Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Path: utzoo!utgpu!water!watmath!clyde!rutgers!husc6!cmcl2!brl-adm!brl-smoke!gwyn From: gwyn@brl-smoke.UUCP Newsgroups: comp.sys.apple Subject: Re: handholding on GS (Thanks) Message-ID: <5979@brl-smoke.ARPA> Date: Sat, 13-Jun-87 23:03:41 EDT Article-I.D.: brl-smok.5979 Posted: Sat Jun 13 23:03:41 1987 Date-Received: Sun, 14-Jun-87 18:39:25 EDT References: <376@sdics.ucsd.EDU> Reply-To: gwyn@brl.arpa (Doug Gwyn (VLD/VMB) ) Organization: Ballistic Research Lab (BRL), APG, MD. Lines: 34 In article <376@sdics.ucsd.EDU> norman@sdics.UUCP (Donald A. Norman) writes: >The GS really is a kludge. Maybe Apple couldn't help >it, given that they had to make it downward compatible with the II+ ... The IIGS is actually fairly nice in the strictly 16-bit domain. It is indeed the need to operate compatibly in the 8-bit domain that is responsible for virtually all the kludgery. However, until there is a lot of IIGS-specific software available the 8-bit compatibility is a very important and useful feature. >GOing into soft panels (control panels and the >like) is a real pain, especially since some programs seem to clobber >access to the control panel. Yes, the control panel mechanism requires interrupts and some 8-bit software disables them. In such a case, one has to invoke RESET to be able to reach the control panel, and that normally screws up the software so you have to reboot afterwards. I've found that (80-column mode, slow speed, alternate display mapping enabled) is a combination that works with MOST (not all) old software. >Apple's manuals are pathetic. They smile and have pretty >pictures, but they fail to give examples (one example is worth a >thousand smiles) and they fail to give essential techical information. The Apple IIGS technical documentation will be available (published by Addison-Wesley), starting in July. It's fairly complete (and massive!) but is not the sort of thing that needs to be shipped with every system. Hang in there; the IIGS has quite a bit of potential well beyond anything the older Apple IIs could support. I've already found many more uses for mine than I ever had for the //e (e.g. it's an integral part of my stereo system).