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From: hundt@wind.UUCP
Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac.hypercard
Subject: What is this 'hypercard' thing anyway?
Message-ID: <3834@bellcore.bellcore.com>
Date: Wed, 25-Nov-87 16:20:05 EST
Article-I.D.: bellcore.3834
Posted: Wed Nov 25 16:20:05 1987
Date-Received: Sun, 29-Nov-87 03:49:53 EST
Sender: news@bellcore.bellcore.com
Reply-To: hundt@wind.UUCP (tom hundt)
Distribution: na
Organization: Bellcore, Morristown, NJ
Lines: 47

Ladies and Gentlemen, could you please tell me something.  Just
what is the big deal about hypercard?  A guy in the lab here has
a copy (albeit no documentation) and he showed it to us.  Seems
like a free-form user interface that allows entry to programs
via "buttons".  Doesn't seem to conform to the standard Mac user
interface, and has the potential for a very messy screen (ie.
buttons and things all over the place).

Questions:

Is there a new programming language/environment that is inherent
in hypercard?  Or is it merely some sort of graphical menu manager?

What exactly is a "stack"?  It appears to be a bunch of similar
records in a file.  Is this correct?  And why is it innovative to
have them?

Is it true Apple is giving the thing away?  Can I get a copy for
myself easily?  How?  (I heard that Bill Atkinson had it in his 
contract that this be done.)

Is it easy to add stacks, functions, etc. to the hypercard screen,
or do you have to be a programmer to do this?

Are there subprograms/stacks being distributed in some sort of
public domain way, like fonts and desk-accessories seem to be,
ie. all development is "for the public good" or are they being
sold as add-ons and you only buy the ones you need?

Can you run standard applications as hypercard applications (ie.
from within hypercard via buttons or whatever)?

What is this leading toward?  Is the aim to create one big huge
integrated environment which will ultimately supplant the current
finder/system environment?


I'd appreciate answers to these questions and whatever general
information you care to add.  I'm trying to understand what's been
going on with the Mac recently and hypercard in particular (esp. since
Apple is calling it a very important "strategic" product).

Thanks!

 /-^-\  Thomas M. Hundt / BELLCORE Morristown NJ / hundt@bellcore.bellcore.com
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