EvangeList Digest Thursday, March 26 1998 Volume 01 : Number 1136
In this issue:
$$ - Giles Road Press Clearance Sale $$ - Al Morale Special ?? - FileMaker Disaster Database ?? - Mac/Windows programming Question Followup - Whatever Happened To PixelPaint Job - Full-Time Instructor (Norwalk, CA) Followup - What Does Your Favorite Printer Use !! - FamilyPC Online Poll Followup - Disney Blast Followup - Novell Support for the Mac Tidbit - Colby College and Macs
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Date: Wed, 25 Mar 1998 15:47:22 -0000 From: EvangeList <evangelist@apple.com> Subject: $$ - Giles Road Press Clearance Sale
This announcement is from:
GilesRdPrs, <GilesRdPrs@aol.com>
Giles Road Press has a LIMITED number of copies of the following books that we want to clear out of inventory. Books will be sold on a first come, first served basis. We cannot honor requests to "hold" books; a book is considered sold when payment is received.
Title Retail Clearance - ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Mac Bible Guide to Excel 5 $24.95 $12.00 Mac Bible Guide to Word 6 $24.95 $12.00 AOL 3.0 for Macintosh Visual QuickStart Guide $16.95 $8.00 AOL 3.0 for Windows 95 Visual QuickStart Guide $17.95 $8.00 PageMill 2 for Windows Visual QuickStart Guide $16.95 $7.00 Excel 5 for Macintosh Visual QuickStart Guide $16.95 $8.00 Excel for Windows 95 Visual QuickStart Guide $16.95 $8.00 PowerPoint 4 for Windows Visual QuickStart Guide $16.95 $7.00 Netscape 2 for Macintosh Visual QuickStart Guide $14.95 $5.00 A BBS Caller's Guide to FirstClass $14.95 $5.00 Claris Home Page Companion $29.95 $15.00 Illustrator 6 Wow! Book $39.95 $18.00
Yes, there ARE Windows books in this list and we know that EvangeLists probably aren't too interested in them. But you do us a BIG favor by forwarding this message to some of your Windows friends...we appreciate the help and we all know that they can probably use the books, too.
IMPORTANT - READ THIS:
Please add $3 per book priority shipping (US). For shipping rates to other countries, consult our Web site, <http://www.gilesrd.com/>. Payment can be made by check, money order, MasterCard, or Visa. Credit card orders can be faxed to 520-684-3965 -- THIS IS THE RECOMMENDED METHOD IF YOU DON'T WANT TO MISS OUT. US checks or money orders can be sent to Giles Road Press, P.O. Box 20337, Wickenburg, AZ 85358. Checks sent for items that are sold out before the check is received will NOT be returned unless accompanied by a self-addressed, stamped envelope. Please provide an e-mail address that we can use to inform you of the status of your order; we will NOT confirm orders by telephone or fax.
NOTE: Members of the GRP News mailing list received advanced notice of this offer. To be the FIRST to get news about special offers like this, add yourself to the GRP News mailing list. You can find information at our Web site, <http://www.gilesrd.com/>.
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Date: Wed, 25 Mar 1998 15:47:20 -0000 From: EvangeList <evangelist@apple.com> Subject: $$ - Al Morale Special
This special offer is from:
Al Morale, <almorale@almorale.com>
What do these events have in common?
April Fool's Day National Fun at Work Day National Humor Month
They're all coming next month! Are you ready? I hope not, because I have a special offer for you:
Staff up your Hilarity Dept. by hiring me, Al Morale, to be your virtual yes man and lackey. It's my job to suck up to you every chance I get. (Interview me for the job at <http://www.almorale.com>
As your virtual yes man and lackey, I give you flattery-on-demand and rave reviews of your work. I'll also declare your ideas as strokes of genius and laugh hysterically at your jokes. I fill your Mac with more than 100 outrageous compliments and kudos. Plus, I'll address you by a glorified nickname or title, such as "Big Kahuna," "Commander," "Your Highness" or others.
Frankly, I'd be the perfect assistant, except for one thing -- I don't do any work. But who else will treat you like this for just $18.95?
Now, here's the April special: Order Al Morale on CD-ROM before April 10, 1998, and I'll pay my own moving expenses to any U.S. location. (You save $5 on shipping and handling!) Just call 1-800-793-5808 to hire me for $18.95. Mention "EvangeList" and U.S. shipping is FREE!
Hire me today so you can introduce me to friends, co-workers, and kids on April Fool's Day! Then, you'll always have me on your side when faced with meetings, Mondays or other man-made calamities.
While you're at it, why not suck up to your own boss, or astonish your staff by giving them each a virtual yes man? (Al Morale works for anybody with a 68040 or PowerMac and a sense of humor.) Just ask about our multi-copy discount for the EvangeList when you call 1-800-793-5808. Or, email <sales@almorale.com>.
After the LA earthquake several years ago, someone offered a FileMaker database template for use during disasters. Is anything currently available like this for FileMaker Pro 4.0?
John Richter, United Methodist Pastor <john437@aol.com>
I recently graduated from college with a degree in Psychology and have been accepted to an excellent graduate school to study Experimental Psychology. For those unfamiliar with experimental psychology, the field as a whole does a good deal of programming so that data from human participants can be collected with computers. Therefore, one of the conditions of my acceptance was that I learn C++.
In the meantime, I have been working at a research facility using mostly Macintosh computers and having access to a couple brand new G3's. Needless to say, I am addicted!!! I've been saving up moula to buy a G3, and since the prices recently dropped, I am closer to my goal. My advisor at my future grad school said that they would be willing to pitch in to buy me a compiler so that I could practice programming before going to school. Since I wanted a new G3 anyway, I figured that I would get CodeWarrior for it. That's where my troubles started. My advisor said that they have had "timing" problems when programming for the Macintosh. Since the human brain operates marginally faster than a G3 (except when operating motor vehicles), my programs must be exact to the millisecond. My advisor has had problems with those timing issues in the past. However, I do not have enough programming experience to know whether this is a true problem or or whether I can prevent it.
Here comes the barrage of questions for my fellow EvangeListas. Can I program in C++, compile with CodeWarrior, and have the Macintosh execute exactly to the millisecond 100% of the time? Can I write my code on the G3, compile it in SoftWindows, transfer it to a real Wintel machine, and have that computer execute exactly to the millisecond 100% of the time? Can I run compiled programs in SoftWindows and have them behave as they would on a genuine Wintel machine? I would rather not buy a DOS compatibility card, but is that an option? Can I use the same exact code in both the Mac environment and Windows 95?
Hopefully the answers will look good and I will be able to get the G3 of my dreams. Thanks for the help.
Greg Burgess reply to <gburgess@psu.edu>
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Date: Wed, 25 Mar 1998 15:47:28 -0000 From: EvangeList <evangelist@apple.com> Subject: Followup - Whatever Happened To PixelPaint
This follow-up message is from:
Bill Coleman AA4LR, <aa4lr@radio.org>
Good software never dies, and PixelPaint is still alive, although it doesn't get out as much as it used to....
I forwarded the message about PixelPaint to Keith McGreggor, co-author of the software. Here's his reply:
- ---------------- Begin Forwarded Message ----------------
Keith McGreggor, <beinfinite@mindspring.com>
Wow! Please post back that anyone with questions about it can write to me <pixelpaint@beinfinite.com>.
TITLE: Full-Time Instructor (tenure-track) of Multimedia Design/Visual Communications Design/Computer Graphics
LOCATION: Cerritos College, Norwalk, CA (Los Angeles suburb)
SALARY: $33,585-$57,132 w/full benefits
DESCRIPTION: Teaching fellow faculty how to develop and use computer multimedia for instructional purposes. This is a unique position, the only faculty person on campus who teaches other faculty rather than students. Yet, has all faculty perks and status (summers off!). Master's Degree in Art required, in Multimedia Design preferred. Must have skills in multimedia software, including presentation and authoring software. You will be part of the Fine Arts Division (which is nearly 100% Mac), but will also have to be able to teach those benighted non-arts faculty who find themselves in a world of Windung.
APPLICATION: This is not the official/legal job announcement. Please call for the fully detailed flyer at (562) 860-2451 x2451 or visit the website at www.cerritos.edu
DEADLINE: March 30, 1998
This is a GREAT job, EvangeListas, and I want to make sure a Mac person gets it.
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Date: Wed, 25 Mar 1998 15:47:16 -0000 From: EvangeList <evangelist@apple.com> Subject: Followup - What Does Your Favorite Printer Use
This follow-up message is from:
Pete McCabe, <pete@quill.com>
Richard Shen posted a wonderful independant tool (want ads) for answering naysayers, and asks:
"Has your instructor ever designed a book, magazine, or any professionally printed material? It is very difficult to output through image setters directly from the PC. Font conflicts, output hardware devices and driver compatibility are some major problems."
About a year ago, my otherwise-enlightened boss suffered a temporary "PC episode" where he threatened to require our production department to use PCs.
To provide a solid, fact-based counterargument, I called up our three favorite printers and asked the print reps "what percent of the jobs you print are created on Mac vs. PC?" The idea being that if most of the jobs were created on Macs, then the printers would be less able to provide technical assistance if we switched to PC.
The answers:
Local, relatively small printer: About 99% Mac, 1% PC.
Graphic Arts Center (one of the largest printers in the US): About 99% mac, 1%--if that--on PC
Local, relatively large printer: In the past 3 years, my company is the only client to give them a job created on PC (a 2-page one-color datasheet which they outsourced to a printer with "PC expertise" and which _still_ had endless technical problems).
I doubt very much that these numbers have changed much in a year.
Happy ending: My boss has come back around and is now proudly pro-mac.
Date: Wed, 25 Mar 1998 15:47:31 -0000 From: EvangeList <evangelist@apple.com> Subject: Followup - Disney Blast
This follow-up message is from:
Geoff J. Wiley, <pcwiley@jcn1.com>
To save everyone countless manhours in sending and receiving email from Disney, I've posted my email and the reply that I got from Disney Blast. It's a positive (although not that great) reply.
Disney Blast is a service of Disney and can be located at <http://www.disneyblast.com>
Disney response:
<excuses, excuses sniped>
"On the Windows platform, Disney's Daily Blast runs in both Microsoft Internet Explorer and Netscape Navigator, and this is our goal for the Macintosh as well. We hope to have a Macintosh-compatible version available in the Spring of 1998."
After this point, I couldn't take it anymore I had to see what this site had to offer that they say the Mac couldn't handle.
So I looked at the source code of the page <http://www.disneyblast.com/Preview/incompat.html> and copied the Win95 string for Mozilla. I then made a copy of my Communicator 4.0.4.1 and then ResEdited the Str# and made the 210 ID name "IDs" as follows:
1st string Netscape 2nd string 4.04 3rd string Mozilla 4th string (Win95; I) 5th string (Win95; I) 6th string en
I then went to DisneyBlast preview site <http://www.disneyblast.com/Preview/index.html> and got in on the first try. I registered for an account fine. Then I went to the main page <http://www.disneyblast.com/> The only error I got was a javascript error on line 29 for a reflect embed with index2 - not loaded yet?
The site is okay. I kinda of liked the musical mouse overs for the navigation bar on the right of the screen. But other than that the site is really over-rated. Too many moving animations for my taste. I was amazed I didn't lock up once while I was there. I usually lock up around shockwave, but my little buddy held up through all of the games and stuff Disney had to throw at it. I then went to the Help screen and unsubscribed happily.
I would really like to know what Disney is doing since this site can be accessed on a PPC Mac with Communicator. I have a Performa 6400/180/80 MacOS 8.1 Communicator 4041 16mb.
If Disney doesn't believe a Mac was on their site well I have posted some Screen shots on part of my website earlier today. 3/20/98 <http://www.jcn1.com/wiley/html/disney.html>
Note: I have only tested this on my Mac. I just hope it works for the other Evangelistas who want to use the site also. __________________________ Digital Guy Sez:
WHOA! This is a fine example of how a minor hack can be acheived even if you can't write a line of code. Imagine trying to get a Windows browser to fool a server into thinking it's a Mac based app! :-)
I should warn all EvangeListas that are tempted to do this: Be VERY careful. ResEdit is still the fastest way for the unwary to seriously mess up their Mac software. Make a backup of your drive, make a COPY of the application, and have fun (if you're so inclined). I know I'm going to be very interested in trying it myself. :-)
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Date: Thu, 26 Mar 1998 14:08:23 -0000 From: EvangeList <evangelist@apple.com> Subject: Followup - Novell Support for the Mac
This follow-up message is from:
George Wagner, <g.wagner@sylvania.sev.org>
Thanks to all for their help. My friend Mitch, A Novell specialist, contacted Novell to verify their continued support for the Mac. They are incorporating Mac support (as well as everyone else) into their future products through TCP/IP and IPX. Since this will be incorporated, they no longer need to provide a separate Netware for Macintosh product, and some may misrepresent this as dropping Mac support, which was the case for my client. Specific information about their next version can be found at <http://www.novell.com/catalog/bg/bge14360.html>
George L. Wagner Jr. Computers, Support, & Consulting <g.wagner@sylvania.sev.org> <http://users.aol.com/aaprglw/csc.html>
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Date: Thu, 26 Mar 1998 14:08:47 -0000 From: EvangeList <evangelist@apple.com> Subject: Tidbit - Colby College and Macs
Keyword: Advocacy, Why Macs Are Better
This tidbit is from:
Jay Hill, <volfreak@macconnect.com>
With all the hub-bub of Macs on Campus (now there's a title waiting for an article to be written (maybe even a photo shoot ala Playboy's Girls of the Big-10) ;-) ), Macintouch had a link to Colby College's final report on platform implementation and usage.
A report which seems to be a well-reasoned argument for NOT abandoning the Mac in Higher Ed was posted recently.
Among the most notable comments:
"Perhaps the most important was the opportunity for choice."
"Compelling faculty to switch to Windows when such a move would be costly in terms of lost teaching and research productivity could present unjustifiable morale and logistical issues."
"When the Macintosh standard was established, ITS employed two support people. During the past decade..., ITS added two new support positions. Today, these four support staff, in addition to the equivalent of two FTEs in student support staff, provide advice and hands-on support to the entire Colby community using about 2,500 computers."
Wow, 6 people for 2500 Macs. Now there's an affordable support organization (or maybe it's the platform).
However, the best is just below:
"In the business world, the standard for Macintosh support is approximately one person for every 100 or 200 machines. This would translate into five to ten support people for the 1,100 College-owned Macintosh computers alone.".
"The industry standard for support for Windows systems is one support technician for every 25 to 60 computers. If we applied that standard to Colby for just the College-owned computers, it would translate into roughly 16 support people."
end quotes
This shows Mac support would cost one-half to one-third of the support for Windows. Now if you were a business person looking at the bottom line, which platform would you prefer? Of course, we know the answer - Mac. B-)
It seems that a small college like Colby can do an objective analysis and determine that one platform is not the correct answer but the IT manager at Yale not only can't do an analysis, he can't do an objective one.
Thanks to MacIntouch for this reference.
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End of EvangeList Digest V1 #1136 *********************************
