daehl@madnix.UUCP (Donald Aehl) (12/16/89)
I just got a look at some of the "new" Beagle Bros. software. Namely: BeagleWrite GS, BeagleDraw and Beagle Desk Accessories GS. Now, I have always been really supportive of Beagle software, but I must say that I am quite dissapointed in these "new" titles. First of all, BeagleWrite GS (formerly "MultiScribe GS") has virtually no improvements whatsoever. It is labeled version "3.2", but is all but indistinguishable from Multiscribe GS 3.1c. The only change is that it is no longer copy-protected. The dictionaries are still useless when installed on a hard drive. The manual simply says "we're working on it.." Yeah, right. BeagleDraw. The only change is that the menubar no longer uses that awfull font which was so hard to read. It is an interesting variation on Chicago, but it is proportioned for 320 mode. Still, the program is buggy & sluggish. It is frustrating to have the magnification at maximum but still not be able to align objects accurately. Something is wrong with the refresh routines, and the main window is regularly trashed during scrolling. It was really frustrating to work with. Draw Plus is heads and shoulders above this beast. And finally, Beagle Desk Accessories GS. I was really hopeful about this one. I really loved the Menuclock permanent init file on my system 3.2 disks. And hoped that this new one would be compatible with System 5.0.2 Well, it wasn't. It interferes with the Font Manager Toolset and causes all kinds of problems with everything from AWGS 1.1 to BeagleWrite. As far as the other DAs go, I don't have anything negative to say. The notepad works fine and so does the scrapbook (both extremely useful utilities). Well, I don't want to seem like a jerk. I applaud Beagle Bros for takiing the initiative to purchase the StyleWare products. However, distributing them without even correcting the bugs (which have existed for a few years now) seems reckless and thoughtless at best. I sure hope Beagle puts some support into these products. They have the potential to be the best on the market. However, if they take their time and decide to let them be, then Beagle Bros probably shouldn't have bought them in the first place.
mmunz@pro-beagle.cts.COM (Mark Munz) (12/19/89)
In-Reply-To: message from daehl@madnix.UUCP >First of all, BeagleWrite GS (formerly "MultiScribe GS") has virtually no >improvements whatsoever. It is labeled version "3.2", but is all but >indistinguishable from Multiscribe GS 3.1c. The only change is that it is no >longer copy-protected. The dictionaries are still useless when installed on a >hard drive. The manual simply says "we're working on it.." Yeah, right. Yes, there are some problems still with the dictionaries. But I would like to give you some of the inside scoop. When Beagle Bros got MultiScribe, we got ourselves a mess. Sorry folks, Styleware didn't do a good job keeping source code updated with object code and the like. We've been cleaning it up since we've got it and trying to fix problems along the way. The dictionary problems and compatibility with AW 3.0 are both on our list of things to work on. >From what I see, I don't think StyleWare would have ever updated MultiScribe GS.. or maybe that's could never have? As to changes, we've made sure it is compatible with System 5.0, removed the copy-protection and taken care of bugs here and there (I can't remember them all). >I sure hope Beagle puts some support into these products. They have the >potential to be the best on the market. However, if they take their time and >decide to let them be, then Beagle Bros probably shouldn't have bought them in >the first place. It takes time to clean up code. Beagle Bros has always come through for the customer. Just check Beagle's past performance. We're not about to throw it that away. Mark Munz
a34@mindlink.UUCP (David Martyn) (12/19/89)
Mark: I have had a aproblem with BeagleWrite. The program hangs when I try to load it on my RamWorks Card. I borrowed a version of the Styleware MultiSCribe and it loaded correctly. Are you aware of this problem? -- ------------------------------------------------------------------------ David Martyn, Burnaby, British Columbia | Perfection of the means of Sysop: Apples BC BBS | communication has meant David_Martyn@MindLink.uucp | instantaneity. (McLuhan) ------------------------------------------------------------------------
mmunz@pro-beagle.cts.com@canremote.uucp (mmunz@pro-beagle.cts.COM) (12/21/89)
From: mmunz@pro-beagle.cts.COM (Mark Munz) Orga: The Internet In-Reply-To: message from daehl@madnix.UUCP >First of all, BeagleWrite GS (formerly "MultiScribe GS") has virtually no >improvements whatsoever. It is labeled version "3.2", but is all but >indistinguishable from Multiscribe GS 3.1c. The only change is that it is no >longer copy-protected. The dictionaries are still useless when installed on a >hard drive. The manual simply says "we're working on it.." Yeah, right. Yes, there are some problems still with the dictionaries. But I would like to give you some of the inside scoop. When Beagle Bros got MultiScribe, we got ourselves a mess. Sorry folks, Styleware didn't do a good job keeping source code updated with object code and the like. We've been cleaning it up since we've got it and trying to fix problems along the way. The dictionary problems and compatibility with AW 3.0 are both on our list of things to work on. >From what I see, I don't think StyleWare would have ever updated MultiScribe GS.. or maybe that's could never have? As to changes, we've made sure it is compatible with System 5.0, removed the copy-protection and taken care of bugs here and there (I can't remember them all). >I sure hope Beagle puts some support into these products. They have the >potential to be the best on the market. However, if they take their time and >decide to let them be, then Beagle Bros probably shouldn't have bought them in >the first place. It takes time to clean up code. Beagle Bros has always come through for the customer. Just check Beagle's past performance. We're not about to throw it that away. Mark Munz --- * Via MaSNet/HST96/HST144/V32 - UN Apple * Via Usenet Newsgroup comp.sys.apple
wombat@claris.com (Scott Lindsey) (01/01/90)
In article <14341.chatter.infoapple@pro-beagle> mmunz@pro-beagle.cts.COM (Mark Munz) writes: > Yes, there are some problems still with the dictionaries. But I would > like to give you some of the inside scoop. When Beagle Bros got > MultiScribe, we got ourselves a mess. Sorry folks, Styleware didn't > do a good job keeping source code updated with object code and the like. StyleWare didn't do that lousy a job -- Claris did. Claris was never very interested in any of the StyleWare product line except for GSWorks. Clar didn't ask for source until all of the programmers and equipment had been moved to California, continuing development on AWGS. At that point, the StyleWare office had been thrown to the four winds. The source Beagle finally got was culled from various programmers' hard drives, and included a few post-production bug fixes. > We've been cleaning it up since we've got it and trying to fix problems > along the way. The dictionary problems and compatibility with AW 3.0 > are both on our list of things to work on. One thing I'm curious about, and I hope you don't consider this inappropriate for the public forum (switch to email if you do), is why Beagle took so long from accepting the source to the first complaint? If they'd tried a build immediately, they probably could've gotten more leverage in the deal/support from Claris on the deal. One thing I mentioned to some people in marketing at Claris was the possibility of letting Beagle get the AWGS spell checker code, as of version 1.1. It is based on the code used in MSGS and has been pounded on quite a bit since 1.0v2 (which hadn't changed since 1.0) I fixed bugs both in StyleWare's code and in Proximity's. The main practical problems would be that the source is in MPW, not APW and that there might be some interfacing problems going back to MSGS from AWGS. However, it's my belief that that would still be easier than what Beagle would have to do otherwise (or is it too late now?). > >From what I see, I don't think StyleWare would have ever updated > MultiScribe GS.. or maybe that's could never have? StyleWare could have, probably would have. Claris couldn't have, probably wouldn't have tried. Scott Lindsey |"Cold and misty morning. I heard a warning borne in the air Claris Corp. | About an age of power when no one had an hour to spare" ames!claris!wombat| DISCLAIMER: These are not the opinions of Claris, Apple, wombat@claris.com | StyleWare, the author, or anyone else living or Dead.