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A2-Central sample April issue (full text)
- Subject: A2-Central sample April issue (full text)
- From: lunatic@netcom.com (Lunatic Johnathan Bruce E'Sex)
- Date: Thu, 31 Mar 1994 21:54:35 GMT
- Newsgroups: comp.sys.apple2
- Organization: DOG San Francisco / LunaTechnology
- Summary: Official post of the April issue
___
|om Weishaar officially asked me to post this here on
comp.sys.apple2, since the master for the April issue of A2-Central
had a corrupted copy of this file. The database mentioned below
couldn't be included here, of course, but we'll see about getting it
uploaded to the major Apple II FTP sites and maybe comp.binaries.apple2.
][f you don't get A2-Central, you really should! It's a great
magazine!
-= Lunatic (:
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
About this file:
----------------
This file contains a sample copy of the April 1994 issue of A2-Central,
the premier publication of Apple II computing. An actual issue comes on a 3.5
disk along with a wealth of bonus files. We've included a data base of the
files we've published on the last 12 issues with this file so you can get a
better idea of what an issue is like.
A2-Central, which has been published since 1985, is now in the care of a
new non-profit user group, ICON -- the International Computer Owner's Network.
At $5 a disk ($4.17 at ICON's auto-renew rates), A2-Central is priced like any
other user-group disk of the month, even though there's no better source of
Apple II information anywhere. Disk sales are ICON's primary means of financial
support, so we hope this sample convinces you that you aren't serious about the
Apple II unless you're an A2-Central subscriber.
ICON's dues are normally $8 a year, but membership is included free with a
subscription to A2-Central. A2-Central is published MONTHLY (not every other
month like other Apple II publications). $5 a disk times 12 issues works out to
$59.95 a year. Pay by credit card and give us clearance to automatically charge
you for another year when the subscription runs out and the rate drops to
$49.95. Of course you can cancel at any time or switch to one of ICON's other
monthly publications (Macrocosm for Mac users, Solid Windows for PC users) if
you want.
Call or write today. You can reach us over the Internet at
"ICON@genie.geis.com", fax us at 913-469-6507, call us at 913-469-6502, or send
some mail to us at:
ICON
PO Box 11250
Overland Park, KS 66207
Now, on with the show:
___ ____ ___ ___ _ _ _____ ____ ___ _
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| |_| ||/ ) / __ | | | |_ | \ | | | | | |_) )| |_| || |
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| | | | / /___ | |__ | |_ | |\ | | | | |\ \ | | | || |__
|_| |_|/______/ \___)|___||_| \__| |_| |_| \_||_| |_||____|
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Vol. 1 Issue 4
``````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````
~ A International Computer Owners Network Digital Publication ~
In This Issue... April 1, 1994
RESTART ________________________________________________________ [9404A]
o Let's Talk Apple II: .................................. [9404A1]
o Other Notes Of Interest ............................... [9404A2]
A2 NEWS DIGEST _________________________________________________ [9404B]
o A2 News, Views & Happenings - March 1994 ............. Steve Weyhrich
o HyperCard IIgs Now Available On GEnie! ................ [9404B1]
o BlueDisk Coming Soon! ................................. [9404B2]
o AppleWorks GS Coming Soon! ............................ [9404B3]
o Quickie-C ............................................. [9404B4]
o KansasFest '94 Plans .................................. [9404B5]
o SyndiComm Changes ..................................... [9404B6]
o WaitLess While Printing ............................... [9404B7]
o Apple IIc Upgrades Still Available .................... [9404B8]
o Econ Update News ...................................... [9404B9]
o America Online Update For Apple II ................... [9404B10]
o ORCA/FORTRAN: Looking For Beta-Testers ............... [9404B11]
o X-10 Sources ......................................... [9404B12]
o Tidbits .............................................. [9404B13]
o This Month In Apple II History ....................... [9404B14]
o Humor! ............................................... [9404B15]
A2 SOLUTIONS ____________________________________________________ [9404C]
o A2 Tips & Hints: SCSI Termination ..................... Harold Hislop
[9404D]
THE PROLINE USER'S GUIDE .............................. Michael D. Porter
o Connecting You To The World
ProLine SITE.LIST________________________________________________ [9404E]
A2-CENTRAL RESOURCE _____________________________________________ [9404F]
o First Look: AfterWork ..................................... Doug Cuff
ASK (OR TELL) UNCLE DOS _________________________________________ [9404F]
o Error 911: More Solutions Offered ..................... [9404G1]
o ProDesk Hassles? ...................................... [9404G2]
o Start Up a SCSI HD .................................... [9404G3]
o Boinked Into The Monitor .............................. [9404G4]
o Hierarchic Fix-it Patch ............................... [9404G5]
o AppleWorks GS Patch ....................................[9404G6]
SHUT DOWN _______________________________________________________ [9404H]
o A2-Central Wrap Up!
"""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""
\\\ Reading A2-Central A2-Central is published in AppleWorks format.
\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ Each disk contains four folders.
1) GS.Programs: This folder contains various programs written
specifically for the Apple IIGS.
2) A2.General : This folder contains various programs that will run on
most all Apple II systems, 8 bit and 16 bit.
3) Advertising: A2-Central will publish your Apple II related commercial
business advertisement in A2-Central at no cost to you.
See AD.INFO in the /Advertisement folder on this disk
for more details.
4) Text.Info : The Text.Info folder contains disclaimers, license
agreements and other legal documents. Also included is
a short text file for authors who are interested in
submitting an article for consideration in A2-Central.
To help save space and to allow us to put more free/shareware programs on
the disk, all programs are compressed with ShrinkIt. See the documentation
supplied with ShrinkIt for instructions on decompressing these programs.
Periodically, A2-Central will release an index of all the past articles
found in the magazine. Our index is set up as follows:
_____ ___________________
Year| |Article Identifier
[9404Xx]
Month_| |_Sub-topic
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~ "The IIGS is about as obsolete as the 1966 427 Cobra. A few ~
~ years old, yes, but still one of the hottest machines around! ~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ E.SHEPHERD [Sheppy] ~~~
[9404A]\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\
RESTART \\\
///////////////////////////////////
Notes From The Editor
`````````````````````
By John Peters
[9404A1]
\\\ Let's Talk Apple II! While going over a batch of messages from the
\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ Apple II RoundTable on GEnie I came across the
following quote by Richard Wagnor:
"On the other hand, "they" said a CD ROM would never be developed for
the GS... I suppose ANYTHING is possible these days..."
It strikes me funny (in an odd sort of way) that a so-called "outdated"
8/16 bit computer can, in the hands of a talented programer, do things that
were once considered impossible.
TrueType on the Apple GS? "It's just too slow in rendering fonts,
especially when printing." Wrong. We all know the answer to that one. It's
all quite Pointless really. (Pun intended :)
In this day and age of super desktop computers with their 8 megs of RAM
(or more) and their multi-mega-giga-byte hard drives, 90% of the time these
monster computers are doing exactly the same thing our Apple does. Just how
much hardware do you need to write a letter, balance your checkbook or log onto
your favorite BBS? Sure, bigger is nice and faster is better, but at what
cost?
So remember, *nothing* is impossible. In fact, I'd lay odds that the
"impossible task" that the Apple II simply cannot do, whatever it is, is
probably sitting on a programmer's hard drive somewhere just waiting to be
released.
[9404A2]
\\\ WHAT HAPPENED TO AWGS.601? Last month I had planned to include the
\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ AppleWorks GS patch which fixes the problem of
AppleWorks GS trying to save a file to the wrong directory. Since this patch is
from the Softdisk Publishing folks, I was waiting on permission from them to
include it on the disk. As of deadline I did not have the go-ahead from
SoftDisk so I pulled the file. Unfortunately, I neglected to also pull the
listing from the "About The Files" list. The good news is that I now have
permission and you will find the patch on this month's disk. I apologize for
the oversight.
If you are the adventurous type, see Ask Uncle DOS for a modification that
Yvan KOENIG sent us which will also take care of this pesky bug.
Until next month,
John Peters
[9404B]\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\
A2 NEWS DIGEST \\\
///////////////////////////////////
A2 News, Views & Happenings - April 1994
""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""
By Steve Weyhrich
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~ "Friendship is unnecessary, like philosophy, like art... ~
~ It has no survival value; rather it is one of those things ~
~ that gives value to survival."--C. S. Lewis (from the ~
~ collection "Rare Gems", a service mark (sm) of Rare Breed ~
~ Noninc. and David Alan Wright) ~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
[9404B1]
\\\ HyperCard IIgs Now Available On GEnie! Early February's winter
\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ stillness was shattered by the
unexpected announcement on the A2 and A2Pro roundtables on GEnie that HyperCard
IIgs, Apple's hypermedia and authoring software, is now available for just the
price of the download! Apple has decided to license HyperCard IIgs (HCGS) the
way it does other Apple II System Software; a licensed company or online
service can make the program available for distribution for little or nothing.
The official announcement read as follows:
HYPERCARD IIGS is coming to A2Pro!! "That's right!! HyperCard IIgs
```````````````````````````````````` takes on new life in A2Pro!! We are
leading a renaissance in scripting and HyperTalk! All of the sample stacks.
All of the program code. All of the software you need to run HyperCard IIgs
can be had for a $3/hr download!
"Brendan Bellina will be hosting a brand new A2U course beginning soon as
well! He's a published HCGS stack author and he will be showing you all the
ins and outs of HyperCard IIgs and HyperTalk! Stay tuned for more information
regarding our NEW HyperCard IIgs A2 University course!
"The entire program consists of six disk archives, or a single archive
containing a complete HyperCard IIgs installation. File numbers will be posted
on the A2Pro Door when they become available."
This announcement is certainly good for the Apple II community; it means
that this excellent software package is not destined to disappear with Apple's
decreasing attention paid to the Apple II line. A program and scripting
language that Dennis Doms declared to be "An Applesoft for the 1990's" in the
March 1991 issue of A2-Central (pp. 7.9-7.13) may actually have a chance of
truly fulfilling that prediction. Applesoft was (and still is) a language used
by many Apple II owners because it was built into (nearly) every Apple II ever
made. HCGS will never have THAT degree of wide spread acceptance or
penetration, but at this new, low price it stands the chance of truly
undergoing a renaissance.
The down side of this news is this: Despite all of the time and money
Apple invested in creating a IIgs version of the program that defined
multimedia on the Macintosh, it was not a commercial success. As altruistic as
we may believe Apple should be, they would not give away for free something
that was making money for them. Case in point: AppleWorks and AppleWorks GS
were NOT released for downloading from GEnie by a benevolent Apple that just
wanted to make its customers happy. Quality Computers paid real money for the
rights to sell an updated version of both of these programs. Both of those
programs were still making, presumably, a fair amount of money, with no effort
on the part of Claris.
For those who are interested in obtaining HCGS from GEnie, be aware that
the program REQUIRES a minimum of 1.5 megs of memory on the IIgs, and it must
run from a hard drive (or, possibly, from a 1.44 meg SuperDrive). The ENTIRE
download package consists of six disks. At 2400 baud, this will take over
three hours to download; at a cost of $3 per hour for non-prime service (6pm to
8am), that means that the least you will pay will be around $9 for a program
that originally cost $99. What you will NOT get, however, will be the 600
pages-worth of manuals that came with the commercial version. Resource Central
reportedly had a very few of these manual sets left, and when they are gone the
only place to get them will be on the used software market. However, there ARE
books about the HyperTalk scripting language for the Macintosh versions of
HyperCard that will, for the most part, apply to the IIgs version. (HyperCard
IIgs is functionally equivalent to v1.2.5 of HyperCard Mac; there are features
in the 2.0 version for the Mac that will not be present in the IIgs version.
But then, HyperCard Mac never DID know how to do color...) Additionally, the A2
University course in A2Pro will teach much of what is needed to start making
scripts with your copy of HCGS.
Thanks to Matt Deatherage of Apple Developer Technical Support for his
work in bringing about this new status for HyperCard IIgs. And remember--HCGS
is NOT freeware or shareware; it is still copyrighted, and may not be uploaded
to any BBS that has not received express permission from Apple to do so (a
current valid license with Apple's Software Licensing Department is necessary).
[9404B2]
\\\ BlueDisk Coming Soon! Joachim Lange of SHH Systeme (from Germany) has
\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ been leaving hints on GEnie for a couple of months
about a new hardware product that he has been working on. The product has the
potential of being a significant enhancement for the Apple IIe and IIgs
computers (sorry, not the II Plus). This card, intended to be plugged into an
Apple II slot, is called "BlueDisk", and will make it possible to use the
inexpensive 5.25 and 3.5 disk drives that IBM and compatible users can use.
What is significant about this? First of all, it becomes less expensive
to add another disk drive to your computer. More importantly, it becomes
easier to exchange files between MS-DOS format disks and your Apple II. The
IBM-style disk drives use a different method of recording data than do the
Apple drives; that is why you cannot put an IBM 5.25 or 3.5 disk into an Apple
drive and make use of it. A SuperDrive (which requires a different controller)
can read either Apple 800K 3.5 disks or IBM-style 3.5 disks; and on a IIgs
running GS/OS 6.0.1, it is possible to read files from those IBM disks.
However, due to the limitations of the MS-DOS FST in GS/OS, only READING of
files is allowed; WRITING files cannot be done.
The BlueDisk card adds another level of usefulness to this data transfer.
Not only can you add a 3.5 drive for $65 (once you've got BlueDisk), but with
Peter Watson's MS-DOS utilities, you can read from AND write to those disks.
Here's some of the comments made by SHH's beta testers on GEnie:
Harold Hislop [H.HISLOP] posted: "Like Joachim says, 'BlueDisk look & feel
will come _very_ close to Apple's drives.' What he left out of that statement
is that he has come _very_ close to that goal in a very short time frame :) I
really like this thing :) --Harold"
Doug Pendleton [H.PENDLETON2] writes: "I also agree with Harold that
Joachim has approached this goal _very_ rapidly.
"For any of you who have asked specific compatibility question which you
do not feel have been adequately answered, or who have felt that we have not
reported progress to you frequently enough, I offer the following information.
Harold and I have been devoting an enormous percentage of our available time to
cycling and recycling through the wide variety of format options, disk sizes
and types, and slot combinations possible with this Hardware/driver
combination. We have found _very_ few BlueDisk 'bugs', but have found several
things, in unusual slot configurations, which looked like BlueDisk bugs, but
turned out to be 'bugs' that remained when BlueDisk was removed and an Apple
Controller with AppleDisk (3.5, UniDisk, 5.25) was utilized in the same slot
configuration. Directly stated: we have found bugs in the Apple OS, or second
party utilities, that we were previously unaware of, and that are not (so far
as I know) previously documented. In resolving these discoveries it appears to
me that BlueDisk may end up being more completely compatible with Apple, and
some associated software, than AppleDisks are now! I will leave specific
descriptions of these Apple OS inconsistencies to Joachim in his future Product
Release Announcements.
"As you can infer from the frequency with which Joachim has uploaded
revised drivers, he has been responding very quickly to all bug reports and
suggestions for improvements, and has also added many of his previously planned
enhancements to the driver at the same times. Sub note: for each of these
changes Harold and I have restarted the full test sequence to recheck all
sizes, densities and slots possible with this product.
"At this point I have used the following programs from BlueDisk formats of
800K, 1.44M and 1.6M: AppleWorks 3.0 - 4.01; AWGS; GSOS 6.01 - 5.04; ProDos 8
versions 1.0 and newer; Copy II+; ProSel; UtilityLaunch; UtilityWorks; and all
the CDA - NDA - Inits included in the following 'Analyst Report' (proper
credits to Softdisk GS), plus several games. With these software items I am
not aware of any incompatibilities with BlueDisk which would not also exist for
an AppleDisk/Controller combination in the same slot configuration. I have
tested BlueDisk in slots 1,2,4,6 and 7, with SCSI in slots 4 and 7, and
SmartPort 3.5 and 5.25's slots 5 and 6. I am posting the following Analyst
Report to allow you to see what I positively tested as 'system compatible' with
BlueDisk driver and devices active. In addition to the Epson printer listed in
the report I have also tested with ImageWriter in Port1, and with both SSC
(Super Serial Card) Modem in slot 2 and with Modem at Port2.
Analyst Report of current test system:
System startup using UtilityLaunch.
General:
Apple IIGS.... ROM 01
System........ 6.0.1
GS/OS......... 4.2
Speed......... 2.6 mHz
CPU cache..... G none H
Memory:
Total......... 3.25 MB
Free.......... 1.8 MB
Max block..... 1.46 MB
DAs & Inits... 469K
RAM disk...... G none H
Printer:
Type.......... Epson 2.0
Port.......... Parallel.Card 2.0
Desk Accessories: (in load order) [ all NDAs ]
% Control Panel 2.1
% Calculator
% Better Letters II 1.0
% ShadowWrite 1.3.2
% RINKY.NDA
% BarTime 1.0
% Find File 1.1
% Locator v1.0.1
% Minstrel 1.3
Control Panels:
% Printer Port v1.1
% Time v2.0
% DC Printer v1.1
% General v2.0
% Keyboard v1.1
% Modem Port v1.1
% Monitor v1.2
% RAM v1.2
% Slots v1.2
% Sound v2.1
Inits: (in load order)
% Tool.Setup
% Resource.Mgr
Finder Extensions: (in load order)
% InitMaster* 2.1.1
% MoreInfo* 1.2
% Quick Launch 1.0
% Read Only 1.0
Hardware Devices:
% SCSI hard disk partition v6.01 (SCSI 6)
Hard2 (ProDOS)
20.0 MB in disk, 3.9 MB free
% 3.5-inch disk drive v5.04
BlueDisk (ProDOS)
800K in disk, 326K free
% Console driver v3.04
Device name: .CONSOLE
% SCSI hard disk partition v6.01 (SCSI 3)
TestProgs (ProDOS)
20.0 MB in disk, 19.4 MB free
% FDHD floppy disk drive v0.95b
Blue1.6b (ProDOS)
1.6 MB in disk, 1.5 MB free
% Generic Character device v2.00
Device name: .DEV2
System Tool Sets:
[ 6.0.1 tools listed here ]
"I hope that this _long_ post will answer many of your questions, and
demonstrate that although we have been too quiet about results recently, we
have been _very_ busy, and do have _GOOD_ results to report. I am definitely
looking forward to full release of this product, and have _NO_ intention of
letting any of you buy _MY_ BlueDisk when testing is done!"
Joachim Lange from SHH made these comments:
"Silence is golden, but we don't want to be too golden (we have been busy
behind the scenes). So we think it's time to open sales a bit. You might have
noticed that a lot of beta tests have been done on the BlueDisk card and the
results aren't too bad IMHO [in my humble opinion]. We have discussed features
of BlueDisk, we have fixed some minor bugs, we have changed and optimized the
behavior of BlueDisk to make disk handling as comfortable as possible. You
have heard that BlueDisk's appearance in the operating system now comes very
close to Apple's original drives (this has been a rather difficult thing to
do). And you have heard that many different disk formats can be read or
written (and of course formatted). Yes, I dare to say that this is the most
versatile floppy disk controller for the Apple II. Last not least, BlueDisk is
the absolutely cheapest way to use high capacity floppy disks with your Apple
II.
"BlueDisk's firmware and software have reached a state where we can offer
cards to you. Yes, you can get a BlueDisk card _now_. You would receive a
firmware/software that still has 'beta version' numbers and there still _could_
be some minor bugs. But our tests show that no bugs have been left that could
be essential to data security.
"So, once again, we can offer BlueDisk cards which are in 'final' hardware
condition and have 'near final' software versions. If software upgrades are
required, you can get them free via the GEnie A2 library, or our beta testers
probably will help. Joachim Lange of SHH Systeme confirms that all results
about beta tests and performance published here in BB topic 13 are authentic
and true.
"Here is a short list of things you get if you buy a BlueDisk now:
- A floppy disk controller that supports DD (Double Density), HD (High
Density) and ED (Extended Density) MFM floppy drives (5.25 inch and 3.5 inch,
'MS-DOS style') in a variety of formats.
- A utility disk that contains a GS/OS driver and a program that helps you
checking MFM drive installation. Additional utilities are in work but not
complete. - A 'draft' manual (preliminary) written in English. - One year
limited warranty on parts and labour. - Support here in the bulletin board and
via the A2 library. (BlueDisk works with Apple IIe enhanced and Apple IIGS
ROM01 or ROM03)
"Some important features not mentioned before:
- Tested with Archiver backup (720K to 2.88meg per disk, uncompressed)
- Tested with HardPressed - Tested with MTools (MS-DOS read, write,
and format)
- Works in slot 5 if slot is set to your card (new)
- Tested with PC-Transporter (some restrictions apply: you cannot
boot MS-DOS, drive parameters must be set up correctly and
DRIVER.SYS must be installed, _same_ problems that occur with a
floptical drive connected to a SCSI card).
"Some important things about what's _not_ working (which, in our
opinion, isn't the fault of BlueDisk):
- ProSel 16 refuses to backup on non-Apple, non-slot 5 floppy drives.
- Salvation Backup doesn't recognize non-Apple floppy drives.
- ProSel 8 Cat Doctor doesn't format correctly.
- MFORMAT (MTools v1.3) won't allow _change_ of the low-level format
of the current disk. Blank disks aren't formatted as expected. No
GS/OS formatting dialog is presented before formatting begins.
"Pricing:
"This is an introductory offer and it will be valid for a limited time
only.
"BlueDisk single card package as described before:
"one package: US $109 plus $16 shipping/handling
"two packages: $109 each plus $21 s/h
"three packages: $109 each plus $24 s/h
"Shipping is via standard air mail for overseas orders. Payment: All
orders must be prepaid. We accept payment by cash, check or money order
(American or German currency) and payment via post office. If payment is NOT
by cash, an additional fee of US $10 (DM 17) is required (we have to pay this
fee to get the cash for the check). If you feel unsure when sending cash,
please use registered mail."
///SHH SYSTEME
Dipl. Ing. Joachim Lange
Bergstrasse 95
82131 Stockdorf
Germany
GEnie: J.LANGE7
Harold Hislop offered some further comments:
"Both Doug and I will be here and will try to handle any problems anyone
has with a BlueDisk setup. (We don't expect any problems beyond those that can
be expected to occur as people get used to using a new piece of hardware :)
"BlueDisk Hints & Tips (1,2)
1 - When formatting a disk for use with MS-DOS first format the disk
from the Finder (ProSel, etc) at the desired density, using the
ProDOS file system. Next use the MFORMAT command (with the /Q
option) from MTools. (This gets around what appears to be a bug in
MFormat)
2 - Do _NOT_ take DD disks and punch out the HD media ID hole to try
to save money on disks. Disks are cheap compared to data. Using
DD disks in HD drives at HD _WILL_ eventually cause a loss of
data, and it WILL occur when you have no other backups available.
(Murphy's Law)"
Doug Pendleton also mentioned:
"If anyone needs help getting the necessary cable, power supplies, or
drives, in the course of testing I have tracked down some pretty good sources
and will be happy to shop for you with your money ;) Hopefully in the near
future Harold and I will be able to offer a complete (and inexpensive) 'plug
and play' hardware package to make getting started completely non-tech, but for
now it's already not to difficult."
Harold also mentioned that the ability for BlueDisk to handle IBM-type
tape backup drives is also in the works.
[9404B3]
\\\ AppleWorks GS Coming Soon! In one of their recent mailings, Quality
\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ Computers made one of their first public
comments on the state of the AppleWorks GS upgrade. Originally, when they
announced that they had acquired this product from Claris, along with
AppleWorks Classic, there were tentative plans for a bug-fix by December 1993,
and an update to version 2.0 by spring. Well, December came and went and
Quality admitted that the plans for a bug squashing before 1994 was overly
optimistic. Since then, however, there has been very little said about it --
until this ad:
----------
APPLEWORKS GS 2.0 Coming Spring 94
Dozens of new & improved features!
* Macro record & playback
* Compatible with Pointless(tm), The Manager(tm), and accelerators
* System 6 Savvy
* Import/Export to Macintosh WP format
* Print Preview
* Large fonts over 48 point
* Bezier curves and degree rotation in Paint module
* Text wraps around graphics
* Auto-Save
* GS/OS compatible clipboard
* Pre-defined envelope printer
* Many, many more!
NEW! $99.95 Upgrade from 1.1
----------
The only comments from Quality that have appeared about it are that the
macro language is not likely to be as complex or comprehensive as the one that
is part of AppleWorks 4.0. Other than that, they have been very tight lipped
about the whole thing. Hopefully there will be a more detailed announcement
forthcoming.
[9404B4]
\\\ Quickie-C Lowell Erbe posted this press release:
\\\\\\\\\\\\\ "NEW!!! Quickie-C(tm)!!! With our new color adaptor for the
Quickie scanner, you'll be able to scan color images into your Apple IIgs.
This process eliminates the need to purchase an expensive hand scanner. The
adaptor comes complete with scanner fixture, built-in light, color filters, and
software. Just mount your Quickie scanner and scan the page in red, green, and
blue. The software automatically mixes the colors. After just a few moments, a
color image is displayed on your screen!
* Colorize in 16 or 3200 colors in 320-mode
* Options for using default desktop palettes to create desktop images or
640-mode pictures for use with APPLEWORKS GS
* Software contrast and brightness controls allow find adjustment of
the final image
* Colorize scanned images with different settings as many times as
needed to produce the desired balance
* Wide scan option allows you to scan and colorize and image up to 8
inches wide
* Individual filter rescan functions let you correct scanning errors
without repeating the three filter passes
* Custom viewing mode allows you to scroll around a large picture,
even in 3200 color mode
* Palette sorting makes 3200-color images legible even when viewed in
16 colors
* Monochrome toning allows you to save more interesting gray-scale
pictures using Sepia, Red, Blue, Green, and Selenium toning effects
(standard gray-scale is also still available)
* BONUS! With purchase of color adaptor above, Quickie 3.12 [software
for using the Quickie scanner] New, improved algorithm for gray-
scale software gives smoother shading transitions, and minimizes
dithering effects even from newsprint.
"Quickie-C requires and Apple IIgs equipped with a minimum of 2MB RAM, and
GS/OS System 6.0, or later.
"Introductory price: $99.95 (Suggested retail price $129.95)"
Contact Vitesse at 1-800-777-7344.
[9404B5]
\\\ KansasFest '94 Plans The sixth annual meeting of Apple II minds in
\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ the wilds of Missouri is currently in the planning
stages. Tom Weishaar posted some preliminary information about it in February:
"The dates are Thursday to Saturday, July 21-23. The location is Avila
College, which in Kansas City, Missouri. (Why do we call it KansasFest? I
don't know.) The price to stay in the dorms at Avila and get breakfast and
supper in the cafeteria will be $35/night double room or $45/night private
room. If you prefer, you can also stay in a local hotel and eat in local
restaurants.
"Last year the price of the conference itself was $350. This included
lunch and snacks on Thursday and Friday. Our plans this year are to have the
entire conference at Avila, as we did the first two years. The last three
years we've also used the NOMDA conference center, which is a great facility,
but expensive. Since we're doing the whole thing at Avila, and since the
sponsor of the event is now ICON rather than Resource Central, the price will
come down by $150 to just $200.
"As always, we need to know what you'd like to see and hear at the
conference, and we'd like to have some folks volunteer to make presentations.
ICON has a MUCH smaller staff than Resource Central had for the last five
conferences, so to pull this off we're going to need more help from those of
you who love this event to get it all organized. It was in anticipation of
more outside help that we set the new lower price. Let's talk."
Tom also stated in a later message: "The final makeup of the event will
depend entirely on who comes. Yes, as an ICON [International Computer Owner's
Network] event, it opens the possibility of having info on other platforms.
Even last year, as an Apple II event, there were an awful lot of Macintoshes
around. On the other hand, as an event with a long history as the premier
gathering of Apple II folks, I'm sure the Apple II presence will continue to be
strong.
"Users have made up the majority of the attendees for some time. While
there are seminars that are of interest only to developers, there are others
that are of a more general interest. There is no reason not to come because
you're 'just a user'.
"There is nothing about this event that's outside the control of any of
you. Let us know what you want and we'll either get it or delegate getting it
to you <g>. Seriously, Sally, Jeff, and I can't put this whole thing together
ourselves. We need those of you who want to come to participate in the
planning and organization, which means you can make it whatever you want it to
be."
[9404B6]
\\\ SyndiComm Changes On February 1, Dean Esmay posted this notice:
\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ "SyndiComm, Inc., the company that manages the Apple
II, Macintosh, and PowerPC-related RoundTables on GEnie, has been sold to Dean
Esmay, who becomes the company's new President. Esmay had been the chief sysop
of the Apple II and PowerPC RoundTables. Tom Weishaar and Kent Fillmore,
former co-owners of SyndiComm, intend to remain active on GEnie, but will no
longer have any responsibility for the seven SyndiComm-managed RoundTables.
[9404B7]
\\\ WaitLess While Printing Dan Verkade, who worked on the development of
\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ AppleWorks 4.0, has released a utility called
"WaitLess" for AW4 which adds print buffering. This means that while your
printer is slowly printing, AppleWorks returns control back to you faster,
while the printing continues in the background.
Verkade's package includes a TimeOut utility that allows control of the
buffer and the printing process. It requires AppleWorks 4.01 or later, with
256K RAM recommended, and can be ordered for $17 plus $3 shipping from:
Clear Night Software
51 Bowen Road
Perris, California 92571
[9404B8]
\\\ Apple IIc Upgrades Still Available Keith Sagalow [K.SAGALOW] posted
\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ that he persuaded the person at
Apple's help line (800-SOS-APPL) to cough up the authorization number for the
update that makes it possible to convert an older IIc to a version that will
handle the UniDisk 3.5. Keith states, "The person I spoke to was polite, but
said the program was over a long time ago. I insisted he check with a
supervisor, he returned by saying, '...I like when people like you call. I
learn something new. The authorization number is _ODL660_.'" This number is
apparently necessary to convince an Apple dealer that they will be reimbursed
by Apple for doing the upgrade.
[9404B9]
\\\ Econ Update News Econ Technologies new online support person, Kevin,
\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ recently posted this information about their products:
"Universe master 1.1: Will have the optimize feature finished. It will
work well and while the optimize itself is a slow process, the optimized drive
will be faster than drives done with other software available. UM1.1 will
support volume spanning for backing up to multiple disks. Plus there will be
the usual bug fixes found by you. Update free to registered owners.
"AutoArk: Will be released at the same time as Universe Master 1.1 because
they are so integrated with each other. This update is not just a bug fix.
Will work better with System 6.0.1 and feature deferred compression of files in
the Finder. Will be able to select decompression standards. It will be
compatible with The Manager. Will feature file groups for launching (this
mostly for 8-bit programs). You will be able to configure the 'Home
Application'. This update will be just $5.
"Digital Session: Will be finished after Universe Master and AutoArk. It
will have bug fixes. Be offered as a stand alone package. It will work with
any other sound card.
"Paper Free: This project will resume after Digital Session.
"The Fax software will be finished, but will not be an Econ product. This
is all I know of this.
"Econ Technologies will continue to produce special purpose software to
enhance the power of the Apple IIgs computer."
Econ Technologies Inc.
P.O. Box 195356
Winter Springs, FL 32719
407-365-4209
Business hours: M-F 9:00-6:00 EST
[9404B10]
\\\ America Online Update For Apple II Eric Shepherd [E.SHEPHERD] made
\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ mention of something that will be good
news for those Apple II users that still enjoy using America Online:
"Online Enhancer for America Online was just released this week. If
you're interested and want more information, contact Andy Wells
(afaandy@aol.com).
"This is an EXCELLENT program. For $30, you get lots of AOL bugs fixed,
compatibility with The Manager (and the ability to switch to the desktop and
work in NDAs and the like while downloading or uploading), configurable sound
effects, news (wyrm) item logging, the ability to send or read email at almost
any time (without closing all your windows), auto-logoff after downloads, the
ability to send ASCII text files into ANY window, including chat windows, with
built-in pauses to allow you to create predefined scripts for running chat
sessions.
"You also get access to a couple of AOL features you ordinarily don't get
access to on the II (although nothing major -- that would require changes on
the Stratus in Virginia). You can swap your two access numbers almost
instantly. And if, even after all the bug fixes, you still crash, Online
Enhancer almost always catches the crash before it happens and returns you to
the desktop screen; you can then dial right back into AOL without having to
reboot.
"It makes AOL a LOT nicer! I've been using it for probably four or five
months (maybe longer), as a beta tester. If you have an AOL account and a
IIGS, I HIGHLY recommend it.-- Eric S. (aka Sheppy)"
[9404B11]
\\\ ORCA/FORTRAN: Looking For Beta-Testers ByteWorks, distributor of THE
\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ premier programming development
languages for the Apple IIgs, has announced they are close to finishing work on
a cross compiler that will either compile FORTRAN programs, or convert them to
C. Mike Westerfield commented on the program, which he says was ported by Gary
Desrochers: "It's a FORTRAN to C cross compiler, hooked into the ORCA
environment so you can use it two ways:
1. With ORCA/C, it can be used just like a native FORTRAN compiler.
The C compiler is invoked automatically and transparently. It's
slower than a true native compiler, but works the same way -- even
supporting the debugger, which goes back to the original FORTRAN
source.
2. As a porting tool, you can convert FORTRAN programs to C, then
clean them up or move them to other platforms.
"Here's what we're looking for in beta testers:
1. You must own ORCA/C 2.0.1.
2. You must be willing to download files from GEnie and participate by
reporting bugs and discussing possible improvements.
3. You must know FORTRAN, and preferably C, too.
4. I would prefer it if you have access to existing FORTRAN programs
you are willing to run through the compiler. If you're willing to
share it so we can all look, that would be great, too.
"If you meet the qualifications, or can code enough that you think your
boundless enthusiasm can make up for any deficiency, please send the following
information to me by e-mail, and info copy G.DESROCHERS:
Name
Address
Your version of ORCA/C
Your experience level in C & FORTRAN, and whether and how much code you
have access to try the compiler out on.
"I'll look forward to hearing from you!--Mike Westerfield"
[9404B12]
\\\ X-10 Sources X-10 is a widely used protocol for devices used to make
\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ the devices attached to power outlets in your house
"smarter", by being controllable from a remote location. With a computer
interface and controller, it is possible to do amazing things with these
devices. This post, made by W.GOOSEY, is not intended to be a "how-to" on
using this equipment; it only provides info for those who want to create or
expand such a system. If you want to use your Apple II or IIgs computer to
program an X-10 system once it is installed, check the A2 Library on GEnie for
a few programs that do this (do a library search on "X-10" or "X10").
Goosey writes: "Invariably, when the topic of X-10 stuff comes up, the
same question arises: Where do I get this stuff, Who has the best prices, etc.
Here is a handy reference I had around....Sorry it's so long....:( --.goose."
+--------------------------------------------------------------------------+
|X10 home control sources listing - by Matt Drury - updated on Tue 6/15/93 |
+--------------------------------------------------------------------------+
This listing of companies that support hobby-level home automation, using
such standards as X10, is compiled as a public service by Matt Drury of the
City of London Information Service (407/895-1335, 24 hours, FidoNet 1:363/69.)
The information listed herein is based on data received from catalogs,
flyers, handouts, and mailings from the respective companies. The comments, if
any, are my own and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the companies
they are attached to.
My thanks to all who have contributed to this listing, and kept me
apprised of updates and changes that have been needed - especially those in the
Consumer Electronics Forum (GO CEFORUM) on CompuServe, an excellent source of
X10 help and information and well worth the cost to login.
This listing is as complete and accurate as possible, given the
information at hand. If you know of any corrections or additions to this
listing, please contact me via my BBS, CompuServe Mail at [75300,1610], or at
Internet 75300.1610@compuserve.com.
This compilation may be distributed in any manner, provided it is not
modified in any way, and with the specific requirement that this complete text
header remain in place unmodified.
==========================================================================
Alpha Products 203/259-8813
303 Linwood A sales 203/259-7713
Fairfield, CT 06430 fax 203/254-0169
Makers of the A-Bus system; many types of DAC input and output for many makes
of personal computers from TRS80 and other 8-bit machines to PC-based units.
Baran-Harper Group Inc 416/294-6473
Canada bbs 416/471-6776
Offers complete line of X10 and related products; design services available.
Runs a BBS devoted to home control and automation. Puts out a monthly column
in electronic form that tells of their new products, suggestions from users,
and so forth.
Circuit Cellar Inc 203/875-2751
4 Park St #12 fax 203/872-2204
Vernon, CT 06066
Makers of the HCS II Home Control System, a home control system that supports
real-world I/O and programmability. Through a "COMM-link," or interface, X10
compatibility (two-way) is achieved. This manufacturer does not seem to be
related to the famed "Circuit Cellar" column, but I may be wrong in this.
DAK Industries Inc order 800/325-0800
8200 Remmet Ave office 818/888-8220
Canoga Park, CA 91304 tech info, TDD, and FAX numbers available
Excellent and enthusiastic source for X10 and other home control equipment, as
well as computers, printers, CD-ROM, and other items.
Dyer's Electric Supply Inc 818/983-0371
7350 Varna Ave 818/877-5376
N Hollywood, CA 91605
Source for people in this area to pick up X10 equipment. As of August 1988, a
man by the name of Jim Wilson (the manager) was 'very savvy' about home
automation. [Reported by Donald Stephens 71350,53.]
Electronic House 219/256-2060
747 Church Rd #G11
Elmhurst, IL 60126-1420
Resource for automation techniques and devices. Magazine subscription is
$14.95 per year or $24.95 for two years. Slight slant towards CEBus standard
but good X10 information as well. [Reported by John Menefee 70027,272.]
Enerlogic Systems Inc 603/880-4066
2 Townsend West #6 fax 603/880-8297
Nashua, NH 03063
Makers of the ES-1400e intelligent home automation system.
Environmental Control Systems 713/464-1717
9319 Willowview Lane
Houston, TX 77080
Sellers of volume controls that work in conjunction with X10 bright/dim codes
as an incandescent lamp does.
Heath Company 800/253-0570
Box 8589 fax 616/925-4876
Benton Harbor, MI 49023-8589 CompuServe GO HTH
Home automation systems such as Samantha available. X10 compatible wireless AC
expansion available as well. Offers do-it-yourself kits with a variety of
projects, from DC power supplies to Electronic Dice.
Home Automation Labs 800/445-9605
5500 Highlands Pkwy #450 bbs 404/319-6BBS
Smyrna/Atlanta, GA 30 catalog/tech 800/HOM-ELAB
CompuServe 71261,1242
Offers Samantha, Dynasty, and other home control systems with the hobbyist in
mind. Excellent source for nearly any X10-compatible hardware or software. No
minimum order, according to the order form. Excellent catalog. Presence on the
CEFORUM on CompuServe. Author of monthly Lab Notes Bulletin, an excellent X10
reference. Ask about "The 10-10 Discount."
Home Control Concepts order 800/CON-TROL
9353C Activity Rd info/pricing 619/693-8887
San Diego, CA 92126
Excellent source for Stanley, Decora, X10, and Leviton units. Carries some
Heath/Zenith units as well. Plans for X10 unit modifications available, as
well as an X10 development kit. No minimum order required.
Radio Shack electronics stores (Near you)
Catch Radio Shack for X10 modules only when they're on sale (at which time
their prices are reasonable given that you can easily return any you find
defective, and so forth.) Offers many basic X10 devices through its chain of
stores or by its Consumer Mail Program. Don't expect in-depth knowledge like
you will find with X10-specific companies, though, as a rule. Cherish those
you find who actually do know the product line from experience.
Sears Department Stores (Near you)
Some Sears stores are closing out their X10-compatible modules, at prices as
low as $2 a module. It's worth calling all the stores in your county to get
them this inexpensively. As with Radio Shack, this is merely a source for the
hardware, and it's not likely that you'll receive technical assistance from
these people, due to the nature of the product.
Su-Mar Enterprises order 800/477-4181
1292 Montclair Dr. fax 410/437-3757
Pasadena, MD 21122 info 410/347-4181
Discount house for home theatre, automation, watering, and security systems.
Also some Mobile Fidelity Ultradiscs available!
X10 (USA) Inc 201/784-9700
91 Ruckman Rd #420 800/526-0027
Closter, NJ 07624-0420 fax, tech numbers available
The original source for the X10 standard of home automation through house
wiring. PowerMid remote control extenders, home security systems, and the full
line of X10 modules are available from this source.
X10 (Canada) Inc 416/624-4446
1200 Aerowood Dr #20 800/387-3346
Mississauga, ONT L4W 2S7
The Canadian branch of X10. See above for details. Import/export duties may
vary when buying between countries, so one of these two may be the better for
customers in either country.
[9404B13]
\\\ Tidbits
\\\\\\\\\\\\
o DreamWorld Software, distributor of DreamGrafix and DuelTris, has
changed its address to: DreamWorld, PO Box 1939, San Anselmo, CA
94979-1939.
o Jim Maricondo posted this tip for the Twilight II screen saver to
prevent unblanking by unauthorized persons. "After the screen
blanks, hit caps lock, then hit shift-clear. The screen will not be
able to be unblanked until shift-clear is hit again (to reactivate
T2)."
o It was announced in February that Broderbund will (or has already)
become a wholly owned subsidiary of Electronic Arts. Finalization
of the agreement, which involves a $400 million stock swap, is
expected to take place within the next few months. In 1993,
Electronic Arts also bought out Origin Systems, another computer
game manufacturer that began with the Apple II. This is interesting
to see; I recall the original ads from Electronic Arts in Softalk
magazine, where they began with Bill Budge's Pinball Construction
Set and tried to take on the then-giants Sierra On-Line, Broderbund,
and Sirius. How things change...
o Softdisk plans to have in the near future a "Download Superstore" in
the GEnie Mall, where Softdisk programs and disk magazines can be
purchased and possibly downloaded online. Details to come soon.
o SimCity, the popular game for the Macintosh, PC, and Super Nintendo,
will be available as SimCity GS in the near future, according to
Bill Heineman [BURGERBILL]. He says that this will be a translation
of the original version of SimCity, NOT the newer SimCity 2000, and
this version will include a terrain editor.
o Procyon's discQuest software for making access to some commercial
CD-ROM disks possible for the Apple II and IIgs, has been updated to
v1.2. It fixes the color rendering of images, includes various user
preferences (including a "page" mode mouse movement of pictures),
and has better audio support (including new support for the CD-150 &
RamFAST!). They also have released new Media Control drivers for
all the CD-ROM drives (w/ RamFAST) that discQuest supports. This
means that it will now be possible to play audio CD's on a CD-ROM
player attached to a RamFAST (which was previously not possible).
o Fax software for the IIgs IS still in development. A file was
recently uploaded to the A2 Library that purportedly contains a
graphic of a fax received by this software on a IIgs. It is
currently undergoing alpha testing, but is actually supposed to
appear sometime this year.
[9404B14]
\\\ This Month In Apple II History
\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\
During April in...
1974...Steve Jobs begins work at Atari.
1975...Scelbi-8B (business) computer introduced. Bill Gates and Paul
Allen write the first BASIC interpreter for a microcomputer (the
Altair 8800). It is shipped on paper tape.
1976...Wozniak and Jobs form the Apple Computer Company on April Fool's
Day. Wozniak's 6502 computer, later known as the Apple Computer or
the Apple I, is introduced to the Homebrew Computer Club in Palo
Alto, California.
1977...Apple II introduced at the First West Coast Computer Faire, with
BASIC in ROM, color video, low and high resolution graphics,
built-in speaker, game paddle inputs, and seven slots for
peripherals. It is expandable to 48K RAM. Commodore PET
introduced, with a 6502 processor, 4K RAM, 14K ROM, and 8K
Microsoft BASIC.
1978...Apple II Communications Card released.
1981...Steve Jobs becomes chairman of Apple Computer, Inc.
1983...John Sculley joins Apple as President and CEO; Mike Markkula becomes
Vice-Chairman.
1984...Apple IIc introduced ($1295) at "Apple II Forever" event, along
with the Apple Scribe color printer ($299). Apple III and III Plus
discontinued.
1985...Addison-Wesley Publishing takes over printing of Apple manuals.
Macintosh XL discontinued. IBM PCjr discontinued.
1987...ProDOS 8 v1.4. IBM PS/2 line introduced, with the first version of
their OS/2 operating system.
1988...ProDOS 8 v1.5.
1989...Apple II Video Overlay Card introduced.
1992...Apple II Achievement Awards for 1991 presented (a little late).
[9404B15]
\\\ Humor! Dave Ciotti [A2.BEAR] recently posted this insight to the
\\\\\\\\\\ electronic savvy of the average consumer: "I really wish you
wouldn't use words like 'snap' and 'yank' when you describe repairs of
computers to people. :) I used to work in a stereo shop and one day a
customer came into the store with several electrolytic can capacitors in his
hands. They had the leads dangling out the bottom, and he asked me if I would
check these 'tubes' from his receiver for him. :( He was pretty sure one of
them was bad! --The Bear"
------------
W.GOOSEY, who reproduced the list of X10 resources that was given above,
also posted this humorous story about some of the potential future of home
automation...
"This popped up in my mail queue at work today. I thought you X-10 gizmo
freaks might get a chuckle out of it....:)"
=========================================================================
<<< TOPAZ::$255$DUA108:[NOTES$LIBRARY]BOARD_PUBLIC.NOTE;1 >>>
-< Welcome to the Board_Public conference >-
==========================================================================
Note 126.140 The future of DECUServe 140 of 143
TOPAZ::CORDIVIOLA 103 lines 23-DEC-1993
13:36
-< We interrupt this stream for some humor >-
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
re 126.135 -<A vision of the future>- from Clyde Poole...
I received the following just prior to reading this vision. Enjoy!
(sorry, I don't have the author's name)
TCI, the nation's largest cable television Company, is in talks to launch
a unique pilot project in conjunction with Pacific Gas & Electric Co. and
Microsoft Corporation to design a "smart home". The home automation industry
is expected to triple in size, from $1.7 billion this year to more than $5.1
billion by the year 2000.
========================================================
November 28, 1995
Moved in at last. Finally, we live in the smartest house in the
neighborhood. Everything's networked. The cable TV is connected to our phone,
which is connected to my PC, which is connected to the power lines, all the
appliances and the security system. Everything runs off a universal remote
with the friendliest interface I've ever used. Programming is a snap. I'm,
like, totally wired.
November 30
Hot stuff! Programmed my VCR from the office, turned up the thermostat
and switched on the lights with the car phone, remotely tweaked the oven a few
degrees for my pizza. Everything nice and cozy when I arrived. Maybe I should
have the universal remote surgically attached.
December 3
Yesterday, the kitchen crashed. Freak event. As I opened the
refrigerator door, the light bulb blew. Immediately, everything else
electrical shut down - lights, microwave, coffee maker - everything! Carefully,
I unplugged and re-plugged all the appliances. Nothing. Called the cable
company (but not from the kitchen phone). They refer me to the utility. The
utility insists the problem was in the software. So the software company runs
some remote telediagnostics via my house processor.
Their expert system claims it has to be the utility's fault. I don't
care, I just want my kitchen back. More phone calls. More remote diagnostics.
Turns out the problem was "unanticipated failure mode" - the network had never
seen a refrigerator bulb failure while the door was open. So the fuzzy logic
interpreted the burnout as a power surge and shut down the entire kitchen. But
because sensor memory confirmed that there hadn't actually been a power surge,
the kitchen's logic sequence was confused so it couldn't do a standard restart.
The utility guy swears this was the first time this has ever happened.
Rebooting the kitchen took over an hour.
December 7
The police are not happy. Our house keeps calling them for help. We
discover that whenever we play the TV or stereo above 25 decibels, it creates
patterns of micro-vibrations that get amplified when they hit the window. When
these vibrations mix with a gust of wind, the security sensors are actuated and
the police computer concludes that someone is trying to break in. Go
figure....
Another glitch: whenever the basement is in self-diagnostic mode, the
universal remote won't let me change the channels on my TV. That means I
actually have to get up off the couch and change the channels by hand. The
software and the utility people say this flaw will be fixed in the next upgrade
- SmartHouse 2.1, but it's not ready yet.
December 12
This is a nightmare. There's a virus in the house. My personal computer
caught it while browsing on the public access network. I come home and the
living room is a sauna, the bedroom windows are covered with ice, the
refrigerator has defrosted, the washing machine has flooded the basement, the
garage door is cycling up and down and the TV is stuck on the Home Shopping
channel. Throughout the house, lights flicker like stroboscopes until they
explode from the strain. Broken glass is everywhere. Of course, the security
sensors detect nothing.
I look at a message slowly throbbing on my PC screen: "Welcome to
HomeWrecker!!! Now the FUN begins....(be it ever so humble, there's no virus
like HomeWrecker....)". I get out of the house. Fast.
December 18
They think I've digitally disinfected the house but the place is a
shambles. Pipes have burst and we're not completely sure we've got the part of
the virus that attacks toilets. Nevertheless, The Exorcists (as the anti-virus
SWAT members like to call themselves) are confident the worst is over.
"HomeWrecker is pretty bad," one tells me, "but consider yourself lucky you
didn't get Poltergeist. That one is really evil".
December 19
Apparently, our house isn't insured for viruses. "Fires and mudslides
yes," says the claims adjuster, "viruses, no."
My agreement with the SmartHouse people explicitly states that all claims
and warranties are null and void if any appliance or computer in my house
networks in any way, shape or form with a noncertified on-line service.
Everybody's very, very sorry but they can't be expected to anticipate every
virus that may be created.
We call our lawyer. He laughs. He's excited.
December 21
I get a call from a SmartHouse sales rep. As a special holiday offer, we
get the free opportunity to become a beta site for the company's new SmartHouse
2.1 upgrade. He says I'll be able to meet the programmers personally. "Sure,
I tell him"...
------------
Mike Seaton of our Omaha Apple II user group, posted a message that he had
received from a friend at work. It is not what I would call a confirmed event;
however it is plausible enough that I reproduce it here:
"REGARDING: Exploding Whales!!!
"I received this post from a friend of mine at work. We all got a good
laugh out of it, so I thought maybe I'd pass it along to you all:
"The Far Side Comes to Life in Oregon
"I am absolutely not making this incident up; in fact I have it all on
videotape. The tape is from a local TV news show in Oregon, which sent a
reporter out to cover the removal of a 45-foot, eight-ton dead whale that
washed up on the beach.
"The responsibility for getting rid of the carcass was placed with the
Oregon State Highway Division, apparently on the theory that highways and
whales are very similar in the sense that both are large objects. So anyway,
th highway engineers hit upon a plan (remember, I am not making this up) to
blow up the whale with dynamite. The thinking was that the whale would be
blown into small pieces, which would then be eaten by seagulls and fish. That
would be that, a textbook whale removal. So they moved the spectators back up
the beach, put a half-ton of dynamite next to the whale and set off. What
followed then on the videotape is one the most priceless events in the history
of the universe.
"First you see the whale carcass disappear in a huge blast of smoke and
flame. Then you hear the happy spectators shouting 'Yayy!' and 'Whee!' Then,
suddenly, the crowd's tone changes, and we hear a new sound like 'splud,
splap', and you hear a woman's voice shouting 'Here come pieces of...OH MY
GOD!' Something smears the camera lens.
"Later, the reporter explains: 'The humor of the entire situation suddenly
gave way to a run for survival as huge chunks of whale blubber rained down
everywhere.' One piece caved in the roof of a car parked more than a quarter
of a mile away!! Remaining on the beach were several large rotting whale
sections the size of condominiums. There was no sign of the seagulls who had
no doubt had permanently relocated to Brazil."
[9404C]\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\
A2 SOLUTIONS \\\
///////////////////////////////////
A2 Tips & Hints
````````````````
By Harold Hislop
\\\ SCSI termination... (simpler than it is to write about :)
\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ The first and last _physical_ devices on the SCSI bus
are supposed to be terminated. No other device is supposed to have termination.
Any (or all) SCSI devices may supply TrmPwr (which powers the termination
resistors at each end of the SCSI bus) This is per the ANSI SCSI specs, which
are a really good thing to conform to for best results :)
Now then... I've never seen an Apple compatible SCSI card (Apple, CMS,
Chinook, RamFast, etc) that didn't have termination resistors already installed
(soldered in place) This comprises one physical end of the bus, so... only the
last physical device on the bus (literally the device at the farthest end of
the cabling) should have termination installed.
On a "bare drive" one needs to look for three small packages (roughly 1"
long, 1/8" thick and 1/4" tall) These are usually mounted quite close to the 50
pin SCSI connector on the drive, and may be almost any color. (I've seen blue,
black, yellow, red, and green so far) The surface finish on these packages
usually bears a close visual resemblance to ceramic glaze. (sometimes that's
exactly what it is), other times they will be plastic cased. Usually they will
be marked with something like "220/330" or "221/331" (other markings may also
appear) These are the termination resistors, and they're normally socketed.
(I've never seen them soldered in on a drive) If the drive in question is to be
used anywhere _except_ as the last physical device, these three resistors
arrays should be removed. If the drive in question _is_ to be used as the last
physical device these resistor arrays should be installed. (NOTE: Pin #1 on
these is usually denoted by a dot at one end, this corresponds with a _square_
pad on the PC board (normally PC board pads are round, with the square pads
reserved to denote pin 1) This can require very close visual examination to
detect).
On a drive already mounted in a case, the drive should be removed from the
case and inspected (and altered if needed) as described above.
If you have a drive without terminator resistors installed, and want to
use it at the physical end of the bus, then you should install an external SCSI
terminator on that drive's unused daisy chain port if you don't want to install
the internal terminators (or can't get the needed resistor arrays)
Having more than one terminated device on the bus isn't a good idea, it
tends to overload the source(s) of TrmPwr as well as causing all the SCSI bus
interface chips to work harder (and run warmer, many people do this
unwittingly, and suffer no problems). Having no termination at all can cause
all kinds of SCSI bus problems (vanishing drives, data errors, etc).
Having a non terminated drive attached after a terminated drive isn't a
real good idea either, again one can wind up with all kinds of strange errors
(not as common as with total lack of termination, but still something to be
avoided if at all possible).
Basically the following should be followed for best results:
Apple -> NT Drive -> NT Drive -> NT Drive -> T Drive
or
Apple -> NT Drive -> NT Drive -> NT Drive -> NT Drive -> Ext. Terminator
(NT Drive = Not Terminated drive, T Drive = Terminated drive)
Also the total length of the SCSI bus (measured from the interface card to
the termination resistors) should be kept under 6 meters. (longer may work, but
you're asking for problems)
I usually make it a point to label drive cases on the outside as to
whether or not the drive is internally terminated. (I also always make sure
that they do supply TrmPwr, something that requires soldering to alter, and
usually can be ignored by non techies)
If you're hooking up to a RamFast Rev-C, making sure that dip switch #1 is
on will ensure that there is a source of TrmPwr. (on the Rev-D make sure the
jumper is in place on both pins) The other cards require a minor "soldering
required" modification to supply TrmPwr. (Note: Most, but not all, drives
already supply TrmPwr, hence my comment about this usually being something that
can usually be ignored by non techies) -Harold
(H.HISLOP, CAT11, TOP12, MSG:243)
[9404D]\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\
THE PROLINE USER'S GUIDE \\\
///////////////////////////////////
Connecting You To The World
````````````````````````````
By Michael D. Porter
\\\ WELCOME TO THE A2-CENTRAL... version of the ProLine User's Guide! The
\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ purpose of the Guide is to help users
navigate through the many facets of the ProLine BBS software package. To make
use of this information, you will need a modem connected to your computer,
communications software, and the phone number of a ProLine BBS near you (a
current list of ProLine sites follows this article).
ProLine is a Bulletin Board System (BBS) created by Morgan Davis, and has
existed for nearly ten years on the Apple II platform. ProLine has been by far
the best supported Apple II BBS software, and it continues to evolve (ProLine
3.0 will be released sometime soon). ProLine is also the only Apple II based
BBS that has the ability to connect with the Internet (newly dubbed the
Information Superhighway) to exchange Internet electronic mail, and Usenet
news.
Grasping all of ProLine's features and learning to use them well can prove
to be a challenge, especially for users without prior BBS knowledge. This
ProLine User's Guide was created to take new ProLine users step by step through
the process of learning to use the major aspects of the ProLine software, in a
concise and methodical way. By the end of this series you should be able to
navigate a ProLine BBS and communicate with other users on the Internet.
This segment will concentrate on background information for working with
Internet, as well as guidelines for communicating in the electronic arena. The
next segment (in the next issue of A2-Central) will discuss getting started
with a ProLine account, and how to work with ProLine's powerful electronic mail
manager.
The ProLine User's Guide is also available in a printed, spiral bound
format. It features a multiple typeface design that makes reading extremely
easy and straightforward, and is very reasonably priced at $12.00, including
shipping. To order send $12.00 (check or cash) to:
Michael D. Porter
231 E. San Fernando Street #4
San Jose, CA 95112-3504
\\\ CONNECTING YOU TO THE WORLD In the summer of 1991, the users of the
\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ Palmtree BBS started to clamor for a user
guide. As users do, they were always asking questions, most of them
repetitive, and I found myself always answering them, muttering under my breath
about how all I ever seem to do these days is answer questions while parts of
my system need to be fixed.
In August of 1991 I commenced work on this project, and it has progressed
slowly since then. School, a job with the government, homework and a transfer
to a new university have all played their parts in the incredibly long period
of time that it has taken me to complete this Guide. However, that long time
has let to many improvements and revisions.
I'd like to thanks the user's of The Palmtree; David Porter for making
sure that everything is consistent and understandable, even for people who
don't know how to use a modem; Gordon Lee, Gary Finn, and Teddy Slottow for
patiently reading the drafts and offering suggestions. Thanks also go to David
Green for encouragement, and to Morgan Davis for answers to technical
questions.
\\\ HOW TO USE THIS GUIDE This user's guide assumes that you already
\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ know how to use a modem and your computer's
telecommunications software. It is beyond the scope of this guide to teach
basic computer skills. If you are unfamiliar with a modem or software term,
please refer to the instructions that came with your software and/or modem.
In this ASCII translation of the book, I'll use "*" to indicate an online
display. Letters or words enclosed within [brackets] indicate letters or words
that need to be typed by you to send from your terminal to ProLine.
\\\ THE INTERNET, USENET, PROLINE, ETIQUETTE What is Internet? This is
\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ the question many ask, but few
get the correct answer. The Internet is a collection of networks and computers
throughout the world. Currently, there are more the 5,000 networks, 500,000
computers, and more than three million people making up the Internet in over
three countries. Clearly, the Internet is not one single network but rather a
collection of networks owned and operated by corporations, governments,
universities, and small time sysops.
The Internet was created so that the government and military could easily
share each other's data over a broad base of computer platforms. The first
network was known as the Arpnet. Eventually, the Arpnet expanded until it grew
out of its own software capabilities and resources. As more universities
caught on to the idea, a larger, faster network was created and it evolved into
what we know today as the Internet. Many of today's true Internet sites allow
users to access other Internet computers in real time, plus access file
servers, games, reference material, etc. The size and power of the Internet
today is something that was the talk of science fiction movies twenty years
ago.
ProLine is a small scale model of the Internet that runs on the Apple II
series of computers. While ProLine sites don't have all the glamourous
features of big Unix machines, ProLine sites do exchange electronic mail and
news (the Internet term for conferences) with real Internet sites. All of this
is automatic and relatively fast. This chapter will discuss some aspects of
the Internet and how they relate to ProLine, mail addressing, the anatomy of a
message, and the art of communication in the electronic arena.
\\\ THE NETWORKS
\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\
Internet The Internet is a large "network of networks." There is no
```````` one Network, instead it is made of up regional nets like ProLine,
Fidonet, etc, connected together into one great living thing, communicating at
amazing speeds.
UUCP The UUCP network is a loose association of individual machines
```` that communicate with each other with the UUCP protocol (Unix to Unix
Copy Program). Systems then connect with each other at specific intervals
(called polling) to transfer data. Historically, UUCP was done with Unix
machines, but now UUCP has been ported to other platforms (MS-DOS, Macintosh,
VAX, etc.) to reach a wider audience of computers. At the time of this
writing, ProLine does not support UUCP.
BITNET The "Because It's Time Network." Bitnet is made up of systems
``````` connected by point to point links. It continues to grow, but is
suffering from high costs and faster Internet connections. Bitnet sites can be
reached via electronic mail sent from ProLines.
\\\ SYSTEM AND DOMAIN NAMES Every system on the Internet has a name and
\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ domain. Through these names and domains, mail is
delivered to existing users at a given site. A name an be anything
(pro-palmtree, hatch, pain, well), but it needs a domain so it can be found on
a net. Domains look like this:
com Usually a company or commercial institution, like Apple Computer,
Inc. (apple.com)
edu An educational institution
gov A government institution (nasa.gov)
mil A military site
net Gateways and other hosts
org This domain is reserved for private organizations that don't fit into
the other domain categories. For example, Fidonet is in the .org
domain.
\\\ SUBDOMAINS Within each domain, there are also subdomains, For
\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ instance, most ProLine sites are in the cts domain, and cts is
in the com domain. The typical address of a ProLine site looks like this:
pro-sol.cts.com
You'll notice that each component of this address is separated by a
period. This lets mail systems figure out what domains and subdomains the
message should go to. Without this separation, mail would go nowhere. Almost
all ProLines are in the .cts.com domain. There are a few renegade ProLines
that have chosen to be in different domains, but you will still be able to send
mail to a site regardless of where it is located.
\\\ MAIL ADDRESSING There are two forms of mail addresses: Internet
\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ and UUCP. An Internet address is a "smart" address,
which means that all a user needs to know to send mail is the recipients' name
and site. This a smart address would look like this:
mporter@pro-palmtree.socal.com
Mporter is the user name, who resides at the system pro-palmtree, which is
in the socal subdomain. The advantage of using "smart" addresses is that the
BBS will automatically figure out how to get the message to its destination.
The second form of address, called the UUCP address, looks like this:
crash!xeon!jartel!hatch!pro-palmtree/mporter
Notice that there aren't any domains specified. Instead, a sitename is
followed by a bang sign (!), followed by another sitename, and ending with a
username. UUCP addressing is primarily used by UUCP systems that aren't
intelligent enough to use smart addressing. Instead, the UUCP address tells
the receiving site which site the message needs to go to next until it reaches
a user.
To send mail to another person on the ProLine network, all you need to
know is that person's username and the sitename of the ProLine they call. A
ProLine address would look like this:
mporter@pro-palmtree
When sending mail between ProLines, it is not necessary to give a domain
or subdomain. Each ProLine knows the fastest routes to get mail from one
ProLine to another. ProLine accomplishes this by looking up the destination
site and adding the proper UUCP style address. So, if you were calling pro-foo
and wanted to send mail to pro-palmtree, you would use mporter@pro-palmtree as
your address. Pro-foo would then look at that address and convert it to
something like:
pro-sol!pro-beagle!pro-apa!pro-palmtree!mporter
depending on what other sites pro-foo connects with. It's not really necessary
to know how mail gets from one place to another, but the more you learn, the
more proficient you will become in your knowledge of networks.
Chapter three discusses the actual sending of electronic mail, and
Appendix A lists currently known internet gateways to commercial data services
such as GEnie, CompuServe, American Online, BIX, and MCI mail.
\\\ USENET Usenet is basically a set of machines that exchanges
\\\\\\\\\\ newsgroups between themselves. These newsgroups are then made
available to users so that they can read and post to the group. A common
abbreviation for newsgroups is just simply news. ProLine originates a number
of newsgroups of its own, and it also handles Usenet news. All of these groups
are made available to users in the Conference System, which is discussed in
chapter four.
Your ProLine may get only a few newsgroups, it may get many newsgroups, or
it may not even get news. The availability of news is determined by the system
operator. Since every system is different when it comes to the availability of
news, it is best to say that if you want to know what newsgroups your ProLine
is getting, or would like to make a newsgroup request, it is best to ask the
system operator.
\\\ PHYSICAL CONNECTIONS Most large Internet sites are directly
\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ connected with several other sites over expensive
leased telephone lines or super high speed communications links. These
superfast connections mean that mail will reach its destination in minutes
after being sent.
Proline doesn't have this luxury, unfortunately. Many ProLine sites
connect to each other to transfer mail, files, and news during the evening
hours. Some sites are fortunate enough to be able to connect hourly. No
matter the connections, sending network mail from on ProLine to another, or
from one ProLine top an Internet site, is reasonably fast and reliable. It
beats Snail mail from our esteemed Post Office any day.
\\\ THE ANATOMY OF A MESSAGE Every message has what is called a header,
\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ followed by the body of the message, and in most
cases, there will be a signature at the end. Here's a small sample:
[*]