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From: chewy@apple.com (Paul Snively)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac.programmer
Subject: Re: More Help with ScrnBase, Please
Message-ID: <9993@goofy.Apple.COM>
Date: 30 Aug 90 21:46:43 GMT
References: <1990Aug29.022048.674@murdoch.acc.Virginia.EDU>
Sender: usenet@Apple.COM
Distribution: usa
Organization: Apple Computer, Inc.
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In article <1990Aug29.022048.674@murdoch.acc.Virginia.EDU> 
mil@mendel.acc.Virginia.EDU (Maria I. Lasaga) writes:
> There are tech notes that amplify information that is available in 
> Inside Macintosh, such as how to optimize copybits.  I don't think
> that information that amplifies how to use the alternate screen
> buffer would be inappropriate.

Neither do I--especially if it were to be in conjunction with information 
about how to do page-flipping on Macintosh II family video cards that are 
capable of it.  Again, a priority (for us) is to provide information 
that's useful across the line.

> I disagree that the primary application of the alternate screen buffer
> is for games.

In academia, I'm sure that you're correct.  I should have been clearer and 
said that among the folks whose questions we see the most, the primary 
application seems to be...

> This is a very common operation used by many of my colleagues
> nationwide who use IBM PC's in their research.  I happen to prefer
> the Macintosh system.  I know of at least some other colleagues who use 
Macs
> who could use some illumination on how to switch between a main and an
> alternate screen buffer of a Mac.  I don't think I am alone in academia.

I'm certain that you aren't, and I agree that the information is quite 
useful.  Hopefully you found some of the other followups helpful.

> > However, the alternate screen buffer, along with code to utilize it, is
> > presented very well in one of MacTutor Magazine's anthologies of back
> > issues.  The article is by Mike Morton, and I highly recommend it.
> >
> 
> Great.  Can I bother you for the date of the article?  I don't subscribe
> to MacTutor, and will need to borrow a copy.  

One of our fellow netters posted the info.

> That would be great if a little more emphasis would be placed
> on assisting software development in the academic environment. I think
> there might be more individuals who would switch from IBM PC's to
> macs in the academic world if more support were provided.  I could be
> wrong.

Actually, from the consortium onward, I'd always felt that our approach to 
higher education was pretty good--although we certainly are exploring ways 
to make it better.  We have several Apple Partners who are academics, and 
hopefully they find being Partners worthwhile.  (For example, most of the 
Macintosh Allegro Common Lisp questions that I see are from either 
academic or government sites.)

> However, it seems from your message that few individuals other than
> myself or those that develop games for the mac have any use for the
> alternate screen buffer.  So perhaps I shouldn't be complaining
> about the lack of documentation.

Well, it can certainly be tough to find what you want/need to know among 
the tons of stuff about the Mac that exists, whether it's got an Apple 
label on it or not.  Certainly my opinion is that MacTutor is an extremely 
valuable non-Apple-affiliated resource for Mac programmers.

I hope that the other followups have helped you!

__________________________________________________________________________
                                Paul Snively
                      Macintosh Developer Technical Support
                             Apple Computer, Inc.

chewy@apple.com

Just because I work for Apple Computer, Inc. doesn't mean that I believe 
what they believe, or vice-versa.
__________________________________________________________________________