Little Bits
By Andrew Roughan
Copyright (c) 1990 Apple Users' Group, Sydney
Republished from Applecations, a publication of the Apple Users' Group, Sydney, Australia.
o Just recently my University allowed mere students the ability to read news and access computer sites from around the world. In my electronic wanderings I have been through every state in the USA so far, picking up tidbits from Apple // oases in the large Unix world. The amount of Apple // material available on educational installations is really quite impressive and easily stacks up to the amount available for the Amiga. Any user of this network can be overwhelmed by the sheer size of it. Personal email can be sent to anyone on the network; you only need to know their address. Replies are virtually instantaneous when compared to the postal service. Conversations about various aspects of the //GS with Matt Deatherage and Dave Lyons, Apple Computer employees, are only as far away as your keyboard.
Here are some interesting offerings:
- Prodos 8 1.9 has been released along with Basic System 1.4.1. Prodos now has a mini-finder incorporated into the quit call instead of the usual Enter prefix/pathname combination. At this stage v1.9 is not compatible with the current GS/OS system disk so don't copy it onto there.
- The latest discussion topic is pictures for the //GS which use (up to) 3200 colours. This is achieved by using 16 colours on each of the 200 scan lines, which needs 200 different colour palettes. Normally the GS can handle 16 of these palettes, so special timing software is required to display and paint the pictures. The AUG BBS has a selection of these pictures and display programs. Hopefully converters and paint programs will also become available shortly.
- A word of warning for those who are thinking of pulling the GS keyboard apart (e.g. for the DVORAK plan): The keys in the different lines are shaped differently and some keys actually connect differently so they can't be rearranged. Also, the return key is very hard to put back so try not to take it off!
o Don McLennan, a Wodonga resident, contacted the club asking for documentation on a 1978 Apple Serial Card and a CED card reader. The serial card apparently has only one DIP switch with 7 dips and two 20 pin ROMS. If you have documentation for a card which matches that description please contact Don at 7 Bourke Cresent, Wodonga VIC 3690.
o A non-AUG member, Dean Evans, is trying to locate a basic program for the //e which would allow him to enter sharemarket data, perform his own calculations, and then plot several columns of data. If anyone has such a program or can help Dean set up Appleworks and Graphworks to do the job, could they please contact him at 8/28 Onslow Avenue, Elizabeth Bay NSW 2011. It may be an idea to include a spiel about the wonderful benefits of the Apple Users Group and include a membership application form.
o Just a reminder, any member who entices another person to join the AUG is entitled to a free library disk. Just
include your name and member number on their application form.
o At the September Apple //GS SIG meeting, Cameron Brawn gave a demonstration of two hard disk backup programs ProSEL 16 by Glen Brendon and Salvation by Vitesse.
o Dataflow attended the September Apple // meeting and showed off Print Shop 3 and other new products, drew a raffle and left some software for review. Contact Dataflow on (02)331-6153 for their latest product catalog. Thank you Dataflow. Peter Phillips, the Apple // column writer for Your Computer magazine, also attended and gave an address about his involvement with the Apple // range.

THIS CONTENT COPYRIGHT © 2007, APPLE MACINTOSH USERS' GROUP, SYDNEY
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PLEASE CREDIT THE AUTHOR AND THE SOURCE: Applecations, publication of the Apple Users' Group, Sydney, Australia

THIS PAGE COPYRIGHT © 2007, ANDREW ROUGHAN