Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Path: utzoo!mnetor!uunet!lll-winken!lll-lcc!pyramid!voder!apple!tecot From: tecot@apple.UUCP (Ed Tecot) Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac Subject: Re: support for older machines & Re: MultiFinder RAMDisks Message-ID: <6863@apple.UUCP> Date: Tue, 1-Dec-87 00:22:09 EST Article-I.D.: apple.6863 Posted: Tue Dec 1 00:22:09 1987 Date-Received: Fri, 4-Dec-87 00:23:11 EST References: <1927@unc.cs.unc.edu> <6664@apple.UUCP> <5104@oberon.USC.EDU> <14543@felix.UUCP> <5431@oberon.USC.EDU> Reply-To: tecot@apple.UUCP (Ed Tecot) Organization: Apple Computer Inc., Cupertino, USA Lines: 82 In article <5431@oberon.USC.EDU> kurtzman@pollux.usc.edu (Stephen Kurtzman) writes: >Use of HyperCard and MultiFinder constitutes using a standard program under the >standard operating environment, which cannot be done on the middle-of-the- >product-line configuration. Whether something is useful is not the point, it >is whether Apple is providing value and good service to their customers by >putting together a set of system software that purports to multitask but cannot >run two standard programs when given 1 meg of memory. It appears to me that >they are hoping to get people to upgrade their memory. Now, that isn't evil, >but it would be nice if they were a little more honest about it. And a Chevy S-10 can hold 4 kegs of beer, but not 4 elephants (even standard elephants). If this doesn't make sense, read on. >True. I have the option of using the new standard system software, or the >old software that is provided for compatibility with older systems. No, you can simply run the new system software in the single program mode. This IS release software, not a compatibility kluge. Multifinder provides a benefit to those who need or want it. I suppose next you'll argue that you can't run HD20SC Setup on your floppy drives to make them 20 meg. >This is no argument. The fact is, HyperCard is a standard piece of software. So is MacWrite. But I wouldn't force you to use it. >Apple could have put a little effort into making Multifinder smaller. >The fact that Multifinder is an excessive memory hog has been well documented >in this forum. They could also have made HyperCard a little smaller, or at >least segmented it so that it could run in something less the 750K! >(It took a lot of will power not to use an explitive between "750" and "K"). You're very confused. MultiFinder is not a memory hog. MultiFinder only needs about 80K to do it's work. What really happens is that most applications are memory hogs. MultiFinder simply divides up the space avaliable for the applications. If you have 400K available, and the application requires 500K, MultiFinder can't load it. Likewise, I can drive a Chevy S-10, and I can remove the tires. But I can't drive it with the tires off, even though both are standard operations. (Are you starting to pick up on the analogy?) HyperCard only requires 750K when you are scripting. It can get buy on less if you lower your user level. Reread my Chevy analogy before making flames. The rule is simple - you need more to do more. In article <4161@utai.UUCP> dudek@ai.UUCP (Gregory Dudek) writes: >My impression is that by *discontinuing support* for older >Macs, Apple is making a potentially serious mistake. Despite the >elitism prevalent in this group, there are many people who LIKED >the 128K Mac. Some people I consult with use the Mac ONLY for >small-time word processing and were quite happy with MacWrite 2.2!. >One is doing serious accountancy with a 512K Mac and ancient >software . Many "real people" just want to get their job done on a >reasonably stable system irrespective of the latest technology. That's wonderful! And let me be the first to assure you that MacWrite 2.2 will always work on a 128K Macintosh. > I would have though Apple could keep supporting older configurations >like the 64K ROMs for a few more years without that much trouble. >That doesn't mean drastically new software, just hardware support >and maybe a few minor software fixes to existing packages. I don't follow you. What do you mean by "hardware support"? And what minor fixes? The old systems work just fine on the old hardware. We haven't broken anything; we've simply added stuff that you can't do on the old hardware, such as SCSI and Color Quickdraw. >If I have to go telling people that they have to shell out $1.3K >for an upgrade (that's what it costs here, before tax) just to get >continuing support, I can guarantee some will be quite displeased. No one HAS to buy an upgrade. Only if you want to use the whizzy new software, like HyperCard and MultiFinder. I don't understand what these people are losing? Opportunity - yes, but nothing that they had previously. > Perhaps Apple wants to encourage people to upgrade by explicitly >not coming out with upgrades to 64K ROM software. That's the >kind of blackmail that I don't think will pay off. The 64K to 128K ROM upgrade costs $300 and includes a disk drive. If you can't afford that, how can you any of the serious business packages that use it, like 4th Dimension, Excel, and DBase Mac? _emt