bgrubb@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu (05/06/91)
With system 7.0 only seven days away(we hope) :-). I look forward to the end of these programs that do EVERYTHING. I always thought that programs that tried to do everything(like word process, AND data base, AND graphic edit) tended to either be overly complex or had problems with the interreaction between the different parts of the program. The only problem I do see in the new type of programs that will be written for the mac is that since Apple did not standerdized how to IAC(aagh!) there could be major problems with software from different companies trying to communicate with each other. Looking forward to the net's ideas and theories on IAC in 7.0 and how programing statagies will change.
chewy@apple.com (Paul Snively) (05/09/91)
In article <1991May6.143117.18679@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu> bgrubb@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu writes: >The only problem I do see in the new type of programs that will be >written for the mac is that since Apple did not standerdized how to >IAC(aagh!) there could be major problems with software from different >companies trying to communicate with each other. Pardon me? Maybe I missed something, but as one of the people at Apple who has been working for over a year on AppleEvents, precisely in an attempt to help formulate a set of standard AppleEvents and data types, I can gleefully say that we very definitely _did_ standardize not only a means of communication (the AppleEvent protocol) but some sets of "verbs" (Required and Core AppleEvents) as well as some standard data types. To make matters even better, there is an Object Model that AppleEvents-aware software should use to allow access to its data structures by AppleEvents. There's even a code library to support this Object Model. It's available (albeit in beta form) on AppleLink. The bottom line is that we've worked _very hard_ to make it possible for a wide variety of software to "all speak the same language" as they talk to each other. More details will, of course, be forthcoming at the Developers' Conference next week! Paul Snively MacDTS Apple Computer, Inc.
bgrubb@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu (05/10/91)
In article <1991May6.143117.18679@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu> I posted >The only problem I do see in the new type of programs that will be >written for the mac is that since Apple did not standerdized how to >IAC(aagh!) there could be major problems with software from different >companies trying to communicate with each other. And I forgot to tell where I got my information from so here goes; The above was baced on an article in May 91 issue of MacUser called "Applications are Talking Too" by Michael Swaine pg 239 And the article stated that since a part of IAC (publish and subscribe) (I think) was not standerdized, "programs made by the same company would communicate better with each other then with those from other companies." (The above is a paraquote) Now that you have my souce I welcome any debate on the interpitation of this article sited.
lsr@Apple.COM (Larry Rosenstein) (05/12/91)
In article <1991May10.140513.692@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu> bgrubb@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu writes: >And I forgot to tell where I got my information from so here goes; >The above was baced on an article in May 91 issue of MacUser called >"Applications are Talking Too" by Michael Swaine pg 239 >And the article stated that since a part of IAC (publish and subscribe) >(I think) was not standerdized, "programs made by the same company would >communicate better with each other then with those from other companies." >(The above is a paraquote) First you forgot the beginning of the sentence: "Unlike AppleEvents, its protcols are not standardized by Apple...". Second, you forgot the following sentence: "This is called proprietary IAC." Swaine is talking about low-level IAC here, not publish and subscribe. The low-level IAC mechanism can be used to send any set of bytes from one place to another. Developers can take a proprietary approach and define their own format for these bytes if they choose. But Apple has also defined AppleEvents which are a standard language for communicating between applications. Publish and subscribe is implemented (in part) using AppleEvents. -- Larry Rosenstein, Apple Computer, Inc. lsr@apple.com (or AppleLink: Rosenstein1)