andre@unix.cis.pitt.edu (Andre Srinivasan) (12/26/90)
ok, so i finally wired a phone jack for my mac and want to dial into the local unix box. i read the macuser 2400 baud modem review and am NOT going to pay $200+ just because the modem is packaged for the mac. come on, i see the same modem in a pc magazine for >$150, this is ridiculous. so i need some advice: what modem (of the countless billions) should i buy? i am willing to pay a little more for quality, but not simply because the modem is sold by a mac house. software: anybody use something that's inexpensive that does a nice job of talking to the csh (unlike red ryder where i need to hit option-u twice)? finally, the cable: i have a cable from macwarehouse that works fine with my 1200 baud modem. can i visually tell if it's set up for hardware handshakeing? thanks. -andre
lriggins@blackbird.afit.af.mil (Leonard M. Riggins) (12/27/90)
In article <73801@unix.cis.pitt.edu> andre@unix.cis.pitt.edu (Andre Srinivasan) writes: >ok, so i finally wired a phone jack for my mac and want to dial into the >local unix box. i read the macuser 2400 baud modem review and am NOT going >to pay $200+ just because the modem is packaged for the mac. come on, i see >the same modem in a pc magazine for >$150, this is ridiculous. Well, maybe it's not ridiculous if you don't have the cable and telecomm software. There's been a lot of traffic here about the outrageous cost of cables. And the comm apps aren't cheap either. You can put it together yourself (which I recommend) or let the mail-order house do it for you. It'll cost about the same. > >so i need some advice: what modem (of the countless billions) should i >buy? i am willing to pay a little more for quality, but not simply because >the modem is sold by a mac house. Well, I didn't read the review, but some of the things I'd look for are v.42/v.42bis/MNP capability. Your UNIX box may not have that kind of dial-in now, but maybe soon? Also, a lot of the USR HST's on BBS's have v.42 capability even at 2400/1200 baud. It's worth a 20% improvement even on compressed files. > >software: anybody use something that's inexpensive that does a nice job of >talking to the csh (unlike red ryder where i need to hit option-u twice)? A lot of folks recommend ZTerm 0.85 and it IS great for BBSing. However, it's VT100 emulation leaves a lot to be desired! MacKermit has pretty good emulation (and the price is right - PD) but the Kermit transfer protocol is a lot slower. However, some UNIX boxes can only deal with Kermit. Microphone is the Rolls-Royce of Mac telecomm packages. Powerful, yet follows the Mac interface even when doing exotic things. Supports HyperCard XCMDs, scripts, you name it. However, it is very expensive. $2XX mail-order. VersaTerm (or the more expensive VT-PRO) has excellent emulation but last I checked it only supported Xmodem and Kermit transfers. Regular VT is about $80 mail-order, I believe. Personally, I use White Knight. I never liked it's interface, but it does really good emulation and supports X,Y,Zmodem as well as Kermit. I believe it's as powerful as Microphone, but when you do anything really exotic, you're more or less in the "hacker" mode... as long as you are familiar with telecomm stuff, this isn't a problem. And it is a lot cheaper than Microphone. (I'm not sure why you have to hit Ctrl-U twice with Red Ryder) I have all kinds of WK Scripts that log me in and work with shell scripts to do things. > >finally, the cable: i have a cable from macwarehouse that works fine with >my 1200 baud modem. can i visually tell if it's set up for hardware >handshakeing? > >thanks. > > -andre you're welcom. -- Maurice INTERNET: lriggins@blackbird.afit.af.mil (129.92.1.2) Opinions expressed here do not reflect those of my employer nor constitute an official position of any U.S.Government agency.
peirce@outpost.UUCP (Michael Peirce) (12/27/90)
In article <73801@unix.cis.pitt.edu>, andre@unix.cis.pitt.edu (Andre Srinivasan) writes: > > ok, so i finally wired a phone jack for my mac and want to dial into the > local unix box. i read the macuser 2400 baud modem review and am NOT going > to pay $200+ just because the modem is packaged for the mac. come on, i see > the same modem in a pc magazine for >$150, this is ridiculous. > > so i need some advice: what modem (of the countless billions) should i > buy? i am willing to pay a little more for quality, but not simply because > the modem is sold by a mac house. I've been happy with my TelePort modem from Global Village. It's a nice 2400 baud modem with MNP and it's got one extra special feature: it does't use up my modem port! It plugs into the ADB port (so don't get it if you have a Plus). It also don't require extra power - it gets its power from the ADB (just like your keyboard doesn't have an extra power cord). -- michael -- Michael Peirce -- {apple,decwrl}!claris!outpost!peirce -- Peirce Software -- Suite 301, 719 Hibiscus Place -- Macintosh Programming -- San Jose, California 95117 -- & Consulting -- (408) 244-6554, AppleLink: PEIRCE
kanefsky@cs.umn.edu (Steve Kanefsky) (12/27/90)
In article <1829@blackbird.afit.af.mil> lriggins@blackbird.afit.af.mil (Leonard M. Riggins) writes: > >A lot of folks recommend ZTerm 0.85 and it IS great for BBSing. However, >it's VT100 emulation leaves a lot to be desired! MacKermit has pretty >good emulation (and the price is right - PD) but the Kermit transfer protocol >is a lot slower. However, some UNIX boxes can only deal with Kermit. >Microphone is the Rolls-Royce of Mac telecomm packages. Powerful, yet >follows the Mac interface even when doing exotic things. Supports HyperCard >XCMDs, scripts, you name it. However, it is very expensive. $2XX mail-order. If you have access to an educational discount program, you may be able to get MicroPhone II for a good deal less than the $200+ typical mail order price. I paid $75 for MicroPhone II version 3.0 through the University of Minnesota educational discount program, and it appears to be identical to the non-educational version (the program itself, manuals, packaging, etc.) -- Steve Kanefsky kanefsky@cs.umn.edu
lriggins@blackbird.afit.af.mil (L. Maurice Riggins) (12/27/90)
In article <1990Dec26.205508.5483@cs.umn.edu> kanefsky@cs.umn.edu (Steve Kanefsky) writes: |If you have access to an educational discount program, you may be able to |get MicroPhone II for a good deal less than the $200+ typical mail order |price. I paid $75 for MicroPhone II version 3.0 through the University |of Minnesota educational discount program, and it appears to be identical |to the non-educational version (the program itself, manuals, packaging, |etc.) ARRGGGHHHH! I forgot to even check with Software Ventures on educational pricing! I should've known better, since I get so much other stuff that way. Microphone II really is slick, if a bit jerky at 19200 baud. Nevertheless, I'm gonna go pound my head on the wall awhile. -- Maurice INTERNET: lriggins@blackbird.afit.af.mil (129.92.1.2) Opinions expressed here do not reflect those of my employer nor constitute an official position of any U.S.Government agency.
Michael.Peirce@f20.n226.z1.FIDONET.ORG (Michael Peirce) (12/27/90)
Reply-To: peirce@outpost.UUCP In article <73801@unix.cis.pitt.edu>, andre@unix.cis.pitt.edu (Andre Srinivasan) writes: > > ok, so i finally wired a phone jack for my mac and want to dial into the > local unix box. i read the macuser 2400 baud modem review and am NOT going > to pay $200+ just because the modem is packaged for the mac. come on, i see > the same modem in a pc magazine for >$150, this is ridiculous. > > so i need some advice: what modem (of the countless billions) should i > buy? i am willing to pay a little more for quality, but not simply because > the modem is sold by a mac house. I've been happy with my TelePort modem from Global Village. It's a nice 2400 baud modem with MNP and it's got one extra special feature: it does't use up my modem port! It plugs into the ADB port (so don't get it if you have a Plus). It also don't require extra power - it gets its power from the ADB (just like your keyboard doesn't have an extra power cord). -- michael -- Michael Peirce -- {apple,decwrl}!claris!outpost!peirce -- Peirce Software -- Suite 301, 719 Hibiscus Place -- Macintosh Programming -- San Jose, California 95117 -- & Consulting -- (408) 244-6554, AppleLink: PEIRCE + Organization: Peirce Software -- Michael Peirce - via FidoNet node 1:105/14 UUCP: ...!{uunet!glacier, ..reed.bitnet}!busker!226!20!Michael.Peirce INTERNET: Michael.Peirce@f20.n226.z1.FIDONET.ORG
Steve.Kanefsky@f20.n226.z1.FIDONET.ORG (Steve Kanefsky) (12/27/90)
Reply-To: kanefsky@cs.umn.edu In article <1829@blackbird.afit.af.mil> lriggins@blackbird.afit.af.mil (Leonard M. Riggins) writes: > >A lot of folks recommend ZTerm 0.85 and it IS great for BBSing. However, >it's VT100 emulation leaves a lot to be desired! MacKermit has pretty >good emulation (and the price is right - PD) but the Kermit transfer protocol >is a lot slower. However, some UNIX boxes can only deal with Kermit. >Microphone is the Rolls-Royce of Mac telecomm packages. Powerful, yet >follows the Mac interface even when doing exotic things. Supports HyperCard >XCMDs, scripts, you name it. However, it is very expensive. $2XX mail-order. If you have access to an educational discount program, you may be able to get MicroPhone II for a good deal less than the $200+ typical mail order price. I paid $75 for MicroPhone II version 3.0 through the University of Minnesota educational discount program, and it appears to be identical to the non-educational version (the program itself, manuals, packaging, etc.) -- Steve Kanefsky kanefsky@cs.umn.edu + Organization: University of Minnesota, Minneapolis - CSCI Dept. -- Steve Kanefsky - via FidoNet node 1:105/14 UUCP: ...!{uunet!glacier, ..reed.bitnet}!busker!226!20!Steve.Kanefsky INTERNET: Steve.Kanefsky@f20.n226.z1.FIDONET.ORG
L..Maurice.Riggins@f20.n226.z1.FIDONET.ORG (L. Maurice Riggins) (12/27/90)
Reply-To: lriggins@blackbird.afit.af.mil In article <1990Dec26.205508.5483@cs.umn.edu> kanefsky@cs.umn.edu (Steve Kanefsky) writes: IIf you have access to an educational discount program, you may be able to Iget MicroPhone II for a good deal less than the $200+ typical mail order Iprice. I paid $75 for MicroPhone II version 3.0 through the University Iof Minnesota educational discount program, and it appears to be identical Ito the non-educational version (the program itself, manuals, packaging, Ietc.) ARRGGGHHHH! I forgot to even check with Software Ventures on educational pricing! I should've known better, since I get so much other stuff that way. Microphone II really is slick, if a bit jerky at 19200 baud. Nevertheless, I'm gonna go pound my head on the wall awhile. -- Maurice INTERNET: lriggins@blackbird.afit.af.mil (129.92.1.2) Opinions expressed here do not reflect those of my employer nor constitute an official position of any U.S.Government agency. + Organization: Air Force Institute of Technology; WPAFB, OH -- L. Maurice Riggins - via FidoNet node 1:105/14 UUCP: ...!{uunet!glacier, ..reed.bitnet}!busker!226!20!L..Maurice.Riggins INTERNET: L..Maurice.Riggins@f20.n226.z1.FIDONET.ORG
baumgart@esquire.dpw.com (Steve Baumgarten) (12/27/90)
In article <1829@blackbird.afit.af.mil>, lriggins@blackbird (Leonard M. Riggins) writes: >VersaTerm (or the more expensive VT-PRO) has excellent emulation but last >I checked it only supported Xmodem and Kermit transfers. Regular VT is about >$80 mail-order, I believe. Just a small correction: Versaterm supports Ymodem as well. I find that 1K block Ymodem transfers give me nearly the same efficiency as Zmodem transfers, and the program is more reliable than ZTerm. And it has near-perfect VT220 emulation. But there's only the most rudimentary scripting -- sufficient to get you logged in, but not much more. Still, it's small and fast, and the price is right. -- Steve Baumgarten | "New York... when civilization falls apart, Davis Polk & Wardwell | remember, we were way ahead of you." baumgart@esquire.dpw.com | cmcl2!esquire!baumgart | - David Letterman
Steve.Baumgarten@f20.n226.z1.FIDONET.ORG (Steve Baumgarten) (12/28/90)
Reply-To: baumgart@esquire.dpw.com In article <1829@blackbird.afit.af.mil>, lriggins@blackbird (Leonard M. Riggins) writes: >VersaTerm (or the more expensive VT-PRO) has excellent emulation but last >I checked it only supported Xmodem and Kermit transfers. Regular VT is about >$80 mail-order, I believe. Just a small correction: Versaterm supports Ymodem as well. I find that 1K block Ymodem transfers give me nearly the same efficiency as Zmodem transfers, and the program is more reliable than ZTerm. And it has near-perfect VT220 emulation. But there's only the most rudimentary scripting -- sufficient to get you logged in, but not much more. Still, it's small and fast, and the price is right. -- Steve Baumgarten I "New York... when civilization falls apart, Davis Polk & Wardwell I remember, we were way ahead of you." baumgart@esquire.dpw.com I cmcl2!esquire!baumgart I - David Letterman + Organization: Davis Polk & Wardwell -- Steve Baumgarten - via FidoNet node 1:105/14 UUCP: ...!{uunet!glacier, ..reed.bitnet}!busker!226!20!Steve.Baumgarten INTERNET: Steve.Baumgarten@f20.n226.z1.FIDONET.ORG