[comp.sys.mac] System 4.1 is a great idea!

mrh@Shasta.STANFORD.EDU (Marc Hannah) (05/15/87)

   It seems to me that there has been already lots of bitching about
System 4.1 from Apple. Many people want to know if the new trash can
is the only new thing in it (besides breaking applications). Personally
I think that all the new things which are in 4.1 such as
   * new menu system with submenus
   * script manager
   * shutdown manager
   * expanded ENVIRONS call  ( and more I'm sure)

are great. People should realize that much of the functionality of the
new 256K MAC II ROM is contained as patches in system 4.1. This does not
include color quickdraw and Nubus support obviously but it does include things
which we all will appreciate when the new applications which use them arrive.
This has the very positive effect of keeping all the the 128K ROM owners 
from having to upgrade to some new roms and makes developers life simplier 
too. It takes away the problem of having to worry about whether or not to
include a new feature because 1million Macs out there already can't take
advantage of it. 
   There is still bitching that Apple didn't provide RAM patches for the 64K 
rom owners to bring them to the level of the 128K ROM (although Joel West 
provided excellent reasons why this is difficult and not effective). As a 
developer I find it to be good news that I can have these tools available on 
all the Macs (save 64K machines). I hope others give Apple credit here, they 
deserve it considering all the grief we give them.

David Gelphman                  BITNET address: DAVEG@SLACVM
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