Subject: Info-Mac Digest V15 #113 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: multipart/mixed; boundary="Info-Mac-Digest" --Info-Mac-Digest Info-Mac Digest Fri, 13 Jun 97 Volume 15 : Issue 113 Today's Topics: (Q) Advice for buying a new computer [A] Annoying Menu Bar Delay [A] Macintosh Aquarium :) [A] Slow Text & Navigator [Q] Running Mac programs via HTML web page [Q] Help! Monitor and hard disk trouble... Buying Advice/Mac Arrogance Can you help? Color StyleWriter Pro Epson 800 Extensions Extensions Extensions Manager 2.01? Floppy drive disappears under certain conditions Info-Mac Digest V15 #110 Info-Mac Digest V15 #112 PB 5300cs 7.6 file sharing won't start PB5300 sleeping problem - need your help! Query re Macs & NT 4 Script error puzzle Word type 1 error Word type 1 error (two more bits of info) The Info-Mac Network operates by the volunteer efforts of: Gordon Watts, Adam C. Engst, Demitri Muna, Mike O'Bryan, Michael Bean, Matt Bauer, iam Breck The Info-Mac Archive is available at 50 public and private sites around the world. For the site list, request it by mail (address below), or try: Also accessible by ftp. Help files and indexes are also in info-mac/help/. Administrative queries & info: Articles for digest publication: Files for inclusion: To submit a file greater than 800K, or to avoid submitting by (and segmenting for) email, send email describing the file to and upload it to: -- username/password macgifts/macgifts at info-mac.org As with emailed submissions, non-text files must be binhexed. See our new WWW site: , where you can find all of this info and more! The Info-Mac digest is sponsored in part by StarNine Technologies, Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Quarterdeck corporation. StarNine develops Internet server software for the Macintosh, including World Wide Web and e-mail publishing systems. We'd also like to thank AOL, who has supplied the hardware the main info-mac machine runs on. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- --Info-Mac-Digest Content-Type: multipart/digest; boundary="----------------------------" Content-Disposition: attachment; filename="Info-Mac Digest V15 #113" ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 12 Jun 1997 11:54:59 +0200 From: Michel Eytan LILoL Subject: (Q) Advice for buying a new computer On 12-06-97 quoth Info-Mac pithily: > Date: Tue, 10 Jun 1997 10:26:52 -0500 > From: Chaz Larson > Subject: (Q) Advice for buying a new computer > > At 9:38 AM +0100 6/9/97, J. Eickhoff wrote: > >...oh, not, not that Id be crazy to switch to windows, no the > >alternative is Linux! Please comment my following choice drivers and > >give me sime suppoert which architecture to choose: [snip] > If your immediate and more important need is for software that runs only > under PC flavors of linux, then I really don't see the point in even trying > this. Buy the PC. Run linux and the software you need. After Apple has > released Rhapsody, run it on your PC, or buy a new PPC machine at that time > to increase performance. > > chazl - 6.10.1997 - chaz@visi.com Have a look at and you might very well *not* buy a PC *or* linux ;-) -- Michel Eytan mailto:eytan@dpt-info.u-strasbg.fr Help stop Internet spam! Join CAUCE: ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 11 Jun 97 22:40:49 PDT From: "Peter H. Lipman" Subject: [A] Annoying Menu Bar Delay Re: note from davbs@aol.com on a possible answer to the "Annoying Menu Bar Delay" > I have found that if I have too many files and folders on the Desktop or > accessed via the AppleMenu (ESPECIALLY with the hierarchical AppleMenu > option) I get a similar delay. I had put an alias for each of my drives in > the AppleMenu thinking that I could access ALL my files thereby. It worked > but gave a long delay anytime I accessed ANY menu item. Apparently the > computer has to retrieve all that hierarchical file data each time you access > the Menu bar (even if you don't move over to the AppleMenu). It is my understanding of Apple's implementation of the hierarchical Apple Menu Options (AMO) that they chose to dynamically update the data AMO keeps to display the menus. The other obvious approach is to update the data to be displayed at the time it is needed, i.e., when you are actually moving down the hierarchy in the Apple Menu. The former approach guarantees really nice, smooth, predictable behavior when AMO displays the next layer of the hierarchy. This is very desirable human engineering, and is probably the main reason that this approach was chosen. The drawback of this approach is that every file copy, delete, and rename has to be tracked to see if it affects a folder that AMO is keeping track of. If it does, the change has to be recorded in the data that AMO keeps. This strongly suggests that you should NOT have entire volumes in your Apple Menu. You should be very selective about the folders you keep there. Had Apple chosen the latter approach, displaying each new level would require a potentially significant amount of work. yielding a more "herky jerky" result. The up-side of that implementation choice is that there would be no overhead attributed to using AMO until you actually displayed some folders in the Apple Menu. This is one of those wonderful tradeoffs programmers cannot possibly get "right," and the only possible way to deal with it is to provide the user with the option to do it one way or the other, which of course adds yet more complexity to the user interface. James Walker's "Other Menu" program does offer this option, and I long ago stopped using AMO and switched to "Other Menu". Peter Lipman lipman@loc3.tandem.com or lipman_peter@tandem.com ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 12 Jun 1997 12:04:58 +0200 From: Tommy Widenflycht Subject: [A] Macintosh Aquarium :) Hi, I don't know about any kit avaliable, but check out where I have an complete description about how to do it yourself! Sincerely, Tommy Widenflycht ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 12 Jun 1997 14:27:21 -0400 From: "Bruce R. Troen, M.D." Subject: [A] Slow Text & Navigator Ryan - I just saw your post to the Info-Mac digest about the slow text and Navigator 3 problem (I missed the question). This has been a vexing problem for me also. It does not occur on a Power Mac 7200 running 7.5.3 with OT, but does occur on a IIci with 7.5.3 and OT. Unfortunately, I have to use the ci (since the 7200 was reclaimed by its original use). Do you think this is a system version problem or possbily OT vs. MacTCP? I need to use OT to gain access to my Ethernet wide area network. Where can I get the older version of Navigator? If I remember correctly, it does not support many of the plug-ins? Thanks for your help, Bruce Troen Bruce R. Troen, M.D. Associate Professor of Medicine Center for Gerontological Research 2900 Queen Lane Philadelphia, PA 19129 E-mail: troen@auhs.edu Phone: (215) 991-8462 Fax: (215) 843-1192 http://pwp.auhs.edu/~troen/ ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 12 Jun 1997 09:43:29 -0500 From: Chaz Larson Subject: [Q] Running Mac programs via HTML web page At 12:58 PM -0500 6/10/97, Pat Kane wrote: >Is it possible to start up a Mac program/script via an HTML >link? These just worked for me. The link will need to contain the full pathname to the file, so there's not a general way to launch SimpleText on anyone's machine. You can, however, do it on your machine. chazl - 6.12.1997 - chaz@visi.com ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 12 Jun 1997 13:38:20 -0400 From: avatar@dsuper.net Subject: [Q] Help! Monitor and hard disk trouble... Hi! fellow Mac users, I unplugged my computer and then stored it in a corner for two days, then Imoved it from one room to another. Now, since I reinstalled it in it's new location, the whole image in the monitor seems to "ondulate" or... "jump" (from top to bottom, not sideways)! The colors are OK and all my programs work fine but the picture won't stop moving. The trouble varies in intensity from *almost* standing still to beating like a flag in the wind! Anybody out there knows anything about what could be wrong? Could it be static electricity originating from the carpet upon which I slided my computer in a corner? I also heard that magnetic fields could have something to do with troubles like that. Is that true? I know I didn't bump the monitor or the computer on anything, I've got no idea what the trouble is. Here's the specs of my (roughly 6 years old) system: € Mac IIci running on system 7.7.1, 80M hard disk, 36M RAM. € The monitor is a 14" Macintosh Color Display, 256 colors. Then there's my hard disk, here's another thing I can't figure out: I have been using Norton's Speed Disk to optimize my hard disk for some time now, but the last few times I tried to do so it just wouldn't work! It does it's routine and then starts to optimize only to stop and tell me that there isn't enough empty space for it to continue whithout "seriously fragmenting some files". It suggest that I "delete some files" and then quits. I did that until I had almost 27M free on my 80M disk and it still didn't have enough space to do it's job! Anyone has any suggestions? I would really appreciate any help or suggestions. Thank you all in advance! roger avatar@dsuper.net ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 12 Jun 1997 7:22:18 -0400 From: "Violette, John" Subject: Buying Advice/Mac Arrogance Years ago when I first subscribed to this list I posted a similar question to this list and an IBM-PC list. I got tons of replies and advice from Info-Mac (all positive) and one response from the PC list saying that list was not the appropriate list to ask that question. I too get constant ridicule from PC coworkers. Perhaps it's because they can see a slight grin on my face everytime they talk about the problems they have installing software and I grin a lot. I guess I'm the arrogant on e they are talking about. I don't think so. Just know a good thing when I see it... I have purchased two Mac's in my personal computer ownership years. A Color Classic and Performa 400. Love them to death. Only problem is that I'm considering changing careers from electronics tech to programmer and this part of the country doesn't really have a demand for Mac programmers. As long as my employer supplies the PC, I will probably never have to get one at home. But I'm really excited about Rhapsody for Intel. Because the Mac OS really looks and feels great to me. You know something else? Intel machines physically look horrible (no style and cheesy plastic cases that discolor)! Most Mac system designers have a really good sense of visual appeal. The only one that seems to come close is the newer Compaq's. enough of my ramblings... Viva Le Mac! John ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 12 Jun 1997 22:10:13 -0400 From: midianite1@aol.com (Midianite1) Subject: Can you help? Hi, You being a prolific computer user, I was hoping to get some information from you if you have any ideas or suggestions. I have been searching a long time through archives and message boards. If there is any info you can offer, I would be grateful. Here we go. . . I was given a focus "Classic Accelerator" that was marketed for Focus by TechWorks around 1992-1994. The TechWorks name is actually printed on the board itself. This accelerator has a 68030 chip on it with a place for one simm chip and an optional FPU slot. It has a dual screw clamp that is designed to press it onto the Classic motherboard. The original box I have with it says Focus Enhancements at the old Woburn address. The users manual is entitled, "Classic Accelerator Installation Guide". When I obtained the accelerator, the person did not have the original installation file disk. Now I am stuck and connot activate the accelerator when I power on the Classic. In the users manual it lists the files that are on the original disk and they are as follows just as they appear typed in the manual. 1. System Folder 2. GraceLAN Personal 3. Classic Accel. Extension (or later) Since FOCUS has been no help, could you please try to direct me to an archive area that may have this software, or to an area where a user might have the original software and could send me a copy. Since it is out of manufacture, I see no problem with asking for a copy. I have already tried "Classic Macs" archives. . . and no luck. Here are some other numbers from the accelerator board itself. #10708-0004 T316090025 (these numbers were on the non-chip side of the card) Thanks for any advise! Craig Perkins ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 12 Jun 97 11:25:52 EDT From: tdlp421@link.com (Nick Blackwell) Subject: Color StyleWriter Pro Does anyone know where I can get a new print head for a Apple Color StyleWriter Pro. I am looking for mail order service. Thanks, Nic nblackwell@link.com ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 12 Jun 1997 12:11:51 -0800 From: glaston Subject: Epson 800 I'm thinking about buying an Epson 800 and would like to hear from anybody using that printer. I presently have a Stylus Pro, which is pretty cranky sometimes, but the results are usually worth the effort. I don't do any professional or production work, I just manipulate photos and images for family and friends, plus the occasional small office project. I don't live where I can get a chance to compare the Stylus Pro and 800 output, so I'm really interested in whether the difference is so significant as to justify buying the 800. Also, is the PostScript option worthwhile? I will digest replies and post them later. TIA Glaston -Mind how you go. ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 12 Jun 1997 08:50:11 -0400 From: dek@resource.ca.jhu.edu (Dale Keiger) Subject: Extensions Bob Cooke, on 6/11/97 you wrote (subject: Extensions): >I'm running a Powerbook 5300 16/750 with 7.5.5 and currently 102 extensions. > >Whenever I start up, the extensions appear as normal along the bottom of >the screen, however when the second row of extension starts, some of the >bottom row is overwritten. > >Why does this happen? Does it matter at all? - - - One hundred and two extensions? Yeowww!!! Anyway...the overwriting of icons during start-up is of no consequence to the performance of the your computer. But if you find it visually annoying, there's an extension (now you're up to 103) called IconWrap II that arranges everything in orderly rows. You can probably hunt it down in the Info-Mac archives or some other shareware-freeware archive. =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Dale Keiger Johns Hopkins University dek@resource.ca.jhu.edu dalek@flash.net =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 12 Jun 1997 09:52:27 -0500 From: Chaz Larson Subject: Extensions At 5:02 AM +0000 6/11/97, Bob Cooke wrote: >For example the Applescript extension is overwritten by Maclink, Popchar >overwrites a small utility I use called the "Cleaning Lady", as well as >various others. > >Why does this happen? Does it matter at all? Each extension that shows an icon on its own contains code to do so. In some cases, the code has not been written to take into account the possibility that the icon will be appearing on the [n > 1] row, so the icon appears in the correct horizontal position, but the incorrect vertical position. Purely cosmetic. Nothing to worry about. chazl - 6.12.1997 - chaz@visi.com ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 12 Jun 97 22:12:26 -0600 From: "Matthew W. Schmeer" Subject: Extensions Manager 2.01? Hey fellow Info-Macers: Having recently aqcuired a used Mac LC II and realizing System 7.5.5 runs way too sluggishly for my tastes, I installed System 7.1 on the litte sucker and it runs like a dream. However, I was hunting through my old software stash and realized that at some point I trashed Extensions Manager 2.01, a shareware extension manager that worked great under 7.1. I searched info-mac, umich (old, old files that haven't been updated since the beginning of 1996), and even had a friend search AOL for me. But no avail. It's not even on Apple's ftp site in the "Unsupported" directory. So does anyone know where I can grab a copy of Extensions Manager 2.01? An URL or an ftp address will do just fine; please don't email me a copy because I have a slow (14.4k) connection to the Net. Thanks! Matthew W. Schmeer ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 12 Jun 97 19:32:00 -0500 From: "Stephen C. Camidge" Subject: Floppy drive disappears under certain conditions This one has me stumped. Under certain conditions, my disk drive does not function (disks will not mount, the drive is not read, utility programs say it does not exist). The drive has been replaced with another one, so it is not a hardware problem. By process of elimination I learned that I can observe this phenomena if: 1) cold boot (a warm boot brings back the drive) 2) Ram Doubler 2.0.1 is installed (Connectix has no reports of this problem) 3) remove all inits/cdevs not explicitly required by the operating system (leaving in Ram Doubler) 4) certain fonts are present One such font was a Multiple Master font, others are normal bitmap fonts. The workaround is simple - disable those fonts. But what in the world do Ram Doubler and fonts have to do with my disk drive? I am running with a 7200/120 under System 7.6.1 with 40 megs of physical ram. Everything else seems to function normally. I haven't had a crash in weeks. I have tried: 1) clean install of my System 2) zapping the PRAM six times in a row 3) replacing the floppy drive 4) examing the hardware with Tech Tools Pro 5) eliminating conflicts So, if you have any ideas on why this is happening, I would love to hear about it. Thank you. Stephen C. Camidge stevec@greynet.net RR #1, Desboro, Ontario N0H 1K0 Canada <*> (519) 363-3912 ------------------------------ Date: 12 Jun 1997 21:52:12 GMT From: carynkr@no.spam.gte.net (Caryn Roberts) Subject: Info-Mac Digest V15 #110 In article <5nj3c0$1sr$1@grapevine.lcs.mit.edu>, digest@info-mac.org wrote: > Date: Mon, 9 Jun 97 09:36:04 -0500 > From: "Kevin L. Hames" > Subject: [Q] Slow Text & Navigator > > Whenever I'm running Netscape Navigator, the speed of text entry slows to > a crawl. For example, as I'm typing this line, it's taking 3 seconds > from the time I press the key to the time when the character appears on > the screen. Note that this problem affects _all_ applications, not just > Navigator, but only appears when Navigator is running or has been run. > The problem disappears when I reboot, and doesn't show up again until I > launch Navigator. > > Here's my system configuration: > > Quadra 700 > 20 MB real RAM, 32 MB w/virtual memory > System 7.6.1 w/Open Transport > Netscape Navigator 3.0.1 > > I've tried the usual troubleshooting techniques, e.g. disabling > extensions, clean system installs, etc., without success. I've also > tried Internet Explorer, but ran into a different problem (it somehow > continually triggers SAM scans; anyway, I prefer Navigator's user > interface), so I'm not sure if it would have a similar problem. > > Has anyone seen or heard of this problem? Any and all suggestions are > welcome. > > TIA! > > klhames@indy.navy.mil On my 68K Mac when using Netscape I have had this problem too. I found that the Bookmarks.html file was causing the problem. Typing slowed down whenever the bookmark file contained more than about 15 entries. I use Web Quick from Europa Software no to manage my bookmarks and URLs. Hope this helps. Peace, Caryn -- visit me at: To email me remove the "no.spam." in my address. correct email: carynkr@gte.net ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 12 Jun 1997 19:56:04 +0100 From: Jan Weijers Subject: Info-Mac Digest V15 #112 >Date: Wed, 11 Jun 1997 01:17:58 -0400 (EDT) >From: Davbs@aol.com >Subject: Eastern European Fonts > >Just got back from Bulgaria where they use non-roman characters. I think it's >the same type of font they use in Russia. What's the easiest way to be able >to get/use these fonts on my computer? >From any info-mac mirror you can download a set of cyrillic (that is what they are called) fonts. You'll find them under font/tt/cyrillic.hqx.gz After unzipping and expanding the file, you install the fonts simply by dragging them on your system folder. You can than use cyrillic characters in any wordprocessor or editor that allows you to change the font. Cyrillic characters are used in Macedonian (some people will claim this is not a lunguage), Bulgarian and Russian. Many of the former republics of the USSR were forced to used cyrillic and some have switched back to Latin now. Some of the Asian republics have even used Arab, Latin and Cyrillic writing, depending on the occupier of the day. But now I'm rambling. Jan Weijers jan@dutch.ftech.co.uk http://www.ftech.net/~dutch ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 12 Jun 1997 07:06:37 -0500 From: "Jonathan D. Sweet" Subject: PB 5300cs 7.6 file sharing won't start I have a PB 5300cs running 0S7.6 and OT 1.1.2. The problem with File Sharing has survived two system upgrades, deletion of all file sharing-related preferences, a full look by NDD and some sure rattling of cables. The problem: In the Sharing Setup cp I click on the "Start" button in the File Sharing sxn and the word "Start" changes to "Cancel" indicating file sharing is starting up. On a machine on which file sharing is working the process would take a minute maximum, but, unfortunately, this word never changes to "Stop" indicating file sharing is up and running and, in fact, file sharing never becomes enabled (whether the word changes or not). I've been getting along by logging into other machines but never can I log in to my own. Clues or suggestions? Jonathan Sweet sweet@freenet.msp.mn.us ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 12 Jun 1997 16:37:47 -0700 From: av639@lafn.org (David Sun) Subject: PB5300 sleeping problem - need your help! Hi, Does anyone have a good explanation for the following behavior on a PowerBook 5300: Whenever my PB goes to automatic sleep mode due to low battery (after the 3rd warning, not due to user-induced type of sleep), it cannot be awaken again unless I hit either the restart button in the back or the power button on the keyboard, even if I plug in the power adaptor right after the PB goes to automatic sleep (the green light on the lid of the screen would not flash as it usually would in a normal (user-induced) sleep and there is also a clicking sound coming from the speaker right when I plug in the adaptor). All the system settings, however, were unaffected by it after the PB is in effect "restarted". My experience with older PowerBooks is that even if the PB goes into an automatic low-battery sleep, it can be awaken by pressing any key after the power adaptor is plugged in and the content of the RAM prior to sleep is preserved. The PB5300 instruction manual even boasts that the content of the RAM could be preserved for up to 1 day after it goes to sleep. Chapter 6, pg 72. This particular problem had been checked out by an authorized Apple service center (who in turn sent the PB to Apple) and it had the following parts replaced with no avail: Power adaptor, logic board, REA top/bottom case kit, & internal battery. (luckily it is still under Apple Warranty!) I'm hesitant to bring this unit back to the service center again since I've already made at least 5 separate trips to have them service the PB (each time a different part was replaced) and I really doubt the problem could be fixed by them or Apple without further guidance from someone with more intelligence. I'm hoping a PB user with similar experience could shed some light on this problem so that the next time I bring the PB to the service center I could "instruct" them to make the "correct" repairs. Please reply directly to: av639@lafn.org Thanks in advance. David "the frustrated" ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 12 Jun 1997 09:55:42 +0100 From: Phil Clark Subject: Query re Macs & NT 4 Folks We run a LAN of Mac clients connecting to a NT 4 server (with SP3), = which most of the time works pretty well. However we sometimes get "Error = -61" errors when trying to save recently-edited files from the Macs back to = the NT server. AFAIK this translates as a "file locked" type error. It can = usually be worked around by editing another file & then returning to the = original. Any ideas why this happens - has anyone come across this problem? All info gratefully received. tia Phil Clark Online Publishing Ltd phil@olp.co.uk ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 12 Jun 1997 08:54:13 -0900 From: Larry Buzzell Subject: Script error puzzle For the past 3 or 4 issues of the Mac Addict CD ROM, I have not been able to use any of the menu items in the interface. Typically, I may choose, say, demo's from the opening screen. This gives another screen with all the demos listed on the left and the description of them on the right. The problem happens here. I click on any item on the left expecting it's description to appear on the right when I get instead the following message: Script Error: Handler not Defined #mGetRef I click okay, and it then displays: #mSet Criteria MacAddict does not know what the reason is. Neither do I! Anyone of you experts have any clue what I may not have to make scripting behave? This CD is the ONLY problem I have running all sorts of applications. Q660AV, 45, 1.2g, sys 7.5.5 ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 11 Jun 1997 22:17:40 -0700 From: Stephen Grady Subject: Word type 1 error Every time a friend trys to open MSWord 6.0.1 on his 7200/120, he receives the following message: The application (unknown) has unexpectantly quit due to a type 1 error. Other MSOffice appications (PowerPoint, Excel) open without a problem. Photoshop, PageMaker, FreeHand, all work. It is just Word. We have run Norton Disk Doctor, and other than a few bundle bits being reset and incorrect dates, everything was clean. He has a PortJugglar installed. Word was working for a couple of weeks after installing the PortJugglar. We were working on a problem with his PaperPort, and fixed that, and Word was still working. Now, 'suddenly' Word is not opening. We have had this problem before, and twice before I reinstalled Word. It runs for a period of time, then the type one errors appear. Any suggestions? ** System info (from what I recall): * PowerMac 7200/120, 80 meg RAM, RamDoubler tripling to 240 meg. * System 7.6.1 (same problem with 7.5.5) * Pretty much standard extensions and control panels (i.e., nothing fancy or added other than drivers, etc. for equipment and applications). * CoStar Label Writer, WriteImpact printer, Epson Colour printer, US Robotics voice modem all attached to the PortJugglar which is connected to the modem port. * Umax colour scanner, Jaz drive, PaperPort on the SCSI chain. * LaserWriter Select 360 connected to the printer port. * SpeedDoubler (latest version) installed. Stephen Grady ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 11 Jun 1997 22:25:10 -0700 From: Stephen Grady Subject: Word type 1 error (two more bits of info) We have increased the memory for Word to 6 meg, with no change in the problem. Microsoft suggested removing the ObjectSupportLib from the system folder. No change in the problem. They also suggested deleting the Word prefs file. No change. Thanks again for any suggestions! Stephen Grady -------------------------------- --Info-Mac-Digest-- End of Info-Mac Digest ******************************