info-mac@uw-beaver (04/24/85)
From: Moderator John Mark Agosta <INFO-MAC-REQUEST@SUMEX-AIM.ARPA>
INFO-MAC Digest Wednesday, 24 Apr 1985 Volume 2 : Issue 35
Today's Topics:
info-applebus@mit-xx
MacXL Parallel port
MazeWar on AppleTalk
Yet Another Hyperdrive Review
Word Vs MacWrite 4.2
Pen plotters for Mac.
Disk Labels for 3.5" disks...
Mapping between SunCore and Pop-up menu coordinates?
MacDraw questions
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Date: 22 Apr 1985 15:07-EST
From: mss%dartvax%dartmouth.csnet@csnet-relay.arpa
Subject: info-applebus@mit-xx
Just a reminder -- there is a separate mailing list for people who
want to exchange information on Appletalk called info-applebus@mit-xx
(the list maintenance address is info-applebus-request@mit-xx). I
believe it's run by Ralph Hyre (RALPHW@MIT-XX). There is currently a
discussion about how the IP package for the Macintosh may be
(incompatibly) redesigned at the lower levels.
------------------------------
Date: 22 Apr 1985 09:55-EST
From: mss%dartvax%dartmouth.csnet@csnet-relay.arpa
Subject: MacXL Parallel port
No, "install parallel printer" proghram on the supplement doesn't help
one bit when one is trying to design a device to connect between the
MacXL and a high speed network. Anyone else working on this kind of
project?
-Mark
------------------------------
Date: Sun, 21 Apr 85 11:57:55 pst
From: (Neil Groundwater [stug]) npg@lbl-csam
Subject: MazeWar on AppleTalk
If anyone needs any convincing to go out and purchase an AppleTalk
cable...
MazeWar has been transported to the Macintosh and multiple players can
play via AppleTalk. The game and accompanying graphics are in "DL 3"
on CompuServe/MAUG. You and your enemies are presented with both
rat's-eye and bird's-eye views of a maze and you may find that when
you turn the corner your opponent is STARING RIGHT BACK AT YOU!
This note is to describe how to play one-on-one without "official"
AppleTalk connections.
The most trivial AppleTalk connection may be made in the same style as
the connection for two-Mac debugging. A sufficient cable is said to
come with the Development system, but a functional equivalent may be
made by connecting two ImageWriter cables back-to-back: pin 7 straight
across and pins 2 and 3 swapped.
The necessary drivers were scattered around with some Trivial File
Transfer Demo programs, but you can also get them from the LaserWriter
software distribution. I leave it as an exercise for the reader to
install DRVR resources ".mpp" and ".atp" along with INIT resource #6
into a System file. Make a scratch System for this exercise! Once
this stuff is installed, INIT #6 will keep you from using the
Workshop's version of RamDisk and once this stuff is run you will need
to power-reboot your Mac to get the printer port back from the
AppleTalk setup state!
To summarize: You need a System with ".mpp", ".atp", and INIT #6 from
the LaserWriter. Plus the program and three pictures from DL 3 on
MAUG. Invite a friend over and make up a minimal AppleTalk cable.
That's it!
...Neil Groundwater
npg@LBL-CSAM
seismo!andi!npg
CompuServe 75036,2045
P.S. Some folks may check out their Apple Modem cable and be tempted
to use it to connect two Macs. I DO NOT recommend it... Indeed it
swaps enough wires and may work, but it also connects a
somewhat-isolated 12 volt pin Mac-to-Mac. At the very least it will
frighten you if the cable is connected when only one Mac is powered on
(the other's disk motor might start spinning!) The only pins to
connect are 2, 3, and 7 (25-pin) or 3 (straight) and 5 & 9 (crossed)
on nine-pin connectors.
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 16 Apr 85 17:40 PST
From: Piersol.pasa@Xerox.ARPA
Subject: Yet Another Hyperdrive Review
I have finally received a Hyperdrive and I am thrilled. There were,
however, a few small things that bothered me.
For instance, G.C. documents the little proviso that you must not ever
try to dismount a file drawer when it has open files, since this will
crash your Mac. It is simply impossible to dismount any file drawer
from the Finder. These are admittedly minor, but they bothered me
somewhat.
Further, G.C. requires me to send a card to them to obtain my backup
software. I was very displeased by this, since it means I must spend
some considerable time with my data rather unprotected. (The drive has
been flawlessly reliable, though.)
On the other hand, I am immensely pleased with the performance of my
drive. Finally, I have room for ALL the fonts and DA's I want.
Finally, I ALWAYS have MacWrite, MacPaint, the resource editor, etc.
This is no small consideration, but the added advantage of 'instant'
font changes and dialog boxes provides amazing performance advantages.
So does the dazzling boot speed and file loading speed.
I was amazed to see virtually all of my software load and run,
including such packages as resource editor, FEdit, and other programs
intimately connected with the Macintosh file system. Unfortunately,
Copy II Mac works only with the floppy drives, and ignores all
Hyperdrive volumes mounted. It is, therefore, difficult to install
certain applications onto the drive. The vast majority, though, run
without a hitch.
I summary, I can highly recommend this addition for those able to
afford it.
Kurt
------------------------------
Date: Mon 25 Mar 85 22:08:17-PST
From: PIERCE@SRI-KL.ARPA
Subject: Word Vs MacWrite 4.2
Word vs MacWrite
I have read with interest the reviews of Word on the net. What they
didn't tell me was the answer to the question "should I switch over to
Word from MacWrite??" Well this is an attempt to help others make
that decision.
Background: I have been using MacWrite 3.9X/4.2 for the last few
months. I have been writing documents of length 1 page to 40 pages.
Most of my work is on simple documents (i.e. no equations or
footnotes) of the 40 page variety. I have been writing a brochure for
my work (16 pages with MacDraw figures). I decided to try Word
because of some of the simple limitations of MacWrite i.e. "you can't
cut or copy more than 100 paragraphs at a time" or "inserting this
paragraph would make the document have too many paragraphs". I read
the entire (400 pages) of Word documentation and have been using it
for a few weeks.
Summary: Word is the clear-cut choice for documents with multicolumn,
footnotes, close to the margin printing, making of form letters, and
long documents where you will make use of the more powerful selecting
/ cutting / pasting features. *** I have decided to use MacWrite
whenever I can *** -- it is easier to use, its
what-you-see-is-what-you-get (WYSIWYG) is much better than word, it
uses a smaller program file. Word has some very strong advantages
that I would really like in MacWrite, but it is not worth the hassles
to make the conversion.
This decision is not easy. It is a ***VERY*** close race. I believe
many will find Word better (I hope this message helps you make that
decision). I think they both are acceptable word processors, you can
go from one to another fairly easily (I am writing this on word).
They both have major drawbacks.
MacWrite Advantages- in order of priority for me:
* The elevator number showing the page number is a GREAT feature for
finding your place in the document.
* WYSIWYG is much better in MacWrite. Being able to see the white
space before a page break and the actual text in the header/footer is
an advantage.
* Time / Date stamp
* Its Free
The following are minor advantages:
* Integrated Speller checker
* All commands are in menus
* Easy to use follows the macintosh interface guidelines
MacWrite Disdvantages - in order of priority for me:
* Can't cut or paste more than 100 paragraphs (you type a document and
decide to split it into two files --- you have to delete two pages at
a time or find yourself facing that stupid dialog box...) THIS IS THE
WORST THING ABOUT MACWRITE.
* Document limited to about 500 paragraphs in 128K mac or 2000
paragraphs in 512K mac. NO, THIS IS THE WORST THING ABOUT MACWRITE.
* Only one document can be open at one time
* Its not as powerful as Word (see advantages below)
The following are minor problems:
* Header/footers need to be same for entire document
* "Select all" document is a pain
Word Advantages:
* Multiple documents open at one time (including split of same
document)
* Every paragraph has a ruler (powerful feature)
* Can cut and paste any number of paragraphs
* Font sizes from 4 points up! (it can make any size font ... I
printed out stuff in 6 point (half of the twelve point on my disk) in
high quality mode, looks great! The laser printer of 4 point would
make a lawyer jealous ... it won't even xerox well!)
* Keyboard equvalents of most useful commands (including changing font
sizes (I LIKE IT), most of the menu items)
* Powerful tab functions (tabs can be filled with blank (like
macwrite) or ..... or ----. Left / right / decimal aligned)
* Easier to move text around (can skip cut/paste -- select, point
where you want it and click)
* Good Footnote handling
* Can do columns (up to six on a page)
* Can print right up to the edge of the paper
* good print merge commands - form letters and the like built in.
The following are minor advantages:
* Easy selection of entire document (control-click in left margin does
it)
* Can view paragraph and tabs (they show up with PP mark for paragraph
or > for tabs, spaces are marked with a period)
Word Disadvantages - in order of priority:
* It costs $195 list ($135 discounted??)
* Have to "repaginate" to find page breaks. A bitch to get final
format "just right"
* Not a WYSIWYG by a long shot (you have to repaginate to see an equal
sign in left column showing a page-break -- you can't see
headers/footers at all)
* Hard to find where you are in document (no elevator numbers, not a
good search procedure -- I like workshop 3.0's markers, that seems
like a great way to do it)
* Column breaks do not show up (need to print to find them)
* No time date stamp
Minor disadvantages:
* More involved to change font / page break (you can't toggle from
underline to not underline from the keyboard, you have to reset to
plain text or use the menu -- to change fonts you need to call up a
dialog box which takes some time)
* You need a quick reference guide to use it
* Hard to learn some features -- division break, page break
* Still a bit buggy (does not bomb, but doesn't do things right..
i.e. printing multiple columns sometimes does not work, etc)
* Slow responce to typing (no problem for touch typists)
* Copy protected (CopyII mac works)
Discussion:
If I were trapped on an island with only one word processor, it would
be Word; with both I will use MacWrite most of the time... Why? It is
faster to produce acceptable results, I can move around the document
faster, I can more easily use it with switcher 1.5 / MacDraw and the
stupid 400K disks (its smaller), I can put in the time/date stamp.
Example: While in Word I wanted headers and footers for my entire
document ( just like MacWrite's ). It took 4 printings to get them
placed in the right position, and a month from now I think it would
take 3 printings to do it again. (what?? well I forgot to define my
first header as the first thing in my document. Then I found the
footer was too close to the bottom of the page, moved the place to 1"
up, but then that conflicted with the page setup (totally different
dialog box) so it didn't print at all -- try and easily find that
bug!!)
When I go back to MacWrite it just does it - no thinking. True it
does not have the power of Word, but for most documents that's ok.
AND you can convert from MacWrite to Word documents and leave most of
the formatting in, but not from Word to MacWrite.
All spelling errors are copywrite pierce creative spelling machine.
"The person who dies with the most toys, wins."
Pierce @SRI-KL
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 22 Apr 85 12:13:05 PST
From: babcock@NWC-143B
Subject: Pen plotters for Mac.
The Spring 1985 issue of "The Macintosh Buyer's Guide" lists
at least two programs for connecting pen plotters to the Macintosh.
This publication is available at most Apple dealers or direct for
$10/yr, $15/yr Canada, $40/yr foreign in US funds, Redgate Publishing
Co., 3381 Ocean Drive, Vero Beach, FL 32963, (305)231-6904.
On page 86 is Plot-It for $95 from Mesa Graphics, PO Box 506,
Los Alamos, N.M. 87544, (505)672-1998.
On page 122 is MacPlots II for $195, available 60 days after
release of MacDraw, that produces color-plotted output from MacDraw
documents from Computer Shoppe, 615 Gilford-Jamestown Rd. at I-40,
Greensboro, N.C. 27409, (919)299-4843.
------------------------------
Date: 22 Apr 85 10:32:07 EST
From: KSPROUL@RUTGERS.ARPA
Subject: Disk Labels for 3.5" disks...
I talked to the people that make the MacLabeler program last week at
MacFair at Drexel... They are having Avery make PIN-FEED Die-Cut
labels that will be the correct size for the MacDisks.. also their
program will of course support these labels...
These labels will be one wide on normal pin-feed type labels..
But they wont be out for a month or so...
Keith Sproul Ksproul@Rutgers.arpa
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 22 Apr 85 15:12:31 est
From: Ken Schroder <schroder@bbn-mentor.ARPA>
Subject: Mapping between SunCore and Pop-up menu coordinates?
I have an application written for SunCore which uses the Core input
routines. I would like to use the pop-up menus offered by the windows
package, but they seem to be using device coordinates. Is there an
easy way to map between the two?
Ken Schroder <schroder@bbn-unix>
------------------------------
Date: 23 Apr 1985 09:35-EST
Sender: WEINSTEIN@BBNG.ARPA
Subject: MacDraw questions
From: WEINSTEIN@BBNG.ARPA
1. MacDraw seems to get confused about what fonts an existing document
uses if the set of fonts available in the System file has changed
since the last time the document has been opened, even if font ID
numbers are the same. My guess is that it stores font info as an
index into its menu, rather than by font resource ID. Anyone have any
information on this?
2. How does MacDraw implement displaying text backwards or at a 90
degree angle? Although I assume it uses QuickDraw somehow, I see
nothing in the QuickDraw manual to suggest how this might be done
(obviously, I would like to be able to do this myself in other
contexts)
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End of INFO-MAC Digest
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