info-mac@uw-beaver (05/01/85)
From: Moderator John Mark Agosta <INFO-MAC-REQUEST@SUMEX-AIM.ARPA>
INFO-MAC Digest Wednesday, 1 May 1985 Volume 2 : Issue 39
Today's Topics:
Mac XL
REdit vs. Resource Editor
Making my own icon
Apple upgrade rumours
Macintosh XL parameter memory
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Date: 30 Apr 85 10:05 EDT
From: (David H M Spector) <SPECTOR@NYU-CMCL1.ARPA>
Subject: Mac XL
Well, its official...
From THE NEW YORK TIMES, April 30th, Business Section Pg. D5.
Apple to Drop Lisa Computer
(Special to The New York Times)
SAN FRANCISCO, April 29 - Apple Computer Inc. said today that it was
discontinuing the manufacture of its Lisa Computer, now known as the
Macintosh XL, a pioneering machine that never sold well.
Apple, which has been hurt by high inventories and depressed profits
in recent months, said the Macintosh XL would be replaced by a regular
Macintosh with 512,000 characters of memory and a new 20-million
character hard disk. it said the disk would be available in
September.
Lisa, introduced in January 1983, was one of the first personal
computers to incorporate several new features that are now widely
used: a mouse for pointing to little symbols on the screen, and
windows, which aloow different tasks to be displayed on different
portions of the screen.
Apple held great hope for the product, but its initial price of
$10,000 discouraged sales. Many of the technical concepts pioneered
in the Lisa were later used in the much less expensive Macintosh.
- 30 -
Hmm. A 20 Mb hard disk, I can't wait! I hope it used the external
drive port, and doesn't eat up valuable serial ports!
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 29 Apr 1985 12:14:53 EDT
From: MAC%Upenn-1100%upenn.csnet@csnet-relay.arpa
Subject: REdit vs. Resource Editor
I recently sent Larry Rosenstein a message commenting on the
differences between the "Jack-in-the-box" version of the Resource
Editor, and the more recently released REdit program. For the benefit
of the info-mac readers, here's his comments:
From: Larry Rosenstein <lsr@APPLE> Subject: Re: New vs. Old REdit
The REdit program is a completely separate program with a different
target. It is not an improved version ofthe Resource Editor. The
Resource Editor is intended for programmers, while REdit is intended
for people translating applications into different languages. You can
see this difference in the user interface and the capabilities that
each provide.
REdit probably will not be extended to handle font editing, since a
translator should not have to edit the fonts. The Resource Editor's
font editor, however, seems to be very reliable (at least in the
latest Resource Editor). REdit should be extended to rename
resources, since it is necessary to translate desk accessory names.
The Resource Editor will eventually have the nicer user interface for
editing dialogs, menus, etc. Each of those specific editors is itself
a resource; it is possible for Apple (or anyone) send out an improved
or brand-new editor for some resource type, in the same way that you
can send out the basic resource templates.
I had never used REdit until I saw your message, since the Resource
Editor is so much more powerful (even if it doesn't have the nice user
interface for all editors). Having used it, I can see situations
where REdit would be better than the Resource Editor, so I think that
both will be valuable tools (at least until the Resource Editor is
more visual).
We are always interested in criticism and suggestions like yours.
Keep them coming.
Larry Rosenstein Apple Computer
------------------------------
Date: 25 Apr 85 (Thu) 15:01:56 EST
From: John (Spike)Hughes <jfh%sluggo%brown.csnet@csnet-relay.arpa>
Subject: Making my own icon
I have written an application using the sumex development system
and our vax, and downloading the application using macput. My problem
is getting my own icon to appear. Here is a description of the problem
in detail:
(1) I compile my code on the vax, compile the resource compiler
file, which has only one "TYPE" line, saying "TYPE CODE", followed by
"b.out, 0". (My executables were compiled into b.out, of course).
(2) I download the application to the mac, using macput -r.The
application arrives at the mac in perfect condition, and runs
beautifully. It has the standard 'tilted paper with hand' application
icon.
(3) I use one of two resource editors to open a bundled
application, I think I used macwrite, and duplicate the bundle. I then
copy this bundle into my own application's resources with the resource
editor.
(4) The bundle in my application of course has the wrong references
to icons and the wrong file references, so I make some new ones of
these and copy them into my application. At this point my application
has the following resources:
BNDL:
BNDL ID=17886
Owner name GENE
OwnerID 0
numTypes 1
type ICN#
#of this type 2
LocalID 0
rsrcID 16334
LocalID 1
rsrcID 16274
LocalID 2
rsrcID 13898
type FRED
#of this type -1
CODE: my program's object code
FREF:
FREF ID = 128
File Type APPL
Icon LocalID 0
FREF ID = 23376
File Type TEXT
Icon LocalID 1
fileName GENEpeople
FREF ID = 22486
File Type TEXT
Icon LocalID 2
fileName GENEmarriage
ICN#
there are three icons, numbered 16334 (a picture of a tree)
16274 (a picture of a person)
13898 (a picture of two
wedding rings)
STR
STR ID = 0
theStr GENE Version 1.0 4/20/1985
(5) I now, having generated this mess, save the resource: no
pictures.
(6) I get a copy of SetFile, and set the Bundle Bit in the
application:
pictures. I don't understand the notion of bundles at all, despite
endless
readings of the manual.
Let me explain the the application maintains a database about
family trees, that the main program is called GENE, and that it
creates two documents called GENEperson and GENEmarriage (which
contain the database info). My target is to make the icon for the
application be the tree, the icon for GENEperson to be the person, and
the icon for GENEmarriage to be the wedding rings.
If anyone can explain the mechanism by which icons get attached to
applications, the way in which bundles are extablished in the
finder,
and the method for attaching a new icon to an application that has
been downloaded with only a CODE segment, I'd sure appreciate it.
-jfh
------------------------------
Date: Mon 29 Apr 85 11:38:33-PDT
From: MADSON@SRI-KL.ARPA
Subject: Apple upgrade rumours
I just talked to a source at Apple (who shall remain nameless)
regarding various Mac rumours. When I asked why Apple's 512K upgrade
was $700 using less than $100 worth of chips, he said "Frankly, I
don't know why they priced it at that level. Apple is aware of the
substantial upgrade business at the $300 pricing level." However, he
couldn't say whether that implied an Apple price reduction in the near
future.
Regarding the ugly rumour of Apple's refusal to update boards
that have been modified by outside vendors, he stated that "The ROM
upgrade doesn't officially exist yet...Most of the third-party
upgrades we've seen simply replace the RAM chips on the board, without
affecting the ROMs [makes sense]. In that case, a dealer would have
no problem changing the ROMs. However, if there is ever any problem
with the board, the dealer would have to sell you a new board rather
than service the modified one."
He also said the MDS 512 wouldn't be out for some time (sorry I
can't pin that down any better), and that Object Pascal was due out
around late Sept. Apparently the Addison-Wesley version of "Inside
Macintosh" will be available in August, but for those who just can't
wait, the "phonebook style" version is available now, by sending $25
(I hope that includes tax and shipping) to:
Apple Computer
467 Saratoga Ave.
Suite 621
San Jose, CA 95129
I hope this info proves to be useful and not too far out of line.
--cjm--
[ Note: We just received our first order of Inside Mac, they took 3
weeks to arrive. The name of the vendor is Apple Milestone Group,
telephone number (408) 988-6009. The $25 does *not* include tax. -jma
]
------------------------------
Date: 29 Apr 85 23:30:18 EDT
From: Seymour <JOSEPH@RU-BLUE.ARPA>
Subject: Macintosh XL parameter memory
I have been working for the last week or so to write a Macintosh
Application that allows me to set Lisa preferences from inside
Macworks XL. I have asked my Apple University Sales Representative,
my local dealer and lots of friends, but no one has any documentation
on the Macintosh XL (Lisa) parameter memory. I want to be able to
read and set the screen contrast (it's software controllable on the
XL) and to read and set the screen dim timout and the screen dim
setting. Can anyone on the net send me documentation on the Lisa
parameter memory? I would be much obliged.
Thank you
Seymour Joseph
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End of INFO-MAC Digest
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