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From: chem194@csc.canterbury.ac.nz (John Davis)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga.programmer
Subject: Re: Information on Amiga Technical Reference Seri
Message-ID: <1991Jun3.140107.945@csc.canterbury.ac.nz>
Date: 3 Jun 91 02:01:07 GMT
References: <21956@cbmvax.commodore.com> <1603@glyph.kingston.ny.us> 
 <1991Jun2.121530.942@csc.canterbury.ac.nz> <1991Jun2.003143.21316@cunixf.cc.columbia.edu>
Organization: Chem Dept, U of Cant, ChCh NZ
Lines: 37

In article <1991Jun2.003143.21316@cunixf.cc.columbia.edu>, es1@cunixb.cc.columbia.edu (Ethan Solomita) writes:

> 	Hmm. Very interesting idea. CD-ROMs are becoming more and
> more widespread. If CATS released the entirety of the series on
> CD ROM, perhaps charged $150 or so for the CD, and included
> programs to automate interfacing with the Amiga via word
> processing, printer output, etc., I think CBM would have a
> serious product, one that would improve efficiency.

Ideally it should have some form of hypertext front end -
makes following the complex interelation of data structures
a lot easier (though it does make for a LOT more work in
both creating the front end, and in setting up the database).

The Unix system I've used has just that (running under X) - the
time it saves it really unbelievable. Anyone who brings out something
similar on the Amiga would be onto a sure-fire seller (even at $300+ ..
it's so convenient people will happily pay serious money for it).
 
The only real problem I see is the agreement Addison Wesley has with CBM
for the amiga tech ref series - depending on the limits of the agreement
it might mean A-W has sole rights.
 
> 	If, for example, from CED I press a function key that
> signifies the autodocs, type a keywork, and then up pops a window
> which I can cut-and-paste from...

you can already do that using CED, ARexx and a bit of glue ( in fact
I'm certain there's an example of just how to do it in one of the 
arexx examples dirs on the CED disk). Trouble is it only
uses the autodocs - better than nothing, but often you end up
having to drag out the full RKMs to clarify the situation...
 
-----------------------------------------------------------
| o      John Davis - CHEM194@csc.canterbury.ac.nz       o |
| o    (Depart)mental Programmer,Chemistry Department    o |
| o  University of Canterbury, Christchurch, New Zealand o |