lietb@killer.UUCP (Tjeng-Bo Lie) (12/23/87)
A couple of weeks ago I posted a plea for help on my newly acquired toy. And here is a summary of what I've got: >>1) Any program (commercial or otherwise) that you MacII veterans >> consider a "MUST HAVE" for the MacII? >> I have a 5meg, 1-floppy, Apple extended color, CMS Pro80 thingy. >------------------------------------------------------------------------ >These are kind of obvious: >(1) MacWrite 4.6 [self modifying code bombs otherwise] >(2) CacheCtrl utility for turning off 68020 cache [helps some progs run] >(3) I like STARS 1.8 a lot, but it only runs in monochrome (FAST!) >(4) BackDown (Shareware Xmodem downloader that *always works*) >(5) Greyview (for looking at color pictures -- PD from Boston) >(6) Some color pictures (I have Cheryl Tiegs and BMX bike) >------------------------------------------------------------------------ >Some of the Apple demoware/pictures are nice. There's a few good PD and >shareware demos/pictures. Some of them occasionally appear on usenet, but >there are many more on the information services like CI$ and Delphi. See >if you can get the free Kolor cdev (Control Panel file) - it's pretty neat. >A nice set of utilities is the Colorizer package from Palomar Software - >only $49 (see the review in the January MacUser). >------------------------------------------------------------------------ >Suitcase and Pyro! would be one of them, but it sounds as if you've >already got it. Public domain D/A's and CDEVs like Klutz and Kolor >are always nice to have on a color system. Maybe a color paint >program would be the thing to get. I understand that Pixel Paint >started shipping last week. I've never seen it, but i'm told it's >good, and that it retails for a whopping $495. Image Studio and >Dimensions also sound really good, but I'll reserve final judgement until >I've had a chance to actually try them out. If you have the extended >keyboard, get CE Software's Quickeys. It lets you use all of those lovely >FKeys and more. I've tried the demo version that's floating around on some >BBS's, and found it very impressive. >------------------------------------------------------------------------ >I use greyview to make startup screens. Some great greyview pictures >out there. There are some great programs I couldn't live without, but >they don't run specifically on the II. >------------------------------------------------------------------------ >To the list add a couple of free items: FKey Manager 3.0 and Switch-A-Roo. >FKM includes a font/DA like utility for installing/removing, renaming >and renumbering FKeys, lets you access them via a pop up menu and lets you >use as many FKeys as you want. Very impressive, and it works with Suitcase. >Switch-A-Roo 1.2 is an Fkey that lets you instantly toggle between 2 >monitor settings. For example, I like to have 256 shades of gray available >most of the time, but not when I use Red Ryder, since it makes text scroll >slowly. Now, I can boot up w/256 grays and switch to 2 simply by hitting >Command-Shift-5. I'm also trying out the Directory Fkey (v1.0) which >is very much like DiskTop, but 1/4 the price. I have since obtained the following that I found useful: Grayview 1.16, Switch-A-Roo 1.2, CacheToggle cdev, Dimmer cdev, DiskTop 3.01, PictDisplay (this one make MacII StartupScreens), QuicKeys 1.01, DiskFit 1.3, Klutz DA, Kolor cdev I'm still debating wether to get VideoWorks II and PixelPaint (both cost big $$) eventhough I'm quite impressed with the demo I saw. >======================================================================== >>2) Any screen blanker/saver better than PYRO!? I've heard about AutoIdle >> but don't know where to look for it. >------------------------------------------------------------------------ >It's at the archives at sumex-aim.stanford.edu, but since you probably don't >have arpanet access, you can't get to it. I could mail it to you, if you >want... >------------------------------------------------------------------------ >Don't know for sure. Pyro! works fine. Not sure if other blankers would be >Mac II compatible. Autoblack sure wasn't. >------------------------------------------------------------------------ >Nope. I still can't find AutoIdle. Is it in CI$ or Delphi? Can someone post it to comp.binaries.mac? I'm sure there are others who would like a copy who don't have access to arpanet. Apple and AutoIdle will appear on comp.source.mac any day now! THANKS!) Dimmer is quite useful in that it doesn't interfere with DLs etc. but since the status is still in limbo (PD/SW/Commercial?) it is quite unstable (seems to be self-modifying) >======================================================================== >>3) My RadioShack external speaker doesn't work anymore. Do I need a new >> audio plug? Stereo to mono converter? >------------------------------------------------------------------------ >I suspect you do need a stereo to mono converter. Or, go out and spend $200 >and >get a set of Bose Roommate speakers and blow friends & family away :-) :-) >------------------------------------------------------------------------ >Yes. The Mac II's audio output jack is a 3 conductor stereo type, same >as used on Sony Walkman's. >------------------------------------------------------------------------ >The jack on the back of the mac is a stero plug. That's cause the II supports >STEREO!. Just get an stereo to mono converter. Well, Bose is out of question. I'll try to get a StoM converter. >======================================================================== >>4) Any backdrop INIT that works with a COLOR backdrop? >------------------------------------------------------------------------ >There's something on CompuServe called DeskPict, which probably does what you >want. Paul Mercer wrote a cdev called ColorDesk that did it - I beta tested it, >but, due to some changes being made with MultiFinder, Paul didn't know if he'd >ever release it. >------------------------------------------------------------------------ >I don't know, but you may want to get the latest system files, which let >you create desktop patterns in color, among other things. >------------------------------------------------------------------------ >I assume you mean a way to replace your desktop with something other than >a control panel pattern. DeskPict worked before multifinder. >Works under finder 6.0, I think, but NOT under multifinder. Definitely >works under finder 5.5 (was that the previous number, there SOOO confusing). >------------------------------------------------------------------------ >I played with the box here at work, and DeskPict works just fine under >MultiFinder, I just had a glitched DescPicture file. It's >available at fine billboards everywhere. >------------------------------------------------------------------------ Again, I just can't seem to locate a copy of DeskPict. Comp.binaries.mac anyone? Thanks to all the people who responded (either by e-mail or in here.) Like I said, I'm still new to USEnet, so when I saved these articles I didn't use my mailbox format (whatever it is.) Therefore I've lost some of the origin of these responses. Rather than thanking those people's name I managed to save and skip those I goofed, I'll just say THANKS to all of you (you know who you are :->) .signature :-> none yet! sorry, postnews won't let me post this, so it's blank lines from here on MS-DOS, just hit 'n'
lietb@killer.UUCP (Tjeng-Bo Lie) (12/23/87)
Oops... In my previous posting I have a funny line that looks like this: Apple and AutoIdle will appear on comp.source.mac any day now! THANKS!) It should read: ( Late break-in news: I just got an e-mail from Larry Rosenstein at Apple and AutoIdel will appear on comp.source.mac any day now! THANKS!) I used an at-sign instead of the word 'at' :-< Learned a new thing everyday