mcgurrin@MITRE.ARPA (01/21/88)
This net sure is magic, no sooner do I complain about not yet receiving version 8 of Copy II+, than it arrives! It was waiting on my doorstep when I returned home from work. It includes both a 5 1/4" and a 3 1/2" floppies. The 5 1/4 doesn't include the 3 1/2" bit copy program. It can be installed on a hard disk. The 3 1/2" copy program includes the parameters for copying quite a few of the GS specific software, and in many cases will allow it to be installed on a hard disk by 1st copying to floppy, then to the hard disk. It takes advantage of any GS memory you have, whether set up as a RAM disk or not. I can now run Deluxe Paint off of the hard disk without hunting for the stupid key disk. Also I now have an archival back-up of GBA Basketball, but not running off of the hard disk. Same manual as version 7, plus a version 8 addendum to describe the changes and additions. I don't own much commercial GS software, so I can't give first-hand reports, but the list of software under auto-copy was impressive. On another topic, for reading MacPaint files, SHRCONVERT is the answer. Early versions were free, current version is shareware. This program will handle MacPaint, GIF, and many other formats (C64, Atari ST, etc.) and convert them to either compressed or uncompressed GS standard graphics files. Also allows direct viewing on the screen. Unfortunately conversion to GIF is not yet provided. It does not let you read a Mac disk. What I have done is use the Apple File Exchange program on the Mac, which will read and write ProDOS disks. Use the Mac to transfer the file to ProDOS, then convert on the GS. Interesting results. Since the GS has less resolution, the conversion apparently averages some white and black pixels, resulting in black, grey, and white pictures on the GS. Of course you can also use a modem to transfer files between machines, rather than via floppy. Last thing, Copy II+ will, according to the manual, duplicate Mac disks on your Apple II 3 1/2" drive. Haven't tried this.