Info-Mac-Request@SUMEX-AIM.STANFORD.EDU (The Moderators) (09/15/89)
Info-Mac Digest Thu, 14 Sep 89 Volume 7 : Issue 164
Today's Topics:
2nd Internal HD Question
Boomerang bug
Cricket Graph with HP plotter problem
Fortran porting to Mac
Gatorbox/Fastpath
HANDLES AND POINTERS
help request
Help with a SCCS
Info-Mac Digest V7 #162
IPT Personal Server Network
multifinder vs amiga
Partitioning a standard apple HD
Projection system for IIcx
RAM disks for Mac II
SLIP for the Macintosh???
Virus Alarm : small problem
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----------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Wed, 13 Sep 89 15:57:30 -0400
From: Velu Sinha <velu@ra.src.umd.edu>
Subject: 2nd Internal HD Question
I have installed a second internal HD into my Mac II (both are
Quantum 80 Mb with cache), and am having problems at Power-on time:
The Mac powers up OK, and then plays one of its error message "chords",
the machine then hangs (Mouse drawn on upper left corner, screen greyed).
If I hit the reset switch at this time the machine boots just fine.
Could this a power-supply problem? I had to make a vampire tap for
the power to the second drive. Could it be a SCSI termination problem?
I have terminators on the first drive (but not the second).
Thanks very much for your help ... please reply directly to me.
- Velu
velu@ra.src.umd.edu
------------------------------
Date: 12 Sep 89 22:48:58 GMT
From: BI.MORRISON%SCIENCE.UTAH.EDU@wasatch.utah.edu (Tom Morrison)
Subject: Boomerang bug
I may have discovered an incompatibility between Boomerang (ver. 20b7)
and SmartScrap (ver. 1.02)
The conflict occurs when I try to switch scrapbooks. The first
attempt is successful. The second attempt causes the computer to
freeze up. The problem is eliminated when I remove Boomerang.
My system configurations are: 4Mbyte SE with Direct Drive 80 HD,
System 6.02; Finder 6.1; Inits: Vaccine, Morie, SuperClock.
Tom Morrison
Biology Department
University of Utah
SLC, UT 84112
(801)-581-3592
bi.morrison@science.utah.edu
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 13 Sep 89 00:44:57 CDT
From: kc_yeo@sngsf1.sinet.slb.com (KC Yeo*Sedco Forex S'pore*Tel-65-345-9944*Fax-65-344-2655)
Subject: Cricket Graph with HP plotter problem
I run Cricket Graph ver 1.2 on Mac II with HP7475A plotter as the output
device. There are some problems with the output : fancy text like bold face
and outline are all plotted as plain-thin text; shading of bar or pie are also
plotted plain. Can anyone help me ? Thank you very much.
Arthur
KC_YEO@SNGSF1.SINET.SLB.COM
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 14 Sep 89 13:52 N
From: <HEWAT%FRILL.BITNET@forsythe.stanford.edu>
Subject: Fortran porting to Mac
Distribution-File:
jnet%"info-mac%sumex@stanford"
There is an interesting article in the archives on porting Fortran to the Mac:
26911 Dec 21 1988 ./lang/fortran-porting.hqx
This article mentions two other articles on the same subject, including one on
porting applications with Tektronix graphics. I cannot find these other
articles. Does anyone know about them, or the name/e-mail address of the author
Alan Hewat, Grenoble France (Bitnet HEWAT@FRILL).
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 13 Sep 89 09:04:37 EDT
From: vita@disney.crd.ge.com (Mark F. Vita)
Subject: Gatorbox/Fastpath
> Can anyone give me some recommendations as to what I should be
> recommending between a fastpath and a Gatorbox? Almost all of what it'll
> be used for is filesharing (keeping mac files on a 660Meg NeXT hard drive),
> and I'm leaning towards the Cayman box, since it'll do the AFP-NFS gating
> w/o extra software on the individual machines.
Cayman recently unbundled its former GatorBox product into two separate
products: the basic GatorBox, which serves as an AppleTalk-to-Ethernet
bridge; and GatorShare, additional-cost software which runs on the GatorBox
and does AFP-NFS conversion. The basic GatorBox now has the same list
price as a Kinetics Fastpath, and will perform the same functions: i.e.,
let you run TOPS, NCSA Telnet, CAP, whatever. But the GatorBox has the
advantage that you can later upgrade with GatorShare software to provide
AppleShare file service. Note also that the GatorBox has slightly better
hardware than the Kinetics box -- faster processor, more memory -- though
with the current rev of the software, the throughput of the two devices is
about the same.
Mark Vita vita@crd.ge.com
General Electric CRD ..!uunet!crd.ge.com!vita
Schenectady, NY
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 14 Sep 89 16:44:37 SST
From: TNG TH <ISSTTH%NUSVM.BITNET@forsythe.stanford.edu>
Subject: HANDLES AND POINTERS
While designing data structures to keep track of a list of records, I
became very confused as to the usage of Handles and Pointers.
struct record
{
char data|200^;
int length;
}
struct list
{
struct record *next;
struct record thisRecord;
}
This declaration works fine in a normal programming, but then I realize
that Mac compacts heap. Should all my pointers be Handles instead?
Please can anyone enlighten me? Thanks.
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 13 Sep 1989 8:14:38 EDT
From: "STOSC::SIMS"@scivaxm.stsci.edu (Where Yat?)
Subject: help request
I'm looking for anyone who is using (or _knows_ about) MAC IIXs, UNIX, and
anyone's (FRANZ?) LISP for development. How is the environment, bugs, etc.
Alternate suggestions are welcome. Flames to /dev/null, opinions welcome.
We are currently developing on the IIx with Allegro, and are hitting the wall,
memory-wise (have 8 mb in the boxes).
Thanks in advance.
jim
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 13 Sep 89 13:50:30 EDT
From: dahbura@hamal.gsfc.nasa.gov (Anton Dahbura)
Subject: Help with a SCCS
Does anyone know or use a Source Code Control System with the MAC?
I know about some for MPW what I was curious about are there any for
Lightspeed C and that allow multiple programmers on a net to work without
having two people modifying the same source file at one time. Any companies
or product names would be helpful. I can summarize here if there is a lot
of info. Thanks for any help.
-tony
------------------------------
Date: 13 Sep 89 12:20:35 GMT
From: unido!gmdzi!thomas@uunet.uu.net (Thomas Gordon)
Subject: Info-Mac Digest V7 #162
>From article <8909130312.AA08772@sumex-aim.stanford.edu>, by Info-Mac-Request@SUMEX-AIM.STANFORD.EDU (The Moderators):
>
> much better (they need it). We purchased Finale for $800 from Future Music
> (I think) when the list was $1000. I just saw an ad in MacUser or MacWorld
> that the new list price is now around $500 or so.
I read in a local music magazine that there is a new, cheaper, cut-down
version of Finale from Coda, which they are selling under another name.
Unfortunately, I forget the name just now. Is this true, or has Coda decided
to just reduce the price of Finale? Or are both true? Perhaps the
cut-down version costs even less than the circa $500 that Finale now costs.
Finale sounds very interesting, despite the criticism I have heard about
performance problems and its user-interface, because its the only program
I am aware of which is able to transcribe MIDI. Are there others?
It may be that I want too much. I am unsure whether perhaps a good
sequencer would better suit my needs. Can anyone tell me whether Finale
is suitable for sequencing? Are you able to listen to other tracks while
recording a new track, for example?
Thanks
Tom Gordon
--
Thomas F. Gordon email: thomas@gmdzi.uucp
GMD / F3 phone: (+49 2241) 14-2665
Schloss Birlinghoven
D-5205 Sankt Augustin 1, FRG
------------------------------
Date: 12 Sep 89 14:51 CST
From: ANDREW TREMBLEY <S703975@uwec.bitnet>
Subject: IPT Personal Server Network
In Info-Mac Vol 7 issue 161 of Friday 8 September, Mark Vita mentioned IPT
Personal Server Network. I showed the letter to my employer, who is interested
in this system as an alternative to TOPS.
What I would like to know is how reliable this system is, any quirks which
it has, and advantages and disadvantages as opposed to TOPS (besides AFP
compatibility). The labs in which these networks would be would consist of
a Mac SE w/HD20SC, and three twin-floppy SE's.
please respond to me, and I will summarize for the net if enough interest is
shown.
Andrew T Trembley
S703975 @ UWEC .BITNET
Student Researcher
University of Wisconsin Eau Claire
Housing Computer Centers
advTHANKSance
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 14 Sep 89 13:18:22 +0200
From: Pottie Karl <FHGAPHS@BLEKUL11>
Subject: multifinder vs amiga
Here's a summary of a discussion going on in i-amiga:
--------------------------------------------------------
I was wondering what people think of multifinder.
I was playing with it a little bit today and found it
pretty neat. Do people think multifinder might/will be
an Amiga-killer? I sure hope that 1.4 will look and
feel as polished as the finder on the Mac. Is there
any hope of getting a standard Amiga workbench screen
that's as high resolution and as high definition as
the Mac's? I've seen interlace with a flicker-fixer,
but I really don't like the way it squishes everything---
I think we need an Amiga workbench screen that increases
resolution both vertically AND HORIZONTALLY. Also,
will it ever be possible (not possible by PD programs,
but possible from Commodore) to move a window off the
screen? Being able to move a window partly off the
screen is really nice when you have a bunch open at once.
SUTTON@BRANDEIS.BITNET
P.S. I know that the price differential between the Mac
and the Amiga is tremendous. I want people who
can get anything they want to choose an Amiga over
a Mac. As much as I'd like to think that we (i-amiga
subscribers) are an important market to Commodore and
the big software companies, I'm afraid that it may
really be those people who can choose whatever they
want who'll get the best spreadsheets, wordprocessors,
DTP systems, databases, project managers, OS services, etc.
written for them. Big money talks and I know that the
two cents I have to rub together isn't too big a deal.
Software and hardware companies aren't in the business
of improving innovative and powerful computers (although
they might tell you they are), they're in the business
of making money.
**
I'm still amazed at the amount of people who insist that Multifinder
is a true multi-tasker. At this point (correct me if I'm wrong), there
are only two operating systems that allow for multi-tasking : AmigaDos
and OS-9. I've got a friend who owns a COCO3, with 512 on the board, running
OS-9. He's had so many conversations with Mac-heads who insist that Multi-
finder can run more that one task at any given time. HAH! Each and
every time we've had to show them that this can't be done, in the true
sense of multi-tasking. Sooooo... In that realm, I doubt very
much that AmigaDos 1.4 is threatened by the Mac OS. And until these
people learn to get a true multi-tasker, I'll just sit back and laugh
at them... hehehe...
Mike Smith / /
/ /
/ /
\ \/ /
\/\/ Amiga Users Unite!
**
Multi-finder is a hack and a kluge, but it also does what most people think
they want from a multi-tasking operating system. One thing it doesn't give
them is the elegance and flexibility of a well-designed preemptive
multi-tasking operating system, but most people don't care that much.
Multi-finder has even less resistance to poorly written programs than
the Amiga, since cooperative multi-tasking schemes rely on the indvidual
programs to relinquish control of the system--but, again, most users (at
least Mac users) don't really care, since they weren't planning to run a
5 hour ray-tracing job while writing their theses anyway. The third thing
cooperative multi-tasking has trouble with is interprocess communication.
The problems are surmountable, but it takes some work, and it isn't nearly
as elegant on the Mac as on the Amiga. This may be an area of opportunity
for the Amiga, since Apple has whetted Mac-users' appetites by promising
some IPC capabilities in System 7.0, which won't even be available RSN.
There's some speculation that this is the real reason Apple is suing
MicroSoft and HP--HP's New Wave package for MicroSoft Windows gives the user
the same sort of IPC capabilities (more or less) that Apple is promising for
System 7, so Apple may be trying to keep New Wave tied up in court until
System 7 is real. But I digress. This is also probably one of the reasons
Commodore has decided to bundle ARexx in 1.4--it's the closest thing they've
got, so make it a standard.
Multi-Finder does look better than the Amiga workbench. The standard beige
(or platinum) toaster screen is actually pretty low-res, but the square pixels
and the small screen (along with a hefty dose of good graphic design) conspire
to make it look substantially better. Interlace with flicker fixer actually
is pretty good, with a sensible choice of font--I'd pick one of the medium
sized Courier typefaces. Hopefully there will be better system support for
fonts in 1.4. I've heard rumors that this will be so, and the Commodore is
hiring some outside graphic arts consultants for help with WorkBench 1.4.
There's also the A2024, if it ever gets released.
In a different article, somebody else wrote:
>I'm still amazed at the amount of people who insist that Multifinder
>is a true multi-tasker. At this point (correct me if I'm wrong), there
>are only two operating systems that allow for multi-tasking : AmigaDos
>and OS-9.
PR types love the sound of "true multi-tasking", but there are endless
debates over what it really means. If you want to be precise, avoid it.
Multi-finder is a cooperative-multitasking system--it multitasks, but it
can only switch tasks when the current process lets it. The Amiga is a
preemptive-multitasking system--the OS can interrupt a process and switch
tasks whenever it likes. It doesn't sound as nifty, but it's accurate and
unambiguous.
As for the number of preemptive multi-tasking operating systems, I hope you
meant an implicit "for microcomputers", since I'm sure the systems both you
and I are sending these messages from multi-task, and mine certainly isn't
running AmigaDOS or OS-9. Even then, you forgot OS/2 (which is real),
and several lesser known multi-tasking operating systems for micros (QNX
for the PC, for example). In addition, many high end micros can now run
some version of UN*X, which certainly multi-tasks.
Unfortunately for the Amiga, just multi-tasking isn't enough. You have to
prove to the potential users that there is a significant advantage to be
had from multi-tasking, and playing a dungeon game while telecommunicating
isn't going to make it. Seamlessly joining arbitrary combinations of
applications will do it, but neither the Amiga nor the Mac is there yet,
but the Mac is closer. The Amiga could do better, but it will take a
serious, concentrated effort from C-A to make it so.
Oh well. Enough fluff for today. Back to work...
-Dan Riley (dsr@crnlns.bitnet)
-Wilson Lab, Cornell U.
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 13 Sep 89 19:00:08 EST
From: "Matthew T. Kromer" <MATT%MTUS5.BITNET@forsythe.stanford.edu>
Subject: Partitioning a standard apple HD
OK, this has been asked before, but I do not remember the answer. I
want to take a standard Apple 40M HD (inside a Mac II) and partition it
into TWO Mac OS partitions. Now, the standard HD Setup utility will not
let me make another Mac OS partition. I would assume this is because it
doesn't know how to install a driver to deal with the extra partition.
Can anyone direct me to an installer/partitioner on the cheap, cheaper,
cheapest route? I want to partition a "public" hard disk with read-only
and read-write partitions, so we don't get stuff lost every other day.
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 13 Sep 89 11:36 EDT
From: Roberta Russell <PRUSSELL@ocvaxc.cc.oberlin.edu>
Subject: Projection system for IIcx
Can anyone recommend a projection system that works with the IIcx?
We've been using a Kodak DataShow panel with a Nutmeg Systems
video board to project the SE screen for classroom use. On the
IIcx this setup treats the panel and the monitor as two distinct
screens. The instructor can see one or the other, but not both at
the same time. Any fixes or workarounds? Thanks,
Roberta Russell
Academic Computing Services
Oberlin College, Oberlin OH 44074
------------------------------
Date: Wed 13 Sep 89 12:13:30-PDT
From: Brodie Lockard <I.ISIMO@hamlet.stanford.edu>
Subject: RAM disks for Mac II
I'm running a rather large (2-3 meg) HyperCard stack. It's quite slow, mainly
because things are constantly being written back to disk. Can you recommend
a RAM disk that runs on Mac IIs and can be configured to use several megabytes
(the more the better)? Thanks in advance.
Brodie Lockard
I.ISIMO@MACBETH.STANFORD.EDU
-------
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 13 Sep 89 11:23:59 CST
From: Steve Middlebrook <C94882SM%WUVMD.BITNET@forsythe.stanford.edu>
Subject: SLIP for the Macintosh???
I am looking for information about Macintosh implementations of SLIP--Serial
Line Internet Protocol. If anyone knows of such a beast, I would appreciate
hearing about it.
Stephen T. Middlebrook *****
Educational Computing Services *** ***
Washington University *** ***
One Brookings Drive *** ***
Campus Box 1221 *** Washington ***
St. Louis, MO 63130 *** University ***
(314) 889-5313 *** ***
BITNET: C94882SM@WUVMD *** St. Louis MO ***
INTERNET: C94882SM@WUVMD.WUSTL.EDU *** ***
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 13 Sep 89 09:26 CDT
From: Scott Hutinger <MSER001%ECNCDC.BITNET@forsythe.stanford.edu>
Subject: Virus Alarm : small problem
Virus Alarm has a small problem which everyone should know about, I have been
out of town, so maybe someone else posted this information? I sent a note
to the author, but maybe he is busy.
Virus Alarm uses numcodes = CountResources('CODE');
numcodes will return ALL OPEN CODE resources, not just the applications code
resources. Therefore if any other CODE resources are around, they will be
included. Most of the time this will not create problems, but use your
imagination. Use numcodes = Count1Resources('CODE'); which will return
the CODE resources in the current application only. Also note that
codeh = GetIndResource('CODE', coderidx);
should be changed to Get1IndResource also. Otherwise ALL OPEN CODE resources
of the specified number could be read in, eg, this CODE resource belongs to
some other application, but read it in anyway. Fix this with Get1IndResource
which will search the current application only.
Any questions about this can be found in the resource manager chapters in
inside mac. More people should include this type of code within their appl's.
Thanks to Dave Richey from Bear River Institute,Inc. for even making me aware of
this problem a couple of days ago.
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End of Info-Mac Digest
******************************