Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!uunet!bu.edu!att!pacbell.com!ucsd!ucbvax!VM.TEMPLE.EDU!V2071A From: V2071A@VM.TEMPLE.EDU ("George A. Piotrowski Jr.") Newsgroups: comp.sys.apple2 Subject: ProTERM (was:Re: GS as a IIe) Message-ID: <9101100605.AA03915@apple.com> Date: 10 Jan 91 05:51:40 GMT Sender: daemon@ucbvax.BERKELEY.EDU Organization: The Internet Lines: 117 On 8 Jan 91 00:19:35 GMT you said: > >unknown@ucscb.UCSC.EDU (The Unknown User) writes: >| >| In article <91005.221046AABENSON@MTUS5.BITNET> AABENSON@MTUS5.BITNET writes: >| >You use ProTERM? How can you use that bug-infested program? It's just >| >completely aweful if you want to use it on a regular basis! > >I agree. > >| ProTERM 2.2 has never crashed on me, and 2.1 only crashed very >| very rarely... > >Seemed to me it always wanted to crash after you went thru [I]nstall. >I never had any telecom program crash as much as that one - even if it >was only 3-6 times. If I have to pay money for something, I expect it >to NEVER go into the monitor. > >| I've never seen any program that comes anywhere near ProTERM... >| The closest is Ascii Express... And that's way behind ProTERM (even though in >| a few places Ascii Express is more powerful than AE)... > >Gee. That's what I use. > >| I would just like to know what you don't like about it.. > >For me, it's several things: > > 1. It crashes. > 2. IT DOES NOT USE INTERRUPTS!! (this means it loses characters) > 3. The scripting is abominable and weak. > 4. The procedure for uploads and downloads is contorted and twisted. > When I do a ZModem download on my IBM, I don't have to do ANYTHING. > In ProTerm, I have to wade thru about 6 to 9 menus. UUUGLLEEEEEEE. > > Probably the major thing is the premise behind all those menus. > The idea is to HIDE the modem from you - (QUICK! what's the modem > access command?). Gee, we users don't know DIDDLEY-SQUAT... gotta > protect us morons from using the modem directy - heaven FORBID > we should figure out what we are doing. > [Stuff Deleted] > When I use a program (like a telecom) I don't want it to bug me > with menus unless I ASK for them. > > [Soapbox off] > >And THAT's the way it was. Good day! > >-- >! InterNet: deety!rat@spool.cs.wisc.edu ! David Douthitt >! UUCP: ...uwvax!astroatc!nicmad!madnix!deety!rat ! Madison, Wisconsin >! {decvax!att}! ! === Apple II Forever === >! Home of Mad Apple Forth and the Tiger Toolbox ! The Stainless Steel Rat I would like everyone who is bashing Proterm to please list the equipment, peripherals, inits/das/cdevs, and system version. I have been using Proterm 2.1 & for the last year 2.2, and have had very little problem with it at all. The only time I would lose characters would be when I have Appletalk active and I boot to GSOS. I have my HD setup to boot to ProDOS8 and have a menu option on Prosel-8 to boot to GSOS. I don't go to GSOS to use Proterm since I have my computer set up for printing to Network printers. I have heard that the problems is with the way Proterm handles interrupts. Otherwise, Proterm is my most used comm program I own. I work in an Apple 2 and Mac environment and I use Proterm and Microphone II on the Mac. I find myself using Proterm more often because it seems more comfortable. I used to use Ascii Express years ago, then Mousetalk, and then finally Proterm. I will agree that with version 2.1, the macro language seemed like a foreign language because the dox have almost no info on how to write them. But the new manual for 2.2 explains them in detail, including how to link diff. kinds of macros. It has been so helpful in taking advantage of the power in the program. It was also the only comm program on the Apple that would support YMODEM. I called alot of local BBS's and most of them made it easier to d/l programs using YMODEM instead of XMODEM. (because of the batch capability) The other main feature I like the most is the scrollback. I currently have 2 megs in my ][gs (for the last 4 months) and I can get online to any service, do whatever I need to do, and then afterward I can scrollback thru my session and also save the scrollback to disk for later scanning. That way I can leave messages go by without necessarily reading them until I am offline and not being charged for reading them. I don't see where you have a problem with the menus. They are straight forward and easy to use. ( I am a computer programmer, and I still like the interface). I would wish that they would have a few of the file dialog standard keys to the way files and volumes are selected (like tab to change drives). And if you are bothered by typing in a few commands, you can program a global macro to d/l a file at the push of one button (actually option-button). If you want to continue bashing Proterm, please give some more detail about your problems instead of just saying "It loses characters" or "It bombs alot". I have rarely had Proterm bomb on me. I don't remember the last time that 2.2 bombed on me. Ok, I think I have said enought for now. Live Long and Prosper! ________________________________________________________________________ George A. Piotrowski, Coordinator CREN/Bitnet: V2071A@TEMPLEVM Educational Computing Center Internet: v2071a@vm.temple.edu Temple University AppleLink: PIOTROWSKI1 Philadelphia, PA 19122 America Online: GaPio (215) 787-6228 CI$: 74046,1304 Genie: G.PIOTROWSKI Doc Brown: Obviously, the Time Continuum has been disrupted creating this New Temporal Event Sequence resulting in this Alternate Reality! ________________________________________________________________________ Acknowledge-To: