Path: utzoo!attcan!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!clyde!uunet!snorkelwacker!apple!apple.COM!han
From: han@apple.COM (Byron Han, Project Scapegoat)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac.programmer
Subject: Re: Communications Toolbox questions
Message-ID: <5614@internal.Apple.COM>
Date: 5 Dec 89 22:25:52 GMT
Sender: usenet@Apple.COM
Organization: Apple Computer, Inc. - N&C
Lines: 40
References:<9125@hoptoad.uucp> <36869@apple.Apple.COM> <9194@hoptoad.uucp>

In article <9194@hoptoad.uucp> tim@hoptoad.uucp (Tim Maroney) writes:
> Then the toolbox file, which
> *is* of type INIT or RDEV, contains its own INIT-31-type resource that
> only picks up files of the new type.  Running INITs is pretty easy; the
> real INIT 31 resource is only 474 bytes of code.

We had our own INIT mechanism.  We took it out.  first major reason was 
viral protection.  The second reason was why reinvent the wheel?  it was 
yet another added piece of complexity.

Furthermore, fully implementing the INIT 31 mechanism from an INIT is 
rather tricky if you want to deal with sysz resources and the application 
heap being reinitialized.

CommToolbox is in the system file because it is a basic part of system 
software.  it is not optional.  that is the marketing reason. the 
technical reason is that under multifinder, we have to play far fewer 
games with resource file management if we can assume that commtoolbox 
resources come from the system file.  the execution time binding of tools 
to applications does not come easily.

> I don't see any serious
> problems with this approach; it seems like a simple technical solution
> to a serious user interface issue.

It is very easy to be an armchair quarterback.  One of the reasons 
CommToolbox took a long time from initial concept to release was that we 
went down a lot of blind alleys and actually had working production code 
that we threw away and started over to improve the user experience.

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| Disclaimer: Apple has no connection with my postings.                   |
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Byron Han, CommToolbox Scapegoat  "DeAnza 3 - R.I.P. - 10/17/89 5:04PM"
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