original ram
array is not used, although its chips stay in place to simplify
installation. Three chips must be de-soldered, and a small number of
connections made to the original board. A bolt is used to fasten the
piggyback on, although it gets a lot of support from headers that
extend from the add-on to the original board. The piggyback is made
of a nice heavy fiberglass, double-sided and solder-plated.
The piggyback approach takes most of what little room is left over the
Mac logic board. This makes the MegaMac incompatible with other
piggyback upgrades, most notably the Hyperdrive. I hear that they
desolder the 68000 CPU and mount a piggyback in its place {ugh}.
As a beta user, I was able to install the upgrade myself. It took me
about 1.5 hours. Doubtless, you could slap one in inside of 20
minutes given the proper tools and lots of practice.
Half of this time was spent desoldering the *#$#^$% three chips, and
cleaning up the PC around them. I was using a large hand-cocked
solder pump and a rather hot iron, but the 4-layer board in the Mac
has dedicated power and ground planes that act like good heat-sinks.
Since I had no desire to ruin the logic board, I chopped out the chips
and removed the lead stubs one at a time.
After installation and testing, the power supply needed a minor
adjustment. The additional chips loaded the +5 down by about .2V.
The adjustment is easy to do and was not at all delicate. My beta
unit had plastic RAM packages, made by NEC. I have heard that
commercial units will use low-power ceramic chips.
If I ever decide to get rid of my Mac, the megabyte can be removed.
You can go back to a skinny Mac just by pulling a connector, replacing
three chips, and re- tweaking the power supply.
OPERATION
The expanded Mac worked the first time. With my 3-month old Mac on
the line, I was justifiably paranoid! It has been very reliable since
then. It does not run noticibly hotter, although I will probably add
a fan just in case.
I didn't get a lot of software with it, and no written instructions.
What I got was the equivalent of a Fat Mac (512K), plus a large (512K)
RAM disk. This means that you can run Switcher, and other
applications that take 512K. It also means MacPaint does not whack
the disk when you show_page or move the window around. MacWrite will
now accept huge documents. Starting and exiting an application is
pleasantly speedy. The RAMdisk is comfortably larger than a physical
Mac disk and doesn't take away from your Fat area.
The RAM-disk supplied with my unit was crude. When the Mac booted, it
would end up with both the boot-disk and RAMdisk on the desk top.
Then you use the Finder to copy the system folder and applications to
the RAMdisk and eject the boot-disk. I have been told that commercial
units will come with a much better RAMdisk.
COST
The first flyer I saw for the MegaMac mentioned a price of $1600,
installed. The price has since dropped a bit ($1400 sounds familiar).
It's a bit cheaper if you already have a Fat Mac. This is just a
marketing stunt since any original RAMs in the Mac are unused, and
they have to add the full 1M anyway. An upgrade is under
consideration that will use the original RAM, giving Fat Mac owners
1.5M.
This is obviously a lot of money! In fact, it's about twice what
Apple wants for a 512K upgrade. It kinda makes sense, in that you get
twice as much memory for twice as much memory. BUT Apple's price is
just too steep. It makes a poor baseline to set other prices by.
DO YOU NEED ONE?
It took me no time at all to get fed up with the slow disks and the
way Mac always was hitting them up for something. The MegaMac has
freed me from this and is a reliable and real product. The software
is not fancy, but it is usable and better is promised.
A MegaMac with two disk drives makes a nice system. At this rate, I
won't be thinking about a hard disk for a couple of years.
The steep price is certainly a negative factor. Another is that the
upgrade must be performed by a dealer. I have heard several reasons
for this, but none seem very convincing.
[disclaimer: I know the folks at Spies Labs, and have visited
Micrographic Images once. I have tried to be fair in this review, but
some bias might have crept in. These opinions are mine, and not
necessarily those of the company I work for, SDC. I know of no
connection between SDC and the MegaMac folks.]
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 1 May 85 16:38:00 cdt
From: werner@ut-ngp.ARPA (Werner Uhrig)
Subject: SofTech/Volition Modula-2 for Mac?
From: jww@bonnie.UUCP (Joel West) Newsgroups:
net.micro.mac,net.lang.mod2,net.lang.pascal Subject: SofTech/Volition
Modula-2 for Mac? Date: Wed, 24-Apr-85 21:12:00 CDT
I would like to pass on two tidbits, quoting from a local newspaper,
on Modula-2 for the Mac and faster Apple Pascal:
"SofTech upgrades p-System software:
Performance speed on Apple II computers increased"
San Diego Tribune, April 22 financial pages
(Quoting Benjamin Goodwin, president of SofTech microsystems)
...new products on the way, Goodwin said, will be a "new language
product"
and an "integrated software package" in July (both for the IBM PC
line) and "a Modula II [sic] product" this fall.
....Goodwin said SoftTech Micro is negotiating to aquire the
rights
to bankrupt Volition Systems' Advanced System Editor (ASE), as
well as its implementation of Niklaus Wirth's Modula II computer
language...
Also, in the article,
...[the p-System software]got a reputation from program developers
as
being particularly slow in execution, especially on the Apple,
which,
some said, "ran slow as molasses." [Goodwin] agrees: "We lost
contact
with the customer and input of what they wanted in a product."
But that's all changing, he said: "We're speeding up
performance
on the Apple II family by a magnitude of 20 to 30 times."
...Numerou "overhead reductions" [Ed: quotes mine] have taken
place
at SofTech Micro, including employee layoffs....the payroll [has]
been reduced from a peak 141 ... to a current 32 employees.
Other sections note that the p-System promised portability but died
when MS-DOS became a standard; that SofTech has a 15-year contract
with UC Regents in exchange for royalties; and that SofTech discovered
that licensing the p-System to vendors (DG, IBM, DEC..) was not the
same as selling copies. Also, SofTech "wrote off $1.8 million in bad
debts from Osborne" [computers, not adam].
- ----------------personal comment--------------------
The Volition
deal would make sense, since Volition is about 10 miles southwest of
SofTech and the two are, to my knowledge, the only two companies to do
Macintosh language development in San Diego. (There's also Telesoft
in town, but that's entirely Ada.)
Second, the UCSD Pascal for the Mac ("MacAdvantage") benchmarked in my
test between 30-100 as slow as a compiled C. This suggests that the
new UCSD Pascal would be not a p-system at all, but a fully compiled
language.
--
Joel West (619) 457-9681
CACI, Inc. - Federal 3344 N. Torrey Pines Ct La Jolla 92037
jww@bonnie.UUCP (ihnp4!bonnie!jww)
westjw@nosc.ARPA
"The best is the enemy of the good" - A. Mullarney
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 1 May 85 03:17:41 EDT
From: tmb%talcott@harvard.ARPA (Thomas M. Breuel)
Subject: simple printer drivers?
I want to connect a dumb, 300 baud printer to a MacIntosh. I would
like to be able to print in draft mode from applications. If you know
of a (simple) way to do this, your help would be appreciated.
It appears to me that this entails writing a new '.Printer' driver, or
changing the 'PREC' resource for the existing driver. Unfortunately,
my (slightly outdated) copy of Inside Mac does not describe the
respective formats.
Thomas.
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End of INFO-MAC Digest
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