INFO-MAC-REQUEST@SUMEX-AIM.ARPA (Moderator David Gelphman...) (09/17/86)
INFO-MAC Digest Tuesday, 16 Sep 1986 Volume 4 : Issue 116
Today's Topics:
RE: Trouble cutting & pasting with MacPaint 1.5
FindDItem bug?
Apple announces new Apple II (model GS)
New Apple Products
RE: Rumours of new Apple products
FontDisplay 4.5
FastEddie demo version 2.6
Delphi Mac Digest V2 #45
Usenet Mac Digest V2 #74
Usenet Mac Digest V2 #75
MacNifty SoundCap Review
Smash Hit Raquetball
Computerware
considering mac purchase...
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Date: Mon, 15 Sep 86 09:59 EDT
From: Paul Christensen <PCHRISTENSEN%rca.com@CSNET-RELAY.ARPA>
Subject: RE: Trouble cutting & pasting with MacPaint 1.5
Many people have experienced the problems discussed with cutting and
pasting using MacPaint 1.5 on the new system software. The problem,
however, lies with MacPaint itself and not the new System and Finder.
First of all, make sure you are using Apple's latest system release:
System 3.2 and Finder 5.3. If you are using earlier versions, go to
a local dealer and ask for Apple's latest distribution.
Several programs, most notably MacPaint, make the disk they are on the
default disk when they are launched. On the Macintosh operating system,
the default disk is the volume accessed for such files as the clipboard,
scrapbook, and system. When you run MacPaint from a disk other than the
one you are currently using, it changes the default disk, and thus is
unable to find the current clipboard contents. This leads to the
"MacPaint is having trouble reading the scrap" alerts.
Until Apple releases a version of MacPaint to correct this problem,
there are several ways to deal with it. The easiest is to try to place
all the programs that you might use with MacPaint on the same disk. My
800K setup includes MacWrite, MacDraw, and MacPaint on the same disk
along with a rather large (400K) system file.
However, for those times when you may need to use MacPaint with other
programs (perhaps Excel, Easy3d, or VideoWorks), the solution involves
one of my favorite shareware desk accessories: DiskInfo by David Dunham.
In addition to listing file sizes, types, creators, and modification
dates, DiskInfo allows you to rename or delete files, and to perform
global searches for files. To deal with MacPaint's problem, DiskInfo
displays the current default disk, and allows you to make any volume
the default disk. In this way, if MacPaint changes the default disk,
you simply enter DiskInfo, select the volume you were working from, and
make it the default disk. You can then return to MacPaint and select
PASTE. Be warned, though that MacPaint often changes the default disk,
forcing you to enter DiskInfo and change it again. By changing the
default disk you can also access scrapbook files from disks other than
the current volume.
DiskInfo is worth several times its modest license fee ($10) and can be
obtained through MAUG or almost any local Macintosh User's Group. You
can also order it through Maitreya Design, POB 1480, Goleta, CA 93116.
Be sure that you obtain the latest version (I'm using 1.42 but there may
be an even later version), since it is fully compatible with HFS and MFS.
- Paul Christensen
CSNET: PCHRISTENSEN@RCA.COM
Note: I have no connection whatsoever with David Dunham or Maitreya
Design. I am simply a VERY satisfied user of their product.
------------------------------
Date: Mon 15 Sep 86 11:01:13-PDT
From: Irvin Lustig <OR.LUSTIG@Sierra.Stanford.EDU>
Subject: FindDItem bug?
In the 128K Roms, there is a new routine in the dialog manager. It
is documented as
FUNCTION FindDItem(thedialog: DialogPtr; thepoint: Point): INTEGER;
It returns the item number in the dialog of the item whose itemRect
contains thepoint.
After a long night, I found out that the items for FindDItem are
numbered from 0, while the items for other Dialog Manager routines
(GetDItem, SetDItem, etc.) are numbered from 1.
Does Apple know about this inconsistency?
-Irv Lustig
or.lustig@su-sierra.arpa
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 15 Sep 86 11:38 CDT
From: Mike Linnig <LINNIG%ti-eg.csnet@CSNET-RELAY.ARPA>
Subject: Apple announces new Apple II (model GS)
( 9/12- 7:22 am)
Apple to introduce new Apple IIGS Monday
By Mary A.C. Fallon
Knight-Ridder Newspapers
SAN JOSE, Calif. -- Apple Computer Inc. of Cupertino, Calif., on Monday will
introduce the Apple IIGS personal computer, which will have a basic system
price between $1,600 and $1,900 depending on its components.
According to a company statement scheduled to be released Monday but obtained
Wednesday by the San Jose Mercury News, the new IIGS will be three times as
fast and have twice as much memory as the IIe, the workhorse of the Apple II
line. The new computer will be available in computer stores in limited
quantities Sept. 27.
The new computer will have a jazzier appearance than its predecessors in the
Apple II line: The color has been changed from khaki to platinum, and the
housing has been redesigned to look less boxy. To entice early buyers, a
limited number of the new computers will be signed by Apple co-founder Steve
Wozniak, who created the first Apple II computer.
The IIGS -- the "GS" stands for graphics and sound -- can simulate some
musical instruments, has a human-like voice and high-resolution color. Some
industry analysts who have seen the new computer say it will churn up as much
excitement in the home and educational market as the IBM personal computer did
in the business market.
"I expect demand will be phenomenal," said Richard Matlack, president of
InfoCorp, a Cupertino market researcher. "It is one of those products that will
get people's attention and get the market re-stimulated."
The basic central processing unit of the IIGS will cost $999. That price
includes a detached keyboard, numeric key pad, a mouse, manuals and training
disks. Apple is also introducing a monochrome monitor and two color monitors
priced up to $499. In addition, there are new disk drives -- a 3 1/2-inch disk
drive costing $399, a 5 1/4-inch disk drive costing $299 and a 20-megabyte hard
disk costing $1,299.
The IIGS, which will be made in Singapore, will top the 9-year-old Apple II
product line. Sales for Apple's leading home and education computer, the IIe,
have sagged this year. During Apple's last fiscal quarter, sales of Apple's
business computer, the Macintosh, surpassed the IIe for the first time.
Market researchers are optimistic that the IIGS's color and sound will draw
customers to computer retail stores, especially as Christmas nears.
"Apple is approaching the home and school markets in a way they want to be
approached," said Stewart Alsop, editor of the PC Letter. "Teachers need great
color and great sound to make education software programs interesting."
For the IIGS screen, Apple has borrowed many features from the Macintosh,
including pull-down menus and icons.
"When it is running its new software, (the IIGS) is unbelievable," said
Douglas Cayne, vice president of the Gartner Group of Stamford, Conn.
Computer dealers and manufacturers have thirsted for new computers during
this year of drought. Except for Apple's introduction of the Mac Plus in
January, no major personal computers had been introduced until this week, when
Houston-based Compaq Computer Corp. unveiled a desktop model that's twice as
fast as IBM's top-of-the-line PC-AT computer.
Analysts say Apple is making some smart moves with its new IIGS. One of the
smartest, they say, is that the 3.7 million Apple IIe computers that have
already been sold can be upgraded to IIGS capabilities by replacing the
standard mother board with one for the IIGS. The mother board contains the
microprocessor that runs the computer.
The upgrade kit for the IIe will be priced at $499 and will be available in
the first quarter of next year, according to the company.
The new IIGS can also run 90 percent of the software programs now available
for the IIe. This will be a big advantage for the company, analysts say,
because only a few software developers will have programs ready for Monday's
introduction.
The IIGS won't be able to run software written for the Macintosh. But it
will, as Apple promised back in January, be able to operate Mac accessories,
including the popular LaserWriter printer and AppleTalk networking software.
More than 40 new products, such as software and memory cards made by Apple's
third-party developers, will be available in time for pre-Christmas sales,
Apple said.
------------------------------
Date: Tue 16 Sep 86 00:48:23-EDT
From: "Bob Soron" <Mly.G.Pogo%OZ.AI.MIT.EDU@XX.LCS.MIT.EDU>
Subject: New Apple Products
The new Apple //GS was previewed in the October Macworld, as most of you
probably know by now. Other magazines featuring it should be hitting the
stands this week and next; the machine is also being previewed at the New
England Apple Tree meeting this week, I believe.
Also, the new A+ mentions that "we won't see a Postscript Imagewriter for
under $500 this year." They don't say anything about _over_ $500, or about
next year. Hmmm...
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 15 Sep 86 10:55 EDT
From: Paul Christensen <PCHRISTENSEN%rca.com@CSNET-RELAY.ARPA>
Subject: RE: Rumours of new Apple products
Those interested in devouring the hottest rumors about the new Macintosh
products to be introduced in early 1987 should watch the pages of (of all
magazines) PC WEEK! In the past few months, PC Week has run some very
informative articles about the new machines -- many of their rumors have
been backed by sources in other magazines. Here's a brief list of the
most important articles in recent months:
PC Week July 15, 1986 pages 1,8 *** VERY informative
PC Week Sept 2, 1986 page 3
PC Week Sept 9, 1986 pages 44-45
- Paul Christensen
CSNET: PCHRISTENSEN@RCA.COM
------------------------------
Date: 16 Sep 86 09:05:16 EDT
From: Jeffrey Shulman <SHULMAN@RED.RUTGERS.EDU>
Subject: FontDisplay 4.5
Name: FONTDISPLAY 4.5
Date: 14-SEP-1986 19:50 by JEFFS
[ Updated 14-SEP-1986 19:50 by JEFFS to version 4.5. This version features
Option Quit to not save text/options, better LaserWriter support, couple minor
bug fixes. ]
This is FontDisplay 4.5, a program that allows you to display and print files
containing fonts.
In addition to numerous bug fixes, version 4.5 features:
Sample Window text saved
Can now print Sample Window text as part of the Style Sheet
Indexed documentation with edit history
Better printing error messages
[ archived as
[SUMEX-AIM.Stanford.EDU]<INFO-MAC>UTILITY-FONTDISPLAY-45.HQX
DAVEG
]
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 11 Sep 86 20:57:23 cdt
From: werner@ngp.UTEXAS.EDU (Werner Uhrig)
Subject: FastEddie demo version 2.6
Announcing the availability of FastEddie Demo Version 2.6
Interesting news about FastEddie is that Megamax has licensed the editor from
Cottage Software and now includes it (under different name) with the new
releases of Megamax-C (now HFS??!!). FE now also supports the Clipboard
HURRAY, and inspired by the Megamax interest, Daniel is working like crazy
on lots of other goodies.
One problem, I'd like to mention that I have run into repeatedly (and don't
know whom to blame for) is that when I run both QUED and FE under Switcher,
QUED often locks up on me when I open a new file. Yes, there are reasons
to use both QUED and FE, they both have some unique features.
Enjoy, ---Werner
[ archived as
[SUMEX-AIM.Stanford.EDU]<INFO-MAC>DEMO-FASTEDDIE-26-LTD.HQX
[SUMEX-AIM.Stanford.EDU]<INFO-MAC>DEMO-FASTEDDIE-26-CHANGES.HQX
[SUMEX-AIM.Stanford.EDU]<INFO-MAC>DEMO-FASTEDDIE-26-NEWS.TXT
DAVEG
]
------------------------------
Date: 15 Sep 86 11:24:39 EDT
From: Jeffrey Shulman <SHULMAN@RED.RUTGERS.EDU>
Subject: Delphi Mac Digest V2 #45
Delphi Mac Digest Monday, 15 September 1986 Volume 2 : Issue 45
Today's Topics:
FileMaker Plus multi-valued fields
RE: DataFrame, the first impression. (Re: Msg 12698)
RE: Carrying cases for Mac and hard disk (Re: Msg 12678)
RE: Assimilation MIDI problem
RE: Problems with MORE
RE: XLISP 1.6
RE: MacDraw, bitmaps, and the LaserWriter
RE: Model 100 formatting program
RE: DataFrame 20 fixes
Silicon Valley Expo
Desktop Pub Expo followup
RE: Copy Perversion Hall of Shame (Re: Msg 12588)
RE: quickdraw 3-d (Re: Msg 12589) (3 messages)
Servant .79
RE: TextEdit Bugs & printing to laser printer from program
RE: Prologs for the Mac (Re: Msg 12668)
Problem with STR# vs. readability (3 messages)
Disks / Drives
Database applications (2 messages)
2 Megabite Upgrades (2 messages)
MacLightning
Macs and a Cray
[ archived as
[SUMEX-AIM.Stanford.EDU]<INFO-MAC>DELPHIV2-45.ARC
DAVEG
]
------------------------------
Date: 15 Sep 86 11:22:55 EDT
From: Jeffrey Shulman <SHULMAN@RED.RUTGERS.EDU>
Subject: Usenet Mac Digest V2 #74
Usenet Mac Digest Monday, 15 September 1986 Volume 2 : Issue 74
Today's Topics:
Micah Failure HELP!
Microsoft Fortran & HFS
Most obscure Finder shortcut
Re: Micah Failure HELP!
MacApp Developer's Association
no print with reverse screen
Mac+,Brother Printer(HELP!)
Need accounting package
Hard Disk Question
Re: Application Heap Jockeying (long)
Lightspeed C <-> MacinTalk
Porting UNIX Applications to the Mac
Re: Assimilation MIDI problem
Re: Japanese word-processing software
LaserServe from Infosphere, Inc.
Re: MacinTalk
Re: Porting UNIX Applications to the Mac
[ archived as
[SUMEX-AIM.Stanford.EDU]<INFO-MAC>USENETV2-74.ARC
DAVEG
]
------------------------------
Date: 16 Sep 86 11:54:57 EDT
From: Jeffrey Shulman <SHULMAN@RED.RUTGERS.EDU>
Subject: Usenet Mac Digest V2 #75
Usenet Mac Digest Tuesday, 16 September 1986 Volume 2 : Issue 75
Today's Topics:
Re: Porting UNIX Applications to the Mac
text file printing query
Re: Porting UNIX Applications to the Mac
MacServe Info Wanted
Easy of programming, Mac, Amiga
Re: Easy of programming, Mac, Amiga
Comparing the Mac and the Amiga
Re: Micah Failure HELP!
Info on MacDraw file format
DataFrame 20
Apple SCSI HD20
Metafonting for the Mac?
Re: TextEdit Bugs
[ archived as
[SUMEX-AIM.Stanford.EDU]<INFO-MAC>USENETV2-75.ARC
DAVEG
]
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 16 Sep 86 10:13 PDT
From: PUGH%CCX.MFENET@LLL-MFE.ARPA
Subject: MacNifty SoundCap Review
So, with the aquisition of the MacNifty SoundCap system, I have been delving
into the wonderful world of sounds. For anyone contemplating doing this I have
several words of advice:
Buy more disks!
Buy more disks!
Buy more disks!
Now that that's done, let me tell about some of my experiences. My friend and
I got the package from ComputerWare in good ol' Palo Alto for a pitance, well,
87 pitances. Upon arriving home, and wondering en route, we discovered that
it was NOT MacPlus compatible since it needed power out of the port and had a
DB9 anyways (an optional adaptor is available for a small fee). Well, we
both have regular Macs, if we could only remember where we put them, with
memory upgrades so we went and dug my two Meg 64K ROM machine out and plugged
it into the MacNifty via the Modem port with only a 400K system disk attached
to it. We booted with TOPS and a 1 Meg RAMdisk was created. On the dining
room table went the MicahMac+ with TOPS and the Appletalk plugged in. Now I
could digitize about 40 seconds of sound on the Mac and save the 700K+ files
on the published RAMdisk and then copy them onto the hard disk or 800K
floppies at the Mac+. I could even delete the file off the RAMdisk from the
Mac+ once I had a copy. I never even had to leave SoundCap on the Mac.
So, I found out that Data Compression available on the File menu from
SoundCap, while being slow, made a big difference in the file sizes. From
700K to 500K. The sampling rate could be lowered to allow a period of 2.5
minutes to be digitized (all of Also Sprach Zarathustra) but with a
corresponding loss of clarity. The Special Effects are nice, but some of them
run into serious memory restraints. For example, Ramp Up and Ramp Down will
not work with any sizable chunk of sound in memory. What they are supposed to
do is the fade in and out. What you have to do is cut the piece you want to
ramp, close and save the file and paste it into memory for the ramp operation.
Then save it, load the original and Open and Insert to place the ramped piece
back where you got it from. All in all, it's a bit tedious, so we can add a
second piece of advice.
Buy more memory!
All in all though, this is one primo piece of hardware and software. It is to
sound what the Thunderscan is to graphics. SoundCap enables you to record and
playback sounds, watch an Outer Limits like waveform on the oscilliscope (We
control the vertical...), hear an echo chamber effect, or perform a spectrum
analysis on the input (FFTs in real time with 4 degrees of resolution). It
saves data optionally compressed and also in Studio Session format.
Four Stars! Buy this puppy!
Jon
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 16 Sep 86 10:49 PDT
From: PUGH%CCX.MFENET@LLL-MFE.ARPA
Subject: Smash Hit Raquetball
I just got a very nice game named Smash Hit Raquetball. It has digitized sound
and is very easy to play, and quite fun. A description is pointless but I can
describe how you move your guy. You have a dot on the floor and he will run
around and try to stand on it. There is also a ball lock. A beep sounds when
he is the proper position to play the ball and he stops to hit it. I have not
seen him miss once he has locked in. The trick is to get him into position so
that he can lock in on the ball.
It's a great game with lots of action and great sounds. The guys make all the
traditional shots, including back wall and kill shots. It has four levels and
some sound options. Very well done. It is copy perverted but will allow you
to install and deinstall it onto your hard disk. If it determines that you are
using a copy (like if the disk is locked) all it does is play VERY badly. You
can no longer even get shots to the wall. I was wondering what was going on
for a bit.
Best of all, this is only $14.95 from Primera Software, 33 Norwood Ave,
Kensington CA. Just a moment, I have to boot the thing to get the phone #.
I'm back - to order call (415) 525-3000. Such a deal, let me tell you!
As usual, I have no connections with these people, etc...
------------------------------
Date: 16 Sep 1986 10:12-EDT
Sender: VERACSD@A.ISI.EDU
Subject: Computerware
From: VERACSD@A.ISI.EDU
I've run across some references to "Computerware", which appears to
be a good source of SW (if not HW as well).
Will someone please give me some info/pointer re it?
Thanks.
-- Cris Kobryn
[ note from moderator: as I've said before I've always been happy with
the folks with computerware whenever I've dealt with them. The address:
109 California Ave. information number: 415-323-7557
Palo Alto, CA. 94306 ordering numbers: 800 323-1133 CA
800 235-1155 USA
They have a $30 minimum for mail orders according to their literature.
DAVEG ]
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 15 Sep 86 18:57 EDT
From: Mark Purtill <Purtill@MIT-MULTICS.ARPA>
Subject: considering mac purchase...
<Fnord>
I'm considering buying a mac and have a few questions y'all might
be able to answer. (Please respond by mail as I rarely read the
digest and most of the people who do probably know the stuff.)
1. What, aside from the memory, is the difference between the
512K/E and the mac plus? Is the plus worth the extra $440? (I'd
be getting these at a discount, $1100 for the 512K/E)
2. Are there any decent, cheap C compilers for the mac?
3. Are there any problems with a Mac I ought to know about? Would you
recomend one, or should I get an amiga or st?
Thanks in advance for your time, and again, please respond by mail
to me, not the net.
Mark
^.-.^ Purtill at MIT-MULTICS.ARPA **Insert favorite disclaimer here**
((")) 2-229 MIT Cambrige MA 02139
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End of INFO-MAC Digest
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