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From: MacUserLabs@cup.portal.com (Stephan - Somogyi)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac
Subject: Re: What I'd like to see in the AppleShare of the 90's
Message-ID: <25942@cup.portal.com>
Date: 14 Jan 90 18:44:20 GMT
References: <25184@brunix.UUCP> <25862@cup.portal.com> <25447@brunix.UUCP>
Organization: The Portal System (TM)
Lines: 40

gjb@cs.brown.edu (Greg Brail) writes:
 
>Let's say, for example, that you're working on a project on your Mac
>using a copy of Word on the fileserver. Someone accidentally kicks an
>AppleTalk connector apart between you and the fileserver -- or the
>server crashes. The way AppleShare works now, your Mac will crash and
>you'll lose the work you're doing on your project.
 
If you kick out the LocalTalk connector on your Mac, you lose network
services, but your Mac *should not* crash. At least, the AShare client
software shouldn't cause that crash, it should be giving you the "the
server disappeared" dialog.
 
There probably is network software out there that will crash if
suddenly disconnected from the net, but that's not AShare's fault.
 
>If the Mac locked up until it could reach the server again, you
>wouldn't lose any work. Don't feel like waiting? Hit the interrupt
>key, or, as someone else suggested, put an "Abort" button in the
>dialog.
 
I don't feel this is transparent enough for the novice. If the
server's gone, it's gone. You don't want to have to make the net admin
guy run around to all the secretaries saying "hit the 'Don't Wait'
button, the server's down" just after his server's croaked.
 
There is also the instance of the unattended Mac with a server volume
mounted that is doing something. Just because the server goes down for
some reason or other (something as innocuous as maintenance or backup
at 2am would do it) shouldn't mean that a Mac stops dead.
 
Outside influences should never impact a Mac such that it stops doing
what it was doing for its user.
 
I agree that the current scheme is not the best, but I think your
solution makes more problems than it would solve.
 
Stephan Somogyi
NetWorkShop Manager
MacUser