Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!rutgers!tut.cis.ohio-state.edu!purdue!bu.edu!bu-cs!dartvax!eleazar.dartmouth.edu!isle
From: isle@eleazar.dartmouth.edu (Ken Hancock)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac
Subject: Broadcast (Was: What I'd like to see in the AppleShare of the 90's)
Keywords: accounting, communications
Message-ID: <18584@dartvax.Dartmouth.EDU>
Date: 18 Jan 90 02:28:42 GMT
References: <25184@brunix.UUCP> <25862@cup.portal.com> <25447@brunix.UUCP> <25942@cup.portal.com> <1990Jan15.173834.27744@phri.nyu.edu> <581@gargoyle.uchicago.edu> <19068@netnews.upenn.edu> <18541@dartvax.Dartmouth.EDU>
Sender: news@dartvax.Dartmouth.EDU
Organization: Computer Resource Center, Dartmouth College
Lines: 45

In article <18541@dartvax.Dartmouth.EDU> jalden@eleazar.dartmouth.edu (Joshua M. Alden) writes:
>    One problem that I see with using Broadcast in this capacity is that
>in order to receive the messages, each user must have it in the System
>Folder.

Yeah, but you also have to have AppleShare installed in your System.
With AppleShare, you can't even drag it in like Broadcast, but you
have to use the installer scripts.to use AppleShare.
The  whole point is moot.

>    Broadcast has a bad reputation among those of us who work at User
>Services here at Dartmouth.  A Broadcast message that pops up at a bad
>time can produce crashes that are much worse than what I've seen from a
>networking loss.  Also, if alot of people start using it (like our
>freshmen this year), the net slows measurably.

Personally, I've never had a crash due to Broadcast, but I don't doubt
that others have.

>    My own personal gripe about Broadcast is that it is highly
>invasive.  It pops up a dialog that must be acknowledged and dealt with
>before anything else can happen.  Often to the detriment of whatever
>you're doing at the time, like saving a document, or running some sort
>of interactive program that requires quick responses (like games and
>some communications packages).
>
>    So, in summary, I wouldn't recommend Broadcast for much of anything,
>let alone as an aid to network administration.

Unfortuantely, Broadcast is abused at Dartmouth.  Students tend to use
it as a conversation mode.  (You know about teenagers and telephones,
right?)  Back before everyone and their pet hamster had broadcast,
it was extremely useful for occasional messages or important notices.
If you're managing a network with professionals who aren't going to
abuse it, it's a wonderful tool.



Ken

--
Ken Hancock '90            | DISCLAIMER: I'm graduating and looking for
Consultant                 |             a job, so I'll stand by my words.
Computer Resource Center   |==============================================
Dartmouth College          | EMAIL: isle@eleazar.dartmouth.edu