Re: A2 and GS Freeware Distribution

[cturley2@aol.com (Cturley2)]

supertimer@aol.com (Supertimer) wrote to which I reply with ***:) :

Tom, here's an idea...

How about putting GS Shrinkit and one of the binscii programs
and 8-bit Shrinkit all on a ProDOS formatted disk that has been
turned into a Mac Disk Copy image?

***:) My reply to this - That's a good suggestion.  I'll do that and put it up
as the first 
archive - in a disk copy image. I use a Mac program called Shrink II, the same
one used
bu the Caltech Adm. on his ftp site.  It was sold by Steve Dizbrow before he
left the Apple II community.  It's a commercial Mac title that has both
abilities for binscii and ShrinkIt
archive and unshrinking.  I'd hoped somebody like Joe Kohn might find a way to
sell it
from ShareWare Solutions II.  That (so  far) having not been done - I'd agree
that your suggestion would give the same abilities to Mac users via a disk copy
image.  Of course they would need a IIgs or Apple II emulator on their Mac to
use such.

This will solve many problems for new A2 users who use Macs.
As I see it, the main problem for them has always been to get
Shrinkit and binscii first.  For GS users, the main reason has
been the confusion when they don't understand they need the
GS SHRINKIT, not the 8-bit one.  I've never had any problems
with downloading A2 and GS Shrinkit archives on the Mac with
Fetch or Netscape - saving them to a 3.5 disk or making a copy of 
them to a 3.5 disk and unshrinking it on the GS with ShrinkIt GS.
But, some users seem to have all sorts of problems with this.

With a Disk Copy image, they can just generate a working disk
with the right programs without worrying about forks or whatever.

***:)  Ah...I see what you mean now!  A simple and easy to do concept.
Consider it DONE!  I'll have it on my web sites and ftp site in a day
or so.  I'll post the exact URL when it's up and ready to download.

Thanks for the suggestion!

Cheers,
Tom