rock%warp@Sun.COM (Bill Petro) (10/12/89)
Has anyone played with the BlackBox init, available on BBS's and better
nets everywhere? I notice that it has a lot of problems if it is loaded
alphabetically where it should be, but works OK if loaded at the end of
my other INITs. However, I can get it to crash pretty easily by trying
to open too many of the applications and DA's. And I have 4 MB RAM on
my Mac Plus.
Anyone else?
Bill Petro {decwrl,hplabs,ucbvax}!sun!Eng!rock
"UNIX for the sake of the kingdom of heaven" Matthew 19:12pj@pnet51.orb.mn.org (Paul Jacoby) (10/14/89)
I have tried BlackBox, with limited success. Of course, any one of 16 other INITs might be getting in the way.... Personally, I have never had much luck with Mark III Software creations. .-----------------------------------------------------------------------------. | UUCP: {rosevax, crash, orator}!orbit!pnet51!pj | Working with idiots keeps | | ARPA: crash!orbit!pnet51!pj@nosc.mil | my life interesting... | | INET: pj@pnet51.cts.com | | `-----------------------------------------------------------------------------'
fleming@cup.portal.com (Stephen R Fleming) (10/17/89)
Actually, I'm pretty impressed with BlackBox (v1.5) so far... I just downloaded it yesterday. It's handled my inferno of INITs reasonably well, and I've only crashed it once (doing something I shouldn't). I'd like to get rid of the clock and change a few other things about it... but, overall, I think I'll be sending in my $15 next week. (Major wish... put the docks across the BOTTOM where there's more room! Not all of us have 19-inch monitors...) +--------------------------+-------------------------------------------+ | Stephen Fleming | My employer doesn't pay for this account. | | fleming@cup.portal.com | In fact, my employer doesn't even know | | CI$: 76354,3176 | I'm here! Disclaimer enough for any | | Voice: (703) 847-7058 | network-aware lawyer-types, I hope... | +--------------------------+-------------------------------------------+
baumgart@esquire.dpw.com (Steve Baumgarten) (10/19/89)
In article <1261@orbit.UUCP> pj@pnet51.orb.mn.org (Paul Jacoby) writes: >I have tried BlackBox, with limited success. Of course, any one of 16 other >INITs might be getting in the way.... Personally, I have never had much luck >with Mark III Software creations. That's Andrew Welch's company, right? I'm using Blackout and FlashWrite and have never had a problem with either. I think he writes some of the most stable and reliable INITs I've used (along with Suitcase and ApplicationMenu). I haven't tried the INIT you're referring to, though. -- Steve Baumgarten | "New York... when civilization falls apart, Davis Polk & Wardwell | remember, we were way ahead of you." baumgart@esquire.dpw.com | cmcl2!esquire!baumgart | - David Letterman
wasilko@netcom.UUCP (Jeff Wasilko) (10/20/89)
In article <1503@esquire.UUCP> baumgart@esquire.dpw.com (Steve Baumgarten) writes: >In article <1261@orbit.UUCP> pj@pnet51.orb.mn.org (Paul Jacoby) writes: >>I have tried BlackBox, with limited success. Of course, any one of 16 other >>INITs might be getting in the way.... Personally, I have never had much luck >>with Mark III Software creations. > >That's Andrew Welch's company, right? I'm using Blackout and >FlashWrite and have never had a problem with either. I think he >writes some of the most stable and reliable INITs I've used (along >with Suitcase and ApplicationMenu). I haven't tried the INIT you're >referring to, though. > >-- > Steve Baumgarten | "New York... when civilization falls apart, > Davis Polk & Wardwell | remember, we were way ahead of you." > baumgart@esquire.dpw.com | > cmcl2!esquire!baumgart | - David Letterman I've tried FlashWrite twice, and on both occasions it has beene corrupted so badly that it would not even be recognized at boot time After loosing data (and being forced to hack wha was left of FlashWrite with a disk editor to recover my files) I have given up on it.. Jeff Wasilko Infomation International - - - - -
baumgart@esquire.dpw.com (Steve Baumgarten) (10/20/89)
In article <23168@cup.portal.com> fleming@cup.portal.com (Stephen R Fleming) writes: >Actually, I'm pretty impressed with BlackBox (v1.5) so far... I just >downloaded it yesterday. It's handled my inferno of INITs reasonably >well, and I've only crashed it once (doing something I shouldn't). >I'd like to get rid of the clock and change a few other things about >it... but, overall, I think I'll be sending in my $15 next week. Could someone post a brief description of this INIT? The discussion in this group was the first I'd heard of it, and I'm not quite sure what it does. If it's of any value, perhaps someone could post it to the binaries group as well. -- Steve Baumgarten | "New York... when civilization falls apart, Davis Polk & Wardwell | remember, we were way ahead of you." baumgart@esquire.dpw.com | cmcl2!esquire!baumgart | - David Letterman
ralph@cbnewsj.ATT.COM (Ralph Brandi) (10/21/89)
In article <1503@esquire.UUCP> baumgart@esquire.dpw.com (Steve Baumgarten) writes: >In article <1261@orbit.UUCP> pj@pnet51.orb.mn.org (Paul Jacoby) writes: >>I have tried BlackBox, with limited success. Of course, any one of 16 other >writes some of the most stable and reliable INITs I've used (along I tried BlackBox the other night, and it destroyed my Suitcase II. I didn't care enough to find out why; I just trashed it. (I suppose that it is possible that Suitcase II just happened to undergo a gratuitous failure at the same time I dropped BlackBox into my System Folder....) Of course, he does say that it isn't much use on a Plus. I didn't much care for Cmdr. Dialog, either. I give Andrew credit; he keeps writing things that sound like good ideas. They just don't usually fit in with how I want my Mac to work. I keep looking, though.... -- Ralph Brandi ralph@lzfme.att.com att!lzfme!ralph Work flows toward the competent until they are submerged.
zimerman@phoenix.Princeton.EDU (Jacob Ben-david Zimmerman) (10/22/89)
Hi. Shamefully I hang my head. What, pray tell, is BlackBox INIT? Is it shareware? I have looked through info-mac on sumex and cannot find it. Could some kind soul mail me a copy? Thanks very much. -JBZimmerman! -- ___________ | MTV is the lava lamp of the 1990's. || | -An unknown MTV comedian || ||acob Zimmerman!+> <zimerman@phoenix.Princeton.EDU> INTERNET === | <zimerman@PUCC> BITnet
rewing@Apple.COM (Richard Ewing) (10/23/89)
I like the new Blackbox INIT alot, and it will replace Andrew Welch's TimePiece, Blackout and Commander Dialog inits which he threw into BlackOut. My only problem is that contrary to what he said in the docs, I am still having problems in a multiple monitor enviroment, even if it is the only init operating. The primary monitor with the menu bar is fine, but my second monitor does not draw anything correctly. This happens with or without 32-bit Quickdraw installed. My configuration is a Mac IIx, 8 megs of memory, System 6.0.4 with more inits that I can count (>100). I am using BlackOut 1.5. Anyone know how I can contact Mr. Welch at Cornell? He does not leave any email address expect for standard USnail. --Rick Ewing Apple Atlanta -- __________________________________________________________________________ |Disclaimer: Segmentation Fault: Core Dumped. | | | |Internet: REWING@APPLE.COM-----------------------Rick Ewing | |ApplelinkPE & MacNet Soon!------------------Apple Computer, Inc. | |Applelink: EWING--------------------100 Ashford Center North, Suite 100 | |Compu$erve: [76474,1732]--------------------Atlanta, GA 30338 | |GENIE: R.EWING1--------------------------TalkNet: (404) 393-9358 | |USENET: {amdahl,decwrl,sun,unisoft}!apple!rewing | ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
fleming@cup.portal.com (Stephen R Fleming) (10/23/89)
BlackBox INIT sets up a NeXT-like applications dock along the right side
of your Mac II screen... steals 42 pixels for the privilege (making your
screen size 592x480). I am reneging on my previous posting and have
removed it from my system. I really like the idea, but his screen saver
is not as smart as Pyro! (stops downloads, printing, etc.) and nothing
else will black out the applications dock.
If he re-releases to fix this and other problems, I'd really like to use
it on a regular basis.
....Stephen Fleminghodas@eniac.seas.upenn.edu (Josh Hodas) (10/24/89)
In article <23326@cup.portal.com> fleming@cup.portal.com (Stephen R Fleming) writes: >BlackBox INIT sets up a NeXT-like applications dock along the right side >of your Mac II screen... steals 42 pixels for the privilege (making your >screen size 592x480). I am reneging on my previous posting and have >removed it from my system. I really like the idea, but his screen saver >is not as smart as Pyro! (stops downloads, printing, etc.) and nothing >else will black out the applications dock. > >If he re-releases to fix this and other problems, I'd really like to use >it on a regular basis. > > ....Stephen Fleming Well this is just another reason I tell everyone with a MacII/x/cx/ci that Dimmer dhould be their screen saver of choice. Dimmer (which was once posted in a proto version to the net and is now part of the Screen Gems Package) does its job by twiddling some bits on the Mac II video card. This means it dims the entire screen. It also means that it only intervenes for a brief mom- ent in the machines operation, then let the machine go about its business none the wiser. There is no problem with it interuppting downloads, etc. One thing, Im not sure how it works with non-apple displays, Ive only run it on a stansdard 8-bit. Josh ------------------------- Josh Hodas (hodas@eniac.seas.upenn.edu) 4223 Pine Street Philadelphia, PA 19104 (215) 222-7112 (home) (215) 898-5423 (school office)
hodas@eniac.seas.upenn.edu (Josh Hodas) (10/26/89)
I have been using Black Box for about 3 weeks, with a fair amount of success, but it is true that it does have some problems. These problems are being addressed however. I have the ok to say this much about a new version currently in testing: Black Box's name will be changed in the next release. The Screen saver will be smarter about interuptions, and will have user designated sleep and awake areas. The icon dock can be lowered out of the way (either part way or all the way) much as NeXT's can be. The uncovered space is returned to the available desktop. (I am impressed with how smoothly this works, it feels just right.) Documents can be linked to apps. Screen drawing problems with multiple monitors are totally fixed (yeah!!, I just got the Samsung display from Software that fits, and this was a big enough problem for me to give up on Black box till I started testing the new version) So, the message is, keep your eye out for the new version. I really think that Black Box adds significant functionality to the mac. Andrew is a hell of a programmer. Granted, some of his stuff has had some problems, but what can you expect when treading on the low level stuff. Besides, he is very serious about tracking and solving any bugs reported to him. I wish I could claim to have been as original and talented a programmer when I was an undergrad. Josh ------------------------- Josh Hodas (hodas@eniac.seas.upenn.edu) 4223 Pine Street Philadelphia, PA 19104 (215) 222-7112 (home) (215) 898-5423 (school office)
RWERMAN@vms.Huji.AC.IL (10/31/89)
Subject: BlackBox INIT
Date: 21 Oct 89 19:38:39 GMT
Hi. Shamefully I hang my head. What, pray tell, is BlackBox INIT? Is
it shareware? I have looked through info-mac on sumex and cannot find
it. Could some kind soul mail me a copy? Thanks very much.
-JBZimmerman!
--
___________ : MTV is the lava lamp of the 1990's.
:: : -An unknown MTV comedian
:: ::acob Zimmerman!+> <zimerman@phoenix.Princeton.EDU> INTERNET
=== : <zimerman@PUCC> BITnet
**********
It is available in sumex as:
$macarch get init/black-box-12.hqx
__Bob Werman.hodas@eniac.seas.upenn.edu (Josh Hodas) (10/31/89)
In article <254d874b3657@vms.huji.ac.il> RWERMAN%vms.huji.ac.il@CUNYVM.CUNY.EDU writes: >Subject: BlackBox INIT >Date: 21 Oct 89 19:38:39 GMT > >Hi. Shamefully I hang my head. What, pray tell, is BlackBox INIT? Is >it shareware? I have looked through info-mac on sumex and cannot find >it. Could some kind soul mail me a copy? Thanks very much. > >-JBZimmerman! >-- >___________ : MTV is the lava lamp of the 1990's. > :: : -An unknown MTV comedian >:: ::acob Zimmerman!+> <zimerman@phoenix.Princeton.EDU> INTERNET > === : <zimerman@PUCC> BITnet >********** >It is available in sumex as: >$macarch get init/black-box-12.hqx > > >__Bob Werman. Please note that this weekend I sent Black Box 1.5 to the archives, so you might want to wait till it appears to get Black Box. As I said in an earlier post, a new version of this init, with lots more functionality is currently in beta test. Josh Hodas ------------------------- Josh Hodas (hodas@eniac.seas.upenn.edu) 4223 Pine Street Philadelphia, PA 19104 (215) 222-7112 (home) (215) 898-5423 (school office)