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BMUG Meeting minutes 9/24/87

765 words

8K on disk

September 1987

BMUG Meeting minutes 9/24/87

Acta document

BMUG Meeting 9/24/87

[ long discussion about memory upgrades, accelerators, hard drive interfaces, and the like ]

Announcements

Q: Why is there no real Mac clone?

A: Copyright Law in US is better than Patent Law.

Q: What about Magic SACâ„¢ (Atari clone)

A: It needs Mac ROMs, old revisions

Q: What’s up with the BBS?

A: It is now running Opus on a PC clone.

We exchange Mac messages on EchoMac with about 50 BBS’s around the world: PoloNet, MacQueue (661-7374), Macintosh Tribune (923-1235).

Q: How soon do BMUG meeting minutes get posted?

A: Right now, they don’t, much. Any volunteers?

Q: How about job listings?

A: Ditto

Telecom SIG: Every other Wednesday, 8 PM, BMUG office

New HyperCard Stacks:

At first, we haven’t been filtering stacks. At least half the stacks on any BMUG disk are solid. Most stacks are for “educational” purposes.

Q: Is HyperCard like BASIC?

A: Yes, in terms of its innovation and what people are doing with it. It imposes the Mac user interface and violates it in some ways. People are trying to make it like the Mac, but some watn to make it a different thing, with its own benefits. More like the Mac=> computers analogy

Q: I really mean “Is it programming for non-programmers?”

A: Yes and no.

A: It is a good environment for learning to program.

A: It allows a lot more flexibility from the user point-of-view, especially in the interface.

A: Redefine “programming” – communal applications… a tool for creativity with more flexibility.

We’re seeing trade-offs in terms of ease of use versus size of program… but this makes more possible.

BMUG’s HyperCard SIG meets every other Monday at 6 PM. It will concentrate on programming.

Q: Is anybody doing anything in 4th Dimension?

A: Writing an ordering system.

A: Messing Around

A: ACIUS has a list of developers – about 200 in US

Q: Omnis 3?

A: <no answer>

(some discussion of 4th Dimension and ACIUS news and philosophies)

Laurent Ribardiére, the programmer, is a very interesting character. “No line in the program is documented”? Written as one large piece of code, not broken down into units. Scott Knaster left to go back to Apple, in a different role than before he did Acius tech support.

Dbase Mac: slow as a dog, although it is released.

4d: appears excellent, resembles HyperCard in many ways. They were both written by one person rather than a committee.

Database market projected to be big by 1990.

Heizer software… stack exchange – like Excellent exchange. He will sell low-cost non-PD stacks that are really excellent. in Pleasant Hill. We’ve got flyers in the office. 943-7667.

BMUG has 11 Stack disks.

$3/ea.

MacToberFest

come & show stuff! See the list for needed topics in particular.

Thursday, October 22, Pauley ballroom.

lots of fun.

MazeWars & Strategic Conquest tournaments

ARTICLES WANTED FOR THE BMUG NEWSLETTER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

deadline: MacToberFest

topics: what would you want to read?

what you hate, love, use, how you use it, how to do something, updates or extensions of old information.

Dbase Mac is shipping!

SEF HyperCard conference in November

Software Entrepreneurs’ Forum (SEF)

Hypercard/Stackware Programmer’s Seminar

Saturday November 21, 1987. Location, to be announced, but probably south bay. Price to be announced, but probably $95 for SEF members, more for non-members.

The current tentative list of topics include:

The HyperTalk Environment-a technical introduction

Command & Function Secrets

HyperCard Programming Strategies

Nuts-and-bolts Stackware Implement, incl. known bugs, etc

External HyperCard Resources

Sales/Marketing/Distribution

Source Protection

Data Transfer from other sources.

Communications

Danny Goodman, Author of the 700 page_The Complete Hypercard Handbook_ has signed on as a speaker. Selecting the participants in each panel has not been completed, but we have strong interest from a number of other speakers.

Additional suggestions are welcome.  

Software Entrepreneurs’ Forum is a non-profit group of over 300 people, mostly programmers, who have formed sort of a guild to help one another develop and market software products. Our organization was founded in ’83. Each month we have four separate meetings: a general dinner meeting, an IBM SIG meeting, a Marketing SIG and MAC-SEF, the Macintosh programmers SIG. This month’s MAC SEF speaker was Bill Campbell of Claris. This month’s general meeting speaker was Rob Campbell of Forethought (now MicroSoft); past speakers include Andy Hertzfeld, Jean Louis Gassee, Phillippe Kahn and many others.  

For more information, contact Ed Niehaus, (415)626-0651, or Reay Dick, (408)3654851 or Michael Odawa, 415-381-2650.  

Takeovers

VersaCad was taken over by Pr1me computer

SofStyle taken over by Phoenix Technologies

printer drivers and PostScript clones & hardware…

BMUG Meeting minutes – 09/17/87

1,132 words

11K on disk

September 1987

BMUG Meeting minutes – 09/17/87

Acta document

BMUG Meeting 9/17/87

Bill Atkinson on Computer Show on TV last Tues

someone is working on MacPaint II. He isn’t.

10 people in the audience saw it.

Ch 32, Computer Chronicles at same time

Ch 26, every Tuesday nite at 7 PM

[ long discussion about memory upgrades, accelerators, hard drive interfaces, and the like ]

Mac II memory and SIMM prices discussion

3rd Coast computing $999/4 megs (512) 472-6278

Apple’s new dev price <$900/4 megs

Announcements

Pascal programmers wanted, familiar with print manager, 224-9130

Apple is looking for

1 Macintosh Product Mgr

1 A/UX Project Manager

2 System Software Project Managers

Applicants must have 3-4 years experience on the Mac, knowledge of Systems Software and the ability to handle high visibility, high responsibility positions. Salaries in the mid-60K, with a quarterly bonus of 10-14%, and full Apple benefits.

(408) 727-4717 – Kate Sullivan (paid recruiter)

Needed: Mac programmer: user-support & low-level business analysis. Two years MIS environment. San Jose – Peninsula – $30K – Sandra 454-5321

Steve Maller – training support department at Apple is always looking for contract Tech Writers with good pay, 1-6 months, work at home but visit Apple 1-2x/wk. Apple II & classroom networks, DT Pub, Mac II technical & service issues. (408) 996-1010

Apple Tech Support has tripled their budget for the next fiscal year – perhaps will hire more

U of Mo needs someone to do Mac graphics – see desk outside

Jim Ensign – JAM Technologies – Physician Practice program for the Mac – Mac User physicians sought for beta test sites. See him after the meeting or call 442-0795.

HyperCard – unopened – for sale – $52.45 (list) – SOLD

FullWrite Pro is almost shipping

WordPerfect will be at the BMUG meeting 10/29/87

MacWrite, MacDraw, MacProject, MacTerminal upgrades are available at Apple dealers – bring your original disk.

Red Ryder 10.0

is shipping

procedures are much faster

mostly similar to 9.4., but menus are more confusing

and more features are added. Better compatibility with MultiFinder, etc.

MacPascal

upgrades available to 2.1 for free

LightSpeed Pascal

upgrades available on networks like Delphi

Turbo Pascal

talk to David InterSimone at Borland for a Mac II-compatible rev

System upgrades

free at dealers or $4 from BMUG

only use if you have at least 1 megabyte and are having trouble with old systems and you’re not tight on space.

5.3/3.2 are good for the 512e

use the Installer to avoid copying more than you need and to keep from thrashing your FKEYs, DA’s and fonts

MPW 2.0 upgrade [Macintosh Programmers Workshop]

works on the Mac II

many other differences – Commando visual interface

takes up a lot more memory – may have trouble on the plus without Hard disk

distributed by Apple Programmers Development Association

usually recommended for professional development

Dan Cochran announced at MacWorld that a source-level debugger in MPW may be available by the end of the year

MacApp, under MPW, allows flatter learning curve and better compatibility than other development.

good way to learn Assembly Language – modular environment

[ 10 minute debate on the topic ]

Mac programmer wanted to write Excel macros

EDP Temps (Linda)

901 Sneath Ln, Suite 125

San Bruno, CA 94066

(415) 952-5010

[ Mac II section of the meeting]

choke your communications program if the modem doesn’t wake up properly

choke your communications program author if the program doesn’t work at all

ImageWriter II problems? Call your dealer.

use friction feed or single sheet feeder rather than tractor feed.

LaserWriter Plus upgraded

#47 should be stamped on outside of box (LW ROM version)

$350 – MUCH faster (50% bitmaps)

see MacUser comparison to QMS

especially in network environment

Programming languages for non-developers

HyperCard

Beginning programmers group for C programmers?

meet at the front of the room after the meeting.

Q: General ledger accounting programming for non-profit?

A: Insight is expensive ($2500 for all modules) but best.

Migent in-house accountant is also available, but the MS-DOS version has a buggy reputation. 1.5 $ & cents will soon be available.

A: Jeff Walker, leader of the Beginners SE SIG reports “Accountants, Inc.” is useful. It is available at M.A.C.

Q: Upgrade options: Levco MonsterMac vs. SuperMac Enhance for 512e?

A: LevCo MonsterMac $645 is more expensive but more reliable

A: Sell & buy

A: MacDoctor upgrade has power-saver circuitry keeps things cool & doesn’t physically conflict. It doesn’t require a fan

A: Oh yes it does.

A: but they sell it there.

A: Maybe they reroute it or something

Q: Is the MacDoctor upgrade reversible?

A: No, it is major surgery.

A: it does allow plug-ins for large-memory upgrades

A: 512 => 2 megs at M.A.C. for $450, if they ever get their Does in.

MacToberFest

come & show stuff! See the list for needed topics in particular.

Thursday, October 22, Pauley ballroom.

lots of fun.

MazeWars & Strategic Conquest tournaments

ARTICLES WANTED FOR THE BMUG NEWSLETTER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

deadline: MacToberFest

topics: what would you want to read?

what you hate, love, use, how you use it, how to do something, updates or extensions of old information.

Dbase Mac is shipping!

Raffle prizes tonight

Parameter Manager Plus courtesy of Rebus

FUJI disks courtesy of MacOrchard

Mac II poster courtesy of MacWorld

Speakers tonight

Parameter Manager Plus – Rebus

Coral / Franze – Allegro Common Lisp

SEF HyperCard conference in November

Software Entrepreneurs’ Forum (SEF)

Hypercard/Stackware Programmer’s Seminar

Saturday November 21, 1987. Location, to be announced, but probably south bay. Price to be announced, but probably $95 for SEF members, more for non-members.

The current tentative list of topics include:

The HyperTalk Environment-a technical introduction

Command & Function Secrets

HyperCard Programming Strategies

Nuts-and-bolts Stackware Implement, incl. known bugs, etc

External HyperCard Resources

Sales/Marketing/Distribution

Source Protection

Data Transfer from other sources.

Communications

Danny Goodman, Author of the 700 page_The Complete Hypercard Handbook_ has signed on as a speaker. Selecting the participants in each panel has not been completed, but we have strong interest from a number of other speakers.

Additional suggestions are welcome.

Software Entrepreneurs’ Forum is a non-profit group of over 300 people, mostly programmers, who have formed sort of a guild to help one another develop and market software products. Our organization was founded in ’83. Each month we have four separate meetings: a general dinner meeting, an IBM SIG meeting, a Marketing SIG and MAC-SEF, the Macintosh programmers SIG. This month’s MAC SEF speaker was Bill Campbell of Claris. This month’s general meeting speaker was Rob Campbell of Forethought (now MicroSoft); past speakers include Andy Hertzfeld, Jean Louis Gassee, Phillippe Kahn and many others.

For more information, contact Ed Niehaus, (415)626-0651, or Reay Dick, (408)3654851 or Michael Odawa, 415-381-2650.

Takeovers

VersaCad was taken over by Pr1me computer

SofStyle taken over by Phoenix Technologies

printer drivers and PostScript clones & hardware…

BMUG Meeting minutes – 09/10/87

585 words

6K on disk

September 1987

BMUG Meeting minutes – 09/10/87

Acta document

BMUG Meeting 9/10/87

Bill Atkinson on Computer Show on TV next Tues

Computer centre on Franklin in Oakland – Apple Dealer

1924 Franklin

MacCharlie / DaynaFile – often not as good as getting a PC clone

Stock Tips

Q: Experience with DASCH External RAMdisk?

A: Not recommended. Add internal RAM or external SCSI drive.

Q: 3 floppy drives (or more) on an SE?

A: You’ve gotta rewrite the system software and hardware to go beyond 3, up to 16.

Q: Most recent MazZap?

A: 5.0.

A: They just announced the update from 4.54

Q: Is there a program to take advantage of the function keys on the Apple Distended Keyboard?

A: Yes, QuickKeysâ„¢, from CE Software, $95. Out next week.

Q: Can you hook 2 Mac’s together with SCSI?

A: Yes, IF you can change the SCSI address of the MAC. Good luck!

Talk to APDA and NCR for technical information.

Q: Any Mac II’s broke?

A: Yes, and no dealers have any parts. Scholar’s Workstation has 2 motherboards in stock.

Q: Where’s best buy on SIMM chips?

A: Dove is backordered 3 weeks. M.A.C. has some in stock: $70/SIMM for Mac II; backordered on SE & Plus. There will be a squeeze on ’em soon.

A: 150 ñs chip won’t work on the Mac II. 511002’s will work on the Plus.

Q: Where to sell chips AFTER upgrade (256K SIMMs, 150 ñs)?

A: Good luck!

Q: Will 100’s work?

A: Yes, anywhere, if they fit.

A: 1 meg parts are 10 times as expensive as 256K parts.

Q: What printers besides ImageWriter II work on SE?

A: None besides LaserWriter work well. ImageWriter LQ looks very nice; who knows when it will be out.

A: Panasonic 1080 imitates the IW I perfectly but is very slow and produces a slightly smaller image

A: Toshiba 341 with ToshStart from SofStyle works but is slow except on draft.

A: Nearly anything with a serial port will work in draft mode only.

A: HyperCard may not work except on ImageWriter or LaserWriter

Q: What’s a good laser price?

A: 10 cents a page or less, $5/hr or less.

A: There’s lots of competition among local places.

Q: HyperCard with MacServe?

A: Make sure there’s enough memory

Q: HyperCard on networks?

A: It should. Remember that all stacks are opened Read/Write, always.

[ long discussion about memory upgrades, accelerators, hard drive interfaces, and the like ]

A: A few SuperMac technical support people left. A couple went ot work for Jasmine.

Q: Some sort of BMUG member discount on Cirrus drives?

A: Nobody’s heard.

Q: Has anybody used the new CMS drives? Special track-caching technology makes ‘em fast? Does it interfere with operation?

A: They claim to do more error-checking than other drives. “The fastest 80-meg drive for the Mac”

A: Douglas Electronics selling Avatex 2400 modems for $240. Fully Hayes-compatible.

Q: Problems with Stepping Out w/New Sys/F shutdown?

A: Yes, there are. Try Berkeley Systems Design.

A: Yes, an upgrade is available

A: Stepping Out gives you a software large-screen to scroll on. Very helpful in graphics and DT Pub.

Q: New Laser Prep with MultiFinder?

A: Yes, but you can use the old or new ones with different ones.

A: Yes, along with lots of other goodies.

A: It wants 2-4 megabytes. It will work on 1 megabyte, but 1.5 applications are required.

A: It should be available here, according to MacWeek.

Q: Mac II monitors?

A: Sony is much like Apple. PCPC is dimmer.