Re: RFC: downloading info for c.s.a2 FAQ

[nathan@visi.com (Nathan Mates)]

In article <jreiter-2108961328200001@remote-40.modems.comet.net>,
Jordan Reiter <jreiter@comet.net> wrote:
>>   Tip: look for Apple File Exchange on one of the System 7.1 disks.
>>It can read and write ProDOS disks. Apple File Exchange is part of
>>System 7.0-7.49 (or whatever the last one before 7.5 was), and thus my
>>statement that Macs running system 7 can write to ProDOS disks is
>>correct. Macs unfortunately force people into the (wrong) idea that
>>if the finder can't do something with a disk, nothing can. 

>Actually, Apple File Exchange came out a lot earlier on the Mac and did
>_not_ come with system 7.x to my knowledge.

   I installed it a few times off the 7.1 3.5" disks and CD Rom. It was
there when I looked for it.

> Also, I always had difficulty using this program to
>simply copy files onto 3.5" floppies, it always wanted to translate them
>directly into ASCII (not very workable for actual programs). 

   I could use the Sys 7.1 version just fine for downloading .shk
files.  Maybe the 6.0.x version you had was deficient.

>My suggestion
>is that a copy of PC Exchange be posted for people without System 7.5

   PC Exchange is one of the selling points of Sys 7.5. (And Apple _is_
selling 7.5). Odds of getting it for free are slim and none.

>>   I do plan on writing another new section sometime soon on what
>>programs/ hardware on other platforms can be used to read/write Apple
>>II disks and what Apple II Hardware/Software can read non-Apple II
>>disks. In that I'd spell out in more detail how boneheaded Macs can
>>be.

>As I download almost all my Apple II files on my brother's Power Performa
>6200CD with no problems, I see no way a person using the completely Apple
>II unfriendly systems of Unix and PC's could complain about Mac's as being
>"boneheaded".

   Shall we start listing a few: adding in resource forks that mess up
ProDOS 8 programs. (GSCII+ and GSHK don't care, so most GS folks don't
notice it). Downloading the BINSCII.TXT file thru a mac is thus
_discouraged_ in the downloading FAQ because several people have been
unable to access the file in order to unpack it. 

   Secondly, as I said before (but you clipped) the idea that the
Finder is king of mac disks-- there _ARE_ times (Apple File Exchange)
when the Finder is lacking, but other programs can do a better
job. 

   Thirdly, _numerous_ reports of newer Macs not being able to
read/write 800K disks, despite claiming to be able to. (If you're
going to do something, do it right, or don't do it at all. People
doing tech support _hate_ randomly flakey setups.)

   Did I mention that Mac Netscrape doesn't have an easy .mime.types
file to add things into to force binary downloading on .SHK files?

   And finally, just to mention it again because I've had to try and
clean up after it so dang often, ADDING RESOURCE FORKS WITHOUT REASON.
You may not notice it once you get things running and happy, but for
the newbie trying to get the simplest of binscii programs running so
that they can download more, it's hell.

   Half-assed support can be worse than none at all.

Nathan


--
<*> Nathan Mates http://www.visi.com/~nathan/      <*>
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