Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!clyde.concordia.ca!ccu.umanitoba.ca!umbraico
From: umbraico@ccu.umanitoba.ca (John Braico)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga
Subject: Re: A-Max II - first test results
Message-ID: <1990Sep9.014954.17050@ccu.umanitoba.ca>
Date: 9 Sep 90 01:49:54 GMT
References: <9009050124.AA19152@lilac.berkeley.edu> <20042.26e4e974@oregon.uoregon.edu>
Distribution: na
Organization: University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Canada
Lines: 65

(This is a follow-up to a response, since the original message never
reached this machine)

>In article <9009050124.AA19152@lilac.berkeley.edu>, FILLMORE@EMRCAN.BITNET writes:
>>   I just got my copy of A-Max II in the mail.  During my initial testing
>> I found these bugs:
>> 
>>   1) File Transfer II utility:
>>      a) AmigaDOS file list won't scroll

Although the scroll bar doesn't work, the file list can be scrolled by
selecting a file and dragging the highlight bar outside (above/below) the
requestor (this also causes the scroll bar thumb to follow).

>>      b) Error -80 - Low level disk read/write error on many AmigaDOS disks

I didn't notice this, but there was one annoying bug.  If the mac system
was in DF0:, the disk would be ejected before the program was finished
setting up, and would have to be re-inserted and ejected again.

There are some improvements in this version not mentioned in the ads:

   1) The control key finally works correctly.
   2) The external mac drive is now recognized as drive #2 (making
      it possible to eject disks with shift-amiga-2).
   3) MacEnvy (system information) now reports the emulated mac as
      a Mac Plus instead of a Mac 512e (now more programs that check
      machine type will be able to run).
   4) MacEnvy also reports the presence of a new clock chip (256 bytes
      instead of 20).  So now, longtitude and latitude can be set (at
      least until shut-down).  The mac clock is now regulated by Amiga
      timing circuitry, so the clock will be accurate once it is set,
      even on systems without real-time clocks on the motherboard.
   5) System 6.0.5 now works.
   6) The boot program now runs under Workbench 2.0 (couldn't test this).

The price paid for these improvements (beside upgrade cost):

   1) The emulator overhead is now 192K of RAM instead of 128K.
   2) The ability to switch video modes from the mac boot screen by 
      clicking the right mouse button is gone.

The only major bug I found was the inability to use an arbitrary-sized
overscan screen (set in the system prefs using 'morerows', and selected
with the 'workbench' option under the A-Max program screen).  The ROMs
would load correctly, but the Mac boot screen was trashed.  This wasn't
much of a problem, since the built-in 672x460 mode works, and produces
an excellent display.  But I would appreciate hearing from anyone who
might know why this problem might have occured.

>> ________________________
>> Bob Fillmore, Systems Software & Communications     BITNET:  FILLMORE@EMRCAN
>>   Computer Services Centre,                         BIX:     bfillmore
>>   Energy, Mines, & Resources Canada                 Voice:   (613) 992-2832
>>   588 Booth St., Ottawa, Ontario, Canada  K1A 0E4   FAX:     (613) 996-2953

---
                               John Braico      
                        umbraico@ccu.umanitoba.ca

-- 

---
                               John Braico       
                        umbraico@ccu.umanitoba.ca