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From: kf@mbunix.mitre.org (Fong)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac.hypercard
Subject: Re: Claris just doesn't get it
Message-ID: <121797@linus.mitre.org>
Date: 1 Oct 90 17:04:45 GMT
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Organization: The MITRE Corp., Bedford, MA
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Let's see if we can be positive about this Hypercard 2.0 thing.  I think Apple
does have a clear vision of what it is doing with Claris and as long as a
scriptable version of Hypercard is bundled with every Mac, I disagree that
letting Claris have Hypercard is a bad idea.  I do agree though that the way
this process has been handled has been horrendous (from a PR point of view).
But let's look at the history:

1. The press release said "a complete Hypercard 2.0 authoring system" will be
sold by Claris.  The key word might be "complete" rather than "authoring".
Would you say that Hypercard 1.2.5 has a "complete" authoring system?  Who
hasn't bought some book or software (stacks, xcmds) in order to do serious
authoring or scripting?  I'll agree that Hypercard 1.2.5 clearly has a basic
and capable authoring system, but not complete.  It even lacks a basic
reference for the Hypertalk language.  (And remember that the original bundled
Hypercard had no intro to scripting manual, just the users guide.)

2. Apple has always been a systems vendor, in other words, a box supplier.
Its lack of customer support, except through dealers, who mainly "support"
hardware, is an indication of this fact.  End-user software has always been an
unsupported afterthought.  Apple produces end-user software to implement some
neat idea, but then has taken forever or never (no offense to any Apple
employees) to improve upon the original concept.  Examples, you say, well here
are some examples:
	MacWrite: minor feature improvements over four years
	MacPaint: can we say almost never?
	MacDraw: can we say bug-fix?
	MacTerminal: what version is this at now?  is it still "supported"?
	Finder: does your finder (not system) do much more than version 1.0?
	       haven't we been complaining about lack of user-interface
	       features and improvements?
	MacProject, AppleShare, Apple File Exchange, Font/DA Mover, etc.
Although MPW and MacApp donUt suffer from the no upgrade syndrome (probably
because they are used internally at Apple), they do suffer from no marketing
or support (for non-Partners/Associates).  When HC 2.0 arrives, hopefully, it
will be the exception to this pattern.  Claris has the resources for software
improvements (see next point), Apple doesn't (except for underlying system
software).  When Apple made Claris a wholly-owned subsidiary, Apple recognized
the present economic situation and moved towards making itself a software
vendor as well (thereby upsetting and putting fear third-party software
vendors; although upsetting third parties is not a good thing).  Most analysts
agree (and the stock market and income statements reflect this) that hardware
vendors are in for lean times, but that software vendors will do fine over the
next year.

3. Claris has been a software vendor and has provided software support for all
Claris products, i.e, a newsletter informing you of upgrades with tips, and
telephone support.  Has Apple ever provided you with customer (not developer)
support for software, especially for Hypercard?  Has Apple ever informed you
about any software upgrade (there weren't any upgrades, right?) ?  Other than
hardware "support" through dealers, Apple provides support only to developers
who pay and qualify.  I believe Claris can and will develop more
Hypercard-based products, extending the reach of Hypercard (see point 5).  As
long as it is bundled and assuming that key HC team members move over to
Claris, I will be glad that the Claris subsidiary is working on Hypercard.
And I will expect greater improvements in a shorter time...

4. Apple has its hands full developing basic system software (like the
"first-half 1991" System 7.0).  With much more work to do with all those neat
things that didn't make it into System 7.0 (the wish list: protected memory
multitasking, AppleEvents and AppleScript, more QuickDraw/TrueType/PostScript
development stuff with Adobe, QuickTime (video/animation standards), new print
architecture, Apple help system, document compression, ISDN), and seemingly
greater commitment to A/UX (Apple joined UNIX International and OSF), it's
believable that Apple's software resources will be committed only to basic
system software development (with no end-user support, as usual).

5. Claris is considering creating an Extended System Software (ESS) group that
will handle Hypercard 2.0,  AppleShare (rumored-to-be-transferred), and
AppleMail (basic mail system known-to-be-in-development but never announced).
All of this software is (or will be) provided directly to end users/network
administrators.  I believe the aim of this group would be to apply the
software technology to new markets.  For example, Claris could develop
executive information systems, computer-based training systems, and groupware
software using a combination of HC/AppleShare/AppleMail.  Claris is better at
marketing and supporting application products than Apple.

So this is what I hope the real Hypercard situation is:

Hypercard 2.0 will be bundled with the Macs in the same way that it is now
(possibly minus the Intro to Scripting guide that wasn't originally included
anyway).  As in the past, it will come with additional stacks providing
various productivity tools, a Help stack, and a Hypercard User's Manual.  It
will come out of the box set for the paint level.  Authoring and scripting
levels will be available.  Customer support will be as it is now, namely,
none.

Hypercard 2.0, Developer's version will be sold separately by Claris.  It will
include everything in the bundled version (in other words, the exact same
Hypercard 2.0 application).  In addition, it will include a scripting manual
(stack), hypertalk reference manual (stack), xcmd/xfcn manual.  It will
include an additional debugger, serial port and communications control tools,
interfaces to Think and MPW, and additional examples and tools such as those
found in third-party development stacks or on Apple's CD-ROM developer disks.
It will also include a one-year subscription to Hypercard Technical Notes and
some level of developer support from a Claris Hypercard developer support
team.

From the Apple press releases about Hypercard 2.0 and Claris, there is nothing
that says the above isn't true.  So I will keep my fingers crossed.  (And when
all of this turns out to be wrong, you can yell at me later and say I told you
so  :(.  )

But come on, let's try to be a little more positive even though Apple messed
up by making this more mysterious and confusing than it should've been...

OKAY, OKAY...APPLE EXECUTIVES, MAKE SURE YOU INCLUDE THAT SCRIPT EDITOR XCMD
WITH THE BUNDLED VERSION OF HYPERCARD!!!

Kevin Fong
A Hypercard user and Apple observer
MITRE Corporation
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