rht@smsdpg.uu.net (Randy Thompson) (01/04/90)
> I do this a lot. > Download a text file. Now try to display it. On a PC, use type. >On a Mac, you can't. Oh, I dont know about that. It seems to me that on a PC you typically have to exit your application. On a mac, you can go on about your business, say downloading that 600k file, (personally, I dont like watching a file transfer) invoke a DA like McSink (a Shareware pkg) and read the text file while you are downloading. Better yet, you can make changes to it. If you need the power of a full blown word processor, virtually any WP on the mac can read an ASCII file. This also can be done while downloading if you are using Multifinder. If you feel that it must be viewed by a "standard" utility, I have also seen PD versions of the *nix utility 'cat' for the mac. Never needed it tho. There is even a PD grep utility (quite handy) that you could do a wild card search (the equivalent of grep . filename). This would effectively cat/type the file. Again, these can all be done while still downloading in your comm package. Not to say that there arent comm applications on the PC that cant do background processing, as I am sure that there are. It's just that almost all Mac comm programs can do this, even the PD ones. Before you say it, yes, your transfer efficiency is less, but I can live with a 90% efficient xfer under Zmodem. I have to say again that I use all sorts of systems including DOS [("Ack!... Just say NO!" -- Bill the Cat ;^) personally, I like them], *nix, mac and commodore. All of them have their place in the market and the competition is healthy. Blind hate of a system because "MINE IS BETTER" does nothing other than show how 'open minded' and secure the person is ;^). Try a Mac, Commodore, DOS or *nix machine with an open mind sometime. You just might see something you like embedded in all those worthless features ;^). In the beginning, I am quite sure that vacuum tubes were preferred to and "BETTER" than IC's. I KNOW that Peter Pan Peanutbutter is better than Skippy (ick! ;^). Lets get constructive kids. This has gone on far too long. _________________________________________________________________________ Randy Thompson | uunet!smsdpg!rht -- office SMS Data Products Group, Inc. | uunet!smsdpg!tailchasr!rht -- mac@home 703/648-9400 | _________________________________________________________________________ * Constructive criticism is always appreciated * Send Flames to: Trash%tailchasr@smsdpg.UUCP _________________________________________________________________________