info-mac-request@SUMEX-AIM.STANFORD.EDU (The Moderators) (02/05/91)
Info-Mac Digest Mon, 4 Feb 91 Volume 9 : Issue 31
Today's Topics:
[*] CrossMaster 1.0-Demo
[*] Meldown-AfterDark Module Version 1.1
[*] source/c/drvr-install-1-91.hqx (Driver Installation code)
[*] util/lharc-041.hqx
Alias?
Colour SE/30
Cursor Control (2 msgs)
Digitize sound on IIsi
Graphics Translations - Specifically .PCX to Mac Compatible
H-P DeskWriter refill
HP LaserJet IIID with AppleShare (Info-Mac Digest V9 #27)
InsideMac DA
Looking for an application
MacX
Pascal Introductory Book
Porta-Drive and Audio CDs
Power off/on dilema
price for 68882 FPU math co-processor alone
Reasons to be Cheerful (Part 4)
shareware fees
slots
Spoofing Mac Floppies
TCL MIDI?
uw 4.2?
why is the SI slower than th II?
Word Weirdness
ZMac
Your Info-Mac Moderators are Bill Lipa, Lance Nakata, and Jon Pugh.
The Info-Mac archives are available (by using FTP, account anonymous,
any password) in the info-mac directory on sumex-aim.stanford.edu
[36.44.0.6]. Help files are in /info-mac/help. Indices are in
/info-mac/help/recent-files.txt and /info-mac/help/all-files.txt.
Please send articles and binaries to info-mac@sumex-aim.stanford.edu.
Send administrative mail to info-mac-request@sumex-aim.stanford.edu.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Wed, 30 Jan 91 19:48:41 CST
From: steven@pollux.math.iastate.edu
Subject: [*] CrossMaster 1.0-Demo
C R O S S M A S T E R 1 . 0 - D E M O
=======================================
CrossMaster 1.0-Demo is the demonstration version of the commercial program
CrossMaster 1.0. This is a public domain program designed to promote
CrossMaster 1.0 and to allow users to become familiar with the commercial
version before commiting to purchase it. Please use this program as much
as you like and share it with whomever you wish.
This demonstration program functions almost identically to the commercial
program. The major difference is that a few of the features of the
commercial version have been either removed or downgraded. These include
saving, printing, and automatically generating crossword puzzles.
[Archived as /info-mac/demo/crossmaster-10.hqx; 146K]
------------------------------
Date: 31 Jan 91 20:40:14 EST (Thu)
From: joseph@marvin.cooper.edu (Joseph Giannuzzi)
Subject: [*] Meldown-AfterDark Module Version 1.1
I recently submitted a file entitled Meltdown-AfterDark Module
for posting in the info-mac archive. However, I noticed one bug
and made one addition since then. The following is the new
Meltdown-AfterDark Module version 1.1.
Changes to 1.1 from 1.0
Corrected stupid programmerUs error which caused the
Cascade and Pinwheel melts to melt to white instead
of black (not much use as a screen saver)
Added the Colorfill button to allow users to select
between a melt to black and a rainbow melt in the
Cascade, Avalanche, and Pinwheel melts. (previously
always used the rainbow melt)
[Archived as /info-mac/util/after-dark-meltdown.hqx; 10K]
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 30 Jan 91 23:17:30 -0500
From: Pete Resnick <resnick@cogsci.uiuc.edu>
Subject: [*] source/c/drvr-install-1-91.hqx (Driver Installation code)
This is the source for installing and removing RAM based device drivers
in the driver table. Use it to your heart's content; I only ask that
you give me appropriate credit. If there are any questions, feel free
to write. Updates to these files will be sent to info-mac at sumex,
rascal, and comp.sources.mac. Keep an eye out there.
Pete Resnick
Graduate assistant - Philosophy Department, Gregory Hall, UIUC
[Archived as /info-mac/source/c/drvr-install.hqx; 12K]
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 31 Jan 91 09:27 CST
From: "Ken R. Lunde" <KLUNDE@vms.macc.wisc.edu>
Subject: [*] util/lharc-041.hqx
This file contains LHarc 0.41 for the Macintosh. It is yet another
compression/decompression program. It is unique in that it is compatible
with MS-DOS LHarc V1.13d, LHarc UNIX, and even LHarc implemeted on other
platforms. This makes it very useful for transferring large files from
one type of computer to another. Its manual is in Japanese, but the menus
are in English, and are self-explanatory. LHarc 0.41 was written by Kazuaki
Ishizaki in Japan. His email address is located at the end of the README
document.
Stuffed and binhexed. Enjoy!
Ken R. Lunde
klunde@vms.macc.wisc.edu
[Archived as /info-mac/util/lharc-041.hqx; 41K]
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 4 Feb 1991 08:14:25 EST
From: "Keith E Gatling [315] 443-3285" <RSKEG%SUVM.BITNET@forsythe.stanford.edu>
Subject: Alias?
I'm looking for a PD program called Alias, which basically does
exactly what its name implies. Do we have this in the archives
somewhere, or does anyone else know where I can find it?
keg
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 04 Feb 91 10:49:21 GMT
From: Michael Everson <MEVERC95%IRLEARN.BITNET@forsythe.stanford.edu>
Subject: Colour SE/30
Does anyone know why no one makes a 9" colour internal screen for the
SE/30?
Before anyone jumps at me saying "Why would you want something so SMALL",
the answer is "Because it would be fun to play Leprechaun without a
huge TV cluttering up my already cluttered desk."
Michael Everson
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 4 Feb 1991 09:35:53 PST
From: Russell Rogers <rogers@parc.xerox.com>
Subject: Cursor Control
Without much effort I can think of at least three instances where it
would not be a "bad idea" for an application to position the mouse
cursor.
1). A program like Timbuktu (remote access).
2). A Tutorial program(or non-interactive demonstration).
3). An interface test program. This might include record and playback
mechanisms.
The restriction is in the interface guidelines. And you can't do it
with a simple ROM interface call. But give the programmer the benefit
of the doubt before you give sermon about the "Apple Human
Interface Guidelines!!!". Don't let the guidelines blind you into
saying "never".
-Russ
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 4 Feb 1991 09:37:07 PST
From: Carl_A._Steinhilber.osbu_south@xerox.com
Subject: Cursor Control
Alexander,
>I was quite shocked to read about recent requests to modify the
>position of the pointer from within an application. This is a violation
>of the Apple Human Interface Guidelines!!!
Thanks for your response. I think everyone who responded to my original query
made the same point. And it is valid.
However, the Apple HI Guidelines can only be violated if one is building an
Apple Human Interface. We were (well... I guess that should read: ARE) actually
prototyping an interface that is not destined to run on the Macintosh... using
the Macintosh platform only to expedite our work. So you were absolutely
right... I would not recommend anyone produce a Mac application that takes
control of the cursor away from the user. But, sometimes, it just becomes
necessary to do things that aren't recommended.
Hope that smooths everything over.
By the way... we were successful in writing the XCMD to set the location of the
cursor. Originally written for SuperCard 1.5, I suppose it would be usable in
HyperCard, Plus and Director (or the code could be converted, of course, for
App use)... and, if anyone's interested, would be happy to see what I could do
about getting it to you. While I would also be one of the netters who STRONGLY
recommends against using this process to control of the cursor independent of
user commands, one use that I can immediately think of for the XCMD is to
control the cursor in a self-running demo (to SIMULATE user control). It's not
exactly what WE used it for... but, seeing as how Apple does it themselves in
the Macintosh Tours... I don't think it would violate the guidelines.
Carl
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 4 Feb 91 18:57:39 GMT
From: s57783@zeus.usq.edu.au (chapman alan)
Subject: Digitize sound on IIsi
Hi Netters,
Does anyone know of any software that allows recording sound on the
Mac IIsi. I know of the facility within the sound cdev, but I'm talking
*REAL* sound (like my collection of Stevie Nicks CDs), not just beeps.
The December '90 issue of MacUser mentioned a Hypercard stack called
Audio Palette that "comes with Hypercard 2.0". It wasn't with the 5
disk set that I got from my local Apple dealer.
Please mail replies to s57783@zeus.usq.edu.au
Thanx in advance... Alan Chapman
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 4 Feb 1991 11:00:43 PST
From: AUGUST@vlsi.jpl.nasa.gov (Richard B. August)
Subject: Graphics Translations - Specifically .PCX to Mac Compatible
I have a problem similar to Jim Bethin, the existence of graphics in
an IBM format which I would prefer *not* to re-draw (complex). Is there
a s/w package which can translate .PCX (readable by IBM Ventura Publisher)
to even a bit-map version that is Mac readable.
Thanks in advance.
Richard B. August
august@vlsi.jpl.nasa.gov
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 4 Feb 91 09:33 EDT
From: "MICHAEL J. LONGO" <LONGO@mail.physics.lsa.umich.edu>
Subject: H-P DeskWriter refill
Dear Moderators:
A long time ago there was a posting about refilling the cartridges for
H-P DeskWriter printers. Now that I have one I am interested in how to do
it. I find I have to replace it about every 3 weeks. Otherwise I am very
happy with it. Could someone repost that info or their own technique?
--M. Longo, University of Michigan
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 4 Feb 1991 11:01-EST
From: Tom.Lane@g.gp.cs.cmu.edu
Subject: HP LaserJet IIID with AppleShare (Info-Mac Digest V9 #27)
Nancy,
Assuming you buy the HP PostScript cartridge with the IIID,
you have no problem: the IIID with PS and Appletalk is indistinguishable
>From an Apple Laserwriter, so you just tell the spooler that's
what you have, and away you go.
The only fly in the ointment is that the spooler doesn't know
anything about double-sided printing or anything like that.
I don't know if you expected to be able to control that at the
spooler level, but you probably can't. HP will give you a modified
version of the standard Laserwriter printer driver, which will enable
users to select double-sided printing from the Print dialog box.
Note that the PS cartridge requires extra RAM; to support double
sided printing I think you need 5Mb total RAM in the printer.
I'd suggest buying the extra printer memory from Pacific Data or
South Coast Electronics, as HP charges an arm and a leg for memory.
(But under no circumstances should you buy Pacific Data's
clone-PostScript cartridge; the fact that it doesn't support double
sided printing is the least of its problems.)
--
tom lane
Internet: tgl@cs.cmu.edu
UUCP: <your favorite internet/arpanet gateway>!cs.cmu.edu!tgl
BITNET: tgl%cs.cmu.edu@cmuccvma
CompuServe: >internet:tgl@cs.cmu.edu
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 4 Feb 91 12:53:16 EST
From: wang@pennmess.physics.upenn.edu ( Huangxin Wang)
Subject: InsideMac DA
Does anyone know where is the author of the InsideMac DA (v1.2 in sumex
archive)? I sent him the shareware fee but he is now longer in the
address listed in the DA. I am also eager to see the next version
out. This is a real great utility everyone wants to program the Mac
should have.
If the author no longer support it, has anyone compile his own version
for the news subroutines in the new ROM? (This DA allow you to easily add in
your own stuff).
Huangxin Wang, University of Pennsylvania
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 4 Feb 91 15:12:58 PST
From: yecho@silla.sait.co.kr ( Cho Yong Eun )
Subject: Looking for an application
Hello.
Does anybody know if there is a Macintosh application
program used in a jewelry store?
I need a program with following functions:
- can store/retrive images and other information
of jewels.
- can capture images from video or scanner.
(video may be preferred)
- can change the design of jewels.
If anyone knows one, please inform me.
Also, information for the Macintosh utilities suitable for
developing this application would be appreciated.
Yong Cho
yecho@silla.sait.co.kr
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 4 Feb 91 11:04:43 EST
From: jbotz%MHC.BITNET@cunyvm.cuny.edu
Subject: MacX
What is MacX, and where can I get it?
TIA, Jurgen
___________________________________________________________________________
Jurgen Botz | Internet: JBotz@MHC.bitnet ..or..
Academic Computing | JBotz%MHC.bitnet@cunyvm.cuny.edu
Mount Holyoke College | Compu$erve: 70531,600 (rarely)
South Hadley, MA, USA | Voice: (US) 413-538-2375 (daytime)
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 4 Feb 91 13:36 EST
From: Andrew Lewis <LEWIS%ITHACA.BITNET@forsythe.stanford.edu>
Subject: Pascal Introductory Book
About a week ago, I posted that there was to my knowledge no
"single stellar volume" for programmers who know Pascal and want to program
the Mac.
I am mistaken! There is. It's called "Macintosh Pascal Programming"
(or some permutation of those three words), written by Cartwright and Reed,
who are the same guys that wrote the Macintosh Programming Primer for
C programers. This new book uses THINK Pascal (not sure if it was version
2 or 3 but probably the latter) and ResEdit 2.x examples. It covers the
basics, seems to correspond roughly to the subject material in volume I of the
C series.
And just as in the Primer, the authors recommend buying *all* volumes
of Inside Macintosh. Personally, I think that volume III is at best useful
as a mousepad, and would recommend buying the X-ref instead as it has nearly
all of the info of volume III that is not duplicated elsewhere, aside from
BNDL-FREK-ICN# stuff and some 128K/512K hardware information. The former
is presumably covered in "Macintosh Pascal Programming", the latter is not
really needed by most software types.
If your local bookstore doesn't have it, it was only published in
December 1990. Published by Addison-Wesley (just like the Primer). About
$24.
--Andrew Lewis Bitnet: LEWIS@ITHACA
"Bart" Disclaimer: You're on your own, man!
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 4 Feb 1991 09:13:44 PST
From: Carl_A._Steinhilber.osbu_south@xerox.com
Subject: Porta-Drive and Audio CDs
Stan,
>I just bought the CD-Technology PortaDrive. It works just fine with
>"computer" CDs like Cosmic Osmo, but it won't play audio CDs with
>the Hypercard driver "playCD" or the desk accessory "MusicBox"
I had no trouble playing audio CDs on my Porta-Drive. At home, I had it
connected to my stereo (thru the rear RCA jacks), with no problem... and at
work, I connected a pair of amplified personal speakers (as well as a set of
headphones) to the headphone jack, with no problem as well.
If you were just having these symptoms with "playCD", I'd say it was Hypercard,
but since you're experiencing problems with BOTH the Hypercard stack and the DA
(which, by the way, I haven't seen)... you may, indeed, have a glitch in the
audio track decoder. I would return the drive.
Carl
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 4 Feb 1991 05:31:54 PST
From: KRK.WBST102A@xerox.com
Subject: Power off/on dilema
We have the following system:
Mac II si w/ 13" Hi Res RGB monitor
Apple personal LaserWriter NT
Datacopy 730GS Scanner
We use this equipment at least every other day, usually once per day. My
question is, from a reliability/life perspective (not a power consumption
perspective), should we be powering some/all of the components off after each
use or are we better off leaving them on?
Thanks, in advance, for the advice.
- Ken
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 04 Feb 91 11:13:43 CST
From: Marshall Carroll <NU163467@vm1.nodak.edu>
Subject: price for 68882 FPU math co-processor alone
Thanks to everyone for the NuBus help. I'm curious if the
68882 FPU math co-processor (for a MacIIsi) can be purchased all by
itself? If so, how much and by whom?
Thanks, Marshall Carroll
Internet: NU163467@VM1.NODAK.EDU
BITNET: NU163467@NDSUVM1
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 4 Feb 91 10:44:02 CST
From: knight@swfmc1.sinet.slb.com (Francis Knight SIEMUK )
Subject: Reasons to be Cheerful (Part 4)
Hi All,
Two little snippets from recent advertisements, which might cheer up
those who missed them:
1 Zortech is working on a Mac C++. Their latest Byte ad said ring for
details. I did. "It's under development." Their PC C++ always gets
rave reviews, and I was impressed when I bought it. I bet it'll
give the current Mac compilers a good run for their money!
2 HP DeskWriter ink cartridges now come emblazoned with a small pink
flash "New Ink!" Stating the obvious a little? Anyway, you need to
intercept an ad for true enlightenment, as the leaflet contained
within is mute on the subject. "Hewlett-Packard inkjet technology
now gives you non-smear, water-resistant ink....." Judging from
Digest traffic when the printer was first introduced, this will
overcome the major gripe against the product, and please quite a
few people, me included.
Regards,
Francis K
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
Francis H Knight | knight@swfmc1.sinet.slb.com
Schlumberger Industries |
Felixstowe, UK |
|
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 4 Feb 91 08:53 EST
From: ELIOT@cs.umass.edu
Subject: shareware fees
Michael Everson writes:
>In response to Neil Cordwell's query regarding paying for shareware when
>this involves expensive cheque charges, I offer a few suggestions. It
>would be nice to hear what sharewaremongers (hem) have to say about them.
>Alternative Ways of Paying your Shareware Fees
>=====
>1. You could shop around for better prices at different banks.
This is a good idea. Also look into "international postal money orders".
I have recieved these from Australia and Japan. They can be cashed at
a bank or at a U.S. post office. I don't know how much they cost unfortunately.
>2. You could pray that the U.S. gets wise to the notion of EuroCheques.
This is the kind of thing that the GANTT talks are about. News about
GANTT is considered to be the most boring thing in the world. This
is a small example of how it may affect people directly.
>3. You could send cash in francs plus 10% and let the mongers take it to
> their own banks. Send a nice note explaining why. Most people are
> reasonable and many Americans never get further than Kansas and haven't
> seen foreign scrip before. (I have nothing against Kansas.)
*** DO NOT DO THIS!!! ***
American banks are just as greedy as European banks. My bank will
charge me $15.00 and take three weeks to collect on a European cheque.
If I recieved a European cheque worth U.S. $27.50, and sent a copy
of my game (Empire Builder) back I would lose money. ($15 bank charge,
$5 or more for the disk and zerox copy of the manual plus $5 for
overseas air mail.)
Canadian checks are handled differently. My bank does not charge
a specific surcharge on them. In fact one person wrote a canadian
check specifically marked as being $25 in U.S. funds. My bank
accepted this with no problems. (Apparently, this was only a
couple of days ago.) I don't know if there are any other countries
for which this would be possible.
I also do not recommend sending cash for the obvious reasons.
(Although someone in Paris did send me cash.)
Two more suggestions. In cases where you are requesting that
something be sent back to you (a disk with the latest version
or printed manual) you should add money for postage or else
expect a long delay. I can ship a copy of my disk and manual just
about anywhere in the world for about 50 cents more than it will
be inside the U.S. if I use "third class surface mail". This
takes 4-6 weeks for delivery. Overseas air mail delivery generally
runs about 4-5 dollars. So adding $5.00 and requesting air mail should
ensure a much faster response.
Finally, shareware (et. al) authors should look into getting
credit card mechant accounts. I have not done this, but I am
looking into it. Big banks charge too much, but I have found a small
local bank where I might be able to set it up for about $35.00.
Chris Eliot
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 4 Feb 91 14:04:53 gmt
From: Mr Gordon S Byron <gsb1@forth.stirling.ac.uk>
Subject: slots
what's the difference between NuBus expansion slot & the so-called 020
direct and 030 direct slot? The latter is new to ,me
Thanks
*******************************************************************************
Snailmail: Gordon Byron, Arts Computing Advisor,Pathfoot Building,
University of Stirling,FK9 4LA Stirling, Scotland, UK.
Voice: Phone: 0786 73171: Ext 7266
*******************************************************************************
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 4 Feb 91 12:50 GMT
From: Rupert Goodwins <rupertg@cix.compulink.co.uk>
Subject: Spoofing Mac Floppies
I'm new to low-level Mac programming, and I've been given the job of making a
non-Macintosh device we make produce Macintosh-format floppy disks with files
on them. For various good reasons, I'm unable just to buy any of the
commercial products that (for example) produce Mac disks on a PC.
I've been looking at Inside Mac vol IV, and the data there is ambiguous and
incomplete. Can anyone recommend a better source of information, or does
anyone actually know how, given a list of files, to produce a valid Macintosh
floppy disk with the correct directory structure?
I've tried to get similar information from Apple, but I've been
comprehensively rebuffed. Help!
Rupert Goodwins
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 4 Feb 91 10:43:08 PST
From: hubble-lensed ringtail bassa <DUNN@intellicorp.com>
Subject: TCL MIDI?
Netters -
1) Has anyone seen any work done in ThinkC, and esp the TCL, for
supporting the programming of MIDI applications?
2) Anyone know of a mail-list that specializes in
home-recording, synths, midi-programming et al?
3) Can whatever is in Altech's MIDIBASIC package be used from
Think C? Are there any other libraries/subroutines etc available?
4) anyone with experiance with MAX from OpCode?
casey
dunn@intellicorp.com
------
------------------------------
Date: 4 Feb 91 16:47:37 GMT
From: mcnair@cac.washington.edu (Mark McNair )
Subject: uw 4.2?
Organization: University of Washington
Is there a working version of uw 4.2 available, the "unix windows" program
that lets a dial-in Mac display multiple windows from the Unix host? I've
tried sumex and rascal, both had versions that would not decompress...
Mark McNair, Desktop Computing Support
University of Washington
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 4 Feb 91 17:33:17 +0100
From: reinder@neuretp.biol.ruu.nl
Subject: why is the SI slower than th II?
Numerous reports about Mac II SI speed or slowness have appeared. It
appears that the SI gets slower when the RAM cache is enabled and/or
when the monitor is set to more colors/blacks and whites :-)
Although this seems very strange I think I can explain what causes this:
Most micro-computers have an amount of memory called video RAM. This part
of memory is read out frequently (60 or sometimes even more times a
second) by a special chip ( called the video-chip) which generates
the video signal.
On all Macintoshes, except for the SI and the CI and presumably the LC
this video RAM is located on a NuBus card.
On the SI, CI (and LC?) however, the video memory is part of the normal
system memory. This has the advantage that the part of memory which is
not used to store the screen can be used for programs (This can be seen
by comparing the 'Largest unused block' in the 'About the Finder' dialog
in different screen depths).
The disadvantage of this method is that the microprocessor and the video-chip
have to share that part of memory. Since Apple does not want the screen to
flicker whenever the microprocessor is accessing video-RAM (like on the
Sinclair/Timex micro of some aeons ago) this means that the microprocessor
will occasionaly have to wait in order to access video RAM.
In 8-bit mode the video chip has to read 8 times as much data from memory
as in 1 bit mode. Therefore the microprocessor has to wait for its turn
more often, which leads to lower performance.
Therefore programs should preferably be placed in the 'non-video-RAM', that
is on RAM which is not soldered to the system board. On the Mac IIx (the only
system on which I tested this) programs are placed as high in memory as possible
I presume that video RAM in the SI, CI and LC is located up from address zero
(address zero to 4095 or so have to be present in order to run the Mac OS and
dividing memory in more than one block does not seem a good idea), therefore
programs should also be placed in 'non-video-RAM' on the SI, if there is enough
room to do that. This is where the RAM cache comes in:
Some research on the location of the RAM cache revealed that it probably is
located in the top of system memory. Switching off the RAM cache therefore
gives you more free space in the faster memory range, which leads to better
performance figures.
Disclaimer: I do not have access to any of the newer machines, this is
just my guess (but I DO believe it to be more or less true).
How to check whether this is true:
Put a number of copies of your favourite speed tester on a disk and run them all
under MultiFinder with RAM cache disabled. The first few started should be the
fasted ones, performance should drop on a certain moment.
How to prevent that your programs get stuck in slow memory:
- Allocate the entire video RAM to video (if that is possible;
if not, can somebody write an INIT to do that?)
- buy more memory (if you install 17 Meg in a SI you will probable not
encounter many problems of this kind any more).
PS: access to video memory on SI, CI and LC should still be faster than
on NuBus-systems; the NuBus is relatively slow and the 'contention'
problem arises also when writing to video-memory on a NuBus card.
PS/2: read the disclaimer
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 4 Feb 1991 16:40:21 GMT
From: John_Mansfield@emal.sprl.umich.edu (John F. Mansfield)
Subject: Word Weirdness
Hi there, I notice people are again running into problems with the
infamous Microsoft Word. Well here is a new on for you.
Everytime I start Word by clicking on the application icon
I get the message "Cant open file Untitled" with an
OK button. When I click OK the application opens an empty document
titled Unititled1. Why has it suddenly started to do this?
I tried clearing out all the word temp files and word prefs but to no avail.
Any help appreciated.
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 04 Feb 91 09:07:23 PST
From: ISCJCW@uccvma.ucop.edu
Subject: ZMac
>From: Jerry Wilcox ISCJCW@UCCVMA (415)987-0516
Subject: ZMac
In Issue 30, Juan A. Pons raises the question of why ZMac is located on
CompuServe rather than on one of the more "mac-like" services, such as America
Online. Although Mr. Pons disputes the publisher's claim that the reason is
one of simple numbers, my experience, I'm sad to say, agrees with the
publisher.
While I certainly prefer the graphical interface available on AO (and I
frequent that service), I also find myself spending lots of time on
CompuServe. Why? Because that's where most of the people with whom I
communicate, are, first of all. Secondly, most, but not all, of the vendors
whose hardware and software I use, offer on-line support on CompuServe. Yes,
it is more expensive. No, I don't stay on-line and chat on CIS, where I do on
AO. The simple fact is, ZMac is located where the numbers of Mac users are
high. All you have to do is look at the volume of postings in any of the CIS
Mac forums compared to the AO forums. Look at the size of the download
libraries on CIS compared to AO.
What should be done? I think two things: First of all, Mac users should put
their money and time where their emotions are. Sign up for AO if you like the
interface better. Use it (you'll be pleasantly surprised at the low cost, I
know I was). Let your vendors know you'd like support on AO as well as on CIS
(several vendors do offer support on both; others don't have a formal forum on
AO, but do monitor and respond to messages left there). Ziff-Davis is, first
and foremost a business, and if the numbers support a move, I'm sure that ZMac
would either move or be duplicated on AO.
Secondly, CompuServe Information Manager and/or Navigator are useful tools in
minimizing on-line time on CIS. Ziff-Davis needs to be 'encouraged' to get off
the *horrible* terminal emulation mode in CIS and be integrated into a more
reasonable environment. Until such time as they do at least that much, I
consider them a "use of last resort".
Jerry Wilcox iscjcw@uccvma or iscjcw@uccvma.ucop.edu
Bitnet ISCJCW@UCCVMA
Internet ISCJCW@UCCVMA.ucop.edu
AOL JCWilcox
Disclaimer: These are my opinions, not those of my employer.
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End of Info-Mac Digest
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