Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!ukma!rutgers!att!pegasus!ech
From: ech@pegasus.ATT.COM (Edward C Horvath)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac.programmer
Subject: Re: Checking for MF (was Re: Need some MF help)
Message-ID: <2756@pegasus.ATT.COM>
Date: 6 Apr 89 21:47:09 GMT
References: <1203@internal.Apple.COM>
Distribution: comp.sys.mac.programmer
Organization: AT&T ISL Middletown NJ USA
Lines: 40

From article <1203@internal.Apple.COM>, by lsr@Apple.COM (Larry Rosenstein):

> People are looking at this from the wrong perspective.  It is natural to 
> want to ask "How do I know if MultiFinder is running?" but that is the 
> wrong way to look at your program.  You should be looking at the system 
> from the point of view of system features, not how those features are 
> implemented. 

This requires a mild flame.

I'll concede the point.  However, the most important "feature" of the
Macintosh interface, as perceived by the end-user, is the appearance of
the graphical screen.  Under MultiFinder, that appearance is QUALITATIVELY
DIFFERENT, since there is "other stuff" behind (or in front of) the
graphical objects that are provided by my app.  As long as screen real
estate is at a premium (which is the forseeable future, especially on
the Compact and Laptop macs), I'm going to want to help my user get the
most mileage out of that screen appearance.  That means I want to be
SENSITIVE to the presence of other apps, just so I can get out of the way.

Arguments to the effect that apps that launch, or react visibly to suspend
events "shouldn't do that" -- that ONLY Apple can break Apple's rules --
reflect a bad attitude.  If Apple needs to do it, someone else does too.
The market is capable of assessing departures from the interface guidelines
and deciding if the departure is appropriate or not.  VersaTerm's behavior
is a case in point: I NEED the whole screen for a 24x80 terminal emulator,
but I want it OUT OF THE WAY when I'm not typing at it.  Lonnie did the
right thing, and the guidelines be damned: they're guidelines, not dogma.

Larry, you have my respect on most issues, but on this one you need to
reassess your position.  Apple does not know best about everything, your
need to innovate is the same as my need to innovate (does SmallTalk-80
follow the interface guidelines?), don't tell me what I need isn't
important, or isn't appropriate.  The Finder ain't perfect.  MultiFinder
isn't either.  The criticisms in the forum have been constructive, not
nasty.  When Apple does well, we all do well.  And vice versa.

OK, flame off.  Keep up the good work, and thanks!

=Ned Horvath