Re: GS Utilities

["Jeff Blakeney" <jeff.blakeney@a2central.com.remove-3yi-this>]

  To: mojoehand
On Tue, 9 Dec 2008 21:52:30 -0800, mojoehand wrote:

> I am looking for some type of multi-finder utility for the GS. I read
> about one called "The Manager", but can't seem to locate it. I found
> "SwitchIt", but is doesn't allow background tasks.

The Manager is a commercial program from Seven Hills Software and,
unfortunately, has never been reclassified and as SHS is no longer in
the Apple II software business, it isn't available anymore.  It is a
decent multi-tasking system, though.

SwitchIt, as you've discovered, is only a task switcher but that can
still be pretty handy.

GNO/ME is a multi-tasking unix like system for the IIgs but it cannot
multi-task GS/OS desktop applications.

There was, I believe, two other programs available as shareware,
freeware or public domain that purported to be multi-taskers.  I believe
one was called MultiGS and the other's name had something to do with a
frog.  It has been a long time since I've looked at these.

None of these programs let you run ProDOS 8 applications in the
background.  There was a CDA called SoftSwitch that was a task switcher
like SwitchIt but for 8 bit applications only.  I'm pretty sure it was
limited to ProDOS 8 applications too but you could have a number of 8
bit applications loaded at once and switch between them.

> Are there any other "Must Have" utilities that you would recommend for
> the GS?

I've been thinking of writing up reviews of all the software I find
indispensable on my IIgs but here is a quick list of some of the big
ones:

    ShiftyList
    Kangaroo
    TransProg.III
    Hierarchic
    SuperMenuPack
    Pointless
    II.Scroll
    Marinetti
    Hermes/ShadowWrite
    Desktop.Alarm
    MoreInfo