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Path: utzoo!utcs!utcsscb!pete
From: pete@utcsscb.UUCP
Newsgroups: net.micro.atari16
Subject: Re: What works under Magic
Message-ID: <433@utcsscb.UUCP>
Date: Thu, 30-Oct-86 19:09:57 EST
Article-I.D.: utcsscb.433
Posted: Thu Oct 30 19:09:57 1986
Date-Received: Thu, 30-Oct-86 22:58:21 EST
References: <8610100526.AA25418@ames-nas.ARPA> <861028-163116-1001@Xerox>
Reply-To: pete@utcsscb.UUCP (Peter Santangeli)
Organization: Univ. of Toronto - Scarborough Campus "B" VAX
Lines: 62
Keywords: Magic Sac Mac Cartridge
Summary: Not Everything, but LOTS

In article <861028-163116-1001@Xerox> BillHolland.ES@XEROX.COM.UUCP writes:
>How about a update on the Magic Sac.
>
>Bill

	Hi!
	I've had the Magic Sac since very soon after it came out. Version
2.00 of the driver software is now available, and improves things somewhat.
	Do not get me wrong. Everything does not work on the Cartridge, and
if you have a specific program in mind, CHECK FIRST (mail me. I can probably
help you out.) The version 2.00 driver software cures the serial port troubles
that plagued the earlier version. I know of 2 terminal programs that work with
the Sac. Freeterm, and TermWorks. These are both shareware. ie. if you use it
pay for it. Both of these programs are faily simplistic, but do have good
downloading capabilities. Unfortunately, Red Rider does not work.

	Other software that works (or seems to!):

	MacPaint, MacDraw, Redit, Edit, Finder (4.1 and earlier)
	Basic, JoyPaint, ClipArt Effects, certain RamDisks, Font Librarian,
	Iago (a game), Wizards Fire, Daleks II
	Most DA's that I have found.

	Major Dissapointments (didn't work):
	ResEdit, Fedit, Wizardry (boo hoo!), Fortran (My transfer may not
	have worked properly), MDS Assembler, Finder 5.3 etc, Rmaker,
	MacWrite (Dave Small is working on this) MacWord.

	Also note another shortcoming of the system. In order to easily use
any printing functions of these programs, you must have either a working
printer driver for your Atari style printer FOR THE MAC, or an imagewriter
(this is by far the simplest way, but it is a pain to keep unhooking it
from you Mac :-) In order to help alleviate this problem, I have written
an Imagewriter -> Epson printer code translator. All I have to do now is
hook it into the driver software. I'll let you know how it goes. 

	One Interesting Aspect of the Cartridge is that it gives you a
chance to easily compare the software aspects of the two systems without
having the hardware get in the way. As a rule, and to my own great surprise,
I very much prefer running under GEM than the Finder. The Finder is *very*
slow, requires excessive disk swaps given a one drive system, and takes
forever to load in desk accessories when you need them. It does have a much
more flexible memory allocation system, but you pay heavily for it in speed.
	As for drop down menues vs pull down menues, this is *definitely* a
matter of preferance (good religeous war topic!). I much prefer a well thought
out GEM desktop arrangment to the Finders slowness. While I'm on the topic,
does anybody know whether GDOS changes the GEM desktops features at all?

	Anyways, Summary:
	If you want to have access to Mac software, check first, but the
Magic Sac is probably a good way to go. If you are looking for a more
powerfull programming environment, check into a Good CLI before going to
the Magic Cartridge.

					Thanks for reading my wordyness
					Pete
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Pete Santangeli
pete@utcsscb.UUCP
psantangeli on BIX