Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!uunet!munnari.oz.au!uhccux!waikato!phil
From: phil@waikato.ac.nz
Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac.apps
Subject: Re: Norton v. SUM II
Message-ID: <2164.27317ebd@waikato.ac.nz>
Date: 2 Nov 90 01:12:13 GMT
References: <4272@lib.tmc.edu>
Organization: University of Waikato, Hamilton, New Zealand
Lines: 74

Impressions of Norton Utilities (NU) and a comparison with SUM II (SUM):

The manual was more up to date than Read Me file! Not a big problem, but I
thought it was meant to be the other way around.

NU comes with an installer, which simplies installation. The utilities wanted
are selected, then they are installed in the appropriate place. It didn't mind
that I moved the NU folder into my own Utilities folder after the installation.

A few useful DAs, INITs and CDEVs come with NU, viz:

        Fast Find DA replaces Apple's Find File and it is fast. Has useful
        options, e.g. Open Document.

        DiskLight is an INIT/CDEV which displays an icon (either at the left or
        right of the menu bar) when there is disk access going on. It
        differentiates between read and write and floppy and hard drive and
        might be useful to those who have a hard or floppy disk without a light
        or with its light obscured.

        KeyFinder is a DA which shows all the key combinations in one big
        table. Some people might prefer Key Caps which is slightly more
        interactive and where you see the keyboard layout and get to try the
        different key combinations out.

        Directory Assistance is an INIT that adds some Finder operations to
        Open and Save dialog boxes. It also allows the order that files and
        folders are listed to be changed. I find it a good extension to the
        interface. Being able to select different volumes with a pop up menu
        would be a nice addition (I have another INIT which does this).

        None of the INITs seemed to react unfavourably with the others in my
        arsenal or the applications I've been using lately.

I found deleted file protection easier to enable with Norton.

Disk Doctor checks for desktop and file inconsistencies. On my drive, it found
some files with bundle bits which weren't set (so their proper icons didn't
show) and some files with incorrect dates (from when my Mac was new and I
hadn't set the clock). A report can be produced explaining what was found and
what action was taken, which can be saved to disk as a plain text file.

Speed Disk had similar options and information to SUM Tune Up, but its disk
usage map was easier to see and allowed close inspection of its contents. I
don't know how much use it would be, but it was interesting. I was unable to
compare the optimization, as my disk was not very fragmented (1% according to
SUM, 0.68% according to NU).

The Disk Editor was limited in that sectors couldn't be copied and pasted
(useful for fixing damaged disks by hand) but otherwise provided a lot of
information and allowed changes to be made in an easier format for novice users
than ResEdit provides. SUM was equally limited. FEdit+ is more powerful in this
respect.

Layout Plus is a useful tool. It allows a user to customise Finder and System
settings, something that would otherwise have to be done with ResEdit and a
knowledge of which resources to edit. Most Mac users baulk at tinkering at this
level. NU didn't seem to know that Layout had been renamed Layout Plus, and had
to ask me to find it. It was in the folder where NU was looking for Layout.

On line help in NU is HyperText style and context sensitive. It is one of the
better online help systems I've seen.

NU comes with some extra features not included in SUM II, however SUM provides
a more extensive set of tools. Features provided by SUM II, but not provided by
NU are disk backup, file/folder encryption, fast floppy disk copier and
software disk partitioning.

I doubt if compulsive utility collectors will be able to do without both, as
each has sufficent unique features to justify its purchase.
-- 
Phil Etheridge (phil@waikato.ac.nz)                 /\  /\   -+-,--, .--, ._
Computer Services/Mathematics & Statistics         /  \/  \  / /--< /--  /
University of Waikato, Hamilton, NZ.              /        \/ /__.) \_  /