Re: Apple II GS Question

[shack@deimos.frii.com (Randy Shackelford)]

In article <26MAR199702581305@vax2.concordia.ca>,
Mitchell Spector <spec@vax2.concordia.ca> wrote:

[snip]

>>The exception is AppleWorks Classic users.  The text screen runs
>>fast even without an accelerator.  Incidentally, Macs lack text
>>screens.  Strange...back in the Mac Plus days, a terminal on a Mac
>>would slug along while Apple II, GS, and PC terminals zoomed past.
>
>    That's always been a major limitation of the Mac, no character
>generator for text. If I want to run Linux on my PC, I have a nice
>fast text interface (same with GNO on the IIgs) but the Macintosh
>has to use bitmapped fonts in a window. Fast or slow, all computers
>should have a character generator available IMO.

One of the design philosophies of Apple's human interface is to not have modes
between which apps switch back and forth. That is, not to have context-
sensitive operations. Not having a character based text screen is just part
of making a consistent experience for the user.

Now as far as speed goes, sure an 8 mHz 68000 box like a Plus can't quite
handle it as well as newer stuff. I have a Quadra 840av (40 mHz '040) and
on it, Microphone Pro, the only text oriented app I use, is really fast.
On it, Microphone is faster than my IIgs' text display. Even more so if I
switch the display to 8 bit color. And an 840 is a long way from the fastest
Mac box out there these days.
-- 
Randy Shackelford                                 
shack@frii.com