Peanuts NeXT Software Archives/Peanuts-4.iso/emulators/Executor.1.30e.README

Text File | 1995-11-24 | 9.0 KB | 240 lines

EXPERIMENTAL RELEASE

Executor is a commercial emulator that allows non-Macintosh hardware to
run some applications originally written on a Macintosh.  Executor has
many limitations
but surprisingly, speed is not one of them

Thi directory  ontains Executor/NEXTSTEP version 1.3d.

This software can be used in a "demo mode" before you purchase it.
The full functionality of Executor is available for ten minute
intervals.  If, however, you have previously purchased a copy of
Executor, you should be able to use your serial number and
authentication code to disable the ten minute limit.

If you like what you see, you can purchase Executor directly from us.
Educational licenses are $249 and non-educational licenses are $499.



INSTALLATION

Executor/NEXTSTEP 1.3d consists of two normal "fat" packages.  If you
are logged in as root and you install both packages, all permissions
should be set properly.  If not, you will need to run Executor once
as root so that the proper file permissions can be set up.  Executor
is distributed in two packages so that each package can fit on a single
floppy disk.  NEXTSTEP on PCs has trouble with multi-disk packages.
Even if you pick this up via ftp, it is still in two packages so that
you will receive exactly the same thing we're putting on floppies.



LACK OF DOCUMENTATION

When purchased, Executor comes with a one hundred page manual that
describes Executor 1.2.1, and an addendum that describes the
differences between 1.2.1 and 1.3.  Hopefully most of Executor is
simple enough to understand without the manual for purposes of
exploring in "Demo" mode.



HFS_XFER

Executor comes with HFS_XFer, a Desk Accessory for copying files from a
Macintosh formatted disk to your NeXT hard disk.  YOU CAN'T USE
NEXT'S MACINTOSH SUPPORT TO DO THIS; it doesn't copy all the
information that our emulator needs.

Under NeXTSTEP Intel, you must still use the Workspace Manager's
"Check for Disks" menu item to make Executor recognize that there's
a Macintosh formatted floppy available for its use.  This further
makes HFS_XFer confusing.  (i.e. You need to put the Macintosh formatted
floppy into the drive *after* Executor has been started up, then go back
to Workspace and say "check for disks").



INTEL SUPPORT

Executor 1.3 is fat, and does run on 486 boxes running NeXTSTEP/Intel.
We know of no bugs in 1.3 that affect Executor only on the i486.



EXECUTOR STARTS UP AS ROOT, BUT RUNS AS YOU

Executor must either be installed by logging out and logging in as
root, or installed by anyone, but run once by root (it will then
set itself up as though it had been installed by root originally).
If you're new to UNIX, it's easiest to just log out and log back
in as root.  If you're familiar with the "su" command, you can do
the install, "su", run the program once and exit your su shell.

The reason for the above root requirements is that Executor needs
to start up briefly as root so it can load some kernel modifications
(the source for those modifications is in the "ardimods" subdirectory
Executor.app).  When Executor starts up, in addition to loading
the kernel mods (on Motorola machines, only), it will make your
floppy drive(s) available to Executor, so that while you're running
Executor, you can read and write Macintosh formatted 1.4Mb disks.
Other than that, Executor runs as the user that starts it, so it
has no special abilities to read or write files that the user who
starts it doesn't already have.



A FEW NON-OBVIOUS POINTS EXPLAINED

Executor provides the framework that programs originally written
on a Mac need so they can run elsewhere, but we have not rewritten
the "Finder", which means Executor just starts applications and
lets them loose.  When an application quits, Executor quits (this
will change by the time we release Executor 2.0).

Programs can be launched by double-clicking on them; you just have
to know where they are, and make sure their names end in ".appl".
If you've installed Executor in /LocalApps, then the files look
like:

/LocalApps/Executor.app/ExecutorVolume/games/Risk.appl

To see these files with Workspace, you need to select
/LocalApps/Executor.app, and then use the "Open as Folder"
(Command-SHIFT-O) menu choice from Workspace's "File" menu.

Executor can be used with Macintosh formatted SCSI drives directly.
To get Executor to see SCSI drives you must first prevent Workspace
from seeing them.  You can do that by renaming "/usr/filesystems/mac.fs"
to "/usr/filesystems/mac.fs.HOLD".  Then, when Executor is running, you
need to issue the command "/usr/filesystems/HFS_XFer/HFS_XFer.util -p sdN"
where "sdN" is one of "sd1" ... "sd6" as NeXTSTEP will name your SCSI
Mac disk.



SCREEN SIZE

Although the default screen size is 512 x 342, you can alter the
screen size to suit your tastes.  Be aware, if you want your virtual
Mac to have more pixels, you must enlarge the Executor window BEFORE
you click on the first OK button (the one that is presented with
our copyright notice).  After you make that first click, you can
only change the screen aspect, not the number of pixels.  It takes
a little while getting used to this, but once you know how to do
it, it's not too difficult and your window size, aspect and location
are automatically saved when you use the "Save..." feature of our
"Preferences..." panel.



SOFTWARE IN EXECUTORVOLUME

We've left some publicly distributable (either freeware, demoware
or shareware) applications in ExecutorVolume for you to examine.
Because this release comes with a buggy HFS_XFer, it's a bit of a
pain to get other files over to your system.  If you do have a
network, you can use Compact Pro on a Mac and then BinHex the files
and reverse the process under Executor.  If you don't have a network
connection to a Mac, you can Compact Pro and BinHex the files on
a Mac and put the results on a 1.4Mb floppy and then run BinHex
under Executor and read the data from the floppy (make sure you
put the floppy in *after* Executor has already started).  NOTE:
ARDI has not paid the shareware fees for you.  If you use the
shareware programs, it is up to you to register them.  If you have
time on your hands and are connected to the internet, there's a
wealth of software available at the various Mac ftp sites (like
sumex-aim.stanford.edu).



SOFTWARE SUPPORTED

Please look at the "Info->Products->Executor Applications..." panel
to see the state of various Macintosh programs running under Executor
1.2.2.  If you have software that isn't on the list, you can try asking
us at "[e-mail]", or you can try running it yourself (if it's
a large set of software it may be easiest to install it on a Mac on an
external SCSI disk and then walk the disk over to your NeXT or i486).



KNOWN BUGS

The Intel support is very recent and is still being tested and
modified.  Accelerated Grapics can leave dirt on the screen and
doesn't work at all on Turbo machines.  Our 1/60th of a second
interrupt may be longer than it should and hence some games will
run slower than they should and Speedometer can give higher numbers
than it should.  We have just received Quicken 4.0 and are testing
it under Executor.  MacInTax still has trouble where it uses
"stylized TextEdit".  Excel may have trouble if the Executor window
is too large.

We're tracking bug reports with "gnats", a bug tracking system
developed by Cygnus Support.  Once we've fixed all the "easy"
NeXTSTEP/Intel bugs, we'll make a summary of what's in our database
available via ftp so that you can examine it before you purchase
our product and so that you can see the progress we make as bugs
are reported.



EXECUTOR FOR OTHER PLATFORMS

Executor/DOS 1.2 is shipping ($99).  It is very much like
Executor/NEXTSTEP with some functionality removed (only one Executor
at a time, no printing, no serial port access).  Execucutor/DOS 1.2
does not come with free upgrades.  It requires a '386 or better with
a mouse, VGA, 4Mb of RAM and 8Mb of disk space.

Executor/X-Windows for DEC's Alpha is well under way.  The work
we're doing on the Alpha should make trivial HP support for
Executor/NEXTSTEP.



HOW TO REACH US

There is a mailing list for people interested in executor.  Send
a message with the subject of "Please subscribe <your e-mail address>" to
[e-mail].  (If you then decide to unsubscribe you send
the same sort of message to the same address, but say "unsubscribe" instead
of "subscribe").

We've set up four mail aliases to quickly route your e-mail to
the appropriate people:

    [e-mail]        - Hand Written Bug reports

    [e-mail]        - Bug reports created in Executor.
                  When possible, use Executor to file
                  a bug report.  We get more information
                  that way.

    [e-mail]    - Questions about how to order,
                  and technical questions

    [e-mail]    - What you'd like to see in future versions

We're also reachable by U.S. mail at:

    ARDI
    Suite 4-101
    1650 University Blvd., NE
    Albuquerque, NM  87102

or phone with:

    [phone]    PHONE
    [phone] FAX



TRADEMARKS AND SUCH

Executor is a registered trademark of Abacus Research and Development, Inc.
Macintosh is a registered trademark of Apple Computer, Inc.