Executor 2.0/executorv2.0.iso/pc/dos/extra/docs/maillist/text/archive.92/text0012.txt

Text File | 1996-03-31 | 12.0 KB | 249 lines

Dear Ray,

    I hadn't planned on putting such a critter into the next release of Executor, but there's
a chance that with the new printing code we can do it without too much trouble.  A fairly
easy task would be a PICT to TIFF converter.  TIFF certainly isn't as elegant but it would
be easier for us to implement.  Since the free upgrade's primary purpose is to rectify the
non-printing status of Executor, we don't want to bog ourselves down with too big a wish
list but both converters will be on our list of considerations.

        --Cliff

From [e-mail]  Wed Jan 15 14:54:35 1992
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Date: Wed, 15 Jan 92 23:51:53 +0100
From: [e-mail] (Edmund Ronald)
Message-Id: <[e-mail]>
To: [e-mail]
Subject: review of executor

Dear sirs,
I review computer languages for the french magazine "SVM Mac",
and my beloved Editor in chief (aka the lord above) has condescended
to authorize and comission a review of your Mac-on-a-NeXT thingy
(I don't like the name: It sounds like the man in charge of the guillotine until the
late 70's here in France) .
Anyway, could you arrange for a review copy? I'll send letterhead etc.
on request.
And, check that you're compatible with international keyboards before you get reviewed in Europe!

Hope to hear from you.

Edmund.

From iclone![e-mail]  Wed Jan 15 15:13:35 1992
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From: iclone![e-mail] (Clifford T. Matthews)
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Subject: Executor elsewhere + What's to see at ARDI's NeXTWORLD Expo booth

>>Since the ROMLib is running on several platforms, what is the
>>schedule for Executor-type programs on other machines?  Are some of
>>these avaiable now?  I would assume that making M*c emulation available
>>on a wide variety of machines is important to ARDI's future.

Here are the high priority items at ARDI (not in any order, except Customers come first)

    . Customers (selling, providing info)

    . NeXTWORLD Expo (having literature, demos and people over there)

    . Printing

    . Word *5.0* Support

    . Excel 3.0 Support

    . ROMlib (licensing, advertising, getting clients, helping clients) on other platforms

    . Executor on other platforms (synthetic CPU)

Currently we're working on all of the above items on almost a round robin basis.  Our plans
for non-NeXT support are predicated (with the exception of HP's Apollo line) on the
development of a synthetic CPU.  While I was at home resting I did the initial specs and
much of the implementation.  If we do well at NeXTWorld then we should be able to rehire
a couple of important employees and maybe even take someone on to do printing.  In that
rosy scenario we should have Executor running in house on a brand of hardware that I
can't mention because of non-disclosure agreements.  Our synthetic CPU comes in both a
generic (no native CPU tailoring required) implementation for fast "esoteric" processors,
and a machine specific version that takes into account the native instruction set of the
processor on which it's run.  We're looking into licensing our synthetic CPU technology to
get some more money so we work even faster.

At NeXTWORLD Expo we will be demoing Word 5.0 limping/running, Excel 3.0 limping
and we may be able to show some of our printer support although it's very rough right now
and we may choose to keep a bag over its head.  We were hoping to demo our synthetic
CPU technology but pneumonia slowed me down much more than I thought it would.

Sorry there are no hard dates on the above, I'm hoping for non-68k implementations of
Executor hitting beta sites in early March.

        --Cliff

From iclone![e-mail]  Wed Jan 15 15:24:19 1992
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From: iclone![e-mail] (Clifford T. Matthews)
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Subject: unmvax!cnam.cnam.fr!eronald

Dear Edmund,

    I should be able to get you a review copy, send me an official request (or hand one to
me at NeXTWORLD Expo).  There's no guarantee that it will be compatible with
international keyboards.  It's not your typical American attitude, there's tons of stuff that
didn't make it in the first release, including printing.

    Our product's name is "executor," (ig-zeck-you-tor), not "executioner".  An Executor,
or executress is someone who blindly follows a set of instructions that are to be
interpretted with little room for interpretation and no chance whatsoever of contacting the
original author of the instructions (specifically someone who processes wills as a proxy for
the deceased).  Black humor, yes, but if you had all the pressure on you that we have on
us, you'd be bent too.

    --Cliff

From [e-mail]  Wed Jan 15 17:05:27 1992
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From: [e-mail] (James Kroger)
Message-Id: <[e-mail]>
To: [e-mail]
Subject:               please remove me


Please remove me. I'll make one comment before I go...

I'm quite impressed with executor. I was trying to decide between
a Mac and a NeXT, which I'd prefer, but it appears my software won't
go on executor, as it does a lot of very low level stuff, and I need
it to run now. So I'm gonna get a Mac (sniff).

In talking with the person I talked with (sorry, forgot his name) and in
cliff's activity here I see a level of concern for the program and it's
users that is unusual, to say the least. Quite impressive.
To be balanced, I think the 700 price is a bit high, enough
to make some students who would otherwise spring for the NeXT go the
other way. This would pertain especially to those like myself
who may be enamored with the NeXT, but aren't REALLY going to be
doing a lot of heavy development, thus aren't as easily swayed by the
development environment. For a while at least, the existence of
executor, which necessitates spending a student's
monthly paycheck to get mac ability, to run the plethora of
mac software which won't be available on the next for a while
(and probably not as cheaply), is not going to be sufficient grounds
to give up the mac. As the next software situation approaches
the mac's, this problem will decrease, but executor will also
be less necessary then. One good thing about the executor's
price is that it will help ensure that mac-like software will
continue to be developed for the next.
Note, this will apply less to engineering students, cs students,
etc. who can really take advantage of the next. But for others,
3500 for a mac with color vs. 3500 + 700 for a next mono that can
run neato mac stuff is not going to be a hard decision to make.
Regardless of nextstep, unix, and 040.

Now if NeXT would bundle Executor...

--Jim

From [e-mail]  Wed Jan 15 17:27:37 1992
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From: "Jeff Beddow" <[e-mail]>
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To: [e-mail]
Subject: Re: please remove me

I have been very interested in the public birth pangs of the software,
but cannot afford the bandwidth anymore.  I will resubscribe when my
next is delivered in a few weeks.  THanks
-Jeff

From iclone![e-mail]  Wed Jan 15 18:26:15 1992
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From: iclone![e-mail] (Clifford T. Matthews)
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Subject: pricing + apology
Cc: cognet.ucla.edu![e-mail]

Dear Folks,

    First let me start off by apologizing for the two personal responses that I sent out
recently.  In both cases I meant to change the return address but instead changed the
Subject field.  I can't prevent people from sending personal messages to me via this
mailing group (I certainly would prefer they be sent to iclone![e-mail])
but I will try real hard not to respond to them here.

    As for the objections to our proposed $700 price for a full blown runs everything under
the sun emulator, our intent is at that time to offer educational discounts and also to offer
crippled, application specific versions (in addtion, by then we will be selling through
distributors, which will boost our sales and help the NeXT community grow, but will result
in a lower profit per unit sold).  Currently, Executor-MSW is application specific due to our
prioritizing of bug fixes.  When we have the real thing out we hope to still have products
out that are in the current price range.  Details remain to be worked out but it would be
something like a general emulator that *doesn't* run any of the top 25 applications for $100
or less with the idea that for more money you can be enabled to run more applications.  I
can't make any promises because there are some pretty large companies concerned with
macintosh compatibility and the market forces are pretty overwhelming.

    One final comment:  since I'm not running the mailing list, I don't know just how many
people are on it so I really can't get a feel for whether I'm putting out too much information
(or just putting out too much verbiage with the information) .  If you believe I am, or I'm not
send e-mail directly to me DO NOT POST TO THE MAILING GROUP.  I'll try to listen to
what you say but of course there are bound to be conflicting views so even if you vote yea
or nea it may appear I'm ignoring you when in reality I'm just listening to other people.

    --Cliff

From [e-mail]  Wed Jan 15 19:25:40 1992
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From: Jeffrey R Fields <[e-mail]>
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To: [e-mail]
Subject: Re:  Does Stella II work under executor.

t 5