[net.micro.mac] More items from Mactel

sakw@cvaxa.sussex.ac.uk (Sak Wathanasin) (07/10/86)

From Mactel, a UK BBS:
----------------------                     
Message #:  985
Submitted:  06/28/86 3:43
Submitted by:  GREVILLE BAGG
Subject:  facsimile machines
 
I have been trying to find out if a facsimile machine can be used to input
a digitised pic or document into Paint or something.  It would be very
useful and some facs machines have an RS232 for direct linking, but no-one
seems to know, ie. Rank, Sharp etc. Trouble is they are all salesmen and
not technical.  Would also be good if the Mac could be used as a facs?
Have you heard or know anything about this?
 
SYSOP INSERT - I saw an advert for something like this in the Mac Products
guide - for sale in the usa. - I put it on the news area but cant say when
and it must be in one of the OLDNEWS text files.
found it!!!   its 'Image Blue' from Image Communications INC
   640 West Putnam Avenue, PO Box 4809,  Greenwich , CT 06836-0086
      phone is USA    (203) 661-0607
      its listed at $1295, its compatible with MacPint, write and
        IBM PC Paintbrush, has built in RS232, does 200 dpi scan
          (A4 page in 3 minutes, a lot quicker than thunderscan)

Message #:  992
Submitted:  06/29/86 13:11
Submitted by:  BRUCE STIDSTON
Subject:  MultiWrite update.
 
I was talking to Mindwork Software t'other day and
it seems that, despite the very real-sounding description
in their current MacWorld advertisement, the MultiWrite
word-processing program I described a few postings back
is still "Under Development".
 
Having possibly fired up MacTel users with my comments,
I think it's only fair that they should know that, according
to Mindwork, MultiWrite won't be available till end September.
I hope to see a demo version in August but don't hold your
breath.
 
According to industry sources, no few than SIX hot new
word processor programs will be on the market by this
Christmas. It doesn't seem too naive to hope that amongst
that lot will be a good, totally WYSIWYG, full-featured
and FAST text juggler.
 
I have a list of features I consider essential in a good
word processor, and will be anxiously evaluating the new-
comers against this as they arrive. I'll let you know
what happens...
 
>Bruce Stidston.

Message #:  995
Submitted:  06/29/86 18:26
Submitted by:  JAN KOSCIELSKI
Subject:  MacDraft Bug
 
I have recently come across a peculiar feature of MacDraft. When I open
an old document the active window appears completely blank!!. The grid
pattern and my drawing can only be called to the screen if I choose
Home View from the menu. Whats even more annoying is that this happens
randomly and not every time I run MacDraft.
 
Has any other MacDraft user had this problem or can anyone offer a
possible explanation?
 
Regards
Jan

Message #:  1041
Submitted:  07/05/86 19:18
Submitted by:  DAVID WARDELL
Subject:  The Lisa (bless it's cotton socks)
 
For Peter Davey
 
I too have tried to make Lisa recognise a HFS using the HD20 icon but it won't
have it! However
it's quite happy with Finder 5.2 System 3.1. I've got the LaserWriter Driver and
Prep 3.0 on it
as well and that appears to be OK.
 
There is a new Ver 3.1 MacWorks and Hard Disk Install which allows Lisa to start
up as a Mac
without having to insert any any floppies first. I think you have to first
reinitialise the hard
disk using these new versions.
 
Lisa appears to accept most programs with the exception of communications
programs. But I just use a floppy for those with their documents
stored on the hard disk.
 
My biggest problem is the regular rate of crashes and resulting corrupted
hard disk. The only cure is reinitialising which of course looses
all my files in the process. Of course I back EVERYTHING up - well
except the last two or three files I've been working on because it's home
time and I'm late and my wife is sueing for a divorce, quoting Macintosh
as a co-respondent - and it's always these that are the most vital!
I must have reinitialised Lisa's hard disk 6 times in the last 12 months.
 
My other big problem is that PageMaker files created on a the Mac print
slightly differently when printing them using Lisa and a LaserWriter.
The odd line is moved, carefully lined up text is slightly moved to
one side - all fiddly and very annoying.
 
So away it goes and I'm taking advantage of the Apple swap of #1495 +
Lisa for a MacPlus and HD20. I am told that the alternative is get
the free PIXEL FIXER from your local dealer which
turns the Lisa pixels into squares instead of rectangles. Yes, those
of you who have never used a Lisa cannot realise the frustrations
of drawing squares which look like rectangles on the screen
and print as squares!! And that's what the Mac XL has always done!!!!
 
David Wardell

Message #:  1046
Submitted:  07/06/86 15:08
Submitted by:  SYSOP
Subject:  MacClub Benelux
 
Hi there - had a message in my mailbox the other day from Hubert Savelberg
the leading light of MacClub Benelux. Here's what he said.
"HELLO DAVID, here is hubert savelberg from macclub benelux in Buellingen,
belgium. Our address: Wirtzfeld Valley 140  B-4761 Buellingen belgium.
Until now we had only a monthly information diskette, but are now testing
our BBS service Mac-Date Europe, which is on-line from 22.00 pm to 7.00 a.m.
on tuesdays, wednesdays, fridays and in the weekends most of the day.
We are running Red Ryder Host on a Macintosh Plus with a built in 20 Mb
hard disk from Logicom, Nivelles, which we has a price tag of Bfr 58.500
which is about $1200 US, i don't know the exact exchange rate for pound
sterling. We would like if you log in on our bbs, and give us some comments
about our system. We are still learning every day.
Our phone number belgium 806 47713, untill our new phone line 806 47363
will be installed in the beginning of august. From that date our BBS will
also run all day 24 hours a Day, 7 days a week.
Hope we can come to a regular exchange."
 
Check it out folks!!!

Message #:  1048
Submitted:  07/06/86 23:08
Submitted by:  SYSOP
Subject:  AppleText Extracts


Hi there!! - SYSOP here!!
I had a long overdue session on AppleText today bringing our database of
Technical Info up to date. I though I would abstract and precis a few
of the items in there, since they could be useful to MacTel callers.
-------------------------------
PROBLEMS WITH EXTERNAL DRIVES
Field failure data indicates that most
failures with the 800K Disk Drive can be attributed to the user
uplugging or plugging in the unit while the computer is still powered
on. DONT DO IT!!!!
-------------------------------------------
UPGRADING MACPLUS WITH LARGER MEMORY CHIPS
You can intermix 256K and 1-Meg SIMMs in the same Macintosh Plus.  There
are two rows of two SIMMs each in the Plus; you can have one or both rows
filled.  If only one row is filled, it must be row 1, the row closest to
the CPU.  When mixing sizes of SIMMs, make sure the larger SIMMs are in
row 1.  Here are the possible configurations:
 
         Total RAM         Row 1       Row 2
         ---------         -----       -----
         512K              256K        Empty
         1 Meg             256K        256K
         2 Meg             1 Meg       Empty
         2.5 Meg           1 Meg       256K
         4 Meg             1 Meg       1 Meg
 
There are two resistors that define the configuration of the machine.
The one labelled "1 Row" should be removed if only 1 row of SIMMs are used.
Remove the one labelled "256" when 1 meg SIMMs are used.
 
NOTE: It's not necessarily true that anything called a SIMM will perform
  acceptably in the Macintosh Plus: to meet timing requirements, the
  SIMM must use chips having a speed of 150 nanoseconds or faster.
-------------------------------------------
ROM PROBLEMS WITH MAC PLUS
When a Macintosh Plus hangs on boot, check for a connected SCSI device
that is powered off. If such a device is connected, the Macintosh Plus may
have the original 128K ROMs that have this problem, which was corrected in
the revised ROMs.
 Workaround: Power up the SCSI device or disconnect it.
 
There are two ways you can check for the ROM version: the serial number and
the built-in mini-monitor.
 
  1. The Macintosh Plus serial number starts with a letter, either F for
     Fremont or C for Cork. The next digit is the last digit of the fiscal
     year of manufacture (e.g. 6 = FY 1986). The next two digits are the
     week of that year. The next three characters are the serial number.
     The rest (starting with the M) is the model number.
 
     A Macintosh Plus with a serial number beyond F609sssMxxxxx has the
     revised ROMs.
 
  2. To determine which ROM version you are using via the mini-monitor:
       a. Press the interrupt switch on the programmer's switch to enter
          the built-in mini-monitor.
       b. Type DM 400000. If the third byte value displayed is EA, it
          means the revised ROMs; if it's EE, it means the original
          128K ROMs.
       c. Type G to return.
 
NOTE: ALL upgrade kits were shipped with the revised ROMs.
--------------------------------------
MACPLUS NOT WORK WITH THE APPLE MODEM
Many people say that they cannot get the Mac Plus
to work with the Apple Modem even with Apple supplied cables
i.e the Mac Plus Peripheral Adaptor and the 512k to Modem cable.
 
---->The solution.
Check to see that both switches 1 and 7 inside the modem are turned on.
--------------------------------------
SUBJ : MACDRAW 1.9: PATCH TO ALLOW MORE THAN 11 FONTS.
 
The following patch allow MacDraw to use more than 11 fonts. To
enter this patch you will need to use a disk editor like FEdit.
 
Find:                 Change to:                  Occurrences:
----------           -------------                ------------
41ED FAD6             41ED F360                      9
0000 0C60             0000 0CA0                      1
0014 6F02 7C14        001F 6F02 7C1F                 1
000B FACE             0016 FACE                      2
70E1                  709D                           3
0001 00E1             0001 009D                      3
10E1                  109D                           1
0C47 0015             0C47 0020                      1
4E56 FFBE             4E56 FF9E                      1
 
This patch works (you need a system with scrolling menu's) but there
is a problem. If any of the fonts below the 11 mark are selected their
selection isn't saved with the document. When Apple figure
out a fix for this problem we will let you know.
 
[NOTE FROM MACTEL SYSOP]
As some MacTel users may be worried about Fediting their Software,
send a disc proving that you own MacDraw 1.9 (ie send one with MD
1.9 on it, not the original master though) and we will return you
the FEdited version.
 
------------------------------------
PARAMETER MEMORY
The Parameter RAM in the Macintosh maintains system information: Clock,
date, and  alarm settings, some Control Panel settings, and Serial port
configurations.
  If necessary, Parameter RAM may be erased entirely:
  (return to default settings)
 
  1. Turn off the Macintosh
  2. Unplug the Macintosh
  3. Remove the battery
  4. Reinsert the battery upside down for 30 seconds
  5. Remove the battery and reinstall it right side up
 
------------------------------------
SWITCHER AND MACWRITE
When running under Switcher, MacWrite has problems printing to a
LaserWriter if you have given less than 144K to MacWrite. Use
Switcher's  "Configure Then Install" option to allocate enough
memory (more than 144k) so that MacWrite can support the LaserWriter.
------------------------------------
FONTS DISPLAY INCORRECTLY WITH SYSTEM 3.1 AND LATER
Be warned:  You must use Font/DA Mover Version 3.1 or later with release
of the System file greater than 3.1.  Otherwise Fonts are not installed
correctly.
-------------------------------------
SLOW SCRAPBOOK IN FINDER 5.1 OR MORE???
While in the Finder (Desktop), the Scrapbook may take a long time to
scroll from item to item. This happens because the Scrapbook looks
through ALL available open resources as it scrolls. When the system is
at the Finder level, there are many open resources. This behavior is not
exhibited from within most applications since most applications keep fewer
resources open.
--------------------------------------
SLUGGISH TO RESPOND??
A Macintosh Plus or Macintosh 512K upgraded with or containing the 128K
ROMs often have difficulty initializing the serial port for AppleTalk
other than at power up.
---------------------------------------
MACPAINT 1.5: PROBLEM WITH SCRAPBOOK AND CLIPBOARD
MacPaint 1.5 has problems with both the clipboard and the scrapbook on a
Macintosh Plus when the application is not on the same volume as the system
folder. Put Macpaint on the same volume as System.
 
------------------------------------------
  There are two files containing a VAST amount of info about
Multiplan, File, MSWord and MSChart. Read these if you use
these programs.
  There is also an extensive article uploaded to AppleText by
Blyth Software about Omnis 3.
 
Message #:  1054
Submitted:  07/08/86 22:22
Submitted by:  SYSOP
Subject:  MacAuthor Comments
 
While browsing through the CompuServe forum this morning Felix Kaegi came
across the following two items. Thought it might be of interest to MacAuthor
Users or intending users.
 
#: 57675 S1/Software
    06-Jul-86  01:46:49
Sb: #57228-#MacAuthor
Fm: David Brandt 75036,3322
To: Dennis Evans 73717,320 (X)
 
Well, I've only had MacAuthor a short while so my opinion is not based on too
much experience. The main problem with speed is that it occasionally wants to
stop and update the display in response tto a very minor editorial change. Like
all the really heavy duty graphics programs it is not fast-but I haven't found
that operations like global search and replaces and global format changes are
slow on large files. The latter is actually surprisingly fast. The thing is
that the style sheets make certain operations much faster and more effortles
than any other word processor. Also, you have to keep in mind that it slows
down while managing complicated formats-graphics and text. Then you should
really be comparing its speed to Pagemaker or ReadySetGo instead of Word or
MacWrite. Try working with a 16 page PageMaker document sometime... David
Brandt
 
*** There is a reply:
        57676
 
#: 57676 S1/Software
    06-Jul-86  01:51:37
Sb: #57675-MacAuthor
Fm: Dennis Evans 73717,320
To: David Brandt 75036,3322
 
Thank you, David Brandt. Sounds like maybe it's not so bad. Does it have
dynamic repagination? I mean, I don't want to have to take lunch while it
figures out what page I'm on, like MicroSoft WORD...
-- 
Sak Wathanasin, U of Sussex, Cognitive Studies, Falmer, Sussex BN1 9QN, UK
uucp:  ...mcvax!ukc!cvaxa!sakw
arpa:  sakw%cvaxa.sussex.ac.uk@ucl.cs.ac.uk (<-- new name) or
       sakw%cvaxa.sussex.ac.uk@ucl-cs.arpa  (<-- old name)
janet: sakw@uk.ac.sussex.cvaxa