SharewareShareware SolutionsSolutions IIII An Exciting Apple II Journey Into The Future

Volume 3, Issue 4 March, 1997 Spectrum Internet Suite The Apple II And The Web ASCII text files. or PPP connection to the Inter- net, thereby allowing an Apple Apple II owners have had access The web is gradually being IIGS computer to connect to and to the Internet’s world wide web transformed into a hypermedia talk with other computers on the since virtually the day it went based global playground, school- Internet in much the same public three long years ago. All room, and library that contains manner that a Mac or PC can it takes to surf the web using an just about any and all infor- today. There’s only one slight Apple II is a fast modem, a tele- mation you could possibly want problem: it’s been almost two communications software pro- or imagine. The world wide web years since Taubert announced gram that supports VT-100 em- is even starting to change the that his full suite of Internet ulation (such as AnsiTerm, Pro- way many of us work and play. tools was nearing completion Term, or Spectrum), and either And, that’s been both a blessing and was almost ready to be re- a dial up Unix Shell account and a sore spot for many Apple leased. But, two years in the with an Internet Service Pro- II owners. computer world is like a life- vider or an account on the Genie time, and many Apple IIGS or Delphi online networks. In the past year or two, there owners have simply given up has been a proliferation of easy hope that we’d ever have a Net- Once online, Apple II owners to use mouse driven, graphic scape like web browser program. can run the lynx web browser based programs released for and be surfing the web in sec- Mac and PC platforms that However, unknown to most Ap- onds. Lynx – a program which makes surfing the web a sheer ple IIGS users, a small and se- resides on your Internet Service joy. Even the most avid of Apple cretive group of programmers Provider’s computer system, not II lynx users would probably have been hard at work on an al- on your Apple II – provides a make the switch to Netscape or ternative web browser ever since speedy and efficient way to Microsoft Explorer, if only they KansasFest ’96, and the result access the world wide web. Lynx could. But, there are no IIGS of their hard work is Spectrum is text based, and that is both versions of those programs a- Internet Suite or SIS for short. its greatest strength and its vailable, and it is unlikely that Quite simply, SIS is the most greatest weakness. there ever will be. exciting, fantastic, spectacular, mind boggling, stunning, won- With lynx, it’s possible for Over the past few years how- derful and phenomenal program Apple II users to retrieve and ever, Apple II owners have ever created for the Apple IIGS! view any and all text based con- heard snippets of information tent from the world wide web, and rumors about Derek Tau- How SIS Started download platform independent bert’s IIGS based TCP/IP proj- graphic and sound files, and ect, and many of us have had At KansasFest ’96, Dave Hecker download Apple II and IIGS high hopes that Taubert’s of Seven Hills Software had a software from the numerous GS/TCP project would eventu- meeting with Ewen Wannop and Apple II software archives ally evolve into a full and com- Richard Bennett to ponder and available on the Internet. And, plete set of IIGS based Internet discuss the future of Apple IIGS make no mistake about it – lynx programs, one of which could telecommunications. Almost by is the fastest web browser in easily be a graphic based mouse chance, Tim Buchheim, one of existence! However, lynx is lim- driven web browser. Genie’s A2Pro sysops, was there ited in that it uses the text and when the subject turned to screen to display information. When Taubert’s GS/TCP project the world wide web, Tim asked Yet the world wide web contains is eventually released, it will the question that would forever so much more than just plain permit a IIGS to make a SLIP change the Apple IIGS: “Why do

Shareware Solutions II 1 Shareware Solutions II we need TCP/IP to write a web coordinate the SIS project. Tim browser?” Buchheim agreed to provide Volume 3, Issue 4 technical programming tips on Why indeed? how to create a web browser Shareware Solutions II is pub- that doesn’t use TCP/IP. Rich- lished by Joe Kohn, 166 Alpine A realization dawned on Dave ard Bennett, whose recent ex- Street, San Rafael, CA 94901- Hecker: “When a Mac or PC con- perience writing the Spectrum 1008. nects over a modem to establish port drivers gave him an inti- a TCP connection, that’s a serial mate knowledge of telecommun- Publisher/Writer: Joe Kohn connection, with one byte at a ications, agreed to assist as a Roving Reporter: Cynthia Field time being sent or received.” technical consultant. Finally, Contrib. Writer: Steve Disbrow Geoff Weiss, with his skilled Proofreader: Jane Kos That realization led to a new and well informed knowledge of perspective; perhaps there real- how the Internet works, was Entire contents of Shareware ly might be another way to pro- recruited to develop the set of Solutions II copyright (©) 1997 vide IIGS users with a web sophisticated Spectrum scripts by Joe Kohn. All rights are browser. After all, Ewen Wann- that slowly evolved into Spec- reserved. Nothing may be re- op’s Spectrum program was al- trum Internet Suite. And, the printed or reproduced, in whole ready allowing IIGS owners to SIS team was off and running. or in part, in any media without connect to the Internet, and the prior written consent of Joe Richard Bennett’s recently up- Afterwards, Ken Lucke, who had Kohn. dated serial port drivers for previously written some sophis- Spectrum proved that Spectrum ticated Spectrum scripts, was Available by subscription only, could already process large a- recruited for his expertise and several options are available: mounts of data passing through knowledge of Spectrum. By early the IIGS serial port. January, 1997, the SIS team A) The first 18 issues: $55 for was expanded to include beta US/Canada; $75 elsewhere. Approaching the problem from testers. KansasFest organizers an entirely different perspective Cindy Adams and Tim Kellers B) The next 6 issues/Renewal: than ever before, the Seven came on board, followed by $25 for US/Canada; $40 else- Hills team came to the conclu- David Kerwood and by mid- where. sion that since all home pages January, 1997, Max Jones of on the world wide web are es- Juiced.GS and I were recruited Make all checks payable to Joe sentially just ASCII text files, to join the beta test team. Kohn. US Funds Only. No there was no reason on earth charge cards, purchase orders or why Spectrum couldn’t be modi- Geoff Weiss had already set up COD orders will be accepted. fied to become a web browser. an Internet based mailing list system that allowed the SIS This newsletter was created The Seven Hills team discussed team to stay in constant com- entirely with an Apple IIGS. All their observations with fellow munication via e-mail, and it articles written in AppleWorks Apple IIGS user Geoff Weiss, a was through that mailing list Classic. Page Layout prepared System Administrator for a that bug reports were sub- in AppleWorks GS. Printing Washington, DC area Internet mitted, new features were sug- was done on a Hewlett-Packard Service Provider, and Geoff con- gested, and new revisions were LaserJet IIP Plus, connected to firmed that what Ewen and distributed. the IIGS courtesy of Vitesse’s Richard had proposed was en- Harmonie. The use of TrueType tirely feasible, practical and By the time Max Jones and I fonts is courtesy of WestCode possible to achieve using Spec- joined the SIS team, there had Software’s Pointless. trum. already been more than 25 updates to Ewen’s web browser E-mail Addresses: Before KansasFest ended, Ewen and to Geoff’s scripts. The day CIS: 76702,565 Wannop decided to write a web we joined the team, we were e- GENIE: JOE.KOHN browser display for Spectrum. mailed an update to Spectrum INTERNET: [email protected] Dave Hecker of Seven Hills that updated the KansasFest Software agreed to lead and ’96 version of Spectrum v2.1 to

2 Shareware Solutions II March, 1997 the v2.1 release version. We Software in late 1993. It has Spectrum Internet Suite also received Ewen’s latest ver- already been updated several sion of the web browser, Geoff’s times, with each update offering SIS was created, in essence, by latest set of scripts, and an new and powerful features; the building onto the power and assortment of monospaced and latest update was released at strength of Spectrum and its as- proportional bit-mapped fonts, KansasFest ’96. sociated plug-in XCMDs and as well as a font for displaying Displays. SIS combines a new “dingbat” style symbols. Spectrum is a remarkably full Browser XDisplay with a new featured program that operates WindowManager XCMD and an As I downloaded all those com- under GS/OS and employs the updated Database XCMD, along ponents, I really had no idea friendly and familiar IIGS desk- with a powerful set of Spectrum what to expect. I speculated and top interface. Spectrum allows scripts that will allow you to imagined that SIS was prob- IIGS owners to use their mo- surf the world wide web on your ably just a fancy front end for dems to connect to local Bul- IIGS, using your mouse as your the lynx web browser. In any letin Board Systems, online net- guide. case, my imagination just never works and the Internet. Then prepared me for the amazing again, all Apple II telecommu- SIS will let you surf the web if journey that awaited me, and nications programs do that. you have an account on the Ge- that will await you when you But, it is because Spectrum is nie online network, or a dial up start using SIS! In the first 24 GS/OS based, it is in a class of Unix shell account with an In- hours of testing SIS, I was so its own. In addition to having ternet Service Provider; SIS amazed and stunned by what I pull down menus and the ability does not work with any other saw that I forgot to eat break- to speak and playback sounds, type of Internet connection! All fast and lunch, took only a short it supports a full range of file the files you need to surf the web dinner break, and managed to transfer protocols, sports a full are included with SIS, and they spend 18 hours surfing the web featured text editor, has amaz- are all Apple IIGS files that are before calling it a night at 2 AM. ingly powerful scripting capabil- needed by Spectrum. In other Quite frankly, I’d never before ities, and ever since the release words, there are no files that been so impressed with a IIGS of Spectrum v2.0, it supports need to be copied to your Unix software program as I was with XCMDs (which is shorthand for home directory on your Internet Spectrum Internet Suite. I was External Commands). Service Provider’s computer sys- instantly hooked on SIS! tem. Spectrum’s XCMDs, similar in Spectrum Internet Suite is design and function to those Spectrum Internet Suite re- clearly the most important and found in HyperCard or Hyper- quires a IIGS running System sophisticated program ever cre- Studio, are add-on files con- 6.0.1, Spectrum v2.1, 4 mega- ated for the Apple IIGS. SIS is taining programming code that bytes of RAM and preferably an destined to stem the tide of allow Spectrum to be expanded accelerator and a hard disk those Apple IIGS owners who way beyond its original capabil- drive. An accelerator and hard opt to purchase a Mac or PC ities. By offering support for drive are not strict require- just to surf the web. SIS has XCMDs, Spectrum can provide ments, but SIS and all other breathed new life into the com- any number of new and useful Apple II programs run so much puter that we all love. Who features to be introduced into more efficiently when you have needs Netscape when we have the program; features that can both connected to an Apple Spectrum Internet Suite? easily be activated once the user IIGS. Lastly, you’ll need the copies a new XCMD file into fastest modem you can afford Spectrum Spectrum’s XCMD subdirectory. and, if that modem is 9600 baud In fact, because Spectrum was or greater, you will need to con- Spectrum Internet Suite, as its released before the world wide nect it to your IIGS with a name implies, is an integral web was even publicly avail- properly wired hardware hand- part of the Spectrum v2.1 tele- able, it is Spectrum’s ability to shaking cable. communications program. Spec- support add-on XCMDs that trum was written by Ewen allowed it to be modified for use Setting Up Spectrum Wannop and it had initially as the world’s first Apple IIGS been released by Seven Hills web browser. If you’ve never used Spectrum

Volume 3, Issue 4 Shareware Solutions II 3 before, you’ll first need to run modem; if there is not an exact AT&F&C1&D0&K3X4W1L1 Spectrum’s Installer program to match (as is the case with 14.4 personalize your copy of the pro- modems), just choose the next Once that new Init String was gram. The Installer will also highest speed. Since a hardware entered, I was able to connect at copy all of the files from the sev- handshaking cable is required 14.4 on my LineLink, and Max eral 3.5" disks that Spectrum for high speed modems, those Jones was able to connect at comes on onto your hard disk who have a 9600 baud or faster 33.6 on his Boca FastMac mo- drive; the program manual pro- modem should make sure to dem. Chances are, then, that if vides instructions on how to in- add a checkmark next to the op- you are unable to make a con- stall Spectrum to 3.5" disk. tions “H’ware Handshake” and nection at the highest speed “DCD is valid” on that same your modem can achieve, this First time users of Spectrum screen. Additionally, with a generic Init String should work are advised to spend some time hardware handshaking cable in- just fine with your Hayes com- reading the “Getting Started stalled, you can also uncheck patible high speed modem. And Reference” manual. Those the XON/XOFF option and you’ll already familiar with other Ap- experience a slight boost in per- Once you’ve taken the above ple II telecommunications pro- formance. steps, go online with Spectrum grams can comfortably dive to make sure that everything is right into Spectrum, and if there The Online Display option set up to your liking. Once you’ve are any questions about Spec- screen allows you to instruct done that, it’s time to install trum’s terminology or use, most Spectrum which display mode SIS. of those can be answered from you want the program to use right within the program by con- whenever it’s first started. Feel Setting Up SIS sulting with the !Help! New free to choose the Spectrum Desk Accessory based online SHR display. There are also The installation of SIS will be help system which is found un- several preferential options accomplished via Spectrum’s der the Apple Pull Down menu; available that let you choose scripting capabilities. Those in- the !Help! NDA is a remarkable which of Spectrum’s optional stallation scripts will copy all of freeware release from Seven features you’d like to use. the necessary SIS files to your Hills Software that makes it hard drive and will place them easy for GS/OS programmers to The last thing you’ll want to do into the Spectrum directory or add a help and information re- before going online is to access subdirectory. trieval system into their own the Phone Pull Down menu so software. For the most part, ex- that you can set up an auto- The installation process will be perienced Apple II modem users mated dialing list of all the on- copying the SIS font files into should have no problems at all line services you call. As you set your System folder and placing when making the switch to up your dialing list, you’ll notice them in the Fonts subdirectory. Spectrum from any other tele- a button named “SET.” If you It will be copying the new Data- communications program. click on that button, you’ll be base and WindowMgr XCMDs able to change the Initialization into the Add.Ons folder and Before you can actually go web String that Spectrum sends to placing them in the XCMDs sub- surfing, you’ll need to set up the modem in order to activate directory. It will also copy the both Spectrum and SIS. In or- it. Existing Spectrum users will Browser display into the der to go online with Spectrum, not need to change their current Add.Ons folder and place it into you’ll first need to access a few Init String, and new users will the Online.Displays subdirec- of Spectrum’s Pull Down menus not need to change it if the de- tory. Lastly, it will copy all the in order to configure Spectrum fault one works with their mo- scripts to the Spectrum.Scripts to your system, and to your per- dem. However, during the beta folder. sonal preferences. Under the test phase, I found that when Settings Menu, you’ll have to ac- using the default high speed You’ll now be ready to go online. cess the Port settings options modem Init String, I was un- Dial your Internet Service Pro- and the Online Display options. able to connect at any baud rate vider or Genie using Spectrum. higher than 9600. So, Geoff At the UNIX prompt, or from On the Port options screen, Weiss suggested changing the anywhere on Genie, run the choose the baud rate of your default init string to: Start.SIS script from the Script

4 Shareware Solutions II March, 1997 Pull Down menu or by pressing Suite home pages on the Seven can sometimes be very sluggish, the keyboard equivalent “Open- Hills Software web site which is SIS has several timing related Apple R” command. located at the following URL: checks and balances built into it that will abort the connection if The first time you run SIS, you http://www.nettally.com/ it is not established in a reason- will need to set various prefer- shss/IIGS/sis/ able amount of time. If abso- ences. The Preference screen lutely no connection is estab- that you see when you first run On that SIS page, you’ll find in- lished to a remote computer, the SIS prompts you for your Net- formation about SIS and lots of idle timer will abort the process work Connection type (UNIX or Apple II related links, just after 15 seconds; if the data Genie). The rest of the items can waiting for your mouse clicks to starts to flow but the transfer be left at the default settings. transport you to sites around rate is just too sluggish, SIS will the world. abort the process after one min- Once you’ve done that, you’ll ute. Once the connection to a re- next want to click on the Option As you look at world wide web mote server is successfully es- Pull Down menu and access the sites, you’ll see active links that tablished, you’ll then see a green E-mail Preferences item. There are highlighted in either yellow thermometer bar that indicates you will be asked to supply your or green. Double-click on a yel- how fast data is being received. name, your e-mail address, and low link, and you’ll be magically Once the data transfer is com- the name of your “SMPTServer.” transported to that site. Links plete, you’ll then see the ther- An SMPTServer is simply the highlighted in green generally mometer bar display change in- dedicated server that your In- are interactive links that, when to what could best be described ternet Service Provider uses for double-clicked, often require as a barber pole effect; during incoming and outgoing e-mail. some additional input. As an that time, SIS is parsing and In many cases, the name of the example, when accessing one of processing the html code and server is in the format of the world wide web’s many rendering it on the IIGS screen “mail.ISPname.com”. As an ex- Search Engines, text input as it was meant to be displayed. ample, the name of my Internet fields are green colored. Double- Service Provider is crl.com, so I click on one of those, and a pop- Once an html document is ren- entered “mail.crl.com” as the up text input box will appear. dered on the IIGS screen, the name of my SMPTServer. If you Just enter a subject or a name rendered screen is also saved to are unsure, you can always send or any other valid search cri- disk if you checked off the “Use an e-mail to yourself and look at teria, click the close box and Disk Cache” item in the Options the header information, as that then double-click on the green Pull Down menu. I experimented will include the SMPTServer colored Submit button; a listing a lot with that option during the name; alternately, you could of suitable sites will soon ap- beta test phase, and highly rec- simply call your Internet Ser- pear. ommend that you do employ vice Provider’s technical support disk caching. With pages cached, hotline. Once you double-click on an ac- they can be redisplayed on tive link, SIS will provide visual screen in the blink of an eye; if Please note that SIS does not indicators in the menu bar that they are not cached, every time work with Genie’s e-mail sys- show you what is going on. The you want to go back to a page tem, so e-mail can only be sent first indicator displays the word you’ve already seen, SIS has to from within SIS by those who “Processing” and that, in es- retrieve the same data all over have a standard dial up Unix sence, means that SIS needs a again. As happens so often on Shell Account. second or two to process your the world wide web, you will mouse clicks and interpret want to go back to a page that Using SIS where you want to go. After a you’ve already seen, and caching very brief pause, SIS displays lets you do that very quickly. Probably the easiest way, and the word “Connecting” and that certainly the most enjoyable, to means that SIS is connecting to There are several different ways learn about SIS is to just start the remote server and re- to navigate the world wide web using it. When you first run it, it questing that the html docu- with SIS. At the top of the SIS will be set up to automatically ment you requested should be screen, there’s a URL box that is access the Spectrum Internet sent. Since the world wide web very flexible. If you already know

Volume 3, Issue 4 Shareware Solutions II 5 the correct URL address of a time, just click on the “Add a document; commands that web site you want to visit, just Bookmark” option in the Book- control such things as text cen- enter it into the URL box and mark Pull Down menu. tering, text justification, the use then click on the green Go but- of a bold face type style, or un- ton to be transported there. If you’ve been surfing the web derlining. Although those com- using the lynx web browser, mands are invisible when What if you don’t know the then you probably already have viewing the document on screen, correct URL? That’s no problem, a bookmark file that’s stored on the AppleWorks program itself as most (but not all) companies your Internet Service Provider’s knows how to execute those for- already have customized do- system. It’s relatively easy to matting commands whenever main names; as an example, convert your lynx bookmark file they are encountered. Apple’s web site is found at to a SIS bookmark. There are http://www.apple.com. But, SIS however, as with most every- All html documents include is a user friendly program, so all thing having to do with com- what are known as tags; tags you have to do to visit the Apple puters, several different ways to are the world wide web’s equiva- web site is to type the word do that. The method I used was lent of AppleWorks invisible for- “apple” into the URL box, click to display my lynx bookmark matting commands. Like Apple- on the green Go button, and SIS file to screen using Unix’s “cat” Works, web browsers know that itself will add the missing command (cat bookmark.html), when they encounter a for- pieces of the URL address and then I captured the file in my matting tag such as the center deliver you to Apple’s web site. scrollback buffer, and then tag that all the remaining text saved that to disk as an ASCII should be centered on the screen. Each site you visit during an on- text file named bookmark.html. line session is remembered by Then I ran SIS, used the Open SIS supports the html v3.2 SIS and added to the History File command and my lynx standard, and it is the duty of list which is located at the bot- bookmark file loaded in just as the SIS browser display to inter- tom of the Go Pull Down menu; if it were a home page on the pret all of the embedded tags in that makes it very convenient to world wide web. I then visited an html document, and to dis- return to any site you’ve previ- all the sites I wanted to add to play the document on the IIGS ously visited. And because those my SIS bookmark file, and screen as the creator of the html pages are cached, returning to a while visiting each one, clicked document intended it to be dis- site you’ve recently visited is on the “Add Bookmark” option. played. almost instantaneous. Keep in mind, however, that the History SIS And HTML Offline SIS list is purged after each SIS session. All sites on the world wide web, Spectrum Internet Suite is so even the most elaborate ones, flexible that it can be effectively As you surf from one site to are set up and designed by em- used, in several different circum- another, you’ll surely find some ploying what are known as html stances, even when not con- sites that you want to return to documents. All html documents nected to the Internet. during your next or subsequent are simply standard ASCII text SIS sessions. For that reason, files that contain HyperText Spectrum Internet Suite is an SIS provides a bookmark file; Markup Language (html) code. extremely valuable tool for the bookmark file, in turn, cre- Apple IIGS users who maintain ates a customized and person- For those of you who are un- sites on the world wide web! The alized Pull Down menu that familiar with the world wide reason for this is that Spec- lists your favorite sites on the web and/or with html code, a trum’s editor can easily be used world wide web. That listing is comparison to AppleWorks may to create html documents that displayed in SIS from the Book- clear up any confusion, because can, in turn, be previewed offline mark Pull Down menu, making in one very important way, an by the SIS browser. it very easy and convenient to html document is similar to an return to sites that you’ve AppleWorks word processing The SIS browser’s Open File bookmarked. So, whenever you document. AppleWorks allows command can open up any html are impressed by a site and for invisible printer formatting document and render it on the want to return there at a later commands to be embedded into IIGS screen, even if that docu-

6 Shareware Solutions II March, 1997 ment resides on the hard drive simply staggering! Especially though SIS does offer support connected to your Apple IIGS. when you consider the fact that for many of the same features The key to remember here is html is, in many ways, the that are found in newer versions that if any file containing html world’s first cross platform hy- of lynx, it does not fully replace code is saved to your disk with permedia environment, and lynx. an “.html” suffix (as an exam- that SIS is the latest Apple ple: test.html) that file can be IIGS hypermedia program. The SIS produces colored text and loaded using the Open File potential for educators is enor- displays that text in multiple command, and SIS will treat it mous; for example, a teacher fonts, sizes and type styles, but just as if it had been trans- could use Spectrum’s editor to SIS supports only four colors be- ferred via the Internet during an create an interactive lesson, and sides black, white and gray: red, online SIS session! the student could use SIS to blue, purple, and green. SIS only study that lesson. Or, a teacher supports the following types of Up until now, web site de- could go onto the Internet and URL: http://, file://, and mailto:. signers who owned only an find a site that focuses on a par- SIS does not support the fol- Apple IIGS used any convenient ticular subject area, and since lowing types of URL: ftp://, word processor or text editor to all the pages that the teacher news:, gopher://, or https://, all of create the text based contents accessed are cached to disk, which are fairly common on the that would appear on their sites students would then be able to world wide web. and they manually entered all retrace the teacher’s steps, but of the html formatting tags. without actually having to go There is at least one work But, in order for them to actu- online. around solution that overcomes ally see what a rendered page SIS’s inability to directly access would look like, they had to The uses of SIS offline are one news: URLs for reading and/or transmit the file to their of those things where the only posting to Usenet newsgroups. Internet Service Provider’s com- limit is your imagination. You can always read news, and puter system, and then view the submit news articles, from one file using the lynx web browser. The Pros And Cons Of SIS of the web based Usenet relay systems, such as AltaVista, The Spectrum editor doesn’t SIS is going to delight the DejaNews or Zippo. Although actually do double duty as an legions of Apple IIGS users who AltaVista and DejaNews are html editor, so all of the html already surf the web using lynx. the better known of the services, formatting tags still have to be It also should help to bring Zippo is much better organized entered manually, or through many new Apple IIGS owners and receives news postings more the wonders of cut and paste. online for the first time, as it quickly than the others. But, once the web designer really tames the world wide web saves the html document to by letting people navigate If you therefore want to read and disk using the .html filename through the labyrinth of sites post Usenet news articles to suffix, SIS can be run and the with their mouse. Quite frankly, comp.sys.apple2, add the fol- html document can be loaded in SIS is so easy to use that even lowing URLs to your bookmark and rendered, thereby providing pre-schoolers should be able to file. The first URL is for reading an offline preview of exactly master it. But – and this is very the comp.sys.apple2 newsgroup; what the page will look like once important – there are some the second URL is for posting to it’s actually placed on the world limitations to SIS. the comp.sys.apple2 newsgroup: wide web. By using SIS offline, you can actually create an entire SIS masquerades itself as Net- http://drn.zippo.com/news-bin/ web site on the IIGS and view it scape v2.0 in order for Apple wwwnews?comp.sys.apple2 from your hard drive just as if it IIGS owners to gain access to as were viewed online. And, just as many sites as possible; in fact, http://drn.zippo.com/news-bin/ when you’re viewing web sites SIS acts just like Netscape with newspost?comp.sys.apple2 online, you can press the “Open- the graphics turned off. SIS Apple \” command to display does offer support for frame Of course, you’re not limited to the actual html “source code.” cells the same way that lynx only reading or posting to the v2.6 does, and it can easily dis- comp.sys.apple2 newsgroup with The implications of that are play pages with Tables. Al- Zippo. To read or post to other

Volume 3, Issue 4 Shareware Solutions II 7 newsgroups, simply replace connection to your Internet Ser- your bedtime, double-clicking comp.sys.apple in the above ex- vice Provider, as the least bit of your way around the world wide amples and substitute in its line noise can cause a web web, accessing libraries in far off place the correct name of the page’s display to be garbled. If lands, reading news reports that newsgroup you’d like to access. and when that happens to you, will never appear in your local just click on the reload button, newspapers, studying scientific Unfortunately, no other work and SIS will retrieve the web reports from NASA, or reading around solutions were discov- pages again. about cultural events on the ered during the beta test phase, other side of the globe. And, for so SIS cannot be used to Lastly, because Spectrum runs those of you who have been using download files from ftp sites, it under GS/OS, it is extremely lynx and are already familiar cannot display GIF or JPEG sensitive to outside influences, with using the world wide web, format graphics, and it does not and most existing users of Spec- you’re in for a real eye opening allow you to use telnet or gopher trum know all about this sensi- experience. You’ll surely revisit to travel from site to site. tivity and have streamlined sites that you’ve been to many their systems so that they are times before, and think to your- On the positive side though, SIS “interrupt friendly.” If you have self: “I had absolutely no idea does support some exclusive Desk Accessories, Finder Extras that’s what it really looked like.” Spectrum specific html tags, or Inits that employ time including one that supports the toolbox calls – such as menu bar Now that Spectrum v2.1 sup- Byte Works’ Talking Text Tools clocks or screen blankers – they ports a web browser, let’s all so that web pages can actually can cause havoc with Spectrum hope that it’s a raging success talk. and SIS, as they tend to inter- for Seven Hills Software, and fere with Spectrum’s smooth op- that SIS is such a big seller that While SIS masquerades as Net- eration by issuing system inter- Seven Hills will be encouraged scape 2.0 for access to as many rupts at inopportune moments to develop it further to add even sites as possible, there is one that can infringe upon and hin- more support for other Internet negative effect that results from der Spectrum. It’s a good idea, and world wide web procedures that; namely, a IIGS screen will therefore, to get into the habit of and programs. look like a Netscape screen. At disabling any and all Desk Ac- first, that sounds wonderful. cessories or Inits that can inter- Over the course of the past sev- But, Netscape runs on computer fere with Spectrum. If you hold eral years, many people became platforms that offer much down the Shift key as GS/OS convinced that a web browser for greater video resolution than starts to load, no Desk Ac- the IIGS was simply an im- does the IIGS. So, while a line of cessories or Inits will load, and possibility without TCP/IP. Now text that is 115 or 140 charac- therefore there will be nothing that Seven Hills has performed ters in length displays just fine to interfere with the smooth op- miracles and accomplished the on a Mac or PC, on the IIGS eration of Spectrum Internet impossible, who knows what screen, the font is sometimes Suite. Spectrum is so full fea- other wonders the Spectrum In- hard to read. It’s especially hard tured, you probably won’t even ternet Suite team of developers when you first start using SIS, miss your Desk Accessories; I can come up with in the future? as you’re probably used to never have. viewing the web using the 80 Ordering SIS column text screen. Rest as- Despite the obvious shortcom- sured, however, that the longer ings, as described above, SIS is Spectrum Internet Suite is a- you use SIS, the less proble- a remarkable product that is vailable exclusively from Seven matic the small font size be- sure to bring a lot of joy to the Hills Software for $25. comes. In other words, you will Apple IIGS community. If you’ve get used to it. never surfed the web before, Spectrum Internet Suite re- you’ll be overwhelmed with in- quires Spectrum v2.1 to operate. Another major limitation of SIS formation when you first start Spectrum is available from Sev- is that because it does not op- using SIS to travel the high- en Hills Software for $85. Up- erate under TCP/IP, there is no ways and byways of the world dates from Spectrum v1.0 cost error correction! So, it is critical wide web. Like me, you may find $30. Updates from Spectrum that you have a clean telephone yourself staying up long after v2.0 cost $25.

8 Shareware Solutions II March, 1997 A bundle that includes both Seven Hills Software http://www.nettally.com/shss Spectrum v2.1 and the Spec- 1254 Ocala Road trum Internet Suite is available Tallahassee, FL 32304-1548 Ewen Wannop maintains a SIS from Seven Hills Software for friendly world wide web site $95. 904-575-0566 (voice) that offers the latest news about 904-575-2015 (fax) Spectrum, and updates to Spec- (Note: Residents of Florida trum XCMDs and to the !Help! must add 7% for sales tax.) Technical questions should be New Desk Accessory. Ewen’s sent via Internet e-mail to: home page is located at the Seven Hills Software can accept following URL: personal checks or money or- shsdave@aol.com ders, Visa, Mastercard or Dis- http://ourworld.compuserve.com cover credit cards. Shipping and General questions should be /homepages/ewannop/ handling fees are $3.50 per sent via Internet e-mail to: order. Overseas shipping is Shareware Solutions II main- charged at the actual airmail [email protected] tains a web site that has been cost, (minimum of $3.50) and enhanced for SIS viewing at the that will be added to your credit Seven Hills Software maintains following URL: card charge unless otherwise a SIS friendly world wide web arranged). site at the following URL: http://www.crl.com/~joko ö Heard It Through The Grapevine Brutal Deluxe’s LemminGS of art that all age groups should person’s strategy game, a gigan- find to be a fun and challenging tic perceptual puzzle to solve, or Brutal Deluxe’s LemminGS was game to play. perhaps even a test of perceptu- completed in mid-January, and al acuity. on the same day that the full On each of the 92 levels, it’s game was released, a 10 level your job to lead scores of mind- The first 10 levels are essenti- demo version was uploaded to less LemminGS to safety; you ally training levels to familiar- all of the online networks and to accomplish that by bestowing ize players with the various several of the Internet’s large skills upon some of the Lem- skills they can bestow upon the Apple II ftp sites. Both the minGS in order to help guide LemminGS. Some people finish demo and the full version were them on their perilous journey these first 10 levels in minutes; greeted with critical acclaim home. On some levels, you may others agonize over them for and universal praise. have to guide them across large days or weeks. bodies of water, on others you’ll Less than a week after the Lem- have to dig holes or tunnels in Solving a puzzle that at first minGS game was released, a order for the LemminGS to glance seems impossible to rave review of it appeared in the make it safely home. But, what solve requires that you follow a II Alive newsletter. That review, makes the game especially chal- strategy. To assist you in formu- written by LemminGS beta lenging is that, more often than lating a strategy, whenever you tester Geoff Weiss, concluded: not, it’s just not always readily start a new level, immediately “If you like great animation, fun apparent what set of procedures click on the pause button and music and challenging puzzles, you have to follow, or which take a good look around. In a you will love LemminGS!” skills are needed, in order to sense, study the level before ven- lead the LemminGS to the exit turing forth, discover the haz- LemminGS features 92 levels of and to the safety of their home. ards that the LemminGS will challenging enigmas to solve, 13 face, and find the location of the toe-tapping MidiSynth songs, Although Brutal Deluxe’s Lem- exit. numerous sound files, stunning minGS at first appears to be an artwork, beautiful animation, arcade game, it really could be A general strategy that works and it is a true interactive work better described as a thinking well on most levels is to turn the

Volume 3, Issue 4 Shareware Solutions II 9 second and third LemminGS compatibility can save you all the Open-Apple and Option keys into blockers who will then form sorts of headaches and hassles.” as you launch MemoryTest.CL, a barricade that will prevent all you’ll be informed that the name the following LemminGS from Since then, several people who of the program you just launched wandering off cliffs; then use the own an Apple brand High-Speed is “Ernie’s 3D Pancake Tester.” very first Lemming as an ex- SCSI have written to Share- The text goes on to state: plorer. And, if what that first ware Solutions II to report that Lemming tries doesn’t work, try they had experienced “all sorts “This is a utility to test all of something different. As Brutal of headaches and hassles” when the pancakes in your Cortland Deluxe advises in the documen- attempting to use an Iomega computer to make sure they are tation, “Be patient.” 100 megabyte Zip Drive with all 3 dimensional. It will the High-Speed SCSI card. FLAMEBROIL ANY PAN- LemminGS is supplied on three CAKES ON YOUR RAMDISK! 3.5" disks, and if installed on a The explanation of why some If you want to quit now, type N hard drive, it requires nearly 2 people have problems with a Zip or n or some combination there- megabytes of available disk Drive is quite simple and there- of. Any 4 dimensional pancakes space. Neither a hard drive nor fore so is the solution. Zip will be folded twice. Any 2 di- a IIGS accelerator is required, Drives do not supply terminator mensional pancakes will be in- but the game does operate much power and neither does the flated. Any other kinds of pan- more smoothly if you have these Apple High-Speed SCSI card. cakes will be eaten.” installed on your IIGS. The So, in order to use a Zip Drive game does require 2 megabytes with an Apple brand High- • Although Spectrum is pub- of RAM and it must be launched Speed SCSI card, there must be lished by a company based in from System 6.0 or later. at least one other SCSI device the United States, there’s an on the SCSI chain that does Easter Egg in the program that Brutal Deluxe created Lem- provide the necessary term- leaves no doubt about author minGS as a “Limited Edition” inator power. Ewen Wannop’s nationality. To game, available exclusively to activate the Easter Egg, access those people who purchased In other words, a Zip Drive can- the About Spectrum item that is Brutal Deluxe’s Convert 3200; not be the only SCSI device con- found under the the Apple Pull LemminGS is Brutal Deluxe’s nected to an Apple brand High- Down menu, and then leave that way of offering their thanks to Speed SCSI card; there has to window open for 60 seconds. those people who have made be at least one other SCSI de- You’ll see a Union Jack appear, Convert 3200 such a success! vice on the daisy-chain, and it along with the words: “Made in doesn’t matter whether that Britain by Speccie.” Convert 3200 is the very fastest other device is a CD-ROM drive graphics conversion program a- or a SCSI based hard drive. All • Brutal Deluxe loves to add vailable for the Apple IIGS, and that matters is that the last de- amusing Easter Egg graphics it is available only from Share- vice in the SCSI chain has a ter- and messages to its software, so ware Solutions II; the cost is a minator plug attached to it. it should come as no surprise to mere $15. LemminGS is avail- anyone that there are at least able for a small shipping fee of Easter Eggs six Easter Eggs located on the $5. If you don’t yet own Convert main menu screen in “Brutal 3200, you can order both Con- • Subscriber Harriet Hoxie of Deluxe’s LemminGS.” To acti- vert 3200 and Brutal Deluxe’s Quincy, MA wants to share an vate them, you’ll need to locate LemminGS for $20. amusing Easter Egg that she what could best be described as found in the MemoryTest.CL “open spaces” in the letters that SCSI Voodoo program that is included as make up the name LemminGS, part of AppleWorks GS. This and click in those open spaces. Several issues back, Steve Dis- program usually tests the integ- Each click on an open space acti- brow wrote about Apple II SCSI rity of the chips in your RAM ex- vates another picture of a Lem- interface cards and stated: “The pansion card. ming along with some Lem- RamFAST card is just more minGS related text. One asks, compatible than the Apple II As Harriet discovered, if you “How many Lemmings have you High-Speed card and that extra simultaneously hold down both killed today?” while another ad-

10 Shareware Solutions II March, 1997 vises you, “Don’t waste time completed, and they swore us to from the Apple Pull Down menu, looking for Easter Eggs.” secrecy, as they didn’t want us and then close the About Box. to spoil the game by providing a Instantly, the IIGS screen will In addition to those playful “cheat” this early in LemminGS be flipped upside down, the Eggs, Brutal Deluxe informed life cycle. menu bars will appear at the the beta test team that there is bottom of the screen, the mouse also a very useful one that al- • Bernie ][ The Rescue (the IIGS will move in the wrong direction, lows anyone to skip to and play emulator formerly known as and pop-up menus will pop any level of the game he or she Fast Eddie) has an amusing down. To deactivate the Easter chooses. Brutal Deluxe, how- Easter Egg. To activate it, press Egg, just repeat the procedure ever, told us about that Easter down both the Command and that activated it. ö Egg after the beta test was Shift key, access the About Box Networking Your Apple IIGS by Steven W. Disbrow Chances are, even though you up of hundreds of thousands (if to talk to the other computers on love your IIGS, you’ve probably not millions) of computers, and the network. On the IIGS, the added a second (or even a third) printers, and hard drives, and networking hardware goes by computer to your home. You scanners, and cameras, etc., all the name of “AppleTalk,” and might even have a separate linked to one another through a it’s built right in. printer for each and every com- labyrinth of wires, transmitters, puter you own. If so, I’ll bet that satellite links, and switches. Yep, that’s right! Apple put on more than one occasion AppleTalk hardware into every you’ve thought to yourself, “Gee, Why Network? IIGS ever made. If you are won- I wish I could hook my IIGS and dering where it is on the IIGS, all of these other computers and When you hook one or more com- it’s sort of “behind” the serial printers together.” What you puters together to form a net- ports (i.e. the printer and the were wishing for is a computer work you get lots of benefits modem ports). In fact, when you network, and you’ve probably that you might not expect. The hook your IIGS to an AppleTalk been told by some expert that biggest benefit is that you are network, you pick either the mo- your IIGS just can’t do that. As sharing resources between all of dem or printer port and plug the usual, the “experts” are dead the devices on the network. For network connector into it. Then wrong. example, if you’ve got two com- you just turn AppleTalk on in puters and one printer, both the Control Panel. You lose the What’s A Network? computers can print to the same serial port, but you gain a lot printer without having to move more than you gave up. OK, let’s start from the very any cables around. Another beginning. In the simplest of example would be hard drive Once you’ve got the network terms, a network is a group of space. If you hate to back your adapter in place, you need some computers and/or computer pe- IIGS hard drive up to floppies, sort of cable to hook it to the ripherals (like printers) that are just imagine backing it up to, network adapter on the next de- connected in a way that lets say, a Zip Drive that’s connected vice. For AppleTalk networks, them pass information to and to your Mac. the best way to run a cable be- from each other. A very simple tween devices is to use a Phone- network would be one that con- How The IIGS (Net)Works Net® connector. A PhoneNet sists of, let’s say, two computers connector is a device that takes linked by a single cable in order To hook a computer to a net- the AppleTalk signals coming to play a game. work, you need some sort of net- out of your IIGS and converts work hardware, which is usually them into signals that can be At the other end of the network called an “adapter.” A network transmitted over an ordinary spectrum we have the Internet. adapter is a piece of hardware phone cord! This makes building The Internet is a network made that networking software uses an AppleTalk network very in-

Volume 3, Issue 4 Shareware Solutions II 11 expensive compared to other IIGS is connected to two devices Hmmmm, Software types of networks. (the Mac and the Printer), and the Printer and the Mac are Another key component of net- So, to “cable up” an AppleTalk each connected to only one de- working a IIGS is the required network, all you do is plug a vice (the IIGS). This means that networking software. Fortu- PhoneNet connector into each the Printer and the Mac are the nately, you won’t have to go to device, and run a length of “ends” of your network. So, the CompUSA to get this; it’s in- phone cord between the con- PhoneNet connectors plugged cluded as part of the IIGS Sys- nectors. Each PhoneNet con- into these devices are the ones tem Software. All you have to do nector has two jacks in it, so that have to be terminated. For- is install it. To do that, just boot that each one can connect to two tunately, many PhoneNet con- up the System 6.0.1 Install disk, other PhoneNet connectors. This nectors made today are what is pick the “Customize” option, lets you create a “daisy-chain” called “self-terminating.” In and then install one of the fol- of devices, all of which are on other words, they can tell when lowing options onto your boot the same network and can com- they need to be terminated, and disk: municate with each other. will terminate themselves when the need arises. (Ah, if only Network:AppleShare – If you OK, so there are a couple of politicians were like that.) Most won’t be using any sort of net- things to watch out for: First, be PhoneNet connectors say right work printer, this option will in- sure that the phone cord you use on the package if they are self- stall everything you need to ac- has four (4) wires running terminating or not. cess files on an AppleShare net- through it. This is important be- work server. (Note: AppleShare cause the PhoneNet connectors If a PhoneNet connector isn’t of is the name Apple uses for its send their signals along the two the self-terminating variety, it file sharing software. This is the outside wires in the phone cord. will come with a terminator software that lets a Mac make Most phone cord has four wires plug. In this case, all you have its files and folders available on in it, but some cheaper brands to do is make sure that you put a network for others to access. have only two wires in them. one of these terminator plugs AppleShare software for the This is because that’s all you into the PhoneNet connector at IIGS allows you to access these need to hook up a single line tel- each end of your network. shared items on the network.) ephone. (Tech Trivia Point #1: Phone cords with four wires are Please note that I use the word Printer:Atalk ImageWriter – If usually used for two-line “PhoneNet” as a generic term to you will be using an Image- phones. The second phone line is describe any AppleTalk connec- Writer on your network (more on carried on the two outside wires. tor. There are lots of other this below), install this option. Tech Trivia Point #2: If you are companies that make PhoneNet It also installs everything that inventive, you can “piggy back” compatible connectors, and they the Network:AppleShare option your AppleTalk network on the usually charge a lot less for does. same piece of phone cord as your them. One especially good brand single telephone line. This is is called TurboNet; TurboNetST Printer:LaserWriter – If you will best left as an exercise for the is the self-terminating variety. be using a LaserWriter or other savvy reader.) So, when you go to CompUSA or PostScript printer on your net- OfficeMax to look for these work (more on this below), in- Next, you have to be sure that things, just look for “PhoneNet stall this option. It also installs the PhoneNet connectors at Compatible” or “Macintosh Net- everything that the Network: each end of your network are work Connector,” or something AppleShare option does. (Note: “terminated” properly. If they similar. Oh, and whatever you If you are using a PostScript aren’t, the network signals can do, don’t make the big mistake Level 2 printer, the LaserWriter “bounce back” across the net- of buying a connector for the driver in System 6.0.1 won’t work and cause all sorts of con- older Mac Plus. They use the work properly with your printer. fusion. For example, let’s say older style 9-pin DIN serial To work around this, first install your network consists of a Mac, connector. Make sure that you the Printer:LaserWriter option a IIGS and a Printer; the Mac is get the 8-pin connector that will from the System 6.0.1 Install connected to the IIGS, which is plug into your IIGS’s serial con- disk. Then, copy the file System: connected to the Printer. The nector.) Drivers:LaserWriter from the

12 Shareware Solutions II March, 1997 System 6.0 SystemTools2 disk all set. tors. Plug one into the IIGS and into the System:Drivers folder one into the printer. of your boot disk. This will let Well, those are the basics of 2) Run a phone cable between you use your PostScript Level 2 Networking on the IIGS. Now the two connectors, and termi- printer normally.) let’s look at how we take those nate them if necessary. basics and use them to hook up 3) Install the Printer:Laser- Control Your Panel an actual network. Writer update on your boot disk. (Don’t worry if your printer isn’t The last piece of the puzzle is Hooking Up A Printer an Apple-brand “LaserWriter.” something that you should actu- The software that gets installed ally do first. Namely, you need First, we’ll look at hooking up a will work with any PostScript to tell your IIGS that you ac- LaserWriter or other PostScript printer. tually want to use AppleTalk, printer. (Please note that not all 4) If your printer is a PostScript and not your serial port. Yes, Apple-brand LaserWriters are Level 2 printer (check the print- just in case you missed it the PostScript printers. Make sure er docs to find out), the Laser- first time I said it, you have to the printer you get is a Post- Writer driver in System 6.0.1 give up a serial port on your Script printer and you’ll be fine.) won’t work properly with your IIGS in order to use AppleTalk. printer. To work around this, Fortunately, this is no big deal The first thing you need to do is first install the Printer:Laser- because one of the things you make sure the printer has an Writer option from the System can hook up via AppleTalk is a AppleTalk connector built in. 6.0.1 Install disk. Then, copy the printer, which is probably why Almost all of Apple’s current file System:Drivers:LaserWriter most people use their printer LaserWriters do, but there are a from the System 6.0 System- port to hook into the network. few exceptions that only have Tools2 disk into the System: Assuming that you want to use serial port connectors and even Drivers folder of your boot disk. your printer port too, and de- one truly horrid printer – the This will let you use your Post- pending on which ROM version LaserWriter SC – which uses a Script Level 2 printer normally. IIGS you have, here’s how you SCSI connection. If in doubt, 5) Set your control panel up ap- have to set up your IIGS Control ask. propriately. (See the section Panel to use AppleTalk: “Control Your Panel” above.) Of course, you don’t have to use 6) Reboot, open the Control Pan- ROM 01 – First of all, change an Apple-brand LaserWriter, as el New Desk Accessory and then the slot 1 setting from “Printer any PostScript printer with an open the Net Printer Control Port” to “Your Card.” Next, AppleTalk port can be net- Panel. Pick “LaserWriter” from change the slot 7 setting from worked with your IIGS. Just ask the pop-up menu at the top of its current setting to “Apple- the three magic questions... the Control Panel. A few mo- Talk.” Now, this can lead to a ments later, the name of your relatively minor problem if •Is it a PostScript printer? printer will appear in the list. you’ve got, say, a SCSI card •Will it work with a Mac on an Click on the printer name to se- plugged into slot 7. Sadly, the AppleTalk Network? lect it, and then close the Net only solution here is to move •Does it come with a money- Printer Control Panel. whatever is in slot 7 to another back guarantee? 7) Run your favorite Desktop- slot. Generally speaking, I’d rec- based text editor. My favorite is ommend moving your SCSI card ...and you’ll be fine. (For more on EGOed, but AppleWorks GS will to slot 6 and (gasp!) giving up picking a PostScript printer to work too. Create a new docu- those old 5.25-inch drives. You use with your IIGS, see the ment, pick Page Setup from the can always turn them back on if amazingly informative article, File menu, and set the “Vertical you really need to, but you’ll “Mr. Priceguide Looks At Laser Sizing” option to “Condensed.” enjoy your new network a lot Printers” in the Nov-Dec 1994 8) Print the document! more. issue of GS+ Magazine.) A few moments later, depending ROM 3 – You don’t really have Once you’ve got your printer, on the speed of your printer, your to make any sacrifices if you’ve here’s what you do: document should print out, and got a ROM 3 IIGS. Just change it should look absolutely fabu- slot 1 to “AppleTalk” and you’re 1) Buy two PhoneNet connec- lous.

Volume 3, Issue 4 Shareware Solutions II 13 Polish That Image(Writer) these HP Printers with an log box showing all of the file Apple IIGS.) If you can find the sharing options for the folder. Now, I was going to write a big right driver, and the printer has 3) In the dialog box, turn on the long section on how to hook an an AppleTalk port, you should checkbox labeled, “Share this ImageWriter II printer up to be able to hook it up and use it item and its contents.” your network, but the truth is just like you would an Image- 4) Close the dialog box. At this that the process is almost ex- Writer II. And remember, if the point, your Mac will ask you the actly the same. The difference is HP printer you buy is a Post- question, “Save changes to ac- that first you have to install the Script printer, you’ve already cess privileges for Files for the “AppleTalk Option card” in your got the driver! Just use the La- IIGS?” Click the Save button ImageWriter II. (Sorry, but the serWriter driver! and boom. That’s it. You are old ImageWriter I can’t be put sharing files on your network. on an AppleTalk network, just Sharing Files (Notice that the icon for the the ImageWriter II.) This card folder changes so that it looks turns your ImageWriter II’s ser- While having a printer on a net- like a pipe is coming out of the ial port into an AppleTalk port work is nice, it’s nowhere near folder. This signifies that the and lets you connect it to your as useful as sharing files over a folder and its contents are being AppleTalk network just like you network. (Just so you have the shared on the network.) would any other device. basic terminology down, a com- puter that makes its files avail- Now, any file you copy or move So, after you’ve installed the able to other computers on a into that folder will be available AppleTalk Option card, simply network is called a “file server.” to any computer that connects to follow the above instructions for And the act of making those that shared folder. Which brings using a LaserWriter, and just files available is called “file us to the next part of this dis- substitute the words “Image- sharing.” A computer that ac- cussion: How to connect your Writer II” (or just “ImageWrit- cesses the files on a file server IIGS to that shared folder. Once er”) where appropriate. is called a “client.”) Fortunately, again, the whole process is fairly connecting your IIGS to an simple. Just follow these steps (Note: AppleTalk Option cards AppleShare file server is almost on your IIGS: for the ImageWriter II can be as simple as hooking up a net- purchased from Alltech Elec- work printer. Unfortunately, a 1) If you haven’t already done so, tronics. Alltech currently sells IIGS can’t act as a file server; it install the Network:AppleShare used Apple-brand cards for $39 can only be a client. update, and set up your Control and new ones from Sequential Panel to use AppleTalk. (See the Systems for $59. For additional As before, the first step is to first part of this article for info information, contact Alltech at connect your IIGS to your Mac on how to do this.) 619-724-2404.) by installing the correct cables. 2) Restart your IIGS and go to (In other words, a couple of the Finder. Open the Control But What About... PhoneNet connectors and some Panel New Desk Accessory. phone cord.) Next, you have to Near the top of the list of Con- But what if you want to hook up set your Mac up to act as a file trol Panels there should be a a non-PostScript or non-Image- server. For this example, I’ll Control Panel called “Apple- Writer II printer and use it from show you how to share a single Share.” Open it. your IIGS. Well, you should be folder on your Mac and then ac- 3) This will bring up a window able to do this. The trick is cess it from your IIGS (note that that will allow you to select a finding a driver for the printer. this example assumes you have file server from all of the file ser- Both Seven Hills Software and System 7 or later installed on vers on the network. The name Vitesse sell GS/OS drivers for your Mac): of your Macintosh should appear various non-networkable mod- in this list. Double-click on your els of Hewlett-Packard Laser- 1) Create a new folder on your Mac and go to the next step. Jet, DeskJet, and DeskWriter Mac’s desktop. Call it some- 4) At this point, a dialog box will printers. (Note from Joe: See the thing like, “Files for the IIGS.” appear asking you for a user item entitled “Looking Good In 2) Select the folder and then se- name and a password. Since we Print” in Volume 2, Issue 1 for lect “Sharing” from the File didn’t specify a user name or complete information on using menu. This will bring up a dia- password, we don’t have one to

14 Shareware Solutions II March, 1997 give. So, simply click on the ra- The Final Option stall and set up the PC soft- dio button labeled “Guest” and ware. But, hey, it’s PC software. then click the OK button. OK, so you didn’t buy a Mac. You We expect that, right? 5) Now you’ll see a list with the bought a PC. Not to worry; you names of all the folders and/or can still hook your IIGS and That’s It disks that are being shared by your PC up on an AppleTalk the file server you selected in network. Apexx Technology Inc So there you have it. A complete step three. At this point, there makes and sells a product that overview (and more than a few should only be one item in the is called the “PCTalk Personal details) of what it takes to use list, “Files for the IIGS,” so click MacLan Kit.” This package con- your IIGS (or Mac or PC) on an on that one to highlight it. (Also tains an AppleTalk network AppleTalk network. Is it worth notice the check box that is to adapter (which plugs into your doing? Well, here at my house, the right of the name “Files for parallel port and you plug your my wife and I have a nifty little the IIGS.” If you click this check PhoneNet connector into the network with a IIGS, a PC, two box, the IIGS will try to auto- adapter), along with the Person- Macs, a LaserWriter IINT and a matically log on to this shared al MacLan Connect software DeskJet 680C printer on it. I’ve folder every time you restart (from Miramar Systems Inc) also got “dangling” PhoneNet your IIGS. This can be handy if that will let your PC act as an connectors that let me hook up a your Mac is on all the time. But, AppleShare file server! So, with PowerBook and a Newton if the if you ever boot your IIGS with this hardware and software need arises. It makes sharing your Mac turned off, your IIGS combination, you don’t need a data and printing a lot easier. will spend a lot of time while Mac to set up a simple Apple- (In the Dilbert comic a network attempting to search the net- Talk file server. You can even such as this in the home creates work for that folder. If this hap- use this setup to let your PC what is called “Nerdvana.”). In pens, don’t panic. Your IIGS will print to the printers on your my opinion, there’s nothing bet- give up eventually and continue AppleTalk network! ter you can do for your IIGS than booting normally.) After you to hook it up to your other com- have the name highlighted, click OK, there are a few problems puters. Once you do, you’ll see the OK button. with using a PC file server: that your Mac and/or PC isn’t just a worthless piece of silicon; That’s it! At this point, the dia- 1) The hardware and software it’s a great back up system for log box will disappear, and you cost about $300. (The PCTalk your IIGS! should see a new icon appear on Personal MacLan Kit is avail- the IIGS desktop. This icon able from PC Connection and Blatant Plug Department (which is supposed to look like other PC and Mac mail-order files and folders on a service houses. Shop around for the A long time ago, I published a platter...a service platter...a file best price. Warning: Some little magazine called GS+ Mag- server...get it?) represents the places sell just the Personal azine. (Or so I’m told. The thera- folder on the Mac. From here on MacLan Connect software for pist says I’ve blocked it out and out, you can access this folder on about $170. To create an Apple- replaced it with false Vietnam your IIGS as if it were a Macin- Talk Network your IIGS can War memories.) In that maga- tosh disk volume that you had work on, you must get the zine, we published a couple of hooked up directly to your IIGS. PCTalk Personal MacLan Kit! articles that were very relevant This kit includes the correct to this topic. The first article Go ahead and try it. Copy a file hardware as well as the soft- was called “Apple (Jive) Talkin” from your IIGS to the “Files for ware you need.) and it had lots of neat pictures the IIGS” icon. Now, run over to 2) Files stored on a PC file ser- and descriptions of how to set up your Mac and look inside the ver will have their names short- an AppleTalk Network. (This folder. The file should be there. ened to fit DOS naming conven- was in the Sept-Oct 1993 issue tions. However, this name man- of GS+ Magazine.) Next, try going the other way. gling only shows up on the PC Copy a file from your Mac into side. When you access the files The second article I’ve already the folder. Now run over to the over the network, they will look mentioned – “Mr. Priceguide IIGS. Again, the file should be fine on the IIGS. Looks At Laser Printers.” It’s in there. Cool isn’t it? 3) It can be a real hassle to in- the Nov-Dec 1994 issue of GS+

Volume 3, Issue 4 Shareware Solutions II 15 Magazine and it tells you Both of these make great com- I’ve got plenty of back issues everything you need to know panions to this article (the pict- left. They are just $5 each (in- about buying a PostScript laser ures in the “Apple (Jive) Talkin” cluding shipping). If you want printer for use with your IIGS. article are especially nice), and one, call me at 423-843-1775 and I’ll set you up. ö Such A Deal! Open-Apple / A2-Central letter established itself from Central newsletter, as well as the very beginning as the pre- an assortment of the latest free- For several years in the early eminent technical journal for in- ware and shareware programs 1990s, Apple Computer Inc termediate level Apple II users. for the Apple II. By utilizing sponsored the annual “Apple II Featuring such columns as compression software, each is- Achievement Awards” as a way “Digging Into DOS,” “Picking Up sue of A2-Central-On-Disk con- of recognizing and paying hom- Applesoft,” “Go, Logo, Go” and tained more than a megabyte of age to those prominent individ- “Ask Uncle DOS,” Open-Apple current Apple IIe/IIc and IIGS uals and companies who were was clearly geared towards pro- freeware and shareware. producing outstanding Apple II grammers, power users and products. In 1991, Tom Weish- those who wanted to gain a de- Then in late 1992, Apple Com- aar was awarded the “Apple II gree of technical mastery over puter discontinued the Apple Individual Recognition” award, the Apple II computer. IIGS, and many companies in- and in both 1990 and 1991, volved with the Apple II started Tom Weishaar’s A2-Central Open-Apple succeeded beyond to suffer financial setbacks. By newsletter was awarded the Weishaar’s wildest dreams, and June of 1993, things started to prize in the “Best Publication” to this day, many Apple II users unravel for the Resource Central category. still consider it to be their favor- organization, and it was an- ite Apple II oriented newsletter. nounced that after 8.5 years of Tom Weishaar worked long and By 1989, Tom hired Dennis publication, the paper based A2- hard to establish his Apple II Doms to become editor of the Central newsletter would cease credentials long before he was newsletter, recently renamed publication. The newsletter, awarded the “Individual Recog- A2-Central, while Tom went however, was destined to live on nition” achievement award. As about expanding his Resource as a disk-based publication in an Apple II user since 1980, he Central organization into a veri- A2-Central-On-Disk, and that had already written several table Apple II publishing em- lasted until February of 1995, at books, and Beagle Bros had pire. In the summer of 1989, he which time, Tom Weishaar’s or- published several of his Apple sponsored and coordinated the ganization ceased to exist. II programs, including Frame- first of many KansasFest con- Up and ProntoDOS. In April, ferences. And within just a year I was recently surfing the web, 1983, Weishaar joined the staff or two, Tom Weishaar was pub- and stumbled upon Tom Weish- of one of the most popular Apple lishing various disk-based mag- aar’s home page at the following II magazines, Softalk, and his azines that focused on Hyper- URL: “DOSTalk” technical column ap- Studio (Studio City), Apple- peared in all of the remaining Works (TimeOut-Central), and http://sitecentral.com/ issues of that highly regarded HyperCard IIGS (Script-Cen- SiteCents/home.html magazine. When Softalk went tral). His organization also took out of business in 1984, Tom de- over the day-to-day operations It was there that I found Tom’s cided to strike out on his own. of all the Apple roundtables on current e-mail address, so I the Genie online network. wrote to him. Coincidentally, I’d In January, 1985, the premiere had A2-Central on my mind ever issue of the Open-Apple news- In February, 1989, A2-Central- since Joe Walters, a man I’d met letter appeared. Written and On-Disk first appeared, and at Kfest ’96, uploaded a series of published by Tom Weishaar, that 3.5" disk contained the full files to the Internet that con- that monthly eight page news- text of the current month’s A2- tained a complete index of every

16 Shareware Solutions II March, 1997 article that had ever appeared undamaged. add $1 for a 3.5" disk that con- in Open-Apple and A2-Central. tains versions of ShrinkIt for One thing quickly led to anoth- So, in the meanwhile, Share- both the Apple IIe/IIc and IIGS er, and Tom and I discussed the ware Solutions II would like to computers. possibility of making the entire offer the final February, 1995 back issue collection of A2-Cen- issue of A2-Central as a way of ProSel tral-On-Disk available through introducing you to a wonderful Shareware Solutions II. Within Apple II resource. In this final The most complete set of Apple 20 short minutes, we reached an issue of A2-Central, the news- IIe/IIc and IIGS utility pro- agreement, and within 30 min- letter alone is a whopping 93K grams in existence has just got- utes, we reached a second agree- in length, and it contains arti- ten more affordable than ever ment. cles written by Doug Cuff, Steve before! Weyhrich, Dennis Doms and For the first time ever, every Kevin Noonan. At the time, Ap- Shareware Solutions II was re- word that appeared in every is- pleWorks v5 had just been re- cently able to renegotiate the sue of Open-Apple, A2-Central cently released, so that was a royalty arrangements that had and A2-Central-On-Disk will be major focus of this issue. previously been agreed upon available on a 3.5" disk collec- with ProSel’s publisher – Chuck tion. In the 10+ years that the Apple II software on the Feb- Newby of Charlie’s Appleseeds – newsletter was published, a to- ruary, 1995 A2-Central disk in- and we’re pleased to announce tal of 8.8 megabytes of text was cludes a patch that fixes a bug that because of those negoti- written by some of the finest in AppleWorks v5.0, several dif- ations, you’ll be able to purchase Apple II writers who ever graced ferent TimeOut applications for ProSel-8 and/or ProSel-16 from our community. And effective AppleWorks v4 and v5 that play Shareware Solutions II for less immediately, these disks are music and send Morse code, a than ever before; $12 less, to be available from Shareware Solu- crossword puzzle program, a de- exact. tions II! tailed technical summary of a KansasFest session that fo- Effective immediately, the new The “A2-Central Text Bundle” cused on Input/Output (I/O), and cost for the Apple IIe/IIc version is supplied on 12 3.5" disks, and an Applesoft BASIC renumber of ProSel-8 is $20, and the new as a special bonus, Joe Walters program. cost for the IIGS version of Pro- has agreed to allow his com- Sel-16 is $40. And to save you plete index files to be included Apple IIGS software on the Feb- even a few more dollars, the in the bundle. The cost of that ruary, 1995 A2-Central disk in- shipping costs have also been re- bundle is $35, and the price in- cludes several utilities that al- duced from $5 to $3. cludes air mail shipping to any- low you to “cheat” on more than where on the planet. 30 games, a program that un- Neuromancer / Dragon Wars packs ARJ compressed files, In addition to the “A2-Central several graphic utility programs A little more than a year ago, Text Bundle,” Shareware Solu- from Brutal Deluxe, an editor Shareware Solutions II pur- tions II will also be distributing for IIGS sound files, a sound chased the Big Red Computer every A2-Central-On-Disk that player, several digitized sounds, Club’s inventory of unsold com- was ever released from Febru- and a GS/OS Init that lets you mercial IIe/IIc entertainment ary, 1989 until February, 1995, use a font’s extended character software products. A total of 17 for a total of 73 disks. set in any GS/OS program. different titles have since be- come available from Shareware Before the A2-Central-On-Disk The February, 1995 A2-Central Solutions II at bargain pricing. collection can be made avail- disk is available, on 3.5" disk able, a lot of effort needs to be only, exclusively from Share- However, many of those are now devoted to cataloging and in- ware Solutions II for $5. sold out, and some of the games dexing these disks, as well as that do remain are only avail- decompressing and running all Please note that all of the pro- able in extremely limited quan- the software to insure that the gram files on A2-Central are tities. For that reason, Share- data on Tom Weishaar’s master compressed with ShrinkIt; if ware Solutions II is now forced disks has remained intact and you don’t own ShrinkIt, please to withdraw the original 1996

Volume 3, Issue 4 Shareware Solutions II 17 “Such A Deal” offer. madmen and lunatics, ghoulish able to find a small treasure ghosts, powerful dragons, killer chest of Apple IIGS commercial Of the 17 games that were orig- beasts, sadistic slave drivers, games, and is able to offer them inally available, only Dragon and strange people who perform to Shareware Solutions II sub- Wars and Neuromancer remain and teach outlawed magical scribers at special “Such A in sufficient quantities. So ef- feats. In charge of this world is Deal” pricing! Effective immedi- fective immediately, Shareware the mightiest sorcerer of them ately, Fire Power and California Solutions II would like to offer all: the evil Namtar, the Beast Games are available for $10 these two games for a total of from the Pit. each, with air mail shipping $15 (this price includes air mail costs included! postage to anywhere), and while As Dragon Wars begins, you’ll supplies last, purchasers will find yourself in the poverty- California Games is a game of receive one of the other game ridden city of Purgatory. All you skill in which one to eight titles as a free bonus. At the know is that your goal is to de- players compete in such wild present time, there are still feat Namtar. Your first task is California style sporting events some copies remaining of Dig to assemble a party of adven- as surfing, skateboarding, roller Dug, Donkey Kong, Pac Man, turers. Once your party is as- skating, off-road bike racing, and Ms Pac Man; one of these sembled, you’ll go off in search foot bag kicking and frisbee will be included with each order. of adventure, and it won’t take tossing. There are both practice long for trouble to find you. You modes and competition modes, Neuromancer is a “cyberpunk may be approached by a band of and the games can be played via role-playing adventure” game thieves, or unjustly accused joystick or keyboard. Due to the based on the best selling novel prisoners, or a giant spider, or a “gnarly” nature of these games, by William Gibson. The science guard, and all of them seem to California Games is bound to be fiction scenario takes place in have just one thing in mind: most appreciated by the younger 2058, at a time when “skill they want to kill you and mas- members of your family. chips” are routinely implanted sacre your party. You’ll therefore into people’s brains and cyber- need all the weapons, ammu- Fire Power is a one or two player cowboys can easily jack into nition and magical spells that action-packed arcade tank bat- cyberspace’s matrix simulators. you can beg, borrow or steal if tle game that features continu- It’s a nightmarish world in you ever hope to meet up with ous shoot ’em up excitement. which artificially intelligent hu- and defeat Namtar. There’s even an option that al- mans run amok and zap brains lows two players to connect via with neural shocks, and it’s a Both Dragon Wars and Neuro- modem and to play against each world in which you are armed mancer require an Enhanced other. with only the skills, equipment, IIe, IIc or IIGS computer with software and information that 128K and a 5.25" disk drive. Both games date from the late you find along the way. If you’re And for only $15, you’ll get both 1980s and will run with as little lucky, you and your ROM con- games, and a free bonus of a as 512K of RAM. Please note struct will soon be breaking into classic Apple II arcade game. that there are only 20 copies of government and corporate com- Such a deal! each game in stock, but additi- puter systems. If you’re unlucky, onal shrink-wrapped copies are you’ll soon be dead. IIGS Games available in case these games prove to be popular. ö Dragon Wars is a fantasy role- Shareware Solutions II was playing game by Bill Heineman. Many light years from Earth, on the small planet of Oceana or- biting the star Sirius, there ex- Shareware Solutions ists the wondrous but violent land of Dilmun – a land of is- lands and cities, lush forests IIe/IIc/IIgs and rubble-filled caverns, slave A2 Disks Of The Month monthly Genie A2 disks has markets and slums. This world always been to provide people is populated with evil entities, One of the primary goals of the with lots of current Apple II in-

18 Shareware Solutions II March, 1997 formation and with a slew of four Desktop Init graphics. disk includes a program that current Apple IIe/IIc and IIGS will display the contents of your software. The source of the in- The January/February, 1997 is- IIGS bit-mapped and TrueType formation and software is the sue of the Genie A2 Disk of the fonts. Also included is a demo Genie A2 RoundTable. Despite Month includes the January and version of the Pedigree 2 GS/OS the fact that A2 remains the February issues of GenieLamp. desktop genealogy program, a center of the Apple II online uni- GIF graphic viewer program, verse, less and less new soft- Software for the IIe/IIc on this and a Finder Extra that allows ware is being uploaded to the disk includes a menu program you to double-click on Super Hi A2 libraries, and because of called AutoMenu and instruc- Res graphics, text files or font that sad fact, the production tions on how to patch Apple- files and the contents of those schedule of the A2 disks has Works v5.1 to correct a problem files will be displayed in a win- recently suffered. that exists in which the size of dow on your desktop. the desktop shrinks with each Chuck Newby compiles the A2 successive launch of Apple- These A2 Disks of the Month are monthly disks, and he recently Works. available from the Shareware stated: “It is also time to con- Solutions II library, on 3.5" disk sider changing the name of the Software for the IIGS on this only, for $5 each or $8 for both. ö disks from DoM (Disk of the Month) to Apple 2 Disk because it just isn’t possible to pull a Disk of the Month out of the li- Shareware Solutions IIGS brary each month.” Astronomer GS hour by hour. If you want to find Despite the recent sporadic and out what time Venus will rise, or irregular schedule of the DOM Larry Bell’s Astronomer GS is when Mars will set, Astronomer disks, Shareware Solutions II an awesome, stunning and daz- GS will perform all the calcula- will continue to make the A2 zling shareware program that’s tions for you with just a few disks available, because when surely as complete and full fea- clicks of your mouse. they do appear, they contain a tured as any commercially a- lot of useful and helpful Apple vailable astronomy program Astronomer GS is not a sky sim- II information that you can’t get released for any microcomputer. ulation or a planetarium type of elsewhere, and the quality of program, but instead is a seri- the software is simply topnotch. ous tool for amateur astrono- Supplied on seven 3.5" disks, mers who want to be able to use The December, 1996 issue of the Astronomer GS is of interest to a IIGS to plan an actual sky Genie A2 Disk of the Month in- amateur astronomers, teachers, viewing session. In fact, it’s a cludes the September and De- students, astrologers or trivia must-have program for anyone cember issues of GenieLamp. buffs. It is an artistically de- with a telescope and a serious Each issue of this informative signed program that provides interest in the night time sky. newsletter contains the equiva- multiple graphs, graphic repre- lent of 30 printed pages of sentations, charts, and facts The seven disk Astronomer GS Apple II news, facts, hints, tips about the planets, the sun and program is available from the and jokes. the moon. Shareware Solutions II library for $14. Please note however, Software for the IIe/IIc on this It contains a huge database of that if you like this program, you disk includes Side 2 of the 5.25" astronomical facts, and it can, are responsible for submitting version of Computer Keyboard- for example, determine the next your shareware fee directly to ing; Side 1 appeared on the Nov- solar or lunar eclipse, and can Larry Bell; in return, he will ember, 1996 A2 disk. display or print a graphic of this send you a printed 130 page upcoming event as viewed from program manual. Software for the IIGS on the De- your location. It can print out a cember, 1996 DOM includes a moon phase calendar, and it can Wolfenstein 3-D Beta 10 level demo of the strategy display a graphic represen- game Operation Lambda, and tation of the moon’s position, Last November, Logicware an-

Volume 3, Issue 4 Shareware Solutions II 19 nounced that Wolfenstein 3-D, completed game will be re- requires System 6.0 or later, the long awaited game for the leased as freeware sometime in and although an accelerator card Apple IIGS, was entering into 1997. is strongly recommended, it is the beta test phase and that not required. eager beta testers could down- Logicware made the Wolfen- load the game directly from the stein 3-D beta available be- So get your trigger finger ready Logicware site on the world cause they needed feedback, and and get psyched! The Wolfen- wide web at the following URL: for that reason, they placed a stein 3-D beta version is now restriction on the re-distrib- available from the Shareware http://www.logicware.com ution of the 3-D beta release as Solutions II library for $5. they only wanted people with The beta test version of Wolfen- ready access to e-mail to test Ordering Disks stein 3-D is far from complete. out the game. However, Logic- It includes only the first three ware recently contacted Share- Please order by disk name and levels of the game, and a save ware Solutions II to request specify the disk size you want. game option has not yet been that the beta version of the implemented. Although there is game be made available, in its Checks or money orders, in US a fine musical introduction, the current unfinished state, to funds only, can be accepted for planned sound effects have not eager subscribers who want to payment of disks from Share- yet been implemented, and an take it out for a test drive. ware Solutions II. Please make entirely new set of improved all checks payable to Joe Kohn. graphic screens have not yet The Wolfenstein 3-D beta re- been incorporated into the pro- lease requires a IIGS equipped All disks are guaranteed to be gram. But, the folks at Logic- with a standard ADB keyboard, free from any computer virus or ware continue to work on a hard disk drive with at least 2 physical defect. Disks damaged Wolfenstein 3-D as time per- megabytes of free disk space, in the mail will be replaced free mits, and chances are that the and 4 megabytes of RAM. It of charge. ö

Joe Kohn Shareware Solutions II 166 Alpine Street San Rafael, CA 94901-1008

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