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From: unknown@ucscb.UCSC.EDU (The Unknown User)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.apple2
Subject: Re: One or two guesses ..
Message-ID: <10149@darkstar.ucsc.edu>
Date: 15 Dec 90 23:12:39 GMT
References: <90348.144117BF9ASANU@MIAMIU.BITNET>
Sender: usenet@darkstar.ucsc.edu
Organization: University of California, Santa Cruz; Open Access Computing
Lines: 66


In article <90348.144117BF9ASANU@MIAMIU.BITNET> BF9ASANU@MIAMIU.BITNET writes:
>     With the upcoming release of SSv5.0.4, I have a few guesses as to
>what we can expect in the next MAJOR system release, and one or two
>suggestions as to what should be released.
>A.  CloseView NDA : Magnifies IIGS screen for the visually impaired.

	I could swear that this already exists.. I remember seeing it when
Jean Luc Picard.... errr...  Jean Louis Gassee showed off 5.0 at an AppleFest
a few years ago.

>B.  Video Keyboard : NDA keyboard for those who have trouble typing.

	See my comment above.
 
>D.  Another rewrite of the tools to increase speed.  Expect this rewrite
>    to be user configurable for speed vs. memory usage.  I believe Jim
>    Merritt hinted at this at the last KansasFest.

	This would be awesome, but it seems that a few things were proved
to be "lies" (probably not known as lies when they were told) later
though, so this certainly could be one of them. I'm talking about statements
that I believe Ralph Russo and Jane ???? made at KansasFest about the //.

>E.  HFS FST : I believe that Apple has this one already written.  It's
>    unforunate that I can't make two Apple products communicate with one
>    another.  It IS possible to do, using AFE on the Mac, and HFSLink on
>    the IIGS, but an Apple produced solution is a much cleaner way to
>    do things.   It's my feeling that this will be released once System 7.0
>    is released for the Mac.  A case of intentionally preventing the IIGS
>    from showing up the Mac.

	I also think this has already been written, at least partially...
I also believe the engineers have built complete bridge machines and the
rumored GS+... But will ANY of it see the light of day?!

>F.  AFE GS : A version of Apple File Exchange for the IIGS would add an
>    additional lane to the current one way street of file transfers.
	
	Unless you're talking about the file conversion capabilities of
Apple File Exchange instead of the operating system conversions, what's
the point? Just a whole slew of FSTs would do the trick.
 
>    Finally, Jim Merritt did say that Apple is investigating new II CPU's.
>I can add two optimistic pieces of fact to my belief that Apple will
>produce a new IIGS.

	See my comment below the quoted HSF FST portion!

>1.  If Apple intends on dropping the IIGS, why do they continue to create
>    incredible system software for the IIGS, and why would they expend the
>    effort to write such programs as HyperCard IIGS and MidiSYNTH for a
>    machine they intend to abandon?

	Hey I'm not saying they're gonna drop it right away, but even if
they are, they're not totally stupid enough to stop writing system software
and the like... Remember, in their eyes at least, new System Software 
can make the bridge between the // and Mac closer to being a reality.
 
>2.  Disenfranchised users would haunt Apple if they dropped the II.

	Yup, I agree with you there!
-- 
/Apple II(GS) Forever! unknown@ucscb.ucsc.edu MAIL ME FOR INFO ABOUT CHEAP CDs\
|WRITE TO ORIGIN ABOUT ULTIMA VI //e and IIGS! Mail me for addresses, & info. | 
\   "Dammit Bev, is it you inside or is it the clown?" -IT by Stephen King    /