SIS (was: Q: AppleTalk GS to MacSE)

[spec@vax2.concordia.ca (Mitchell Spector)]

In article cv985@FreeNet.Carleton.CA (Michael Elliott) writes...

>Mitchell Spector (spec@vax2.concordia.ca) writes:
>>
>>     Why anyone would choose to use SIS over Netscape is beyond me.
>> There is a misconception that SIS is a web-browser, it is not. It
>> is simply a GUI version of Lynx, and just like Lynx, works from a
>> shell account (so no PPP, no graphics, no plug-ins, no downloads,
>> etc, etc). I think a "Lynx super-enhancer" might describe it better.
>
>Talk about mis-conceptions- not a web broswer? I think Lynx and SIS are
>too web browsers. What's the definition of a browser? Isn't lynx's address
>http://www.lynxbrowser.org?

    Your right, I was a little too harse in what I said. I should have
worded it "SIS is not a full web-browser", or maybe even have used the
words "true", "complete" or "traditional" to describe it what it lacks.
Yes, Lynx and SIS are web-browsers (I take back what I said) but that
is loosely using the term in my opinion, when you think of all the things
a browser can do _beside_ just displaying graphics.

>I think that's just a bit of a PC-arrogant attitude. You're not one of
>those people who thinks the Web IS the Internet, are you?

    Nope, far from it. I've been using the Internet as far back as 1991,
before it was all hyped in the media and relatively few people even knew
what it was (and long before every single person starting jumping on,
and garbage like spam and stuff existed). I've always known it for its
content (mostly text data) and not the fluff of graphics, sound and
video. Believe me, I spend alot more time in my shell account on my
IIgs, than starting at a bunch of web-pages all day on my PC.

    I'm just disappointed here. After years of waiting, there is still
no TCP/IP for the IIgs (people are forgetting how important that is!)
and the closest thing to a web-browser we have is mouse driven version
of Lynx? Go look at the Amiga community, they've become as more or less
orphaned as the IIgs, but go look at all the web-browsers and TCP/IP
options they have. The GS is certainly capable of the same kind of
software (minus the graphics) so why isn't anyone writting it? They
managed to stand up, yet we seem to be still sitting and now even
falling over. Like it or not, there is a huge lack of developement
in the Apple II world and it's been like this for awhile now.

    I remember back to 1990-91, that was roughly the time all major
companies dropped support of the IIgs. By 1992 freelance programmers
stepped and not only picked up the ball, but starting pushing the
capabilities of the GS to its limits! Remember DreamGrafix, GNO/ME,
Pointless, HardPressed, System 6, NoiseTracker, Twilight II, Kanagroo,
HyperStudio 3, or even games like Spacefox, Gate, Out of This World
and DuelTris? Those (and many, many more excellent programs I'm
forgetting) were all released during 1992 and 1993. I felt optimistic
about the GS then, so much so I even started heavily upgrading mine.
But then shortly after that, it was like everyone started falling
asleep again, and stopped programming, everything started going
downhill. Where are all the GS programmers now?

>I would MUCH rather use Lynx or SIS over Netscape because I use the Web
>for WORK not silly pictures and RealAudio and JavaChat.

    Yes, but SIS just seems like such a band-aid solution, I've been
expecting so much more. Would having wrote something more powerful
meant you would have ignored it as a serious work tool? Even GSWeb
would be neat, since you could open several windows at once on your
desktop. Can SIS allow you to read a newsgroup, FTP some files and
open a window to IRC chat at the same time? Seems to me you can be
more productive and "work" when your not limited to one task at a time.

>Have you ever looked at how Netscape 3.0 renders pages with the graphics off?
>It leaves borders and little symbols everywhere- and many times you can't
>read the full ALT tag. Lynx and SIS are MUCH easier to read in this regard.
>I have a choice between running Netscape on a underpowered, slow Mac, or
>SIS on my faster accelerated GS - so yes, I would choose SIS.

    I leave the graphics on in Netscape 3.0, my 486-133 renders every-
thing almost instantly and scrolls graphics and images very smoothly. It
rather surprises me that such a low end PC (like mine) is able to handle
such an application better than most high-end Macs. Maybe the reason your
so anti-Netscape has to do with your dealings with the Macintosh to render
things? If I had a Mac on my desk I suppose I'd probably want to use SIS
for speed as well.

    SIS makes using something that was already possible (Lynx) easier to
use on the GS, it does not let you do new things. A "web-browser" does
not just imply fancy graphics, it's the ability to do more things. You
cannot even use SIS for something as simple as downloading, can you?

Mitchell Spector
spec@vax2.concordia.ca