Jaques Law Bits 9702
© 1996 Kevin Jaques. All rights reserved excepting that this
file may be copied for non-commercial purposes, unchanged. No
warranties apply. I am just a user volunteering my observations and
collecting those of others.
Table of Contents
- Oft-Forgotten
Virtue of Extensions Manager
- Major
Interactive Novel On World Wide Web Open Today
- Car Racing Game
- Internet Explorer 3 Out
- Editor's
Tip on Shrinking Startup Partition
- Editor's
Broken Heart from Now Utilities
- Boston
Computer Society - User Group Scandal
- Forgotten
Cost of Preemptive Multi-Tasking
- A
Developer's Experience Porting Code to the BeOS
- Interview with Be Guys
- MacWorld on QuickKeys
3.5
- TurboCad 2D/3D 3.0
- Clones Succumb to
Vapor War(e)
- What is EIDE
- MacWorld
on Motorola StarMax (Watch out!)
- Editor's
Comment on Lowest Price Mac
- What is ASVD?
- MacWorld on
Meeting Specific Needs
- MacWorld on
MultiProcessing
- 8x CDRoms Disappointing
- But even so...a 10x
CDRom!
- Speech Recognition
Problem
- Desktop Printer Problem
- Tips &
Reminders on Web Searching
- Distressing
Apple Cyberdog Scripting Failure
- HyperCard 3.0 News
- BBEdit
Script for Batch Search/Replace
- Apple Developer
News On OS Strategy
- Rhapsody To Use Mach
Kernel
- Apple
won't migrate the Mac OS to other microprocessors.
- What is CFM
- AppleScript
Reminder - It is itself a scriptable Text E
- AppleScript
Warning - Put Away Your Text Item Delimiters!
- AppleScript - What is
an Osax? A Library?
- Changes in Anarchie
2.0.1
- Mac OS Runtime for Java
1.0
- QuickTime VR 2.0
- Cyberdog 1.2
- Apple Club
- Software Ratings Online
- ActiveX for Mac
OS Is Now Available
- Hypercard 2.3.5
$99 Update Bundle
- Products for Rhapsody
- Apple
Introduces Software-Only MPEG Movie Playback
- AppleScript Lists
- Speed Doubler v. System
7.6
- Amelio Speech to
Shareholders 9702
- Star Wars on Macs
- FileMaker v.
OpenTransport 1.1.1
- PowerPC
Chip Outperforms the Pentium--Even With MMX
- Proof
That the Mac OS Platform Is Alive and Well
- Internet Explorer 3.0
- Cocoa Let's Kids
Program
- SMART Board
- Pretty Safe Mail
- Another Internet to
AppleTalk
- No Hands Mouse
- PowerBook 1400 Update
- Free Object
Placement in Web Drafting
- A New Delta
Storage Application: Rev
- Eudora Light/Pro
Updated
- Frontier 4.2
- Apple Ships Mac OS 7.6
- Price Cuts to Apple
Models for Feb
- More On Rhapsody
Kernel - The Mach
- BeBoxes No More
- Sorting a String
Numerically
- This Jaques
Law Bits was delivered by:
- This Jaques
Law Bits was delivered for:
Oft-Forgotten
Virtue of Extensions Manager
- I finished installing System 7.5.5 last night...it has worked
perfectly since about 9 a.m. What a treat. And I have been working
it hard. Hypercard, Word, and PageMaker, with a lot of cuts,
pastes, deletions, spelling checks. I have also sent several
faxes, been on ARA to the office twice, downloaded some files, and
have been on and off EMail three or four times.
- One thing I did when installing was follow directions. It says
to open Extensions Manager and pick set System 7.3.3 (or 2), so,
with some trepidation, I took Conflict Catcher out of the System
folder and did what they said and ran the install.
- I am also leaving a lot of trashy stuff I don't want in the
System just in case Apple punishes us for not so doing.
- >Say, does it now offer a set for each of 7.5.3 and 7.5.5?
- Not on mine. Mine now offers set 7.5.5. Also, if you don't
normally use extensions manager, but wish to turn it on, do not
move it to the top of your startup sequence then turn it on. At
least with Conflict Catcher the turn on doesn't work. System
7.5.5. ReadMe tells about it. <djaques@eagle.wbm.ca>
Major
Interactive Novel On World Wide Web Open Today
Car Racing Game
- If your turbocharged racing action takes place on a Macintosh,
click
here
to learn what makes Mr. Kaemmer tick:
- CNET Digital Dispatch Vol. 3 No. 2
Internet Explorer 3 Out
- News flash for Mac users: Microsoft just released the final
version of Internet Explorer 3.0 for the PowerPC. Click
here
to check out the latest salvo in the battle of the browsers:
- CNET Digital Dispatch Vol. 3 No. 2
Editor's
Tip on Shrinking Startup Partition
- I was unexpectedly running out of room on my Startup volume
(partition).
- First, I got the Netscape Cache out by resetting the
preferences in Netscape (see prior). Actually, I set it to a RAM
disk for better speed. An alias of the Ram disk is kept in my
startup folder. If it isn't mounted when Netscape starts, Netscape
will make a new one without asking.
- Second, I got the Eudora folder out. It was about 20 mb, due
to my refusal to turn off lists I rarely read, and my refusal to
delete personal or professional correspondence. Eudora has no
preference to relocate this, so I was stumped. It turns out that
you can move it anywhere, then make an alias to the folder, which
you put in the top level of the system folder. Be sure the alias
has exactly the same name! "Eudora Folder alias" will not work. As
a bonus, background compression was now available. Typically,
background compression is not applied to the system folder.
- The Eudora technique was applied with success to the FindIt
disk catalogs.
Editor's
Broken Heart from Now Utilities
- Despite monthly updates to version 6.5, the best elements of
the package, I was forced to disable the last and best of the
package, Boomerang and Menus. Boomerang conflicts with Stuffit
Spacesaver, especially when a remote computer accesses compressed
files. I have contacted both Now Software and Aladdin about this.
Aladdin had the grace to write back. Neither fixed it or publishes
the problem.
- When using Now Menus, I frequently caused problems. Sometimes
Now Menus would quit. Sometimes I would lose the use of any menus.
Sometimes it would crash. Deleting the preferences did not help. I
suspect naughty system tampering, since even after trashing the
prefs, I still retained the extra drop down menus for each
partition which I had set up.
- My Gawd! I can't live without them! The computer is so much
better to use with everything a pulldown or a key stroke away. But
they just don't work!
Boston
Computer Society - User Group Scandal
- Boston Computer Society (BCS), once the largest user group in
the world...Earlier this year they uncovered serious financial
mismanagement leading to their permanently closing their doors."
- Eric Gundrum - MacTech Magazine January 1997
Forgotten
Cost of Preemptive Multi-Tasking
- The CPU must manage the threads. It could be 10% of its time!
- Eric Gundrum - MacTech Magazine January 1997
A
Developer's Experience Porting Code to the BeOS
- The BeOS claims to support Unix software.
- The BeBox offers Plug and Play and it seems to work.
- The BeOS has a preference folder, and so far, the preference
Applications don't have obscure names.
- The BeOS used was DR8 (Developers Release 0.8). Expect
substantial improvements in v.1.0.
- The BeOS is quite familiar to NextStep users and many of Be's
personnel were NextStep programmers previously.
- MetroWerks Code Warrior 10 CD provides tools to cross-compile
Be applications on your Macintosh."
- The BeOS has a mini-Unix environment to make porting Unix code
easier. He had to tinker with the configuration scripts, header
files, some missing standard library routines, and complained of
an inability to stop a doomed compile attempt. Ultimately, his
conclusion was that porting Unix code is, in fact, much less work
than a port to the Mac or Windows.
- Another question is porting Mac code. He figures that the set
up, event loop, and user interface might as well be trashed. File
I/O can be rewritten, but the network aspect will be painful, as
the BeOS uses Unix networking calls. The 'back end' (presumably
the actual thinking portion) will be fairly well preserved. You
can just recompile it for the BeOS without changing the source
code too much.
- The BeOS set up
- A Be Application must have an icon, a signature, and
launch information in its launch resource. It must have "one
short routine to instantiate and run your App object.".
- The said signature must be unique. On the Mac, it
ought to be. You can get a signature from Be via email.
- The launch information will include a preference on
whether to launch each time it is clicked, for each copy of
its file, or only once at a time.
- Event Loop
- The BeOS handles most of it for you. It passes BMessage
objects to BLooper objects, which then pass the BMessage
object to a BHandler.
- The BApplication and BWindow objects are just subclasses
of BLooper.
- Unlike Mac Apps, your application just looks for an
event of a particular type, regardless of how it was created
(e.g., via mouse, keyboard, application)
- User Interface
- Each window is like its own application, containing its
own menu bar and execution thread.
- The BeOS treats communication between two windows much
the same as communication between two applications.
- He found no interface builder application, and the
samples used too much 'hard coding' (i.e., the message would
be built into the code, not read from a resource. Therefore,
it would be harder to modify, especially for different
international versions.)
- File I/O
- The acclaimed database is "not a very powerful
database". You can't search by contents, but every other
entry is 'tagged for querying' [i.e. indexed?], and searches
are extremely fast.
- The database won't interfere with a port of a Mac App,
but you must write for it to take substantial advantage of
it.
- Watch out for the non-modal save-as dialog!
- Back End
- Watch out because Mac system calls are not re-entrant
(mostly) and Be calls are (mostly). If you rely on that,
perhaps make the backend an exclusive launch server
communicating with multi-launch front ends.
- Ultimately, it is easier than porting code between Windows
and the Mac, but, for instance, "if your code is a legacy
application written before the invention of C++, then you are
in for a world of hurt."
- Michael Rutman - MacTech Magazine January 1997
Interview with Be Guys
- Be is targeting computer developers and "guide geeks" (those
individuals who define new directions and new applications).
- Be considered Code Warrior in the development of the system.
This meant adopting Apple's propietary executable file format
called PEF, which is what Code Warrior generates, and supporting
the Apple/IBM runtime environment for the PowerPC.
- Erich Ringewald, VP of Engineering for Be says "Developing a
BeOS application under CodeWarrior is no different than developing
one for the MacOS. The headers and libraries for MacOS are simply
replaced with BeOS headers and libraries, and off you go." [note
prior article from same issue, summarized above, is not so rosy]
- Erich also says the Mac class libraries are built on a basic
API which is a flat collection of Pascal/C procedure calls. He
calls the Mac OS objects "lipstick on a chicken"
- Erich says the BeOS not only provides the capability of
running separate threads with protected address spaces, but makes
heavy use of that capability. Therefore, developers get the
advantage of multi-threading and multi-processing without
explicitly having to program for it.
- Erich says Windows NT4 has a great OS kernel, but the Win32
API and UI implementation sit on top of that and aren't written to
take advantage of multi-processing/multi-threading. So, just like
a Mac, holding down the mouse shuts everything else down.
- [For those of you who know what this means, I sure don't]
Erich says Be rejected the SOM approach to the fragile base class
problem but rejected it because its problems (complexity and
performance hits.) outweighed its contribution. Be is considering
padding classes with extra data and virtual functions to
accomodate a transition to a better solution.
- The BeBox
- Motherboard - two PowerPC CPUs
- 3 PCI slots
- 5 ISA slots
- standard 72 pin DRAM SIMMS
- IDE and SCSI drive connectors
- no 'custom' components at all.
- Ports
- SCSI
- parallel
- keyboard
- mouse
- 16 bit stereo (RCA and mini jacks)
- 4 serial
- 2 joystick
- 2 sets of Midi (to permit dual channel)
- 3 IR control
- 'Geek port' - access to D/A and A/D connectors on
motherboard and power (protected by fuses)
- Drives
- all standard IDE, SCSI, and floppy
- Graphics - standard PCI graphics cards
- Network - standard PCI or ISA cards
- Erich - We couldn't wait for the CHRP, so and it wasn't that
hard to get it running on current Apple Hardware, so we did.
- Erich - the Q1 version will read Mac HFS volumes as an
external file system!
- Erich - It is TCP/IP native but will soon support AppleTalk.
- Erich - considering MacOS emulation. Maybe like MAE (Mac
Application Environment) which runs on Unix, or maybe giving each
app a 'virtual mac' in protected memory.
- Dave Mark - MacTech Magazine January 1997
MacWorld on QuickKeys 3.5
- It's not Power PC native code.
- You can now create floating tool bars with tiny icons, and can
summon them with a keystroke.
- It has a new batch-processing macro, to apply the same macro
to every file in a folder.
- The interface is cleaned up.
- But note that KeyQuencher is half the price, half the ram
(170k) and native power PC code. It is hard to use, but seems to
be capable of more. Ultimately, Keyquencer got 3 stars, and
QuicKeys still have 4.
- QuicKeys is from CE
Software, and KeyQuencer is from Binary Software
(310-449-1481)
- MacWorld December 1996
TurboCad 2D/3D 3.0
- MacWorld says it's a bargain. At $149US, you get a 'nearly
high end' CAD. High end CADs usually cost about $4,000.
- MacWorld December 1996
Clones Succumb to
Vapor War(e)
- Power Computing announced
Power Base systems in August, but hadn't finished the design of
the video circuitry six weeks later. It has 12 announced systems,
but only 5 are shipping.
Umax announced its C500 and
C600 in August, but they "won't ship" until late October.
Motorola announced 8
systems in September, but didn't even expect to ship until
November. APS announced 3
systems but didn't expect to ship any till November.
Daystar announced 4, of which
2 were shipping. Surprisingly,
Apple was actually shipping all
of its announced models.
- MacWorld December 1996
What is EIDE
- Enhanced IDE is a device protocol like SCSI, but supports only
two drives.
- Popular on PCs, it is now found in Macs, even from Apple.
- MacWorld December 1996
MacWorld
on Motorola StarMax (Watch out!)
- It is the lowest price. It bundles a modem, which even knocks
out Power Computing's lowest price. The performance beats Power
Computing's lowest model, because of StarMax's faster drive and
Tanzania motherboard. But it has half the VRAM (1 mb), lacks an
internal SCSI connector, and its own EIDE is full.
- It's DIMM slots are not compatible with other Macs (Motorola
uses more efficient 3.3 volt DIMMs). Watch out!
- You must add a SCSI PCI card to add a drive! Watch out!
- MacWorld December 1996
Editor's
Comment on Lowest Price Mac
- The lowest price Power PC Mac in the latest Mac Warehouse
catalog was a, believe it or not, Apple.
- The Performa 5260 beat the others due to its included (built
in) monitor. Assuming you need one.
What is ASVD?
- SupraExpress 336 Sp modem has Rockwell ASVD (Analog
Simultaneous Voice and Data). So you can talk and connect
simulaneously. Is it like a separate line, like ADSL offers, or
just another channel on the same call?
- MacWorld Advertisement December 1996
MacWorld on
Meeting Specific Needs
- Electronic Publishing and Design - Primarily benefited by hard
drive and CPU speed and media size.
- Imaging and 3D Graphics - Benefits from multi-processing and
huge amounts of ram.
- Multimedia Authoring and Digital Video - Multiprocessing and
huge amounts of media
- Internet Content Delivery - Multiprocessing is no help. A fast
CPU with a modest price. Consider Unix or Windows NT for now.
- MacWorld December 1996
MacWorld on
MultiProcessing
- Daystar "has distinguished itself as the first clone vendor to
advance Macintosh computing fundamentally."
- This high praise is due to Daystar's work on the Apple
MultiProcessor API (which is derived from Daystar's nPower MP
architecture.
- Daystar modelled it on Windows NT. [editor - wouldn't
Microsoft see it as 'ripped it off from Windows NT?] Therefore,
ports of MP apps from Windows NT are easy. Adobe did Photoshop in
less than two weeks.
- However, Windows NT, Unix, and OS/2 all offer symmetric
multiprocessing (SMP), in which no CPU is master and none is
slave. Even the system can run on any. That would require an
overhaul of the whole MacOS [overdue?].
- Asymmetric multiprocessing requires that all operations pass
through the master CPU which parcels them out. The parcelling
takes more time than it saves, usually, so mostly the slaves are
inactive.
- Daystar's approach is implemented with just a few system
extensions. So symmetric is out of the question. But it does a
little better than pure asymmetric. Level 1 is 'multitasking', in
which a long task is sent to run on a slave CPU. This is rarely
used. Level 2 is 'accelerated single tasking' in which each major
task is divided evenly among the available processors.
- MacWorld offers an apt analogy, where CPUs are horses pulling
a wagon. A single fast horse pulls a light load faster than a
group of horses pulling the same load. But even slower horses,
grouped in harness, are faster pulling a sufficiently heavy load.
- MacWorld's tests show that 4 CPUs approximately double
performance for MP aware applications, though some functions go at
up to 7 times as fast, and, of course, some show no improvement.
- MacWorld December 1996
8x CDRoms Disappointing
- Theoretically, data transfer rates would be 1.2 mb/sec. But
system and drive overhead hold it down to less than 0.5 mb/sec.
- Seek times are more important for searches anyway, and the 8x
drives offer no improvement there.
- Video playback is optimized by game developers for the 4x
drive, typically.
- At best, an 8x drive was 63% faster than the benchmark 4x
drive.
- The driver makes a difference. MacWorld
likes FWB's CDRom Toolkit. Also
available are Software
Architect's CD Mounter Plus, and
CharisMac's CDRom Utility.
- Ultimately, La Cie was
faster and cheaper, but
Dynatek came with CDRom Toolkit and an extra power connection,
giving it the edge. All the fastest used the Plextor mechanism.
Plextor also offers a drive.
- Shockingly, the Philips
drive was inferior to not only the
Micro Design Toshiba
mechanism 6.7x drive, but even to the benchmark 4x drive.
- Dynatek is
Canadian.
- MacWorld December 1996
But even so...a 10x
CDRom!
- ClubMac advertises a 10x CDRom for $199US (1.5 mb/sec data
transfer, 140 ms avg access time.
Speech Recognition
Problem
- Performas 5200, 5300, 6200 and 6300 will shut off the sound if
you turn on the speakable items in the Speech control panel using
a version before 1.5 of the
Speech
Recognition Extension.
- Version 1.5 also fixes the bug which prevented the PPC
Powerbooks from working with the builtin microphone.
- Don't forget that speech recognition needs 16 bit input (check
the Sound Out settings in the Sound control panel). That doesn't
apply to speech output.
- MacWorld December 1996
Desktop Printer Problem
- The current version is
2.0. Even it
will do nothing, even though the menu items are undimmed, if you
move the default printer icon to a closed folder. Open the folder,
deselect the printer icon, and reselect it.
Tips &
Reminders on Web Searching
- AltaVista uses
the older 'and' format (which
Infoseek supports also). Put
a "+" directly in front of any mandatory words. Other services
usually use the word "AND".
- AltaVista
assumes any other words not enclosed by quotation marks are OR
criteria. You can explicitly use OR on the others.
- Don't forget about "NOT". Use a "-" on
AltaVista.
- Consider the
AltaVista 'advanced
search' option.
- Consider searching by the URL. For instance, any university is
probably on the ".edu" trunk (proper jargon?). You can search for
links to your site by searching for your URL. Any ".ca" will bring
URLs containing the Canada trunk (?), but not, of course, all
Canadian URLs.
- No site brings up an exhaustive list. So consider
metaSearchers, where you enter the criteria once, and it searches
a number of other sites for you. MetaSearchers include:
- MacWorld tried a sample search to roughly measure currency.
Infoseek got an A+,
Excite a C,
HotBot a C-,
Lycos a D-, and
Magellan a D-.
AltaVista,
OpenText,
WebCrawler and
Yahoo got Fs.
- Sites have varying 'intelligence'. MacWorld says the current
champ is Infoseek Ultra.
Intelligence will do things like sort in likely priority, sort
down or eliminate languages other than that of the searcher, etc.
- Don't forget you can design your own metasearches with
JavaScript or AppleScript.
This page has a
Java based search service you can add to your own page.
- RetrieveIt ($40US)
not only doubles the speed of web searches [how?], it is far
faster at searching your own drives than Apple's Find File. [I
think it searches for contents too?].
- Consider Topic oriented searches too. These would include
Yahoo,
Search.com
Distressing
Apple Cyberdog Scripting Failure
- The container does not contain an AppleScript dictionary.
Apple says applications should support applescript and this is
part of supporting it.
- Tsk Tsk
HyperCard 3.0 News
- premature" to talk about specific feature sets or ship dates
- will be reimplemented upon the QuickTime Media Layer (QTML).
- Some benefits include:
- 1) integrated support for full color in all bit depths
- 2) playability on the multiple platforms supported by
QTML and in all applications in which QuickTime movies
currently can be played
- 3) extensibility via open QuickTime APIs
- 4) integration of all media types supported by QTML,
including text, video, audio, music, VR, 3D, and MPEG
- 5) ease of use in combination with other QuickTime-based
tools.
- Other effects:
- Stacks would be stored differently, using
QuickTime-defined formats for their structure and content,
but their basic behaviors would remain the same. Stacks
would still contain cards and backgrounds, they would
continue to update themselves dynamically as changes are
made, and users would operate them as they do now. In other
words, the scope of what a QuickTime movie can be would be
broadened to encompass the behavior of stackware.
- They promise it will be possible to translate from the
file formats of HyperCard 1.x and 2.x to QuickTime-based
formats, retaining the content and behavior of the original
stacks
- Scripting would include HyperTalk (enhanced) and other
languages as well, such as AppleScript, UserTalk, and Java. Of
course, stacks that use other languages will require appropriate
support for them on each platform on which they're intended to
run.
- Will continue to support XCMDs and XFCNs on Macintosh only.
BBEdit
Script for Batch Search/Replace
- It appears the following, published by
Andres Figueroa, with
credit to Andy Bachorski, will search all text files in a selected
folder, searching and replacing for several items at once (well,
in sequence).
- set searchList to {"Foo", "foo", "Bar", "bar"}
- set replaceList to {"Fiz", "fiz", "Bah", "bah"}
- set searchCount to count of searchList
-
- set searchFolder to choose folder
-
- tell application "Finder"
- try
- set fileList to (files in entire contents of searchFolder
whose file
- type is "TEXT") as alias
- on error from f
- set fileList to f
- end try
- end tell
-
- repeat with aFile in fileList
- tell application "BBEdit 4.0"
- activate
- open aFile
- repeat with i from 1 to searchCount
- set searchText to item i of searchList
- set replaceText to item i of replaceList
- replace Every Occurrence searching for searchText using
replaceText
- with case sensitive
- end repeat
- close window 1 saving yes
- end tell
- end repeat
Apple Developer
News On OS Strategy
- Smooth Transition
- similar look and feel
- compatibility with existing Mac OS applications and
hardware
- Existing Mac OS software is expected to work within
Rhapsody at PowerPC speeds
- Rhapsody will support today's currently shipping Mac OS
personal computers, as well as future Mac OS hardware.
- Advanced Operating System
- preemptive multitasking
- symmetric multiprocessing
- protected memory
- modern kernel.
- integration of NeXT Software's OPENSTEP development
- component software development environment.
- Multimedia Leadership
- optimize its QuickTime Media Layer (QTML) for both Mac OS
and Rhapsody
- further develop its value added hardware
- Superior Internet Integration
- carry forward key technologies
- OpenDoc
- Meta Content Format (MCF)
- TCP/IP connectivity
- incorporate Java in both Mac OS and Rhapsody
- today announced Mac OS Run Time for Java. (See separate
release).
- technology such as NeXT Software's Web Objects
- two complementary product lines moving forward--Mac OS and
Rhapsody.
- Customers can migrate at their own speed.
- Mac OS
- will deliver on a regular, semiannual basis for both 68k
and PowerPC customers.
- 7.6, announced today
- Tempo
- improve the overall ease of use of the Mac
- Internet integration
- include a new PowerPC-native multi-threaded Finder.
- new 3D appearance and other user interface
enhancements.
- integrates Cyberdog 2.0, Mac OS Runtime for Java, and
personal web sharing, permitting every Mac or Mac
compatible to be an Internet web server.
- Allegro - TBA
- Sonata - TBA
- Rhapsody
- incorporating NeXT Software's market- leading OPENSTEP
development environment.
- include preemptive multitasking, protected memory and a
modern kernel.
- developer release - mid to late 1997
- customer release - within 12 months.
- an evolution of the Mac OS appearance
- enable new software applications to run in a fully
preemptive and protected environment
- limited compatibility with Mac OS
applications.
- Unified Release - mid 1998
- next generation capabilities introduced in the
developer and premier releases
- compatibility with existing and future Mac OS
applications through a Mac OS compatibility
environment which will be a complete native
implementation of the Mac OS. This is not a software
"emulation" layer; instead, Mac OS will be ported to the
advanced Rhapsody base.
- Rhapsody is also expected to support all upcoming
products including the PowerPC Platform (also known as
CHRP). [Does this mean that the MacOS will not
support CHRP!?]
- Both
- optimized for PowerPC hardware.
- Other
- develop, sell and support NeXT software products for
other platforms such as Pentium, Sparc, and Windows NT.
- ADN #38 Supp 3--New OS Strategy
Rhapsody To Use Mach
Kernel
- We have chosen to deliver these capabilities using the Mach
kernel. Apple completed a thorough evaluation of several options.
Each of the options had both technical and business strengths.
Mach represents the best balance of technology and business fit
and maximizes our ability to deliver on our stated goals for
Rhapsody. We believe the Mach-based core provides Apple and
developers a compelling technology foundation in which to build
innovative and world class products.
- Clearly, there are further technical decisions still to be
made. We will continue to update you on a continuing basis."
- Ellen Hancock Chief Technology Officer
- Avie Tevanian Vice President, NeXT Software, Inc.
- ADN #42 Supplement--Rhapsody/Mach
Apple
won't migrate the Mac OS to other microprocessors.
- Apple Directions Express - 11/01/96 - Apple Dev News #32
Supplement
What is CFM
- [I previously advised that the CFM-68K Runtime Enabler was
buggy. Now I know what it is.]
- Code Fragment Manager ("CFM") was originally introduced by
Apple only for Macintosh and Mac OS-compatible computers based on
the PowerPC processor. It allows applications to share their
programming code through special files known as shared libraries.
In addition to being able to share programming code, applications
which are programmed to use shared libraries can reduce their
memory requirements.
- In response to the success of the PowerPC version of CFM,
Apple introduced a version of CFM for Macintosh computers based on
the 680x0 processor. This version of CFM for 680x0- based
Macintosh computers is the CFM-68K Runtime Enabler extension.
- Apple Computer products which rely on CFM-68K Runtime Enabler
are: OpenDoc, Cyberdog, LaserWriter (versions 8.4 and 8.4.1 only),
and the Apple Media Tool. Only the 68K versions of these software
packages are affected. This bug does not affect PowerPC versions
of these products. There are currently few applications which rely
on the CFM-68K Runtime Enabler and therefore Apple does not
believe that this problem is very widespread.
- If you have installed OpenDoc or Cyberdog, you should not use
these products until Apple releases a solution for this problem.
If you have installed LaserWriter version 8.4 or 8.4.1, you should
install LaserWriter version 8.3.4, which does not rely on the
CFM-68K Runtime Enabler. If you do not have LaserWriter 8.3.4, you
can download it from the Apple support site on the World Wide Web,
which is located at
http://www.info.apple.com/.
- This bug exists in all currently shipping versions of CFM-68K
Runtime Enabler, but was found during recent testing.
- Apple
Technote
- Apple Dev News #35 Supplement - 12/2/96
AppleScript
Reminder - It is itself a scriptable Text Editor
- mkearns@bearriver.com (Meredith Kearns)
AppleScript
Warning - Put Away Your Text Item Delimiters!
- AppleScript's text item delimiters. It's important to note
that it's your responsibility to save the old value of the
delimiters and then to save it back when you're done. Please
remember to include this whenever you post a solution involving
text item delimiters.
- Cal Simone, President Main
Event Software, Inc. Voice: (202) 298-9595
-
- I have done a lot of text parsing with Applescript and I
really like the tokenize command from the ACME Script Widgets
Addition. It saves the effort of saving the delimiter, changing
the delimiter, doing your task and then changing the delimiter
back. Tokenize is a one stop solution:
- Larry White, P.Eng.
-
- I've had problems where my script would die in the middle of
my delim loop, and then the delims would stay set to ":" or
whatever, and then if you did a "set delims to savedDelims" kind
of thing, they would be set to ":". Setting them to {""} seems to
have applescript restore it's default delims.
- Erich G Bratton
AppleScript - What is
an Osax? A Library?
- Scripting additions are compiled *Macintosh* code so they are
written in C or Pascal generally and cannot be written unless you
know how to program the Mac. However if you have a handy function
you can save it as a compiled script.... in a file,(say called
mylibrary) and then in any of your scripts you can load it into
the script using the load script OSAX (Use the open dictionary
command on OSAX to see how to use them)....
- This is a handy way to circumvent the limit on the length of
any one script (30k) and to write organized code. It does slow
down your script a little
- One problem is if you want to load a script library from
within a script library. Like say you have 5 libraries, all of
which need to in turn load the same library. If you put code in
each to load the library (load script...) then the same library
gets loaded lots of time and I think this wastes time and memory.
- One workaround is to load all the libraries in your main
script, place them in an array, and pass this array to all your
sub-functions contained in libraries, and have your subfunctions
operate on the array. i.e.
- set myfunction to load script alias("disk:Desktop
Folder:mylibrary")
- set lib to {myfunction:myfunction,this:this,that:that}
- on dobeep(lib,x) beep x times tell this of lib to
dowhatever(lib,parameters) end dobeep
- Elliot Smith
Changes in Anarchie 2.0.1
- + PowerPC native.
- + Upload and Download folders.
- + Mac Search file search engine.
- + Tips window.
- + Lots of User Interface enhancements.
- + Fixed a problem with international (high bit set)
characters.
- Anarchie requires System 7, MacTCP 1.1 or Open Transport 1.1,
and is US$10 shareware. Version 2.0.1 is a free upgrade to
registered users who registered after 1 Jan 1996. Users who
registered prior to 1996 can upgrade and receive a 50% discount.
-
- Hope you like it, Peter. <>
-
- Anarchie v2.0.1 Copyright 1993-96
Peter N Lewis
(Stairways.com)
Mac OS Runtime for Java
1.0
- Mac OS Runtime
for Java 1.0 can be used on any Mac OS-based computer that
runs Macintosh System 7.1 or later and uses a 68030 or faster
processor; memory requirements depend on usage.
- Apple Dev News #39--MACWORLD Expo - 970109
QuickTime VR 2.0
- At MACWORLD Expo, Apple introduced
QuickTime VR 2.0 for
Mac OS, a major update that offers new features to both developers
and users and integrates QuickTime VR's image-based virtual
reality with QuickTime (used for movies, sound, and music) and
QuickDraw 3D (for 3D objects).
- This integration is possible because of the inclusion in
QuickTime VR 2.0 of a full API (application programming interface)
that can be called from the C programming language.
- Apple Dev News #39--MACWORLD Expo - 970109
Cyberdog 1.2
- Cyberdog 1.2, a
full-featured suite of Internet components with a common look and
feel. Cyberdog 1.2 includes user interface improvements, enhanced
performance, and new mail functionality; it also offers a complete
solution for mail, news, web access, FTP, Telnet, and more.
Cyberdog 1.2 features many built-in data-type viewers (for file
formats such as GIF and JPEG) and provides Internet capability to
applications that support OpenDoc.
- The tight integration of the Mac OS and Cyberdog allows users
to easily drag and drop items between the two environments; for
example, files from the Mac OS Finder, Uniform Resource Locater
(URL) links, and e-mail addresses can be dragged into the Cyberdog
1.2 Notebook.
- Apple Dev News #39--MACWORLD Expo - 970109
Apple Club
- Apple Club ... is
Apple's new web-based subscription service...will provide members
with high-speed access to Apple software updates, newsletters, and
services-- all for a yearly fee of $19.95. Initially, Apple Club
is available to customers in the United States.
- Benefits of Apple Club include faster and more reliable access
to all standard Apple system software upgrades and enhancements,
through dedicated servers and high-speed routers. Upon signing up,
members receive a one-time choice of a CD-ROM valued at U.S.
$34.95. Choices include Grolier's Encyclopedia of Science Fiction;
Arome Publishing's Vegetarian Delights: Art de la Table; or the
Apple Club CD-ROM, which includes the most recent versions of all
available Apple software updates, some literature on Apple
products, and links to the most popular Apple web sites and part
of the Technical Information Library.
- Additional benefits include a one-stop shop for free
subscriptions to popular electronic newsletters, including
exclusive messages from Apple Chairman and CEO Dr. Gil Amelio, and
optional weekly e-mail messages that notify members of the latest
versions of current software. Apple Club members enjoy special
discount offers on select products and services, starting at 20
percent on the AppleCare program, which offers an extended
warranty on Apple products. Members also are automatically
enrolled in quarterly drawings for valuable Apple hardware and
gifts. In the first drawing--to be held April 1, 1997--members can
win a MessagePad 2000 or an Apple T-shirt.
- Apple Dev News #39--MACWORLD Expo - 970109
Software Ratings Online
- The National Multimedia Association of America maintains a Web
site, RATINGS.ORG, that
features a database listing of software applications that have
been rated by computer users. Potential software purchasers use
this resource to make product buying decisions. You can turn this
database resource into a free selling opportunity in this way:
Simply ask your most loyal users to fill out a review form for
your product at the RATINGS.ORG Web site. Tell users that it takes
just a couple of minutes, and that users who submit reviews are
typically entered in a drawing for a nice giveaway.
- RATINGS.ORG also has an icon that you can add to your site as
a live link to the RATINGS.ORG homepage. Developer Web sites that
display this logo receive discounts on browser demographical
information.
- Apple Developer News #33 961107
ActiveX for Mac
OS Is Now Available
- Microsoft has just released the
ActiveX
SDK for the Macintosh, which allows web users to automatically
download ActiveX controls when viewing a web page.
- Apple Developer News #35 2/2 961121
Hypercard 2.3.5
$99 Update Bundle
- Apple just announced the availability of HyperCard version
2.3.5, which includes a high-value bundle of Internet and
entertainment software, all for a retail price of U.S. $99. This
new bundle includes Broderbund's Myst, the best-selling computer
game; Terran Interactive's Movie Cleaner LE, a QuickTime authoring
solution; and LiveCard from Royal/Heizer Software, a web motion
plug-in that enables real-time streaming of HyperCard stacks into
Internet browser windows.
- HyperCard 2.3.5 builds upon the new features introduced in
HyperCard 2.3, which included native PowerPC performance, 24-bit
color painting, new button task enhancements for launching
applications such as Netscape Navigator, automation through
AppleScript, and enhanced HyperTalk scripting. Now for the first
time, users can launch, control, exchange data, and integrate with
scriptable applications using AppleScript.
- Press
release or web
site
- Apple Developer News #38 1/2 961220
Products for Rhapsody
- Continuing its two-year relationship of working with Apple on
a variety of initiatives, Netscape Communications announced plans
to make its new Netscape Communicator client software available on
Apple's next- generation operating system, Rhapsody. Netscape
Communicator is Netscape's new integrated suite of client software
for open e-mail, "groupware," editing, calendar capabilities, and
web browsing. You can read more about the announcement on the
web
- Apple Developer News #40 970116
-
- Apple and Metrowerks have signed a
development
agreement to provide full CodeWarrior tools support for both
the Mac OS and Rhapsody. Under the terms of the agreement,
Metrowerks will create and market a full CodeWarrior solution made
up of compilers, programming tools, and debuggers.
Apple
Introduces Software-Only MPEG Movie Playback
- Apple recently announced immediate availability of its
QuickTime MPEG (Motion
Picture Experts Group) extension, which allows you to perform
full-screen, software-only playback of MPEG-1 and VideoCD
audio/video files on PowerPC processor-based Mac OS computers.
MPEG is a worldwide industry standard for compressing synchronized
audio and video for post-production and entertainment. The
QuickTime MPEG extension is available immediately for use with
QuickTime 2.5;
- Through the QuickTime MPEG extension, VHS-quality, full-screen
video and CD-quality audio are now available as a single
synchronized data type in the QuickTime architecture. Apple has
supported hardware MPEG-1 playback on Macintosh computers since
1994; with the announcement of this QuickTime Media Layer (QTML)
software extension, Power Macintosh users no longer need special
hardware to view a variety of MPEG files and formats.
- Through the capabilities of QuickTime track synchronization,
MPEG files can also be fully integrated with other QuickTime media
types, including sprites, MIDI, text, and 3D files.
- All applications updated to be compliant with QuickTime for
Macintosh 2.5 can immediately take advantage of these new
features. Apple is providing a new version of MoviePlayer--version
2.5.1--to allow immediate use of these features. Apple is
committed to giving Microsoft Windows customers an equally
compelling MPEG experience in 1997.
- Because of the extensibility of QTML and the open plug-in
architecture of QuickTime, the QuickTime MPEG extension can
upgrade systems that currently have QuickTime for Macintosh 2.5
installed.
- The QuickTime MPEG extension will also work seamlessly with
the QuickTime plug-in for Netscape Navigator and Microsoft
Internet Explorer, enabling real-time, live MPEG playback inside
these browsers. QuickTime's "fast start" feature enables users to
view MPEG content as it downloads, eliminating the delay
associated with large multimedia files across low-bandwidth
connections.
- To coincide with the release of Apple's QuickTime MPEG
extension, Astarte USA has announced the release of
Astarte MPEG
Exporter, a free Macintosh QuickTime extension that allows
users to easily convert any QuickTime movie to MPEG format. MPEG
Exporter will allow Power Macintosh users to begin working with
MPEG material immediately without having to buy MPEG hardware.
- See the
press
release on the web:
- Apple Developer News #42 970130
AppleScript Lists
Speed Doubler v. System
7.6
- 970130 - Connectix
recommends you install the latest version (2.0.1 or 1.3.2) or
disable SpeedDoubler if you run System 7.6.
Amelio Speech to
Shareholders 9702
- Development for Rhapsody will also run on WinTel boxes.
- Jobs and Wozniak are both back, in advisory roles.
- Apple has or will cut 3,565 jobs.
- Apple intends to narrow its focus and concentrate on being a
"Systems Company"
- The MacOS is up 9% in sales, counting clones. He didn't say
how fast systems were growing over all.
- R&D is being further reduced
- At MacWorld Tokyo, the World's fastest laptop will be
unveiled: a Mac. An Apple Mac!
Star Wars on Macs
- page 55 of Time's Canadian edition, February 10, 1997, reports
that the new footage in Star Wars was done on Macs.
FileMaker v.
OpenTransport 1.1.1
- Claris says you are in trouble running Filemaker and
OpenTransport 1.1.1 unless you use MacIPX 1.3v1 (assuming you are
using IPX networking) and ObjectSupport Lib 1.1.6 (both available
from the Claris site.
PowerPC
Chip Outperforms the Pentium--Even With MMX
- BYTE magazine has just documented a win for the PowerPC
microprocessor over Pentium chips, even with Intel's Pro and MMX
enhancements. In this benchmark study, a 200 MHz 604e
PowerPC-based Macintosh computer is compared with 200 MHz Pentium,
Pentium Pro, and Pentium with MMX systems, plus one Cyrix 166+
system. BYTE tested five basic functions in Adobe PhotoShop:
Arbitrary Rotate, Unsharp Mask (default), Unsharp Mask (custom),
Gaussian Blur, and RGB to CMYK.
- In three of the tests--Arbitrary Rotate, Unsharp Mark
(custom), and RGB to CMYK--the Power Macintosh blew away the
Pentium-with-MMX system by about a factor of two. Power Macintosh
was within a few percentage points of Pentium-with-MMX performance
in the other two tests. It also soundly beat the Pentium products
(non-MMX) on all five tests, often by factors of three, four, and
even more. For a great graphical representation of this data, see
the BYTE
web
site.
- Apple Developer News 45 970213
Proof
That the Mac OS Platform Is Alive and Well
- * There are more than 14,000 Mac OS-compatible products listed
within Apple's Mac OS Software & Hardware Guide. (Source:
Apple Computer, January 1997.) The list is available at this web
site: <http://www.macsoftware.apple.com/>
- * There are 1,899 software titles available exclusively on the
Mac OS platform. (Source: Apple Computer, January 1997.) The list
is available at this web site:
<http://www2.apple.com/whymac/onlymac/default.html>
- * There are 2,449 available titles that were first shipped on
the Mac OS platform. (Source: Apple Computer, January 1997.) The
list is available at this web site:
<http://www2.apple.com/whymac/macfirst/default.html>
- * There are 2,749 Power Macintosh native software products
currently being shipped. (Source: Apple Computer, January 1997.)
The list is available at this web site:
<http://www2.apple.com/whymac/products/default.html>
- * Among PC Data's list of the 100 best-selling software titles
of 1996, 48 percent can run on a Macintosh computer or have a Mac
OS version available. (Source: PC Data unit sales data, November
1996.)
- * Forty percent of the titles on PC Data's top 10 games list
also sell a Mac OS version. (Source: PC Data, November 1996.)
- * Seven of PC Data's listed "Top 10 Creativity Titles" run on
the Mac OS platform. (Source: PC Data, December 1996, YTD units
sold.)
- * Five out of ten best-selling titles in the desktop
publishing category are Mac OS-compatible. (Source: PC Data,
December 1996, YTD units sold.)
- * The number-one best-selling title in the painting and
drawing category (Adobe Illustrator) is Mac OS-compatible.
(Source: PC Data, December 1996, YTD units sold.)
- * The number-one best-selling e-mail software application
(Claris Emailer) is Mac OS-compatible. (Source: PC Data, December
1996, YTD units sold.)
- * Apple recently shipped its 26-millionth Macintosh computer,
which will be used by one of the 60 million Macintosh users
worldwide. (Source: Apple Computer, January 1997.)
Internet Explorer 3.0
- Microsoft released the final version of
Internet Explorer
3.0 for Power Macs at Macworld Expo last week. In addition to
support for HTML style sheets and the (debatable) RSAC Internet
Ratings system, Explorer 3.0 includes support for ActiveX and
Java. Users can choose between Apple's Java VM or
Microsoft/Metrowerks Java favors [sic], including the first Just
in Time (JIT) Java compiler for the Mac. Although ActiveX and Java
capabilities require extra memory, Explorer will still run fairly
comfortably in 4 MB of RAM, in part because Microsoft broke email
and Usenet news capabilities into a separate application (see
TidBITS-355_). Various Internet Explorer 3.0 packages can be
downloaded from Microsoft, with the full, Java-enabled version
coming in over 7 MB in size. Internet Explorer 3.0 is not
currently available for 68K Macs due to troubles with Apple's
CFM-68K (see TidBITS-356_). [GD]
- TidBITS#361/13-Jan-97
Cocoa Let's Kids Program
- Apple's Cocoa, a
wonderful tool for kids of all ages for creating game and
simulation worlds (written with Prograph, no less) has gone into
free DR1 release and is available for download. It makes
stand-alone applications or can be played on the Internet using a
Netscape plug-in. Already some kids calling themselves
Tenadar Software
have marketed a game written with it; being shown a demo by
munchkins is somewhat unnerving, but I guess I will have to have
to get used to it. TidBITS#361/13-Jan-97 [MN]
SMART Board
- My vote for coolest external technology goes to
SMART Board,
from SMART Technologies Inc. It's a whiteboard which you attach to
your computer through the serial port. You can write on it with
colored markers, and whatever you write can be captured into the
computer as a graphic; or (this part is even cooler) you can
project your computer's screen onto the whiteboard, and then
touching the whiteboard with your finger is just like mousing
there to control the computer. Plus, you can "write" on the
picture with virtual colored markers whose traces are actually
projected. How I wish I'd had this when I was teaching! [MN]
- TidBITS#361/13-Jan-97 [MN]
Pretty Safe Mail
- Belgian developer Highware showed a beta version of
Pretty
Safe Mail, which uses PGP (Pretty Good Privacy) to encrypt and
decrypt files, folders, email messages, or even parts of email
messages, all by choosing a command from a system- wide menu.
Pretty Safe Mail also supports digital signatures and is the
simple implementation of strong cryptography software that I've
been waiting for. [ACE]
- TidBITS#361/13-Jan-97 [MN]
Another Internet to
AppleTalk
- Long-time Internet developer InterCon Systems has come up with
a product that tons of people have wanted for years -
MacVPA
(VPA stands for Virtual Private AppleTalk). Basically, MacVPA
provides AppleTalk access for people who only have a PPP-based
Internet connection. So, if you're travelling, MacVPA enables you
to dial any Internet provider and get AppleTalk access to your
Internet-connected network back at the office, all without needing
to run your own dial-in servers (or make long- distance telephone
calls). [ACE]
- TidBITS#361/13-Jan-97 [MN]
No Hands Mouse
- The No Hands Mouse, by
Hunter Digital, isn't a mouse, and it doesn't even sit on your
desk. It's actually a pair of foot pedals; the right one controls
mouse movement with a joystick-like action, while the left pedal
controls mouse clicking (rock forward to click, back to double-
click). I had trouble moving the cursor around, and found myself
unconsciously grabbing for a nonexistent mouse, but others I
talked to liked the feel. I assume you'd get used to it fairly
quickly. [JLC]
- TidBITS#361/13-Jan-97 [MN]
PowerBook 1400 Update
- Apple has released a simple
fix
to an odd problem with the PowerBook 1400. Evidently, some 1400
systems shipped without a "reference file" that disk repair
programs use. Without the update or the file, they won't look at
the disk, because they don't think it is an HFS (Hierarchical File
System) disk.
- TidBITS#362/20-Jan-97
Free Object
Placement in Web Drafting
- HTML offers little ability to put objects where you want them
on a page. With skill, you can use tables, and with more skill,
they might look the same on somebody else's browser. Two new HTML
editors automate the table-nudging. They are
GoLive Pro
1.1 from GoLive Systems (previous gonet), which will be called
GoLive CyberStudio and ship in March for a suggested retail price
of $349, and $495 NetObjects Fusion 1.0 by
NetObjects
- Coda, an HTML editor written entirely in Java by
RandomNoise, slated to
ship in the first quarter of this year, the $495 Coda creates Web
pages consisting primarily of Java code, with free placement of
page elements as well a variety of animations and widgets, all of
which can be set up without knowing a lick of Java. Pages created
in Coda are viewable only in Java-savvy browsers.
- TidBITS#362/20-Jan-97
A New Delta
Storage Application: Rev
- Delta storage is useful for version control, recovering data,
and compression. The notion is that the program saves the original
file, then saves only the changes for further versions, all in the
same file. So, if you keep lots of versions of a document (or
ought to), such as accounting files, source code, etc., then
consider it.
- TidBITS#362/20-Jan-97 reviewed Rev, a new one, and seemed
pleased.
- Rev costs $49.95 directly from
6prime, and although you can
check out their Web site for additional information, you can
currently only order via phone or email.
Online
ordering.
- 6prime Corporation -- 408/252-9828 -- email
rev@6prime.com
Eudora Light/Pro Updated
- Qualcomm has released final versions of both
Eudora
Light and
Eudora
Pro 3.0.2. According to Qualcomm, these versions fix problems
with nickname file corruption, along with problems with
attachments, URL handling, and Eudora's editor. You must own
Eudora Pro in order to use the Eudora Pro updater (1.6 MB); Eudora
Light remains a free product and a 2 MB download. [GD]
- TidBITS#365/10-Feb-97
Frontier 4.2
- Frontier,
from UserLand Software, has been updated to version 4.2. A
powerful, fast Mac scripting environment, Frontier 4.2 features
significantly refined Web site management tools (including
NewsPage for constantly-updating pages), improved macro
processing, live HTML editing in Frontier's built-in outliner,
support for making MCF site maps (see TidBITS-355_), a useful
suite of Finder scripts for webmasters and authors (delivered via
Leonard Rosenthol's OSA Menu), and tight integration with WebSTAR
2.0. Frontier is still free; the curious can get a good sense of
it by studying the online documentation. [MN]
- TidBITS#363/27-Jan-97
Apple Ships Mac OS 7.6
- Mac
OS 7.6 is out.
- The good things:
- it's on time.
- it seems to have a new installer, the Install Mac OS, an
umbrella installer for both the core operating system and
add-ons like OpenDoc, Cyberdog, and QuickDraw GX.
- Install Mac OS has been heralded as a new installer, but
it's really a shell program that controls installers for
individual components.
- It reminds users to update their hard disk drivers when
installing software and runs Disk First Aid before
attempting to install any system software.
- Install Mac OS also enables users to create a brand new
System Folder or to update an existing system, a previously
hidden function.
- But when it launches the subsidiary old-style installers
for components, they again ask what you want to do.
- The Mac OS 7.6 custom install now groups components in
functional categories (such as Mobility, Multimedia, and
Assistance) in addition to categories like Control Panels
and Extensions. Unfortunately, this means that individual
items (such as PC Exchange) appear in more than one section,
and selecting an item in one category doesn't select it the
others, creating confusion as to whether something will be
installed.
- it's a welcome system consolidation. In addition to the
core system software, Mac OS 7.6 ships with:
- QuickTime 2.5
- OpenDoc 1.1.2
- Cyberdog 1.2.1
- QuickDraw 3D 1.0.6 (even though 1.5 is already out)
- QuickDraw GX 1.1.5
- MacLink Plus 8.1 (from DataViz)
- Open Transport 1.1.1 (even though 1.1.2 is already out)
- Open Transport/PPP 1.0
- Remote Access Client 2.1
- version 1.2 of the Apple Internet Connection Kit.
- Mac OS 7.6 includes Extensions Manager 4.0, a significant
improvement over earlier versions.
- enables users to manage system extensions and extension
sets
- features an updated interface (with sorting
capabilities)
- ability to view extensions as a flat set, by folder, or
by package.
- users now can identify and turn on or off all related
parts of a complex set, like Now Utilities or OpenDoc. A
surprising number of system components already have this
information.
- does NOT track down extension conflicts
- can export a detailed text file listing your extension
configuration.
- Desktop Printing 2.0.2
- lets you move desktop printers off the desktop into
folders
- can switch between desktop printers using a new control
strip module and within the Print dialog box (although I'm
not sure if the latter requires LaserWriter 8.4)
- Talking Alerts (modal only, hidden in Speech Control Panel
- Improved ScreenShots
- Command- Shift-4 lets you select a portion of your
screen to be saved as a file
- if Caps Lock is down, the cursor changes to a bull's-eye
and you can take a screen shot of just about any window you
can click
- Command-Shift-3 still causes your Mac to take a picture
of your entire screen
- pressing Control (with either combination) puts the
picture into the clipboard instead of in a file on the top
level of your startup drive
- Low-level changes in Mac OS 7.6
- PowerPC and 68040 Macs can now support volume sizes up
to two terabytes
- many earlier updates and system extensions have been
rolled into the system file
- Apple events can now carry more than 64K of data
- improvements throughout the system significantly enhance
stability.
- The bad things:
- 24-bit machines (the Mac II, IIx, SE/30, and IIcx) that
previously used Connectix's MODE32 aren't supported under Mac
OS 7.6
- machines with a 68000 or 68020 processor are no longer
supported, including the Plus, SE, Classic, Portable, LC, and
PowerBook 100
- PowerPC-based Macs can only run the Modern Memory Manager
under Mac OS 7.6: support for the old 68K Memory Manager is no
longer available
- does not include
Mac OS Runtime for
Java (MRJ), something Apple promised when it announced its
biannual update plan, but Apple did complete MRJ 1.0 for
PowerPC; a version for 68K-based machines is promised shortly.
- Classic networking isn't supported
- doesn't support MacsBug earlier than 6.5.4, which is not
yet publicly availabler
- not free
- not available for downloading
- big - over 120 MB for the CD-ROM version
- You call it:
- no longer supports PowerTalk
- removes even the option of running CFM-68K for risk takers
who want to run CFM-68K-dependent software (see above).
Fortunately, there are workarounds for developers to test
CFM-68K under Mac OS 7.6, and a patch may be available soon
(two potential fixes are currently being tested by Apple).
- You can purchase Mac OS 7.6 directly from Claris, and it
should be available in traditional channels (including mail-order
and online vendors) shortly. From Claris, Mac OS 7.6 costs $99 on
CD-ROM, and $129 on floppy disks. If you can prove you purchased a
version of System 7.5 (either on its own or with a computer), you
can upgrade for $69, or $99 on floppy. If you recently bought a
Mac that didn't ship with 7.6, you may qualify for a $24 upgrade
through
Apple's
Mac OS Up-To-Date program. None of these prices includes
shipping, handling, and tax: a typical $69 CD-ROM upgrade from
Claris will total more than $80.
- Source - Geoff Duncan
Price Cuts to Apple
Models for Feb
- Last week, Apple
announced
it had lowered dealer prices as much as 27 percent on a wide range
of Macintoshes. The largest cuts appear in the mid-to-high end of
Apple's desktop Power Macintosh line, with prices reduced as much
as $1,000 on Power Mac 8500 and 9500 models; also, the high end of
the Performa 6400-series has been discounted 15 to 18 percent, and
Apple's Workgroup Server 7250 and 8550 series are discounted 7 to
13 percent. Apple is no doubt attempting to boost sales volume
after an unspectacular holiday season and clear inventory in
anticipation of new models to be announced later this month. [GD]
- TidBITS#364/03-Feb-97
More On Rhapsody
Kernel - The Mach
- OpenStep is targeted at the Mach 3 kernel, whereas NeXTstep
uses a variant of Mach 2.5. Presumably, Apple chose Mach in order
to bring Rhapsody to market more quickly. The Mach kernel was
originally developed at Carnegie Mellon University, and is
currently used by many environments, including IBM's AIX, Apple's
MkLinux project, and
Tenon Systems' MachTen Unix
environment for the Mac. Though most operating systems using Mach
have been based on Unix, that doesn't necessarily mean Rhapsody
will have Unix at its heart. [GD]
- TidBITS#364/03-Feb-97
BeBoxes No More
- BeInc, actually only a 50 person company,
plans
to focus simply on marketing the BeOS for PowerMacs.
- TidBITS#364/03-Feb-97
Sorting a String
Numerically
- Stuart Cheshire, author
of the popular network tank game Bolo, has released a tiny
freeware extension called
Natural
Order (or
Mirror
site) that overrides how the System sorts numeric parts of
strings.
- Programs that benefit from Natural Order immediately include
the Finder (for "View by Name" windows), Standard File Dialogs (in
any application), and the Chooser (for sorting lists of zones,
servers, and so on). However, Natural Order works by overriding
the System's built-in string comparison routines and only benefits
programs that call those routines. A number of programs implement
their own sorting mechanisms, so those programs don't benefit from
Natural Order. A few recent programs (including Anarchie 2.0 and
Fetch 3.0.2 and later) include Natural Order's sorting routines
internally so they sort sensibly even without Natural Order
installed.
- TidBITS#364/03-Feb-97
Sorry, that's all the time I have.
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