sloan@pnet02.CTS.COM (Steve Smythe) (06/11/87)
Here here! I really despise Apple's manuals, mainly because they don't give
_any_ *REAL* technical information. For instance.. the Apple Super Serial
Card manual. In the manual my brother got with his SSC, they had a -brief-
(very brief) explanation of the ACIA registers and the bit descriptions of
each register. In the *ALL NEW, IMPROVED!* SSC manual didn't have
AAAAANNNNYYYYYTTTTTTHHHHHHHIIIIIINNNNNNGGGGG!!!!!!!!!!!! grrr...
Well, I'm sure glad Apple has taken a _positive_ approach to people that know
nothing to very little about computers. But for those of us that know where
the carriage return is located and what a bus is, GIVE US SOME TECHNICAL
INFORMATION WE CAN USE! instead of something we can line the bottom of our
parakeet's cage with!
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\'o.O'
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UUCP: {ihnp4!crash, hplabs!hp-sdd!crash}!gryphon!pnet02!sloan
INET: sloan@pnet02.CTS.COMkamath@reed.UUCP (Sean Kamath) (06/12/87)
In article <686@gryphon.CTS.COM> sloan@pnet02.CTS.COM (Steve Smythe) writes: >Here here! > [ . . . ] > >Well, I'm sure glad Apple has taken a _positive_ approach to people that know >nothing to very little about computers. But for those of us that know where >the carriage return is located and what a bus is, GIVE US SOME TECHNICAL >INFORMATION WE CAN USE! instead of something we can line the bottom of our >parakeet's cage with! > >UUCP: {ihnp4!crash, hplabs!hp-sdd!crash}!gryphon!pnet02!sloan >INET: sloan@pnet02.CTS.COM Here here some more! A technical introduction(!?) to the //GS? Come on. I have a feeling that we are headed for another "Inside the . . ." for the //GS. Now, I don't know how many of you have read "Inside the Macintosh", but boy, what a doozy! My friend summed it up nicely: "It's the type of book you can pick up, flip to any page, and start reading." But try and use it as a *reference* manual? While you program? Ha! And also, while I'm on the beef bit, Anyone remember how Apple went on and one about "only using published entry points to the monitor" on the //e, but then never published any? Or was the measly 20 or so entry points "suggested" in the //e and //c refs it? But the //e and //c manuals differ? I never heard of PrBl2 until this morning, but sure enough, it's the entyr point 2 bytes after PRBLNK, which prints 3 blank spaces. What are the 2 bytes? LDX #3. What does PrBl2 do? Prints however many blanks are indicated in the X register. It seems pretty dumb to me to have pages and pages of "technical" information about the ROM. I personally liked having the ROM listing at my side when I call routines. at least then I can look at what I thing is happenning. Gone, say I, are the days of the Little Red Book. (I have one. It's fun to look at now and then, esp. to compare the ROM!) Computers are a business like calculator now. Give 'em to the user! Screw the programmer, unless they are "officialy sanctioned certified accredited current dues-paying members of the elite 'developement group' (make the check out to . . .)" Boy, with things the way they are, it's getting to the point where I DON't want to upgrade to a GS, because trying find the information for programming it will be worse than feeling "behind the times" with my "ancient" architecture plodding along at 1 MHz. I love my //e. I put a lot of time on the keyboard. It's got a long time to go before I ditch it for something "better" -- without any information to go with it! Sean Kamath tektronix!reed!kamath These are my opinions. I stick to them. I don't know of anyone else who holds these opinions. . .But I like them!
gwyn@BRL.ARPA.UUCP (06/14/87)
The Apple IIGS has a rather nice set of technical reference manuals, some of which are scheduled to be available through Addison-Wesley starting in July, with more to follow in the not-too-distant future. You can obtain preliminary versions of these through APDA. There really are two audiences for manuals: the naive end-user, and the application developer. Although the latter are comparatively few, they determine the long-term viability of a computer product. Apple shows signs of appreciating this more than they used to. What is needed are manuals for both (not interleaved together).
kamath@reed.UUCP (06/15/87)
In article <8706132134.aa00599@VGR.BRL.ARPA> gwyn@BRL.ARPA (Doug Gwyn, VLD/VMB) writes: >The Apple IIGS has a rather nice set of technical reference manuals, >some of which are scheduled to be available through Addison-Wesley >starting in July, with more to follow in the not-too-distant future. >You can obtain preliminary versions of these through APDA. I am a member of ADPA, but I don't recall seeing them in the latest mailing. . . Maybe I didn't look close enough. >There really are two audiences for manuals: the naive end-user, and >the application developer. Although the latter are comparatively >few, they determine the long-term viability of a computer product. >Apple shows signs of appreciating this more than they used to. You can split the latter into two groups. a) the developers that work for software houses, do it for a living, and/or would be called professionals. b) people like me, still in school, or working, or whatever, who want to have fun with their "toy" and would really appreciate technical info without having to join ADPA and/or pay gobs of money for technical books. I have a huge selection of books on the //e, mostly about Assembly language, including two //e tech refs, one //c tech ref, and old "Red Book" and currently subscribe to 5 periodicals. Believe me, it ain't a cheap hobby! And as yet, I haven't gotten a cent for the software I have written, which I give away to others. I just wish the average price of my books in my collection was less than $20. If something comprehensive doesn't come out for the GS, it's gonna cost me more than it will for my upgrade! Sean Kamath {decvax ihnp4 ucbvax hplabs}!tektronix!reed!kamath
sloan@pnet02.UUCP (06/17/87)
I agree... physical separation of technical information from the novice/
introductory information is definitely better than the melding of the two.
Also, seeing what ROM listings there are of a peripheral or expansion card
might shy away those looking at them when they really don't know what their
looking at... I know I've had that feeling sometimes while thumbing through
for some technical info on some mainframe stuff... but then who hires
technical writers for HUGE manuals? I think it would be welll worth the money
and effort to hire tech writers (myself being a apprentice technical writer).
I think hiring pre-school psychologists to write manuals and grphics designs
for adults can insult a lot of people.
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\'o.O' (___ / /__ | / /__
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UUCP: {ihnp4!crash, hplabs!hp-sdd!crash}!gryphon!pnet02!sloan
INET: sloan@pnet02.CTS.COM
USmail: Steve Smythe, 727 San Simeon Ct, Concord CA 94518
AT&T: 415/685-1073ag0@i.cc.purdue.edu.UUCP (06/18/87)
In article <740@gryphon.CTS.COM> sloan@pnet02.UUCP writes: >I agree... physical separation of technical information from the novice/ >introductory information is definitely better than the melding of the two. > >USmail: Steve Smythe, 727 San Simeon Ct, Concord CA 94518 I too agree, however for those of us that DO want the tech info, it should be available for no or little extra charge. They could give us a mail in certificate which some would use and others wouldn't. Making us spend $40 and $50 for information that ought to come with the product is rediculous. Colin
jstraigl@uokmax.UUCP (Jeffrey S Traigle) (04/13/89)
I recently enhanced my //e so I could run the communications software that came with my modem. Since that time I have been trying to get the programmers manual for the enhanced //e from my local Apple dealer. It has taken me 2 weeks to get it through this route. I have at least five other manuals that I would like to get, but would prefer a faster method of obtaining them if one exists. I would also like a list of all manuals for the // series that Apple produces or a reference as to where I can get one. Thanks in advance for the help. ================================================================== == jstraigl@uokmax.uucp Jeff Traigle == == U. of Oklahoma == == Compuserve: 73500,2373 == ==================================================================