Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!ames!oliveb!apple!keith
From: keith@Apple.COM (Keith Rollin)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac.programmer
Subject: Re: Checking for MF (was Re: Need some MF help)
Message-ID: <28602@apple.Apple.COM>
Date: 8 Apr 89 01:24:41 GMT
References: <1179@internal.Apple.COM> <2749@pegasus.ATT.COM> <1200@internal.Apple.COM> <1558@husc6.harvard.edu> <1212@internal.Apple.COM> <6915@hoptoad.uucp>
Organization: Apple Computer Inc, Cupertino, CA
Lines: 51

In article <6915@hoptoad.uucp> tim@hoptoad.UUCP (Tim Maroney) writes:
>
>Why is that Apple's software (e.g., Hypercard, Finder, Font/DA Mover,
>ResEdit, original MacPaint) is so cavalier about the Mac interface
>standards, while any of us who dare to violate them get our little
>wrists slapped?
>-- 

Who's slapped your wrist? Has anyone come by and taken your software away? You
are welcome to do anything you want. However, Apple has to take a responsible
position and not encourage you to do anything that might cause your programs
to break in the future.

So why don't we do as we say? Why do we seemingly come out with software that
breaks our own guidelines?

Using the the example of MacPaint wasn't really fair. That was one of the first
programs ever written for the Mac, well before all of the guidelines had been
established. As you well know, MacPaint has been revised to work well within
today's current standards.

I don't know what you are referring to when you mention ResEdit. I think that
the current version (1.2b3 or b4) works fairly well. Earlier versions didn't 
follow all of the rules, and as you have probably noticed, they failed with 
newer releases of the System. By not following the rules, even we get bit.

F/DA Mover and the Finder are System Software. I think that F/DA Mover is the
only program that we say is OK to modify the System file (actually, there is
the Installer, too). As such, it gets to have a little carnal knowledge of the
System. The Finder, obviously, is integral to the working of your Macintosh.
Asking why it gets to know about MultiFinder is a bit like asking why Multi-
Finder gets to know about the Finder. However, I personally think that some
thought might have to go into this Desktop drawing thing. Right now, its little
hiney is covered by Macintosh Technote #194, which says that the Window Manager
port is reserved for the system (ie, Finder), but it sets a bad example to all
the developers out there.

Finally, there's HyperCard. On that one, I take the Fifth. HyperCard hides and
draws directly into the menubar, plays around with locating the mouse, draws 
directly to the screen when it can, doesn't have a grow box or scrollbars, is 
limited to just one window, and probably knows how to sublaunch. As a member
of Apple's Developer Technical Support group, I am not the one to defend this.
All I can say is that they did it without help from us! If you want to use any
of these techniques, you are in the same boat as Bill Atkinson.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Keith Rollin  ---  Apple Computer, Inc.  ---  Developer Technical Support
INTERNET: keith@apple.com
    UUCP: {decwrl, hoptoad, nsc, sun, amdahl}!apple!keith
"Argue for your Apple, and sure enough, it's yours" - Keith Rollin, Contusions