Hey, readers, you too can appear in Softdisk G-S. Are you having fun? Do you have any comments or questions? Any requests? Write in and you too could have your letter published.
Hey!!!... Take a chill pill! I noticed in some of the on-line ╥talk╙ [SDGS#27, G-Essence], folks were saying that they have pretty much all of the hardware and software available or needed. Well, I must say, this probably is not the case for most IIgs users. I received my IIgs in August of 1989 (when the current 1 MB version first came out) and I still have mostly empty slots in the CPU (I've got expanded memory and a Zip GSX accelerator). This is not to say that I do not want to expand my system, it's just that I can't dish out a big pile of cash all at once. In fact, I plan on (eventually) having every slot full AND a much fuller software library (I have 60 to 80 titles already).
I would think that those people who discussed their ╥full╙ computers probably would be never be satisfied (even if the Apple II market continues to expand). How can you slight any piece of equipment that can be changed, adapted, or upgraded for most anyone's needs? You cannot expect to be able to upgrade or revamp a product forever. In most markets (other than computers) you have to leave the old behind to get the ╥newest╙ features in the current product line. Eventually, all current computers (IBMs, MACs, Amigas, Apple IIs) will be door stops, compared to the next generation of computers. I'll probably still be using my IIgs: I may use a next generation computer if it seriously upgrades the concept of computing and its uses.
It would be nice to have the cutting edge of software/hardware available FIRST for my IIgs, but I am content to wait for products after they are brought over from the mainstream. If there were no interest in the Apple II market, then we would not see any new products (and new companies). The big companies may back away from the Apple II market, but there are plenty of Apple IIs and GSs out there; I'm sure that other companies will take up some of the gap in the market. I know that it could be better (like an upgrade to AppleWorks GS or more than one modem offering FAX capabilities) but, I also like the fact that I can find reviews or comments about most products available for the IIgs. In the mainstream, I think, there are so many types and brands of products that it can be pretty hard to get a clear picture of the quality of an individual item.
This is what I know╤I have an (apparently) highly reliable computer and operating system. I will continue to purchase hardware and software as long as there are products of interest to me (and as long as I have enough money).
Andre' Jackson
Lake Wales, FL
P.S. To Albert H. Lee [SDGS #27, Readers Write] -- Financial Wizard is helpful for adults; maybe you'll need it one day. Also, just because Taito got out of the IIgs market, that's no reason not to buy Rastan or Ark II (if available). I got both and I feel sorry for those who missed the boat (I picked up Rastan the month before it sold out). Of course, the advantage to newer software is most are not copy-protected or they use paper protection (i.e., a password from the manual). You may have to look towards shareware for most of the new games╤be sure to pay the fee!
I am a fairly new subscriber to Softdisk G-S, (my first issue was #24). I decided to write to you after reviewing the G-Essence columns. Briefly, I purchased my Apple IIgs during a Christmas promotion in 1989. It did not take me long to realize that something was wrong with Apple Computer, Inc. I must confess, I did not know the inside story. I could not find software╤the computer store dropped the Apple line. I thought I was in big trouble. I should also mention that at the time, I almost bought an IBM PS-whatever, instead of the Apple IIgs. I chose the Apple because being computer illiterate (at times, I feel I still am), it was so user friendly. To make a long story short, I felt I had been taken for a ride. I thought I had bought a good reliable computer.....guess what? I did!!!
Today...I feel like you do. I love my Apple II, and I make the most of it by purchasing subscriptions like Softdisk G-S, and frequently browsing the catalogs, and software shops for all the great deals as ╥they╙ try to unload their Apple II software. As far as I am concerned, let them all abandon ship. I still have╤and love╤my Apple IIgs.
In concluding, there is still an awful lot of us out there using our computers, and as long as we have you to communicate, and as long as we purchase peripherals to support our needs as well as others; then we do not need IBM or any of their clones. I think that you have said it adequately in your columns...I just had to say it myself.
I would like to thank you and all of the staff for publishing Softdisk G-S. I wait with eager anticipation each month for my subscription to arrive.
I enjoy Zak's Inside View column very much. It helps me learn what takes place within the computer. As a suggestion, Zak could write articles on what a novice user should do when we get that gut-wrenching prompt on the monitor like ╥fatal system error $0911, or system error reboot.╙ Should help ease a bad situation and put a little confidence in ourselves that it isn't the end of the world. Thank you.
Thomas J. Willrich
Edinboro, PA
Dear Thomas,
Fatal Error $0911 usually indicates that your computer is over-heating. You may want to invest in a fan such as the System Saver or Conserver. If nothing else, a small 3" fan that you can probably pick up at any Radio Shack for $10 should ease the problem.
I am well pleased with Softdisk G-S and look forward to it each month. While it is not inexpensive, the quality is excellent and the value is good.
The contents of the disks for the last few months have been more to my liking; NDAs, games, templates and G-Essence [now Diskovery]. I thought Minstrel was good, but in general, I do not care much for music programs, such as Jukebox.
My preferences are: Desk Accessories; AppleWorks GS or AppleWorks templates; utilities, hints, shortcuts, how-to tips, etc. for Appleworks, Platinum Paint, GraphicWriter, etc.; arcade games and educational programs or games; HyperStudio 3.0 stack ideas, help, etc.; clip art; and useful Print Shop graphics. I like material that is suited to disk format as opposed to what is available in magazines, such as inCider/A+.
It is my hope that you will be able to continue publishing for the GS for many years to come. Thanks.
A few comments on SDGS #29 and some miscellaneous rhetoric:
World Tour is an excellent, but lonely, educational application. Please give it some company.
A caveat for Better Letters II -- do not try to see what a font looks like in a size not listed or ╥hang time!╙ Its 19K is quite a price to pay just to find extended characters. A complete listing of the 255 characters with ASCII & Hex code and the key strokes for Ultimate Fonts, Superfonts, and for the IIgs, can be had by sending $.58 in stamps to: Kingwood Micro Software, 2018 Oak Drew Drive, San Antonio, TX 78232.
The Analyst called my ImageWriter II an ImageWriter, failed to recognize my second 3.5-inch drive as AEs 1.6 MB HD drive. It said my System speed was 2.7 mhz and not the 8 mhz that the Zip Chip was running. It read the memory card (5.125 MB total), but ignored the other Slots and the Cards in them. If any of your subscribers are having troubles with Font, DAs, and other installations, as their letters seem to indicate, it makes little difference to them that GS/OS is v3.3 and that Tool 33 is installed, but it is one they may never use while taking up precious memory on their maxed-out System disk.
Clip art is always outstanding.
Inside View? Are we programmers or are we users? To a programmer, the feature is pre-schoolish and to a user, it's useless. I feel your publication should be dedicated to producing a more proficient user, thereby creating a greater demand for more and better programs and programmers. I would like to see more emphasis on IIgs specific programs, disk manipulation and less on material that belongs in Nibble and GS+ publications. Remember -- a little for everyone may turn out to be nothing for many.
Spencer van Gulick truly loves his work.
Other comments -- the Apple IIgs is a versatile and flexible piece of high tech. I firmly believe that programmers have yet to tap its full potential. More wondrous things are yet to be. Sorry to hear about FTA. Their ╥launch & looks╙ were nice, but probably their downfall. Applications, like Photonix would have made them indispensable. I look forward to receiving SDGS every month and to your review of Zip Tech's internal hard drive. Thanks!
Donald R. Strang
Roseburg, OR
Dear Donald,
Concerning Better Letters II: All the fonts are supposed to have the same characters, but to save space, not all fonts have all the characters defined. Furthermore, some fonts have some of the extended characters redefined to look like different things (symbols, foreign chars, etc.). Also, purely graphic fonts, like Cairo, can have who-knows-what in the character set. So, Better Letters II lets a person see exactly what is in a specific font.
All of your concerns about The Analyst were answered in my portion of Diskovery from issue #31. This month we are publishing The Analyst v1.1 and I hope that all of those ╥bugs╙ are now fixed (I can't test things like the AE drive since we don't have one).
Even though you may feel that knowing the exact version is unimportant, you are somewhat mistaken. First, many people update to new versions of System Software by copying files manually instead of using the Installer and this can wreak all kinds of havoc. Our technical support people constantly refer users to The Analyst to ensure that they truly do have the correct System Software installed.
With respect to Inside View, you are absolutely correct. I can't possibly please all of the people all of the time. That's why we've chosen to move away from teaching programming to covering different aspects of the Apple IIgs. For example, this month is about new developments for programmers, a while ago I did one on troubleshooting, etc.
You enjoy Spencer? This month, we had extra room on the issue for a Spencer bonus. Inside the file ╥SpencerBonus╙, you'll find two Halloween bonus offerings. ╥HalloweenGrphc╙ and ╥HalloweenPgeLay╙ were both created in AWGS. The first is a 640-mode graphic, the second is an AWGS page-layout document. You should be able to load the 640-mode graphic into any paint program. The page-layout looks identical, but must be opened in AWGSs page-layout module. Enjoy!
I first want to thank you for your continued support of the GS! I know it is next to impossible to please everyone, every month. In my opinion, you are doing a great job in trying to do the impossible. Your current support and your concern for what your GS customers want on future disks is appreciated beyond words.
I guess I know why Apple has abandoned the Apple II, and I think the Mac and many other computers will also disappear as the market gets more and more saturated. Now Uncle IBM and Aunt Apple are entering a marriage and it looks like their children will supposedly be the ╥Cadillacs of the computer market.╙ I guess they are looking to the future. We can't and shouldn't stop progress. It hurts a little when something you buy gets discarded so quickly, but in the future, when GS gets to be an old Grandpa, we may be very happy that Uncle and Aunt were wed. It may produce a computer in the future that is beyond our imagination.
As for me, I will be staying with my GS, but it is still sad to think that Apple is not going to promote a great computer like the IIgs. Green Bay has a lot of stores and the only ones that carry Apple software are the Apple Dealers. Even these stores are 50% Mac and 10% Apple II, so you're not only appreciated, you're needed! (I'm not going to mention the other 40%.)
I have spent enough money on your disk magazine now (about seven issues) that I feel I can credibly critique your product. I just renewed again today, so obviously I like Softdisk G-S, but I have a few suggestions.
I use my GS for my business (I'm a clinical psychologist with a part-time practice) and for general home use. Like most Apple II users, I prefer using AppleWorks Classic for doing any real work and only use GS/OS productivity programs for occasional desktop publishing and the like. Consequently, I am casting my vote for home and small busniess oriented AppleWorks Classic templates. I realize that you must publish for the widest possible audience, but few GS owners are going to subscribe to the 8-bit Softdisk just to get the templates we need for our favorite productivity program.
Having said that, let me compliment you on the high quality of your interface and especially the graphic work. I appreciate the NDAs and CDAs, as well. I enjoy all the games and find Catacombs very relaxing after a day at work. My guess is that your most stable market will end up being much like myself; the die hard Apple IIgs fans who have a lot of time and money invested in these wonderful machines╤not people with bare bones systems.
Now for my editorial... I very nearly succumbed to the MS-DOS disease a couple of months ago, but I can say that I have recovered╤in part due to the reassurance that your publication has provided. Softdisk G-S has convinced me that my machine can do anything a PC can do, and often do it more easily. The GS continues to be the best home computer for families and the hobbyist ever made, and that includes the Amiga.
It seems that consumerism actually drives our anxieties about our technological toys. Rarely does an actual need for more utility drive our compulsions to seek the latest upgrade for our systems. This idea really struck me as I read the recent advertisement for the Mac LC, and realized that it works more slowly than my accelerated GS for most important tasks, is much less versatile and upgradable, and yet costs more. Its only real advantage is that it can run some very fine software.
My other thought is that as consumers of rapidly developing technologies, we have no right to complain about the rapid obsolescence of our systems. This is likely to be a fact of life for awhile longer. We are years beyond the time (of the Apple II) where a few expansion slots guaranteed the option to stay current with technological developments. Until the truly disposable computer is invented, we are all going to feel hopelessly behind the curve every few years or so.
This realization has lead me to renew my commitment to my GS for the foreseeable future. Also, I realized that any additional utility or fun I would gain from a new system, whether IBM or Mac, would be more than offset by the need to learn a new system and new software. That is a chore I don't need.
Finally, I would like to compliment you on your recent editorial regarding the fun of programming on the Apple IIgs. This activity really does describe the power of the personal computer and its appeal as an intellectually stimulating hobby.
My dad has been getting Softdisk G-S for over a year now, and sometimes I go through and read your columns. (That's because it is the most interesting part on the disk to me.) I have already read last month's issue #30 where you said that you got a hint book for Kings Quest III. Well, I got the same book and game. It helped me a little, but I still have some problems of getting off the Land of Lewdor, because I can't find the amber stone and kill the giant spider. Where is the amber stone, and how do I kill the spider? I just can't figure it out! Please help me.
Andrea Smith
Eagan, MN
Dear Andrea,
We did not purchase the hint book for King's Quest III. A subscriber (Monty Perry) wrote us a letter and made reference to the hint books he had bought. Perhaps Monty can help you with your questions. If he (or anyone else) sends in any hints, I'll publish the them for you.
A topic that I would like to see in coming issues, in regards to programming the GS, would be tutorials on accessing the Toolbox, specifically from Pascal. While I can find plenty of books and courses on Pascal, there seems to be few, if any, on using the built-in features of the IIgs. Also, if you know of any books on the subject that would be helpful.
