tsouth@pro-pac.cts.com (System Administrator) (07/23/89)
Not to belittle the documentation staff at Apple, but are we to expect the
same type of documentation for the release 5.0 as was published in the 4.0
package? It really was annoying to pay $40 something dollars for a finder
tutorial. I would appreciate information on the file-types and drivers,
even if the hard technical (machine-level) specs are printed somewhere else,
such as in a programmer's reference.
Todd South
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INET: tsouth@pro-pac.CTS.COM - BITNET: pro-pac.UUCP!tsouth@PSUVAX1dlyons@Apple.COM (David Lyons) (07/25/89)
In article <8907230934.AA15695@crash.cts.com> pnet01!pro-nsfmat!pro-pac!tsouth@nosc.mil writes: >Not to belittle the documentation staff at Apple, but are we to expect the >same type of documentation for the release 5.0 as was published in the 4.0 >package? It really was annoying to pay $40 something dollars for a finder >tutorial. I would appreciate information on the file-types and drivers, >even if the hard technical (machine-level) specs are printed somewhere else, >such as in a programmer's reference. > >Todd South The documentation you can buy from your dealer is Finder-tutorial sort of stuff. If anybody told you you'd get developer-level documentation from your dealer, they were wrong. APDA had developer documentation for 4.0, and they will have it for 5.0. GS/OS Reference Volumes 1 and 2 are available from APDA--this covers drivers and OMF filetypes, among other things. Other File Type stuff can be found in File Type Notes, distributed along with Technical Notes. --Dave Lyons, Apple Computer, Inc. | DAL Systems AppleLink--Apple Edition: DAVE.LYONS | P.O. Box 875 AppleLink--Personal Edition: Dave Lyons | Cupertino, CA 95015-0875 GEnie: D.LYONS2 or DAVE.LYONS CompuServe: 72177,3233 Internet/BITNET: dlyons@apple.com UUCP: ...!ames!apple!dlyons My opinions are my own, not Apple's.
asd@mace.cc.purdue.edu (Kareth) (07/25/89)
In article <33446@apple.Apple.COM> dlyons@Apple.COM (David Lyons) writes: >In article <8907230934.AA15695@crash.cts.com> pnet01!pro-nsfmat!pro-pac!tsouth@nosc.mil writes: >>Not to belittle the documentation staff at Apple, but are we to expect the >>same type of documentation for the release 5.0 as was published in the 4.0 >>package? It really was annoying to pay $40 something dollars for a finder >>tutorial. I would appreciate information on the file-types and drivers, >>even if the hard technical (machine-level) specs are printed somewhere else, >>such as in a programmer's reference. >>Todd South >The documentation you can buy from your dealer is Finder-tutorial sort of >stuff. If anybody told you you'd get developer-level documentation from >your dealer, they were wrong. I don't think Todd is looking for developer-level stuff. I think he is looking for a System Disk manual which is odd because I just checked (to make sure) and the "manual" I have for 4.0 says: Apple IIgs System Disk User's Guide. Yeah, right. It should read, "Apple IIgs System Disk: Finder Tutorial." The only thing relevant to the the system disk I found was the pamplet describing the Installer. I blitzed through the "User's Guide" once so I knew for sure what I was doing with the Finder, but I was EXTREMELY disappointed. The guide had NOTHING to do with the system disk. I believe it mentions GS/OS once or possible twice. I think what Todd, I and probably lots of over folks are looking for is a short guide to the system disk. What directories are for what (like /sysdisk/system/*), what do certain types of files do in general, what is necessary and what isn't, where should we place things (like CDA's, NDA's, Fonts, etc), do they have to be there or can they be someplace else, what are icon files used for, where do they go (I spent a lot of time guessing around to figure out exactly where to put icon files), and stuff like that. Nothing complex, just a simple guide to what the system disk is all about. I figure it wouldn't even have to be any bigger than the docs that were sent out for the Installer program. And it'd sure help out new users who might not have any idea about anything about the system disk. I'm hardly a neophyte to Apple's, my family still has our old II+ back home, but I still get a bit lost trying to figure out or understand what everything in the system disk is about. It'd be nice to understand, or at least know what all is going into the running of all this nice GS/OS stuff, the basics of it that is. -kareth.
mcgurrin@MITRE.MITRE.ORG (07/28/89)
I second Kareth's comments. I understand that detailed tech. stuff goes into the technical books, but more *USER* documentation is needed than the tutorial provided. Documentation on what files are in what folders, what the files do, what files must stay in what folders for particular applications, and what files are mandatory or mandatory for certain other files is user level information! Apple needs to keep in mind that a large plurality, if not a majority, of IIGS users don't want to be told to be dumb and happy, and just point, click, type, and don't ask questions! This is true even if we don't have the time or inclination to delve into using GS/OS in our own programming.
L77@TAUNOS.BITNET (Yoram Ney) (07/29/89)
> Apple needs to keep in mind that a large plurality, if >not a majority, of IIGS users don't want to be told to be dumb and happy, >and just point, click, type, and don't ask questions! This is true even if >we don't have the time or inclination to delve into using GS/OS in our own >programming. Yeah!!!!!!!!
lbotez@pnet02.gryphon.com (Lynda Botez) (08/01/89)
> Apple needs to keep in mind a large plurality, if not a majority, of > IIGS users don't want to be told to be dumb and happy, and just point, > click, type, and don't ask questions! Hah! When I first bought my IIGS, I got this tutorial that came with the machine that showed me how to point, click, type, etc. etc. Problem was, it didn't tell me how to do anything else. I was under the impression that I was missing something! I didn't know a thing about computers... and after that introduction, the only thing I could do was use a few software programs. Documentation for new users is appalling, at best. After three years, I'm still struggling... I doubt using the Finder is really a problem for most users. It is rather intuitive. What I'm curious about it how someone with only one 3.5 drive is supposed to "install" the drivers from the "tools" disk on "system" disk. Seems like there is no room. Oh well, I have a hard drive.... Lynda UUCP: {ames!elroy, <routing site>}!gryphon!pnet02!lbotez INET: lbotez@pnet02.gryphon.com
jlink@pro-xy.UUCP (John Link) (08/02/89)
Network Comment: to #6 by obsolete!elroy.jpl.nasa.gov!gryphon!pnet02!lbotez%decwrl.dec.com Actually, I have but a single 3.5 inch disk and managed to install the SCSI driver on the "system" disk, since such had to be done before I could re-boot with my SCSI drive active. It was not easy, due to the number of disk swaps, but the prompting was sufficient, and accurate.
prl3546@tahoma.UUCP (Philip R. Lindberg) (08/02/89)
From article <8907291414.aa00249@SMOKE.BRL.MIL>, by L77@TAUNOS.BITNET (Yoram Ney): >> Apple needs to keep in mind that a large plurality, if >>not a majority, of IIGS users don't want to be told to be dumb and happy, >>and just point, click, type, and don't ask questions! This is true even if >>we don't have the time or inclination to delve into using GS/OS in our own >>programming. > > Yeah!!!!!!!! There is no question in my mind that I would be willing to pay twice the price for Sys 5.0 if I could get doc's that gave me info. on what was required in which directory, and which drivers were used for which hardware when, and what was the minimum file configuration, etc. As it is, I got a copy of Sys 5.0 from my local dealer and I don't plan to buy the doc's at all. Phil +---------------------------------------------------------+ | The Apple //'s will live forever!! | | Phil Lindberg snail mail: 13845 S.E. 131 ST | | INET: prl3546@tahoma.UUCP Renton, WA 98056 | | UUCP: ..!uw-beaver!ssc-vax!shuksan!tahoma!prl3546 | | Disclaimer: I don't speak for my employer (and I not | | sure they even know I exist....) | +---------------------------------------------------------+