INFO-MAC-REQUEST@SUMEX-AIM.ARPA (Moderator David Gelphman...) (09/06/86)
INFO-MAC Digest Friday, 5 Sep 1986 Volume 4 : Issue 110
Today's Topics:
Re: Determining machine configuration
isolated (?) problem with DataFrame-20s
my Micah-Drive crashed - no file-tags ....
posting of Servant 0.79
Usenet Mac Digest V2 #69
Usenet Mac Digest V2 #70
Usenet Mac Digest V2 #71
Delphi Mac Digest V2 #42
Re: MacTutor comments
HFS Disk checker
MDS 2.0 update?
CPT Page Printer 2 driver.
Comparison of the big database packages
Source for Cables and Adapters
new Lod-Down phone-numbers - old ones are "no longer in service"
spell checker
arabic fonts
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Wed, 3 Sep 86 09:59:17 pdt
From: Larry Rosenstein <lsr%apple.csnet@CSNET-RELAY.ARPA>
Subject: Re: Determining machine configuration
>Date: Wed 27 Aug 86 08:04:07-PDT
>From: David L. Edwards <DLE@SRI-STRIPE.ARPA>
>Subject: Determining machine configuration
>
>
>Addtional hardware configuration can be determined from flags in HWCfgFlags,
>located at $B22, which is a word long with flags 0 - 12 zero and reserved
>for Apple.
I think this is only valid if you have 128K ROMs. On 64K ROM machines,
address $B22 is at the start of the system heap. On 128K ROM machines,
which will help you distinguish between a Mac Plus logic board and a 512Ke
logic board.
Larry Rosenstein
Object Specialist
Apple Computer
AppleLink: Rosenstein1
UUCP: {sun, voder, nsc, mtxinu, dual}!apple!lsr
CSNET: lsr@Apple.CSNET
------------------------------
Date: Thu 4 Sep 86 02:30:58-CDT
From: Werner Uhrig <CMP.WERNER@R20.UTEXAS.EDU>
Subject: isolated (?) problem with DataFrame-20s
[ SuperMac Tech now reports 3 assembly lines up and running ...]
in a recent shipment of 4 drives, we found 2 SCSI-cables to be "flaky",
sensitive to minor cable movement ..... that may be a trend as we had been
waiting for "cables to arrive from a new source in Taiwan" ...
also, whereas the earlier drives contained a "name-brand" power-supply,
which was part of the reason why I decided to prefer DataFrames, currently
delivered models contain a "no-name generic" power-supply.
Also, has someone seen the new software yet? It's supposed to arrive first
week of September ....
The DataFrame is still my drive of choice ...
------------------------------
Date: Thu 4 Sep 86 02:45:35-CDT
From: Werner Uhrig <CMP.WERNER@R20.UTEXAS.EDU>
Subject: my Micah-Drive crashed - no file-tags ....
Saturday, I turned Mickey off - must have been the first time in weeks - and
Sunday morning, the internal Micah would not boot nor give any other sign of
life; the Micah-manager only offered the choice to reinitilize and format ...
of course, there was no recent enough back-up to reformat, so I decided to
spend a little time to investigate if there was any reason for hope at all.
Which turned up the following interesting bits of information:
1) only Apple's HD-20 and the DataFrame-20 seem to use file-tags, making
recovery possible when the control and/or directory blocks are trashed
(I can't tell yet if my problem is with the controller, the ROMs, or with
the drive, actually)
2) Les Herbst, author of MacZAP by MicroAnalyst is working on some software
to help recover from such a catastrophy (at least, sometimes)
also, MicroAnalyst now has a BBS with an area limited to registered
owners of MacZAP. The LifeBoat BBS can be reached at (512)926-9582.
Les plans to make new patch-files available there. more info in a seperate
message.
In result of this I plan to wait a few weeks to see if I can recover something
from the crashed Micah - if you have a similar problem, you may want to stay
tuned to my future reports ....
[ note from Moderator: The Supermac DataFrame 20 does NOT support file
tags and according to the tech person I spoke with yesterday the new
XP series from DataFrame does not either. Last March or so, I talked
with Steve Edelman of SuperMac who informed me a version of the DataFrame
would be released (probably) this summer which supported tags but
evidently the XP upgrade does not have tags. DAVEG ]
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 4 Sep 86 17:04:21 PDT
From: <DAVEG@SLACVM.BITNET>
Reply-to: DAVEG%SLACVM.BITNET@Forsythe.Stanford.Edu
Subject: posting of Servant 0.79
I wanted to post this for a couple of weeks but waited for permission
from Andy Hertzfeld the author. I couldn't get in touch with him for a while
and then I saw him walking down the street with Burrell Smith and asked
him whether he minded if I posted Servant. It was OK with him as long
as I indicate that this is a BETA copy, he knows there are bugs and wants
people to report them (a bug report sheet can be printed from within
servant). THIS IS NOT A FINISHED PRODUCT BUT IS AVAILABLE FOR TESTING
AND EXAMINATION.
With that aside let me give a few hints on what I know about using
this version of SERVANT. Double clicking on SERVANT puts you in it's
shell environment. You can run any application in the normal fashion
but instead of the application taking over the Mac, servant is still in
'background'. It's window is still on the screen and clicking in its window
(or selecting SERVANT from the file menu) will put you back in SERVANT.
You can run additional applications from SERVANT without closing the
others (within memory limitations) and while the inactive applications
are not running (no multitasking) they are available by clicking in their
windows. It is a nicer MAC interface than SWITCHER and Andy is adding other
things as well.
Many of the menus don't work (like duplicating and copying files) and
programs which create new files will work OK but the icons will not appear
on the desktop until you quit servant. Andy plans to put some sort of
scripting into it (only a nonfunctioning menu item exists now) and resource
editting (some of which exists, try the open resource menu item when
a application is selected).
A couple of comments about the SERVANT windows...they have icons on them
which will let you SHOWPAGE (press the eyeball and drag to frame the part
of the page you wish to see); view by date,time,size; a number of
icon sizes are available and you can scroll around the windows using
the hand (a la MacPaint, and thunderscanner software...try 'pushing'
the window region with the hand). Andy told us at a developers meeting
that he took great pains to make the dragging of icons look 'right' and
indeed the real outlines are dragged (unlike the finder).
One comment...it is BETA test and still has lots of bugs and is
not really usable as a finder substitute yet...it even destroys itself
sometimes (probably with the resource management stuff) so keep a
backup copy. AND SEND IN THOSE BUG REPORTS.
If people discover features of servant then send them to me and I'll
summarize and post a 'feature' list.
David Gelphman BITNET address: DAVEG@SLACVM
Bin #88 SLAC ARPANET address: DAVEG@SLACVM.BITNET
Stanford, Calif. 94305 UUCP address: ...psuvax1!daveg%slacvm.bitnet
415-854-3300 x2538
usual disclaimer #432 applies: my employer apologies for the fact
that I have access to this net.
[ archived as
[SUMEX-AIM.Stanford.EDU]<INFO-MAC>SERVANT-79.HQX
DAVEG
]
------------------------------
Date: 3 Sep 86 16:48:07 EDT
From: Jeffrey Shulman <SHULMAN@RED.RUTGERS.EDU>
Subject: Usenet Mac Digest V2 #69
Usenet Mac Digest Wednesday, 3 September 1986 Volume 2 : Issue 69
Today's Topics:
Icons like the Finder uses.
memory test with the 68000 (The Worm Memory Test)
Airbrush DA (does anybody have it?)
SizeOf(MPW)?
Re: Bitmap problems w/LaserWriter
Re: MacPublisher II comments
New, faster SCSI hard drive from SuperMac / Dataframe upgradeable
Hard Disk Question
How can we protect sensitive data on a HD20?
Re: New, faster SCSI hard drive from SuperMac / Dataframe upgradeable
MacBottom question
Re: SizeOf(MPW)?
Re: How to draw a Region around a rando
Re: MacTutor Considered Harmful
MacTudor Magazine
Re: MacApp Paint
Re: MacTutor Magazine
dealers
Wanted - list of Prolog on the Macintosh
Journaling
Re: How can we protect sensitive data on a HD20?
Re: MacWorld Show impression
Re: OOOPs, need floppy disk utility
Closing DAs
TransSkel1.0 Bug (horrors!) + Fix
Re: Closing DAs
[ archived as
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DAVEG
]
------------------------------
Date: 3 Sep 86 16:49:16 EDT
From: Jeffrey Shulman <SHULMAN@RED.RUTGERS.EDU>
Subject: Usenet Mac Digest V2 #70
Usenet Mac Digest Wednesday, 3 September 1986 Volume 2 : Issue 70
Today's Topics:
UPTIME diskette magazine
Help with Overvue Requested
Re: Consulair's Mac C compiler
TML and HFS
Kafka revisited
Application Heap Jockeying
File Manager Query
LightSpeedC and libraries...
DataFrame 20, ComputerWare
Re: Kafka revisited
Re: MacBottom question
Re: Medical Uses of a MAC
Re: How can we protect sensitive data on a HD20?
Re: Help with Overvue Requested
800k drives
Another TransSkel patch (not a bug fix)
WordHandler, from ALS systems (flame)
Stock Analysis Packages for Mac?
Southworth Total Music Help Needed
Reviews of Courtland's TopDesk and LTV's MORE
Re: Stock Analysis Packages for Mac?
[ archvied as
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DAVEG
]
------------------------------
Date: 5 Sep 86 11:47:44 EDT
From: Jeffrey Shulman <SHULMAN@RED.RUTGERS.EDU>
Subject: Usenet Mac Digest V2 #71
Usenet Mac Digest Fridday, 5 September 1986 Volume 2 : Issue 71
Today's Topics:
CAD --> MAC?
Desktop publishing interest group
How do I change an application's icon?
QD ovals
Unix V on the Mac???
French/Italian Fonts?
Tops for the PC and Mac (Long)
Re: Closing DAs (and TML questions)
Re: Closing DAs (and TML questions)
Neon v1.5 update
Apple Color Plotter Driver. Help please!
Re: Closing DAs (and TML questions)
Re: File Manager Query
Re: Application Heap Jockeying
Re: Inside Macintosh vol. IV
modem port under new ROM
MacEqn upgrade policy
DTR held high from program control?
HFS Disk checker
Geneological Software
Low Level Disk Driver Info?
[ archived as
[SUMEX-AIM.Stanford.EDU]<INFO-MAC>USENETV2-71.ARC
DAVEG
]
------------------------------
Date: 4 Sep 86 19:42:48 EDT
From: Jeffrey Shulman <SHULMAN@RED.RUTGERS.EDU>
Subject: Delphi Mac Digest V2 #42
Delphi Mac Digest Thursday, 4 September 1986 Volume 2 : Issue 42
Today's Topics:
Floating Point with Aztec C (5 messages)
trap dispatch
RE: Extensible Desk Accessories (Re: Msg 357)
RE: a debugging aid (Re: Msg 671) (2 messages)
RE: Hard Disk Drive Reliability (Re: Msg 12260) (4 messages)
Keyboard Fun (3 messages)
RE: Using Acta Runner for other (useful) purposes
RE: FLIPPING PIG MODE ON
A gem by any other name...
RE: Which 20 Meg?? (Re: Msg 12311) (4 messages)
HyperDrive failures
Advanced Logic Systems - Word Handler
MacAuthor
Using Mac to communicate with deaf
DataFrame Print Spooler (Beta 1.2) Probl (3 messages)
DeskTop Publishing Expo
TScan blues
[ archived as
[SUMEX-AIM.Stanford.EDU]<INFO-MAC>DELPHIV2-42.ARC
DAVEG
]
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 5 Sep 86 09:33 CDT
From: <BOYD%TAMLSR.BITNET@WISCVM.WISC.EDU> (Scott T. Boyd)
Subject: Re: MacTutor comments
In either the Delphi or Usenet digest, Larry Rosenstein made some comments
about MacTutor. These were followed by another (sorry, forgot your name).
Larry pointed out a serious bug in a menu proc published not too long ago.
He makes a very valid point: If you have to do tricks to get your programs
to work, make sure that IM permits those tricks. Don't go disassembling
the ROM or playing nasty tricks on it. You're guaranteeing yourself
trouble otherwise.
The follow-up letter rather disturbed me. He argued that MacTutor wasn't
worth the price anymore. He complained of programmer errors, spelling errors
and poor formatting. He also suggested that anyone wanting to learn how
to program the Mac now has ample resources in the numerous books that are
(just) now available.
Fine. Consider the following. MacTutor is one of the few forums that
programmers have for teaching others from their very recent efforts. How
recent? Take a look at the September issue (I got mine Aug. 31). In the
article that I submitted, notice the program listings, dated in mid-July.
David Smith, MacTutor's Editor, was able to take articles, program listings,
ads, letters, and who knows what else, assembled it, printed it, took it
to the printer, and mailed it, all in under six weeks (while attending
at least one 3-day show in Boston). How many magazines can you think of
that have that kind of lead time?
Consider also that authors have the primary (but not final) responsibility
for spelling checking and formatting. Sure, I'd feel a lot better if every
article was carefully checked, corrected, and reformatted to correct my
oversights. Who wouldn't? But I'm not so sure I want a longer lead time
or a more expensive magazine. For the price, I'm still rather happy.
As to programming errors, do you think I sent my program through alpha
and beta testing before submitting it? Of course not. How much time would
you spend for $250? I can assure you that if it weren't my hobby, I'd be
rather upset that I was making less than minimum wage. Keep in mind that
a typical submission like mine had 1 program, 2 edit-format source listings,
2 macwrite formatted listings, a personal history, a cover letter, two
macdraw documents, and a rather lengthy article.
Is my program buggy? Hope not! I tested it as much as I could afford
to, but I never have believed in the mythical bug-free program. In fact,
I rather hope that, if I missed something while writing it, somewhere in
the rather large readership some insightful soul might find and report my
mistake. MacTutor should tutor, and authors are mere mortals who stand
to learn something. I never have looked to MacTutor articles as punch-
and-run blowoffs like those piddly things you find in Compute. The articles
presented in MacTutor tend to teach pieces of the whole picture for those
who want to incorporate them into their own programs. Anyone who expects
perfect programs has probably missed the point.
I read MacTutor to learn. To learn those mystic Mac techniques. To
absorb new ideas. To acquire current information. How many books can
you buy today that talk about current development tools (Knaster's and
Schmucker's books being the exception). The September issue
talked about MPW, the new TML, Lightspeed Pascal, and others. And don't
forget the bug reports printed in every issue (as referred to by the
responder). Bugs do get reported. Try that with books.
scott t. boyd
banzai binaries
------------------------------
From: stew%lhasa.UUCP@harvard.HARVARD.EDU
Date: 4 Sep 86 21:34 EDT
Subject: HFS Disk checker
Does anyone know of a program (commercial or otherwise) which checks
the bitmap, extent, and catalog files of an HFS disk for consistency?
Something that reports blocks marked as allocated but not assigned
to any file, blocks multiply allocated, etc?
Failing that, does anyone have any example code which reads these
files for any purpose? The program ought not be hard to write...
The other day, I found out something was wrong when FEdit plus crashed
when trying to open a file (any file) from my hard disk. Everything
seemed OK from the Finder, but I did a backup, reinit and restore
anyway. Anyone have any tools at all for helping to cope with this
situation?
Stew
rubenstein@endor.harvard.edu
seismo!harvard!lhasa!stew
[ note from moderator: Some discussion about the program DISK EXPRESS from
ALSOFT is contained in the DELPHI DIGESTS which were recently posted. The
comments there led me to believe that this program does do at least some
of the checking discussed above. The phone number for ALSOFT is
713-353-4090. DAVEG ]
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 4 Sep 86 12:33:06 PDT
From: <DAVEG@SLACVM.BITNET>
Reply-to: DAVEG%SLACVM.BITNET@Forsythe.Stanford.Edu
Subject: MDS 2.0 update?
I don't remember a registration card for MDS I don't expect to get
a letter. Does anyone know about this update and if so please post
the necessary information for those of us who are not registered or
certified developers. Thanks,
David Gelphman BITNET address: DAVEG@SLACVM
Bin #88 SLAC ARPANET address: DAVEG@SLACVM.BITNET
Stanford, Calif. 94305 UUCP address: ...psuvax1!daveg%slacvm.bitnet
415-854-3300 x2538
usual disclaimer #432 applies: my employer apologies for the fact
that I have access to this net.
------------------------------
Subject: CPT Page Printer 2 driver.
From: KNIGHT%MAINE.BITNET@WISCVM.WISC.EDU (Michael Knight)
Date: Thu, 04 Sep 86 15:46:27 EDT
One of the people here at Maine is considering buying a Mac Plus for
desktop publishing purposes and already has a CPT Page Printer 2
laser printer. We need to know if anyone out there knows of software
which will allow him to use this printer with his Mac.
Thanks in advance.
Michael Knight
KNIGHT@MAINE.BITNET
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 4 Sep 86 09:58:46 edt
From: Karen Weiss <weiss@nrl-aic>
Subject: Comparison of the big database packages
I'm interested in creating inventory/scheduling/billing systems for small
companies with no computer inclinations and no networking requirements. My
primary concern is to make an end product that is easy to use. With that in
mind, my readings have indicated that Omnis 3 would be a better bet than
Helix. But now my selection pool has doubled with the introduction of DBase
and Reflex. Maybe I now have the luxury of picking a package that is easy
for both the user AND the programmer. Can anyone compare and contrast these
four products in terms of ease of use? Thanks.
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 4 Sep 86 13:51:44 edt
From: rls@mitre-bedford.ARPA (Shaffer)
Subject: Source for Cables and Adapters
I'm posting the following price list for a friend. He currently can supply
most Apple cables and adapaters at prices less than Apple's. He may be
reached at:
Mr. Jay Heller
(301)/948-7440 9-9 Eastern Time M-F
9-3 " " Sat
He currently has or will have:
Power adapter (+5V) $25
Power adapter (+5V,+12V) $35
Macintosh Plus Adapter (Circular-8 to D-shell 9) $17
Other Apple cables (non-SCSI) $17 + .20/ft.
SCSI cables Call
Appletalk cables : PVC $10 + .40/ft
Teflon $10 + .90/ft
connector kits Avail. in September
Bob
------------------------------
Date: Thu 4 Sep 86 02:22:54-CDT
From: Werner Uhrig <CMP.WERNER@R20.UTEXAS.EDU>
Subject: new Lod-Down phone-numbers - old ones are "no longer in
Subject: service"
we got rather excited today, when all the phone-numbers of Low-Down (maker of
SCSI disks and tapes) came up as "DISCONNECTED" - until we found their new
number:
(408)438-7400
just wanted to save someone else the aggravation ....
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 5 Sep 86 10:52:44 EDT
From: dms@HERMES.AI.MIT.EDU (David M. Siegel)
Subject: spell checker
I'm looking for a spelling checker for the Mac... public domain or a
commercial product. Thanks for any information you might have.
-Dave
[ note from moderator: Recent issues of MACUSER, MacWorld, Macazine, etc. have
had reviews of different spelling checkers. They seem like a good bet for
reviews. DAVEG ]
------------------------------
Date: 4 Sep 1986 12:13:17-EDT
From: Ramesh.Harjani@faraday.ECE.CMU.EDU
Subject: arabic fonts
I am thinking of developing arabic (urdu) fonts on the Mac. Does anyone
have stuff already done. And any pointers will also be appreciated.
Thanks in advance.
(harjani@faraday.ece.cmu.edu)
(412-422-0128 and 412-268-6646)
------------------------------
End of INFO-MAC Digest
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