dowdy@apple.com (Tom Dowdy) (03/13/91)
Every once in a while someone looks on apple.com for some new
piece of software and (upon not finding it) instantly jumps
to the conclusion that Apple Computer, Inc. has it in for
them personally. While I hardly speak for Apple Computer, Inc,
I thought I would try to shed some light on the apple.com and FTP
situation. You may direct any comments or flames to Mark Johnson
at mjohnson@apple.com.
Why isn't XXXX on apple.com?
Three reasons:
1) apple.com is nearly full. Because apple.com serves as an engineering
unix playstation, mail routing, news, and other server in addition
to FTP, it gets more use (both disk and CPU) than it really should.
We are trying to limit how much junk we throw up there to the things
people REALLY need.
2) Putting stuff up for FTP on apple.com isn't anyone's job. Several
people (myself and Mark Johnson included) do work on our OWN TIME to
make software available for FTP. This isn't in any of our job descriptions
and we are all kinda busy with our own jobs. In particular, of late,
System 7.0 (and preparing the CDs for developers) has been a rather
large time-sink, as one might imagine. Believe me, the LAST thing you
want to do after a 12 hour (or more) day of coding and bug fixing is
to try to wrestle with a unix FTP server!
3) We are trying to offload FTP services to another machine (ftp.apple.com)
for both CPU and disk reasons. This machine isn't ready yet, but we
are trying not to upload a bunch of stuff to apple.com only to remove
it later. This begs the next question:
Why isn't ftp.apple.com available yet?
Four reasons:
1) The machine in question is in need of a new hard disk. This is
in process (and has been for some time).
2) There are some FTP changes we need to make. Once again, this is
in process as well. These changes are to allow us to track usage
(both who is getting things, as well as which things are being
gotten). These changes will allow us (hopefully) to move this from
a part-time-seat-of-the-pants operation to one that is actually
SUPPORTED by Apple.
3) There is a great deal of grunt work that needs to be done in order
to place the quanity of software up onto ftp.apple.com that we wish to.
There are ALOT of disks and directories that need to be stuffed and
binhexed for your enjoyment. We have some MPW scripts that help
us, but it isn't all automatic - and as I said before, this is all
on our own time.
4) Legal reasons. This is perhaps the least of the concerns as it
only affects SOME of the software. There are some licensing things
going on that need to be resolved prior to placing SOME software up
for FTP. This is in process. No, I won't tell you which software it is.
In summary, we are doing this as fast as we can while not getting ourselves
fired. We will try to make really interesting software available as soon
as we can on apple.com, but we really ARE limited in what we can put
there at this time.
To try to make people happier: we will try to get the TrueType disks
up on apple.com AS SOON as humanly possible. In return, all I ask
is a little patience as we try to get all of this working.
Thank you,
Tom Dowdy Internet: dowdy@apple.COM
Apple Computer MS:81EQ UUCP: {sun,voder,amdahl,decwrl}!apple!dowdy
20525 Mariani Ave AppleLink: DOWDY1
Cupertino, CA 95014
"The 'Ooh-Ah' Bird is so called because it lays square eggs."gaynor@magnus.ircc.ohio-state.edu (Jim Gaynor) (03/14/91)
In article <50206@apple.Apple.COM> dowdy@apple.com (Tom Dowdy) writes: >Why isn't ftp.apple.com available yet? > [...] >4) Legal reasons. This is perhaps the least of the concerns as it >only affects SOME of the software. There are some licensing things >going on that need to be resolved prior to placing SOME software up >for FTP. This is in process. No, I won't tell you which software it is. "Would you like a hint?" "Yes, please." "How long can you tread water?" -- Jim Gaynor - Systems Analyst 1 + "This is Serious. He is Lost. The Ohio State University ACS-FM-OCES | We must begin the Search at once." gaynor@magnus.ircc.ohio-state.ed | -Rabbit, from gaynor@agvax2.ag.ohio-state.edu + "The House at Pooh Corner"
dorner@pequod.cso.uiuc.edu (Steve Dorner) (03/14/91)
The single most helpful thing 'Apple' has done for me is the anonymous ftp site. It's a great thing you few are doing for us, and is a LOT more valuable than the pretty suits and dresses that occasional show up on our campus. I'm sure people fortunate enough to have ETO subscriptions don't give a darn, but *I* am awfully grateful. -- Steve Dorner, U of Illinois Computing Services Office Internet: s-dorner@uiuc.edu UUCP: uunet!uiucuxc!uiuc.edu!s-dorner
wieser@fsd.cpsc.ucalgary.ca (Bernhard Wieser) (03/14/91)
What about... 1) it hasn't been released yet (or) 2) it's only avail. to registered developers (or) 3) you have to buy it (i.e. through APDA) -- ( Bernie Wieser, wieser@cpsc.ucalgary.ca, BSWieser@uncamult.BITNET ) ( 4rth Year Dbl.Mgr Cpsc Clhc University of Calgary | ) ( S/H Developer Dept. of Psychology, " " " \|/ ) ( Octavian Micro Development Group --- o --- )
wirehead@oxy.edu (David J. Harr) (03/14/91)
I would just like to express my (and I'm sure many others) appreciation for having anything at ALL available by FTP from Apple. It is very rare for a company that makes microcomputers to make available the kind of development tools that Apple has made available by FTP. Obviously, in a perfect world, I would have instant access to ALL the new items on ALL the disks of everyone in ATG, but given that this is the real world, I don't think they're doing too bad. So, kudos to Mark Johnson and Tom Dowdy and all the other folks up there who are doing their best to help us. I hope they don't feel like no one appreciates them. Just my 18.7 cents worth (inflation, you know...) David Harr "I think happiness is being famous for your financial ability to indulge in every kind of excess...The best part about being famous would be crushing people who got in your way." --Calvin fnordfnordfnordfnordfnordfnordfnordfnordfnordfnordfnordfnordfnordfnordfnord
chai@hawk.cs.ukans.edu (Ian Chai) (03/14/91)
Dear Tom (Dowdy) Gosh, I knew you were a nice guy from the help you've given me in the past, but I didn't realize how much! Keep up the good work. I look forward to seeing ftp.apple.com when you get it up. (Now if Apple's Legal department would take a tip or two from its tech staff <grin>) Ian Chai chai@cs.ukans.edu 2fntnougat@ukanvax.bitnet
lemke@radius.com (Steve Lemke) (03/20/91)
wieser@fsd.cpsc.ucalgary.ca (Bernhard Wieser) writes: }What about... } }1) it hasn't been released yet (or) This would usually fall under the same category as (2) below, since unreleased things are often shipped to registered developers. }2) it's only avail. to registered developers (or) This one is easy. Nobody said that all files had to be available via the usually ASSUMED _ANONYMOUS_ ftp. There's not really any reason why ftp couldn't have a list of logins for registered developers. That way, you sign in as whoever you really are, and you get access to things based on who you are. Yes, this takes some time on apple's part, but then that's what they are trying to officially receive some authorization to do - spend someone's time on setting up and maintaining this thing. }3) you have to buy it (i.e. through APDA) I think sometimes this is only so you can get printed docs and pay for the cost involved in APDA getting the stuff to you. APDA stuff should be made available electronically (via FTP) for those interested (and maybe only registered folks, who knows?). I don't know if this would fly, but it might... -- ----- Steve Lemke, KC6QDT - Software Engineering, Radius Inc., San Jose ----- ----- Reply to: lemke@radius.com -- U.C. Santa Barbara ECE Class of '89 ----- ----- "I'm not a UNIX wizard, but I play the Postmaster at radius.com." -----