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- 28-Jan-88 13:28:43-PST,29126;000000000001
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- Date: Thu, 28 Jan 88 09:38 EDT
- From: Jeffrey Shulman <SHULMAN@sdr.slb.com>
- Subject: Delphi Mac Digest V4 #2
- To: delphi-mac@RELAY.CS.NET, PIERCE%HDS@sdr.slb.com
- X-VMS-To: in%"delphi-mac@relay.cs.net",in%"PIERCE%HDS@SDR.SLB.COM"
-
- Date: Thu 28 Jan 88 09:37:56-GMT
- From: Jeff Shulman <SHULMAN@SDR>
- Subject: Delphi Mac Digest V4 #2
- To: Delphi-List: ;
- Message-ID: <570361077.0.SHULMAN@SDR>
- Mail-System-Version: <VAX-MM(218)+TOPSLIB(129)@SDR>
-
- Delphi Mac Digest Thursday, January 28, 1988 Volume 4 : Issue 2
-
- Today's Topics:
- ImageWriter/AppleTalk (3 messages)
- HyperCard/Easy Access mismatch (3 messages)
- RETURN FROM INTERUPT (2 messages)
- Print 11 x 17 Paper
- Help with Kanji Talk
- RE: Help Kanji Talk
- RE: LSC, function pointers, and segments
- RE: DNA and protein sequence analysis?
- re: LightSpeed C gripes
- Memory
- re: MultiFinder & DAs (2 messages)
- Mapping Software
- HELP (2 messages)
- Disk Initialization of foreign drives
- Universal Cut&Paste? (3 messages)
- RE: About box searches??
- RE: cheap spreadsheet?
- Using Sound
- RE: re: MultiFinder & DAs
- Re: Re: Suitcase versus Font/DA Juggler
- MultiFinder and RamStart (2 messages)
- Bidirectionality?
- more FullWrite bugs (3 messages)
- Word Perfect
-
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------
-
- From: SYMBIOSYS
- Subject: ImageWriter/AppleTalk
- Date: 12-JAN 22:16 Programming
-
- Help... <>
- I am developing software to drive the ImageWriter II with AppleTalk.
- <>
- The Problem : How can I send low-level data to the ImageWriter, i.e.,
- take advantage of 160 dpi via escape codes, etc., and still maintain
- some kind of higher-level, job oriented reality on AppleTalk ? <>
- There will be at least two Macs competing for the ImageWriter, possibly
- more. Low-level printer driver control calls don't provide any
- feedback, e.g. "printer busy now, try later". <>
- Is there some tech note or document concerning this sort of thing ? <>
- Please...
-
- ------------------------------
-
- From: DDUNHAM
- Subject: RE: ImageWriter/AppleTalk (Re: Msg 2283)
- Date: 14-JAN 21:05 Programming Techniques
-
- Well, I used low level printing from miniWRITER, and I'm told it works
- with an AppleTalk ImageWriter. I'm not 100% sure what happens when two
- people try to use it, however.
-
- Be advised that low level printing is no longer very viable with the
- LaserWriter. Apple has changed most of the rules without telling
- anybody.
-
- ------------------------------
-
- From: DDUNHAM
- Subject: RE: ImageWriter/AppleTalk (Re: Msg 2287)
- Date: 20-JAN 02:30 Programming Techniques
-
- You're warned against mixing high and low level calls, but you might
- want to check out PrGeneral (in Inside Mac V).
-
- ------------------------------
-
- From: DEWI
- Subject: HyperCard/Easy Access mismatch
- Date: 13-JAN 21:44 HyperCard
-
- Command-Shift-Clear activates the "Mouse Keys" feature of Easy Access.
-
- Command-Clear is an undocumented "Delete Card" command (the manual
- mentions Command-Backspace, but not Command-Clear, in Chapter 7).
-
- Enough said? Blew away a card in one of my stacks because a finger
- missed the shift key. Unfortunately, aliasing Command-Clear to
- Command-Shift-Clear with QuicKeys doesn't work. If you use Easy Access
- for precision alignment, watch out for this "feature".
-
- Dewi
-
- ------------------------------
-
- From: HALL
- Subject: RE: HyperCard/Easy Access mismatch (Re: Msg 24740)
- Date: 13-JAN 22:01 HyperCard
-
- Did you try using QuicKeys to have Command-clear make a menu selection?
- (Like getting the message box, or something similarly non-destructive.)
-
- Brian
-
- ------------------------------
-
- From: DEWI
- Subject: RE: HyperCard/Easy Access mismatch (Re: Msg 24741)
- Date: 14-JAN 02:10 HyperCard
-
- That did the trick! It's just the alias that doesn't work. You have to
- move Easy Access out of the way and reboot to do it, though.
- Dewi
-
- ------------------------------
-
- From: RABBIT
- Subject: RETURN FROM INTERUPT
- Date: 13-JAN 23:33 Programming Techniques
-
- I have an interesting little problem I could use some advice on if
- anyone is willing to help. I wrote an application a while back (a
- multiuser BBS) that depends on changing the program counte ((via a
- return from an interrupt). This is no problem. However, I noticed when
- reading through the multifinder compat ability documentation that they
- said the Mac while one day be running out of ( sounds like one day will
- not be far away). If I understand the 680X0 series correctly the system
- stack in user mode will not contain the return address. Any ideas for
- changing the program counter in user mode?
-
- Scott
-
- ".... if it didn't walk away it must still be there!"
-
- ------------------------------
-
- From: PEABO
- Subject: RE: RETURN FROM INTERUPT (Re: Msg 2284)
- Date: 20-JAN 00:01 Programming Techniques
-
- Machines with a separate system and user stack always have some way to
- access the user stack from system mode, possibly with a privileged
- instruction or by some kind of special addressing mode that temporarily
- uses the other stack pointer for the duration of the instruction). Look
- for that in your 680X0 manual. The other thing you have to consider is
- whether you are actually going to be in system mode or user mode when
- you get the opportunity to return from interrupt. You may have to use
- an operating system call to play with the stack because the operating
- system (and there will be a real OS on any such Mac) may not give you
- control barefoot off the interrupt vector.
-
- peter
-
- ------------------------------
-
- From: JSTIFF
- Subject: Print 11 x 17 Paper
- Date: 18-JAN 22:55 Hardware & Peripherals
-
- We just got a PrintServer 40 hooked up to our AppleTalk/EtherNet. Does
- anyone know how to modify the laserwriter driver so you can recognize
- the "B" size paper tray in the Printserver and thus print out on 11 x 17
- shets? PageMaker can do it, but we need to be able to do it from other
- applications.
-
- ------------------------------
-
- From: MGNEWMAN
- Subject: Help with Kanji Talk
- Date: 19-JAN 22:40 Programming
-
- I just got the Kanji Mac System Software from APDA (after ordering it
- three times and waiting almost six months!)
-
- However, fool that I am I don't iknow how to use it!
-
- It seems that the System shipped is an older version than the System and
- Finder I have on my hard disk (4.2, 6.0). How do I install the Kanji
- system on my hard disk without having to go backwards to an older
- version of the System and Finder?
-
- Since the Installer shiped with the Kanji stuff has Japanese dialog
- boxes (which I can only partly read) I can't figure out if I can use it
- to install all the stuff on my disk.
-
- What I wan't to do with it is to develop some flashcard type of software
- that will help me (and perhaps others) to improve their ability to read
- Japanese. I was hoping to use the Japanese font file that comes with
- Kanji Talk to create a set of Kanji flashcards (perhaps in HyperCard).
-
- Any help that anyone has to offer would be greatly appreciated.
-
- Regards from Saipan in the Northern Mariana Islands.
-
- ------------------------------
-
- From: PEABO
- Subject: RE: Help Kanji Talk
- Date: 20-JAN 00:03 Programming Techniques
-
- Script Manager docs are available from APDA, both as part of IM 5 and in
- more detail as a separate manual. There is also some sketchy
- information in various
-
- Tech Notes, but of course you need to basic info to understand it.
-
- peter
-
- ------------------------------
-
- From: PEABO
- Subject: RE: LSC, function pointers, and segments (Re: Msg 24773)
- Date: 20-JAN 00:42 Network Digests
-
- >From: gardner@prls.UUCP (Robert Gardner)
- >Subject: LSC, function pointers, and segments
- >Date: 5 Jan 88 00:29:25 GMT
- >Organization: Philips Research Labs, Sunnyvale, California
-
- >I started working on segmenting a large program that uses function
- >pointers rather extensively and got worried about assigning a function
- >pointer in one segment, unloading that segment, and having it accessed
- >later from another segment. Is the function pointer still valid?
-
- Function pointers are addresses of entries in the jump table, and are
- therefore both non-relocatable and always valid targets for a jump.
- HOWEVER, using one can cause heap compaction when you might not expect
- it (as can calling any entry point explicitly in an unloaded segment).
- Beware.
-
- peter "In any context, half of all references
- PEABO @ DELPHI are local and half are global."
-
- ------------------------------
-
- From: PEABO
- Subject: RE: DNA and protein sequence analysis? (Re: Msg 24794)
- Date: 20-JAN 00:53 Network Digests
-
- >Date: Wed, 6 Jan 88 23:06:40 EST
- >From: David_Detlefsen@ub.cc.umich.edu
- >Subject: DNA and protein sequence analysis?
-
- >Has anyone seen any public domain or shareware programs for DNA
- >and protein sequence analysis for the Macintosh?
-
- There was a program available from Dartmouth a few years ago which might
- be useful. I have forgotten the details, but it allowed you at least to
- transcribe sequences, and had a neat feature for speaking back the
- sequences using MacinTalk so you could proofread them by yourself.
-
- peter "In any context, half of all references
- PEABO @ DELPHI are local and half are global."
-
- ------------------------------
-
- From: DDUNHAM
- Subject: re: LightSpeed C gripes (Re: Msg 24775)
- Date: 20-JAN 02:28 Network Digests
-
- > From: gleicher@duke.cs.duke.edu (Michael Gleicher)
- > Subject: LightSpeed C gripes
-
- I LIKE the editor (now that it has Undo). Then, I really miss the mouse
- when I have to use text-based Unix. (The editor could use a few
- improvements, but at least it's been getting better with each new
- version, not worse [like QUED].)
-
- One way to avoid "Data Segment Too Big" is to avoid having your
- variables on the stack. Instead of
-
- THING thing[thing_max];
-
- use
-
- THING *thing;
- thing = (THING *)NewPtr((long)sizeof(THING) * thing_max);
-
- This isn't the nicest thing to do to the heap, but it's handy when
- you're porting code that uses lotsa globals.
-
- LsC runs under MultiFinder for me -- I do have a 2MB Mac II. It stops
- on the first error because it's fast enough that another compile to get
- the next one is no big deal. Having the editor go to the error is worth
- it for me.
-
- David Dunham "Whenever you see a sign 'No Exit,' it means
- Maitreya Design there is an exit."
-
- ------------------------------
-
- From: HALL
- Subject: Memory
- Date: 20-JAN 20:52 Hardware & Peripherals
-
- How many wait states does Mac II memory use? What's a good price for
- used Mac II 256K SIMMs?
-
- Brian
-
- ------------------------------
-
- From: DDUNHAM
- Subject: re: MultiFinder & DAs (Re: Msg 24792)
- Date: 21-JAN 00:06 Network Digests
-
- >From: apple!claris!apple!goldman@decwrl.dec.com (Phil Goldman)
- >Subject: Re: Delphi Mac Digest V4 #1
- >I think the optimal solution would be to have a separate layer for each DA.
- >The easiest way to do this is to re-code each DA as an app, or stick it in a
- >simple DA wrapper. The wrapper idea would be very simple since the DA would
- >not even need to be re-coded (i.e. have a DA Handler per DA).
-
- How is this done? I.e. how would a wrapper get a DA to open in its
- partition, rather than the system heap?
-
- David Dunham "The more laws there are, the more people are
- Maitreya Design inclined to break them"
-
- ------------------------------
-
- From: BRECHER
- Subject: RE: re: MultiFinder & DAs (Re: Msg 24948)
- Date: 27-JAN 22:11 Network Digests
-
- No conflicts -- private DAs are really private: in another layer, the
- private DA's DCE handle is removed from the unit table, and the resource
- map of the application which owns the DA is not in the chain. That's
- under MultiFinder. Under not-MultiFinder (as author of PowerStation I
- don't say "UniFinder"), the usual rule applies: application-embedded
- DAs should have DRVR IDs in the range 27-31. Therefore, a "wrapped" (by
- a wrapper) DA should have an ID in 27-31. F/DAM doesn't renumber a DA
- unless it needs to, I'm pretty sure. The creator of a wrapper+DA can
- give the DA any DRVR ID he wants to.
-
- With Suitcase, any DA can have any DRVR ID in the range 12-63, since
- there is no link between DRVR ID and unit#.
-
- ------------------------------
-
- From: TRAINBRAIN
- Subject: Mapping Software
- Date: 22-JAN 02:25 Macintosh II
-
- Can anyone out there point me to map making software for the II? I am
- particula rly interested in programs that would accept Defence Mapping
- Agency data, permit its modification, and display it.
-
- Thanks
-
- Steve Seidensticker
-
- ------------------------------
-
- From: VASMUG
- Subject: HELP
- Date: 23-JAN 08:39 Hardware & Peripherals
-
- Greetings, and help! 1. Does anyone know what a text doc named "AFM"
- means.
- when downloaded along with a Laser font? 2. Does anyone know if there
- is a top limit to the number
- of documents that should be contained in the System
- Folder? 3. Does anyone know what happened to ZAP Computer products?
- They made and marketed ZAP harddrives last summer. We
- would like to buy some more. Number now disconnected! Thanks for all
- your help!
-
- Fred
-
- ------------------------------
-
- From: JEFFS
- Subject: RE: HELP (Re: Msg 24878)
- Date: 23-JAN 12:51 Hardware & Peripherals
-
- It stands for Adobe Font Metric. It is used (more by IBM machines) to
- figure out the letter spacing. On a Mac this is contained in the FOND
- resource for the font. Also, a few applications like MacTeX can make
- use of this information to generate width files for TeX word processing.
- In the normal course of Mac events you will not need this file.
-
- Jeff
-
- ------------------------------
-
- From: TONYN
- Subject: Disk Initialization of foreign drives
- Date: 23-JAN 14:43 Programming Techniques
-
- I am the author of RamStart. I am trying to make RamStart's RAM disk
- compatible with the Disk Initialization package so, eg, Finder Special
- menu Erase Disk will work. What does my driver need to do to make Pack
- 2 happy? Where does Apple document it? Also, it might be an advantage
- to my users to be able to make (at will) either an HFS or MFS RAM disk.
- How do I control this, when a RAM disk can be nearly any size at all?
-
- Tony N.:'
- '
-
- ------------------------------
-
- From: NATURAL
- Subject: Universal Cut&Paste?
- Date: 24-JAN 03:18 Business Mac
-
- I have an interesting problem (I think so anyway). It seems that there
- is no way to export graphic images from any page layout programs out
- there. Why would I want to do such a silly thing you ask? Kerning.
- There's a logo for a client I am doing work for (a design firm) that has
- been perfected in both PageMaker and Xpress but, much to my chagrin, I
- can't copy and paste that graphic into, say, FileMaker+ or 4D because
- the layout programs don't support it. Therefore, I can't get the logo
- into the account system.
-
- I guess I could always digitize it but that seems a little excessive
- since all it is is some kerned text and 4 pict shapes, all grouped
- together.
-
- Any ideas anyone?
-
- Joshua
-
- ------------------------------
-
- From: PEABO
- Subject: RE: Universal Cut&Paste? (Re: Msg 24898)
- Date: 24-JAN 17:36 Business Mac
-
- Use the Cmd-F trick to get the graphics in PostScript form and then
- fiddle with the PostScript to eliminate dependencies on the Apple
- LaserPrep definitions. Then convert it into an EPSF file (I don't know
- how to do this).
-
- peter
-
- ------------------------------
-
- From: NWOLF
- Subject: RE: Universal Cut&Paste? (Re: Msg 24898)
- Date: 24-JAN 23:40 Business Mac
-
- Have you tried (Super)Glue?
-
- ------------------------------
-
- From: DDUNHAM
- Subject: RE: About box searches??
- Date: 24-JAN 21:12 Network Digests
-
- > From: mfi@beach.cis.ufl.edu (Mark Interrante)
- > Subject: About box searches??
- I thought about doing Get Info searches in Findswell, but decided not
- to, because it probably wouldn't be real fast, and because AppleShare
- handles file comments completely differently. I suppose if there's lots
- of demand, I'll investigate it for the next version of Findswell.
-
- David Dunham "If it has syntax, it isn't user-friendly."
- Maitreya Design
-
- ------------------------------
-
- From: DDUNHAM
- Subject: RE: cheap spreadsheet?
- Date: 24-JAN 21:13 Network Digests
-
- > From: mkhaw@teknowledge-vaxc.ARPA (Mike Khaw)
- > Subject: cheap spreadsheet?
- There's a shareware spreadsheet for $40, BiPlane. I looked at it for 5
- minutes and found numerous user interface bugs (frex, the DA version
- hogs the menu bar and won't give it back to applications!), not to
- mention an incredible lack of proofreading in the brief manual. I
- imagine it works. It saves in SYLK format.
-
- David Dunham "The more laws there are, the more people are
- Maitreya Design inclined to break them"
-
- ------------------------------
-
- From: RAMARREN
- Subject: Using Sound
- Date: 25-JAN 04:24 Programming Techniques
-
- I am currently working on a program that would benefit from being able
- to play some digitized sounds. I have MacRecorder, and I understand
- that there are a couple of formats, IE HyperCard sound, 'snd ',
- SoundCap, etc. Are there in existence any sample sources that will read
- a digitized sound and make an output for one or another of these sound
- file types, and is there on line somewhere a good description of the
- file format?
-
- ------------------------------
-
- From: BRECHER
- Subject: RE: re: MultiFinder & DAs (Re: Msg 24832)
- Date: 25-JAN 02:18 Network Digests
-
- > How is this done? I.e. how would a wrapper get a DA to open in its
- > partition, rather than the system heap?
-
- A DA embedded in an application file is opened in that application's
- layer, and its DRVR and owned resources are loaded into that
- applications's heap. Normal DAs are opened in the DA Handler layer
- unless the Option key is down at OpenDeskAcc time. System resources --
- including normal DAs and their owned resources -- are always loaded into
- the system heap. Note the distinction between layer and default heap. A
- normal DA opened with Option down is loaded into the system heap and the
- system zone is made current when the DA is entered; but it is opened in
- the current application's layer rather than the DA Handler's layer. A
- layer denotes (in addition to a set of windows and menu bar on the
- screen) an application "world" consisting of low-memory system
- variables, a system heap (common to all layers), an application heap,
- and application globals.
-
- A "wrapper," then, would be just a skeletal application with a DA
- embedded in it. The wrapper would presumeably open its private DA when
- the wrapper is launched. If it were a friendly wrapper, it would also
- provide a full DA menu so that other DAs could be accessed from its
- layer ('though they would open in the DA Handler layer sans Option key).
-
- ------------------------------
-
- From: BRECHER
- Subject: Re: Re: Suitcase versus Font/DA Juggler
- Date: 25-JAN 02:20 Network Digests
-
- To: Ray_Ray_Davidson@cup.portal.com Subject: Re: Re: Suitcase versus
- Font/DA Juggler
-
- > First, F/DA J is MF compatible, allowing opening and closing fonts and
- > DAs under MF. (Suitcase is coming out with a free upgrade Real Soon
- > Now.)
-
- Suitcase 1.2, which allows opening/closing suitcase files "on the fly"
- under MultiFinder, shipped Jan. 15 and was available from several
- retailer booths at MacWorld Expo. (Suitcase 1.0 worked under
- MultiFinder, but provided access only to those fonts and DAs in a set of
- suitcase files opened automatically at startup -- i.e., a reboot was
- required to alter the set of open suitcase files.) Suitcase 1.2.1,
- which fixes a couple of 1.2 bugs, will be sent as a free upgrade to
- registered 1.0 or 1.2 owners Real Soon Now (awaiting disk duplication
- and mailing label printing -- should go out within a couple of weeks).
-
- > One wonders why Suitcase (which is certainly a fine program) has gotten
- > all the press, even winning a MacUser award, and Font/DA Juggler has been
- > virtually un-talked about in the press.
-
- I believe the reason is that Suitcase 1.0 was shipped on Aug. 11, 1987,
- (the same day MultiFinder was *announced*) and Font/DA Juggler 2.0,
- which was really ALSoft's first competitive offering, was shipped around
- the beginning of November. Font/DA Juggler Plus was first shipped Jan.
- 15, 1987. In sum, Suitcase was first by several months. It is
- reasonable to speculate that Suitcase inspired development of, or at
- least features in, Font/DA Jugglers 2.0 and Plus.
-
- 'Scuse me now, gotta get back to work on Suitcase 2.0...
-
- Steve Brecher
- Author/publisher of Suitcase
-
- ------------------------------
-
- From: TONYN
- Subject: MultiFinder and RamStart
- Date: 26-JAN 18:07 Programming Techniques
-
- MultiFinder and RamStart
- ------------------------
-
- Working on my RamStart program in the last couple of days, I have
- ferreted out a few secrets of MultiFinder.
-
- MultiFinder is an operating system extension that adds capability to the
- Macintosh OS and Toolbox. In no sense does it replace the Finder; it
- only allows the Finder to do new tricks. The file MultiFinder is an
- application that installs the extensions. This means that RamStart can
- launch MultiFinder as its exit application, by using a script file, and
- that TMON can be used with MultiFinder if it is launched first. Apple
- describes this technique in the document, "Are You MultiFinder
- Friendly?" (but I find that the Finder crashes every time I exit TMON,
- and it seems odd that a couple of seconds after I option-interrupt into
- TMON that the cursor changes to the Watch).
-
- _Launch is one trap that behaves differently under MultiFinder. RamStart
- normally gets the space for the RAM disk by adjusting BufPtr (the way
- debuggers and the HD 20 file do), but it will have to work differently
- to run under MultiFinder. BufPtr affects InitApplZone, which is no
- longer called during Launch (I infer) because the real ApplZone, the one
- just above the System heap, is now the MultiFinder heap. When
- MultiFinder launches an application, it creates a new sub-heap for it in
- a locked handle at the top of its own heap (using _MoveHHi?).
-
- The Temporary Memory Allocation calls also allocate handles in the
- MultiFinder heap. They are simple wrappers around the usual Memory Mgr
- calls that set the MultiFinder A5 world (except keeping the current QD
- vars) and the MultiFinder heap zone and then call glue code. Either
- MultiFinder is written in C using a very clever compiler, or in
- assembler by a very dull programmer.
-
- Since the temp mem calls are so simple, you may allocate memory that
- lasts until MultiFinder quits. This is good for RamStart. On the other
- hand, you must be careful to dispose of any temp memory you get, as
- MultiFinder will not, even when your application quits. As Apple has
- not documented this behavior, they may change it in the future. It would
- be a disaster for RamStart if the calls start tagging the blocks with
- the originating application, but they might someday.
-
- The MultiFinder temp mem calls are accessed by a selector passed to the
- new trap OSDispatch (A88F). The dispatch table holds 40 entries, and I
- am curious to know what the other entries are for.
-
- I will post a LightspeedC interface to the temp mem calls after I have
- tested it a bit. I may also post a version of DrvrRemove that works
- even if the driver is no longer a Resource (i.e., a detached resource).
-
- Tony N.:'
- '
- ------------------------------
-
- From: DDUNHAM
- Subject: RE: MultiFinder and RamStart (Re: Msg 2301)
- Date: 26-JAN 22:28 Programming Techniques
-
- I've been using TMON with MultiFinder all along. Don't tell me you
- don't have the INIT loader for TMON? If not, get it!
-
- ------------------------------
-
- From: PSTAR
- Subject: Bidirectionality?
- Date: 26-JAN 21:07 Business Mac
-
- Does anyone know how the Apple development of a bi-directional version
- of Systesoftware for Arabic and Hebrew use is coming? I saw a very
- buggy pre- release version of System 3.2 / Finder 5.3, but that was a
- while b ack. I assume the work has been continuing, but calls to Apple
- (I've left several messages) have never been answered. (Their
- international division seems to consist of an answering machine.) Any
- info would be much appreciated.
-
- ------------------------------
-
- From: DDUNHAM
- Subject: more FullWrite bugs
- Date: 28-JAN 00:29 Bugs & Features
-
- Hmm, I'll bet a future version of FullWrite has an equation processor
- built in. Check the SICNs -- there's a panel with a sigma in it.
-
- I found an amusing spelling mistake in the program -- the Preferences
- dialog refers to "Linguabase," while the title window calls it a
- "Linguibase." It would be nice if they knew how to spell their own
- spelling checker. Which, incidentally, doesn't know how to spell
- "FullWrite." And is it intentional that when you use the thesaurus on
- FullWrite, the first word you see is "frustration?"
-
- ------------------------------
-
- From: NWOLF
- Subject: RE: more FullWrite bugs (Re: Msg 24966)
- Date: 28-JAN 01:45 Bugs & Features
-
- hmm.. it seems to understand Claris OK...
-
- ------------------------------
-
- From: PEABO
- Subject: RE: more FullWrite bugs (Re: Msg 24966)
- Date: 28-JAN 02:22 Bugs & Features
-
- This isn't necessarily the explanation of Linguinibase or whatever, but
- ... Quality Assurance departments in the know let a certain number of
- known bugs go out with a beta release to evaluate the effectiveness of
- the testing. If 80% of the known bugs are found, it might mean 80% of
- the unknown bugs are.
-
- peter
-
- ------------------------------
-
- From: NWOLF
- Subject: Word Perfect
- Date: 28-JAN 02:06 Bugs & Features
-
- I'm surprised that not much discussion of Word Perfect has appeared in
- these annals. Their shenanigan of pre-selling their beta versions at
- Expo has earned them a great deal of animosity, no doubt. In any event,
- there's not much to say until you've seen the product, right? Well, mine
- arrived today.
-
- Now wait a minute - before you all jump on my case for going along with
- their gag...
-
- Please understand that it is going back tomorrow!
-
- When you talk about full of bugs - geez... the thing is a walking
- cockroach farm.
-
- First of all it wouldn't boot using the system on my hard disk. I didn't
- bother to check out why - probably Suitcase or some other init, perhaps
- SuperLaserSpool - who knows - it would hang before it opened completely.
- OK - so off to the floppy system (plain vanilla 4.2/6.0). No problem. It
- even runs off the hard disk providing this system is being used. Thank
- goodness. It even runs - slowly - in 512K. But when reading the Read Me
- First type doc that comes with the program, all the menus (except 2)
- blank out; they need to be scrolled and descrolled before they show any
- entries, and then the fonts are ALL messed up. Wotta nightmare.
-
- Then it won't print in anything but draft mode.
-
- Try to spell check something.... it doesn't like things like "34th" ...
- says it found, get this, 85 phonetic 'somethings' in a 1-page letter. Of
- course it won't replace or anything like that.
-
- Wait - it gets better.
-
- It doesn't treat graphics any better than MacWrite!
-
- Keep in mind that this program has been in active beta tests for at
- least 3 months! It was almost a year ago that we first got word about
- shipping betas. Despite this being labeled as betaware version 1.0,
- there is no NDA with the program. The documentation appear alright but
- is lame in some areas. (2 check boxes on the print dialog box were not
- explained at all - but there was a note saying that there might be some
- incompatabilities....
-
- Back to the, er, drawing board, I guess. It's probably gonna be OK for
- IBM people who occasionally work on a Mac.
-
- And if you like keyboard commands - the Saratoga function keys are fully
- implemented. (I wonder if that applies to some of the other (nonMac)
- keyboards available?) Plus, there are myriads if keyboard equivalents,
- some requiring 2 strokes, some 3, others perhaps more... some use the
- cursor keys in combination with command and other keys. Hmm... mebbe the
- mouse might be easier after all.
-
- Any other brave (dumb, foolish, numb) souls out there go for this one?
-
- Neil
-
-
- ------------------------------
-
- End of Delphi Mac Digest
- ************************
- -------
-