The Journal of the Houston Area Apple Users Group

...with the Works

Volume 10 Number 10 November/December 1987 •Hourly on-site com puter and software rental in a quiet work environment Computer •Laser printing •FUe l^ansfers:IBM- Mac»Apple2 DeskTop, •Word processing •Copies 3200 Kirby, Suite 101 Re Kramer Houston, Texas 77098 (713)526-7717 •Transparencies •Technical Writing Networking for Productivity Spooling software such as •Training Manuals Realize the full potential of your and MS-DOS Super Laser Spool, spools •Annual Reports systems by connecting them printed output to disk and prints •Brochures together via an AppleTalk in the background. network. Every Macintosh is File server software such as •Ad Preparation able to communicate with TOPS permits Macs on the net •OCR,Graphic & Postscript devices such as the work to share any disk drive on Video Digitizing LaserWriter and ImageWriter any other Mac. It is possible to Equipment II's equipped with AppleTalk run an application stored on a re •Lists, Lah^s, Name cards. All thatis required is the mote system, clip artwork using Tags Personalized addition of AppleTalk or Art Roundup, or duplicate a re Invitations & Cards equivalent system connectors mote hard disk by dragging the •Business Cards and cables. icon. TOPS is also available for •Experienced Farallon's PhoneNet con MS-DOS sjrtstems and includes On-Sitf; or In-Store nectors are an economical alter an AppleTalk card as well as the Training native to AppleTalk connectors software. In addition to sharing •Bulk Mailing and offer the advantages of files, the MS-DOS system can communicating over signifi print on the Laser Printer. Cur • cantly longer distances and the Services rently MacLink Plus software is ability to communicate over or included in TOPS to permit file •Accounting l^t-Up dinary telephone wire. It is conversion as well as bi-direc and Services even possible to use the unused tionalfi le transfer between Macs •Binding Services, conductors in your existing tele and MS-DOS systems, all at •Classes & Seminars phone wiring. Devices are about 200Kbps. •Sales & Consulting available that permit sharing Come by for a demo and see serial devices such as modems. how you can begin networking. •Macintosh Memory Upgrades Classes now forming: Small classes, I or 2 nights,$20-$40 Introduction to Mac, IBM or Apple 2 for real beginners •Hard Disk Sales & Excel, Multiplan, Trapeze, Fileinaker, OverVue, Omnis Service Beg.& Adv. PageMaker^T^tfAppleworks for the Beginner Microsoft Word 3.0 AppleWorks •Spreadsheet & Data Ready-Set-Go AppleWorks Database Mac Draft AppleWorks Merge Base Setup Write Now 0 Multiscribe/Fonts •Hardware Super Paint Teaching Programs Cricket Draw Graphics Programs configuration advice Scoop-Target Bsisic Programming •Appletalk Network Adobe lUustrator^^^^^^^ A2 DeskTop Publishing configured with hard Seminars offered: How to Choose & Use a Database, Spreadsheet, Word disks,fi le server Processor, Accounting Program, DeskTop Publishing, How to match your software, and spooler Needs with the Right Computer, Productivity Tools, Others as requested,,, to improve your pro Apple and the S symbol are r^stered trademarks of Apple Computer,Inc. ductivity Large Software & Accessories Inventory Productivity is our most important product! User IMonnatloii I An additional 5% discount to HAAUG Members for cash or check. Prices subject to change without notice. Contents Volume W Number W November/December 1967 1

inside HAAUG 4 General Random Thoughts: Mixed Metaphors—Cieiand Early 7 Understanding the RS232D Hp^ Serial interface—Timothy Collins 10 Apple 11 Patching AppleWorks—Peier Lemettols 14 The New Smarts—John W. Dout 16 About the Cover Quick Connect 17 For a chonge, Chris Flick Reader Rabbit GS—Galen Gray 25 created a cover that had some Tom & Larry Present Their Top Ten thing to do with a couple of the articles in the magazine. Apple II Gomes-Tom Carson & Larry Stehling 26 Settlng-Up a Custom Printer In AppieWarks—Euc Nye 31 Macintosh Mac for Kids—Ted Lee 34 Editorial Staff Works at Work—Charlie Moger 36 Tom Engle Cleland Early Chris Flick

Circulation 1250 The next meeting will

The HAAUG Apple Barrel is the official monthly magazine of the be on December 12, Houston Area Apple Users Group. The opinions presented herein are solely those of the editors and con tributing authors. Ail trademarked and will take place at product names are used only in an editorial fashion and therefore no trademarks are included in the text. the Marriott Hotel. Unless otherwise noted within the article, any original material pub lished herein may be reprinted with out permission by any not-for-profit Apple club provided proper credit is given to the author and the Apple Barrel and a copy of the publication in which it appears is sent to ttie Apple Barrel address. Membership Information

A one-year membership to HAAUG costs thirty dollars and includes the Starter Kit, a subscription to the Apple Barrel, and a membership card giving access to all of the club's services. You can become a member at the Answer Desk during the meeting, through brochures located at local dealers, or by calling the HAAUG Hot Line and having a brochure mailed to you. Renewal costs twenty-five dollars per year.

Meeting Date & Location

HAAUG meets on the third Saturday of the month at the Marriott^Astrodome Inside Hotel,2100 South Braeswood at Greenbriar. New members should attend the New Member Orientation. You can find out about changes through HAAUG the Hot Line.

Meeting Schiedule

10:00 New Member Orientation 11:00 Macintosh Main Presentation 12:00 HAAUG Club Business 12:30 Apple n Main Presentation 1:30 Special Interest Groups 2:30 Special Interest Groups 3:30 Special Interest Groups

HAAUG Hot Line Overview (713)522-2179

The Houston Area Apple Users Group provides a forum for The HAAUG Hot Line provides a the exchange of ideas and information about Apple Com means for members to learn of the puter products and their associated hardware and software. meeting time and location and an nounces any last minute changes in the Meetings, newsletters, special interest groups, and other meeting time or location. Non-mem events create this forum. bers can also leave their name,address and phone number for more information about the club. If you have a question about a particular commercial product, please check the list of volunteer specialists in this issue.

Paged November/December 1987 Club Officials Public Domain Special Interest Groups Software Libraries President SIGs focus on one topic of common Robin Cox 873-2059 The club maintains an Apple II public interest during these meetings within a First Vice President domain library and a Macintosh public meeting. The meeting handout contains Jeanne Boucher 723-9519 domain library. the SIG meeting locations and times. Second Vice President Mike Bamaba 527-9953 Macintosh Library Secretary SIG Leaders John Marek 782-3898 The Macintosh library contains over Treasurer one-hundred disks of public domain Apple II SIG Coordinator Jack Cowart 467-4215 software. Members may purchase Jeanne Boucher 723-9519 Directors copies of these disks at the meeting for Apple nGS Cleland Early 941-7247 five dollars per disk. You may copy the Lewis Stephens 471-7344 Chris Hick 363-3153 directory disks for free. The directory Galen Gray 443-2150 Jim Huck 496-9508 disks contain listings of the contents of AppleWorks Mike Kramer 358-6687 the other disks. Members can also copy John Slack 491-1747 George Pierce 526-5103 recent library submissions for free. Advanced Topics David Scheuer 464-1228 Bill Hensley 980-4993 Senior Advisor Macintosh Librarian Robin Cox 778-1635 Rudge Allen 622-3979 Dick Lee 821-1298 Education Membership Ann Petrillo 489-7535 Neal Scott 890-0532 Games Apple Barrel Editors Apple II Library Thomas Carson 861-5425 Tom Engle 774-9055 Larry Stehling 347-0821 Chris Hick 363-3153 Members may copy the Apple II library Green Apples Qeland Early 941-7247 at the meeting for one dollar per disk Glenna Payne 463-0640 Publicity Coordinator side. Manuals are available at the Hardware Dennis Bilbe 522-2179 meeting describing what is available in Dave Simek 496-3304 Vendor Coordinator the library. Home Use Jeanne Boucher 723-9519 David Jaschke 937-8349 Program Coordinators Apple II Librarian Mike Stoops 242-1312 Mike Kramer 358-6687 Don MacGregor 530-5034 Steve Bass 847-4407 World's Worst Badminton Player Mac SIG Coordinator Tom Dillon 376-6502 Hardcopy Library Steve Bass 847-4407 Databases The Board of Directors meets on the Larry Stage 358-1105 The Hardcopy Library consists of back first Thursday of the month at the Buddy Jacks 299-1555 issues of the Apple Barrel, back issues Marriott Astrodome Hotel at 6:30 pm. Desktop Publishing of other magazines, and other material. Members interested in making the club Charlie Moger 961-1601 It's open to members and is occasion a better organization should attend. Developers ally available at the meeting. John Pence 522-2179 Engineering Hardcopy Librarian Writer's Guidelines Ronnie Haws 444-6720 Les Brown 795-2741 Games Contact the Editors for more informa Bob Lewis 242-0990 tion about the Writer's Guidelines. HAAUG Heaven Dave Mizner 458-3735 Bulletin Board System Advertising Microsoft Works George Pierce 526-5103 HAAUG Heaven,HAAUG's compu Programming Workshop Contact the Editors for more informa tion about advertising. terized bulletin board system, offers Chris Hick 363-3153 modem owners a meeting place. The Tips & Techniques telephone number is(713) 664-9873 Steve Bass 847-4407 and the recommended protocol setting is 8-N-l-Full.

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In the world of Apple, metaphor is curves is intimidating. Yet, the B&ier now king. A metaphor, of course, is figu curve is useful for non-mathematicians be rative language, an imaginative analogy cause with the B-curve, we can construct drawn between two objects. The power of Mixed smooth curves without the jaggies asso the metaphor lies in its ability to transfer ciated with "curves" built from bit-mapped feelings or qualities we associate with one Metaphors images. object to another. A skillful use of meta- Contrast the above description with phor in a work of literature can make the the way deals with the B- unfamiliar seem more familiar or make the familiar seem new. curve. In Illustrator, you construct a Bezier curve by using a Both functions are equally important because they make effec pen tool to draw an anchor point With the cursor still on the tive communication more likely. anchor point, you press the mouse button and hold it down. What the microcomputer world has discovered is that Then you "pull" a "handle" out of the anchor point. This what works for poets and novelists also works for computer handle helps determine the direction, size, and shape of the programmers. A judicious use of metaphor can make applica curve. Finally, you release the button and click the mouse tion programs much easier to understand and use. again to set the second anchor point. Presto, a Bezier curve. Because the Apple "desktop metaphor" seems so novel The Illustrator method works well because it superim in contrast to conventional user interfaces, observers tend to poses some imagery, a metaphor, on the underlying mathemat believe that metaphorical software is something new. Howev ics. A typical user will never even know that he's using er, the most effective programs have always designed around mathematics—he's merely manipulating a metaphorical pen some sort of metaphorical structure; for example, VisiCalc and pulling on metaphorical handles. and Excel are based on the same metaphor. Unfortunately,con ventional text-based computer displays do not provide much of Mixing it up a platform for imagery. As you probably learned in composition class somewhere In contrast, graphics-based systems allow the designer to along the line, you have to be careful when using metaphors visually reinforce the otherwise abstract imagery behind his and similar imagery. model. The genius of the visual interface, pioneered by Xerox Your English teachers probably chastised you for using a and popularized by Apple in its Lisa and Macintosh, is that "mixed metaphor." In The Careful Writer, Theodore M. Bern screen images can look very much like the real-life objects stein warns that "mixaphors" are dangerous because the writer which they are supposed to mimic. In most PC , risks destroying the "usefulness of the figure by confusing the you have to imagine the row-and-column grid; in Macintosh reader through a jumble of pictures, and has spoiled the adorn spreadsheets, you actually see such a grid. ment by shattering it." If, for example, you were to say, "Gloria is a little minx whose wings have been clipped," you Throwing a curve wouldn't be making a whole lot of sense. If you doubt that metaphors are essential to human interaction The example from Illustrator is the programming equival with computers (at least for us normal humans), try thinking ent of a mixed metaphor and indicates how difficult construct about Bezier curves. A fundamental part of computer graphic ing a consistent metaphor is. Lines drawn with a pen don't applications, the B6zier curve is defined by four points in the have handles. The Finder's desktop metaphor itself is an even coordinate system. The curve begins at point A, is tangent to more blatantly mixed metaphor. We speak of the screen image the line between point A and point B,ends at point D,and is as the desktop. Come on—what desktop has the trash can sit tangent to the line between point C and point D. Got that? ting on top of the desk? What desktop has windows in it? As explained in the PostScript Language Reference Man- While I don't think we need to hold to the ual, the mathematical formulation of a B6zier cubic curve is same standard as Bill Faulkner, computer programmers, like derived from a pair of parametric cubic equations [x(t) = a^t^ + writers, do need to make sure that the metaphors they create bxt^ + c^t + XQ and y(t) = ayt^ + byt^ -i- Cyt -h yg]. Other don't contain too many brainless combinations. Though they equations define the curve's control points, but I won't bother lack consistency, the Illustrator and the desktop metaphor are to include them here. Even without seeing those other effective, perhaps because, confused as they may be, the two formulas, you get the idea—the theoretical basis for B6zier models are easier to understand than what they replace.

Apple Barrel Page 7 For example, in the Macintosh phor in a situation where it didn't really Jung, an archetype is an inherited idea or model, we place files in a folder; in the fit. In the standard Macintosh interface, mode derived from the experiences of the MS-DOS world, we put them in a direc there are screen o^ects called "radio but race and present in the unconscious. tory. I think the more concrete folder tons," which you use to select one out The race of computer users expects cer image works better. A directory is of a group of mutually exclusive tain types of software to behave in cer something you see in the lobby of an choices. tain ways. office building, not a receptacle for doc A radio button is a small circle; For example, all word processing uments. I think that the DOS com when you click in the circle with the software is based on the same paradigm. mand, dir, makes sense because it gives mouse,a black dot appears inside the You scroll vertically through a docu you a file listing on screen; however, circle, indicating that you've selected ment from top to bottom; it is as if you the place where you put the files should that option. At the same time, the had a whole bunch of pieces of paper be called something else. black dot in the previously selected radio stuck bottom to top. Now, imagine button disappears. Now, maybe I'm how jarring it would be to use a word Risky business dumb, but it took me a while to figure processor that scrolled horizontally, Despite the success ollllustrator and the out why these things were called radio where the underlying metaphor was pag Finder,I believe programmers risk buttons. es stuck side-to-side. Weird. much by using a confusing metaphor. They're supposed to be like the but I had such an experience when I Take the example of GraphicWorks 1.1, tons on a car radio. Your car radio only first used Ragtime, the "document pro the excellent painting program from allows you to listen to one station at a cessing" program from Orange Micro. MacroMind and Mindscape. Graphic- time. I have problems with this Macin Ragtime appears to fit the page layout Works has not sold as well as the more tosh metaphor because the buttons on a program category because it gives you straightforward SuperPaint. radio don't provide any feedback as to flexible tools for handling text and I think GrapMcWorks suffers from which one has been depressed. Radio graphics. Both PageMaker and confusing imagery. Using Graphic- buttons are usually momentary contact Ready,Set,Go! treat each page (or group Works, you construct drawings by mix switches that spring out after you've of two pages) like a distinct unit and ing panels on a page. Each panel is a pressed them. In contrast, a Macintosh represent pages by horizontally scrolling distinct unit which contains further sub- radio button remains "depressed" after page icons, so I tend to think of pages units called easels. The term easel is an you click on it. placed side-to-side, perhaps on a table or unfortunate choice; sometliing like over The Macintosh radio buttons there stuck to a bulletin board. lay would have been better. To me,an fore both work and don t work like real Though it appears to belong in the easel should be a larger unit. You put radio buttons. A confusing metaphor, same basket as Pagemaker and RSG, finished drawings on an easel to display and not a big deal in itself. However, if Ragtime scrolls vertically like a word them; you don't put easels on a piece of you add up enough little confusions, processing program, treating the docu paper. you get big confusion. ment as one continuous unit. I've come Then there's ink. In Graphic- to/like Ragtime, but I still feel a little Works, you layer smaller drawings to Software archetypes uncomfortable using it. It doesn't really create a whole. The program gives you What makes an effective computer soft fit the archetype, the underlying model the ability to specify how the overlaid ware metaphor all the more problematic of what a page layout program should images will combine in the final prod is that originality may not always pay be like. uct. For instance, you might want the off. In composition, the axiom is to image on top to obscure what lies un use imagery sparingly, but to make it Manipulating the mind derneath. TTiis is matte ink. Or you original when you do. Metaphors that Designing software involves mtxce than might want only black dots on the top were invented by the poet Pope and re merely writing code and creating picture to be opaque—or ink. peated constantly over the last three screens. To make an application pro Ink strikes me as a poor choice to hundred years won't do. gram that works for users, the program describe what GraphicWorks is doing The first sentence of this column mer must tie what is essentially a col here. In QuickDraw, the Macintosh's contains a metaphor—^a rather tired one, lection of abstract algorithms to a more drawing routines, what MacroMind calls the kind a good writer wouldn't normal familiar and comfortable world through inks are known as tranter modes. ly use (unless he was trying to make a the use of metaphor. Bland as it is, I think the QuickDraw point). By saying "metaphor is king," Not an easy task. Software meta nomenclature is more understandable. I hoped to stress the importance of met phors must be simulaneously original, Sometimes you're better off resisting aphor in Apple software design. By us familiar, appropriate (but not too clev the urge to be clever. ing such a common expression, it's er), consistent ^ut pragmatic), and un quite likely I made no impression at all. derstandable. Program designers must Radio buttons In software, users value the famil have an understanding of human as well Like MacroMind,the original Macin iar. Software tends to fall into fairly as computer memory management. Ma tosh system software programmers were well-defined categories—^what I like to nipulating bits in a microchip is only occasionally guilty of forcing a meta call software archetypes. As defined by half the job.

Pages November/December 1987 keep me from exploiting those opportu A state of the nities. Seeing my name in print every . ^^iApp/e Barrel Notes. Barrel address month has been an ego boost; hearing people quote me to others and even to The Apple Barrel is better than it me is a bigger ego boost. Layout Credits ever has been and is one of the best Ap It's neat to see the final printed, sta ple user group publications in the na pled product. I get a small rush each Cleland Early tion. If you doubt that, browse through time. But after a while the fun turns 7-9,14-16,34-35 the pile of exchange newsletters into a grind. Then there's the reader's HAAUG receives monthly. complaining and the sometimes unrea Tom Engle In 1987, some 40 individuals have sonable expectations, both hard to ac 3-5,26-33 contributed articles to the Apple Barrel cept when you're working hard for free. We thank them. Production—design, And, I feel frustrated. Considering Chris Flick editing, artwork, layout, advertising the evidence, we editors can't escape the 10-13,25 sales—has been the work of essentially feeling that our efforts have had litde three people: Tom Engle, Cleland Ear real effect. HAAUG's officers have Charlie Moger ly, and Chris Flick. We thank us. long blamed HAAUG's poor member 36-38 We also thank the User Group Con ship renewal rate on the Apple Barrels nection people at Apple in Cupertino. irregular appearance; yet, in a year Without the Quick Connect insert, we'd which has seen a regular Apple Barrel Apple Borre/Volunteers have had a tough time meeting our issue membership stands only some five per quota. Unfortunately, we still don't get cent higher now than in January. The enough articles from our members. pool of potential HAAUG members has If you ore interested In helping to Still, we accomplished our goal of pub grown faster than that. produce the Apple Barrel In 1988, lishing ten issues during the year, pleose contoct one of the cur though we didn't get them out on as Early's opinion rent editors. You must be ego timely a basis as we would have liked. So something is wrong. Right now, less ond selfless ond hove 10 The contributions we received stead HAAUG is too big to be friendly, cozy, yeors of journolism experience, ily improved, making an editor's life and quaint and too small to be more o PhD in English, o degree from much easier. We've also gotten better than a second-tier user group. the Rhode Isldnd School of De at using our tools. Because of these HAAUG must strive to be self- sign, ond fomllidrlty with oil Moc- two developments, we spent much less sustaining, where the quality of the club intosh ond Apple II softwore. You time per issue toward the end of the year is largely independent of those who run should olso own on Apple II ,o than we did at the beginning. The time it. We editors are torn—we want to re Moclntosh-filled AppleTolk net involved remained considerable. duce our role, but we fear that the Barrel work, o LoserWrlter Plus, o Llno- As the Apple Barrel became more will go in the toilet if we quit. There tronlc 300, o 300 dpi sconner, ond of an artistic success, it grew more at must be other HAAUG members with o well-stocked liquor coblnet. tractive for advertisers. We've increased the talent and creativity to take the Ap the amount of ad revenue, but we could ple Barrel to even greater heights. If A willingness to work iong hours use more. An advertising manager only they'll volunteer. for no poy o must! Worm bodies would have been nice to have had. We HAAUG members have to stop need not opply. making the people who do step up and What's ahead in 1988 serve feel like they are foolish for doing No telling. It's likely that you've seen so. To paraphrase Bamum,there's a Be Patient the last issue produced by the current re sucker bom every day and yesterday's gime. All three editors are feeling tired sucker mns HAAUG. (I must be Wed This Is the lost Apple Barrel you of the job. Tom and Chris have been nesday's sucker—^I'm mnning for reelec will receive until some time in doing the magazine for a year and a half; tion to the HAAUG board.) If everyone Jonuory 1988. Becousethe I just feel like I've been doing it forever. does a little, then no one feels like he's nomlnoting committee's slote of For all of us, doing iht Barrel has meant being taken. I would also endorse more condldotes Is unopposed, there sacrificing other important activities. tangible rewards for working in will olso not be o moil-out bollot. Have the sacrifices been worth it? HAAUG's behalf. Certainly there have been rewards, per We need to attract and keep more haps more for me than for Tom and members. The club's revenues won't In the meantime... Chris. HAAUG has given me a forum, support more than a volunteer effort. and because of the exposure other oppor Most first-rate user groups are at least December Is o time for giving tunities have come my way; paradoxi semi-pro outfits. To me, less than first- ond Apple Barrel editors love to cally, continuing to edit the Barrel may rate seems hardly worth the trouble. receive.

Apple Borrel Poge9 By Timothy Collins(c) 1987

If you have been around computers Binary-a numbering system which for very long then you have probably consist of only two ^gits or states, heard the expression "serial ihterface" such as 0 or 1,on or off, no voltage OT possibly "RS232 interface" or maybe or voltage. Binary is the "lan just"RS232." The intention of this guage" of computers. article is to help you develop a"work Serial-a group of objects in a series ing" knowledge of this interface. OT sequence. As related to this dis- On November 12,1986,the Elec ciission, the group of objects is tronic Industries Association (better binary digits that represent data know as EIA)approved RS232D. such as A,a, B,b, etc. RS232D literally translates to Recom Data Terminal Equipment-the mended Standard #232 Revision D. computer. This will be refored to The key word here is Recommended. as DDE for the remainder of the This interface has been used and abused article. by most,if not all, manufacturers of Data Circuit-Terminating Equip computers and terminal equipment It is ment-the modem^rinter.Prior to also used by modems,plotters, some revision D,this was know as Data printers and various other types of Carrier Equipment. This will be related equipment such as mice, referred to as DCE for the duration graphic tablets, tape reader/punches, of the article. CRTs,and multiplexers. The standard specifies various aspects about the inter Now let us see how our definition face, including: Signal/Electrical, Me of RS232 is shaping up. We have the chanical,Functional Description of computer(DTE) and the modem/printer Interchange Circuits, Standard Interface (DCE)talking to each other through a for Selected Communications,and Rec set of wires by varying the voltage in ommendations/Explanatory Notes. different sequences. Die main emphasis here will be on The only details about the Signal/ the Functional Description of Inter Electrical characteristics that will be change Circuits and specific interfaces discussed are the ones which are for various Apple Computers. necessary for a "working"knowledge of RS232D is an "interface between the interface or that I found of particular Data Terminal Equipment and Data interest There are four categories of Circuit-Terminating Equipment em circuits used. The first type is a data ploying serial binary data interchange"; circuit, which is used to pass the actual or, in more common terms, it is how to information between the devices. The connect your modem/printer to your second type is a timing circuit. The computer. By examining the different timing circuits are defined to allow one parts of the previous statement, a basic device to supply the timing for the understanding of what we are trying to other. In all of the installations that I accomplish should surface. have been involved with, each device supplied its own timing. The third Data Interchange-conversation category of circuit is for conuol. between two or more objects. In Control circuits are used for things such this case, the computer and modem/ as assuring that the other device is printer. present and ready to convOTse. Die

Page 10 November/December 1987 Circuit Definitions

Data Terminal Equipment Ready Data Circuit-Terminating Equip Direction - to DCE ment Ready Circuit Type - Control Direction - from DCE Mnemonic - DTR Circuit Type - Control This circuit is most cotrunonly Mnemonic - DSR referred to as Data Terminal Ready This circuit is usually known as (DTR). It is used by the DTE(com Data Set Ready(DSR). It is used to puter) to let the DCE(modem/printer) indicate the status of the DCE. As an fourth type of circuit is the signal know that it is in a ready state. DTR is example of the use of this circuit, ground. The following are items that I one of the more important control when the prinim'is put offline, DSR found of particular interest: 1) The circuits. The DCE almost always changes to an off state which causes circuits are designed so that a short requires this circuit to be in an on the computer to stop sending data. circuit between any two conductors(in condition before any data is passed The reason a computer will "lockup" cluding ground)in the connecting cable between the equipment. MostDCEs when the printer is not turned on and will not result in a current in excess of have a method of setting DTR to an on you try to use it is that the DSR 0.5 ampere. This amount of current condition if it is not provided by the circuit is not in a ready state. If the should not cause damage to either DTE. This is usually accomplished by E>CE doesn't use this circuit and the device. 2) A protective ground (firame means of a jumper plug or a switch DTE requires it to be on, the DTR ground),if provided,should not be setting, although Hayes compatible and DSR circuits may be jumpered connected between the devices. modems can control this setting through together or another circuit, such as Thwe are twenty-three different codes sent from the DTE. Another DCD,maybe used instead. DSR and circuits and a protective shield provided method is to use a different control DTR compliment e£K;h other. for in the interface standard. Most of circuit on the DCE to provide the these are not needed in a typical needed voltage(usually Data Circuit- Request To Send installation. The remaind^ will be T^minating Equipment Ready). It is Direction - to DCE discussed next While working with preferred to have DTR properly Circuit Type - Control this interface, it is necessary to under connected between the DTE and DCE. Mnemonic - RTS stand that all circuits are relative to the Numerous pieces of communication Hiis circuit is used to inform the DCE. For example,two of the circuits, software use DTR to force the modem DCE that the DTE is prepared to transmit data(TXD) and receive data to hangup the telephone. receive data. Request to Send and (RXD),are used to send the actual information between the devices. If the data is going from the DTE(computer) Circuit Pin Numbers Gnd Data Control 1^1 the DCE(modem/printer), it is going CO through the TXD (transmit data) circuit. If the data is going from the DCE (modem/printer)to the DTE(com LLI CO CO o o puter), it is going through the RXD o o CO Q LLI Q ILI (receive data) circuit The direction of E o E o tihe TXD (transmit data) and RXD CO o o O) CO CO 2 o CD 2 o 2 o (receive data) circuits is to and from the CO DCE (modem/printer). Shield Signal Ground Transmit Data(TXD) Receive Data(RXD) Request To Send (RTS) Clear To Send(GTS) DCE Ready(DSR) DTE Ready(DTR) Received Line Signal Detect(DCD)

Table. Interchange circuits by category with pin Identification.

Apple Barrel Page 11 Clear to Send are compliments and is purchased,foil is wrapped around a DB25 for the Super Serial Card. (The may be jumpered together to meet the the wires in the cable and a non- interface on the //gs and the Macs is requirements on the installation. insulated (drain) wire is located actually RS422,but it can be configured between the foil and the outer jacket. to work as RS232D). It's been my Clear To Send This wire should be connected to the experience that most DCE equipment Direction - from DCE DTE only. follows the standard. The exception to Circuit Type - Control this is equipment that was made by Nhiemonic - CTS One of the differences between computer manufacturers. This circuit is used to inform the revision C and D of the standard is the The easiest way to learn how to DTE that the DCE is ready to type of connectors and pin assignments "use" the standard is to examine some transmit data. (See Request to Send). to be used are now specified. An of the cable wiring used with Apple interface cable with a 25-position male computers. I'll start with connecting the Receive Line Signal Detector connector is used for the DTE. While //c to a printer and modem. The lie uses Direction - from DCE the DCE uses a female connector. (The a five pin DIN connector. The five pins Circuit Type - Control actual connectors are known as DB25P are for DTR,TXD, SO, RXD, and Mnemonic - DCD and DB25S for plug and socket). If all DSR. They are attached through to the This circuit is typically referred manufacturers follow the standard, only same circuits on the DCE except for to as Data Carrier Detect(DCD). It is one cable would be necessary to DSR. If a printer is being connected, used by a modem to inform the DTE connect any DTE to any DCE. That DSR is also wired straight through. If that another modem is connected cable would use DB25 connectors with its a modem,the DCD on the modem is through the telephone system and is pins 2 thru 25 wired straight through connected to DSR on the He. The DCD in a ready state. It is common and the shield wire connected to pin 1 will be in an on state only when a practice to connect this circuit to the on the DTE side. Unfortunately, quite connection to another modem is DTR circuit with printer setups. a few manufacturers of equipment achieved. This is the only method the choose not to use these connectors. modem has for informing thellc when a Transmitted Data This is one of the major reasons for all connection is made or lost. The reason Direction - to DCE of the difficulties involved in interfac this has to be done this way is due to the Circuit Type - Data ing computers with other devices. lack of a DCD circuit on thellc. The Mnemonic - TXD Apple Computer uses a five pin DIN printer/modem side of the cable needs This circuit is used to send the connector on the He, a DB9 nine pin CTS and RTS connected together actual information between the connector on the Macintosh,a 8 pin (jumpered). The CTS sends current to devices. The data is sent to the DCE mini DIN on the Mac Plus and Ilgs, and the DTE to indicate a ready state and from the DTE.

Received Data -*' IO Ci) Atf1 0> 'sJ 00 (OO-<^ IOO Direction - from DCE Circuit Type - Data Mnemonic - RXD This circuit is used to send the 7 actual information between the devices. The data is sent from the DCE to the DTE. DB 25 Connector

Signal Ground Direction - Not applicable 5 Pin DIN Circuit Type - Ground Mnemonic - SO This is the common ground reference. ->■ ro CO ui

Shield 2 1 Direction - from DTE GS? Circuit Type - Not applicable 8 Pin Mini DIN

Mnemonic - Not applicable CD OO <0 The shield is not a circuit It is connected to the DTE only. It is used DB9 to prevent electrical interference from effecting the cable. If shielded cable Figure 1. Various connectors with their pins identified.

Page 12 November/December 1987 RTS waits for current from the DTE. and 8 are not used. jumpered or cross connected. TXD and By jumpering these circuits together, The Macintosh uses a DB9 RXD will need to be crisscrossed. the DCE "answers" itself which causes connector and the available circuits are: Because of the lack of a modem,DTR a"ready to receive data" state. None of 1) Earth Ground; 2)+5 Volts; 3)Signal will be used to supply current for DCD the current Apple computer models Ground;4) Transmit Data +(no by using a jumper. DTR and DSR will have CTS and RTS circuits, so CTS and equivalent); 5)Transmit Data(TXD); 6) need to be crossed or jumpered as well RTS will need to be jumpered on all Filtered +22 Volts(no equivalent); 7) as CTS and RTS. DCEs used. It is recommended practice DCD;8) Receive Data +(no equiva Using RS232D is very easy to to attach the shield wire to the signal lent); and 9)Receive Data(RXD). accomplish. All that is needed is $20 to ground at the DTE end, but only if the Because the Mac does not have DSR or $50 to buy a cable and plug in the DTE doesn't have a separate pin for this DTR,these circuits need to be jumpered equipment. Making your own cables together on the DCE. use. requires $5 to $10,a chart that shows The Ilgs and the Macintosh Plus Cables for modems or printer will which pins to connect where, and a little have identical connectors and circuits. usually work for most DCEs. But, there time. Understanding RS232D requires They use a 8 pin mini DIN connector. is another type of device that may need a little investigating and a little time to This connector is also used on the to be connected to the computer and analyze the information that is found. I ImageWriter II printer and it is difficult that is another computer. The cable that hope this article has shed some light on to find a company that sells it. The is used to connect two DTEs together is the subject. The published standard can eight pins are: 1) Handshake out(DTR); called a Null Modem Cable. The be purchased for $20.00 through: 2) Handshake in (DSR); 3) standard was designed to connect Transmit(TXD); 4)Signal Ground; 5) DTE's and DCE,not DTE to DTE. In Electronic Industries Association Receive Data(RXD); 6) Transmit Data order to make a null modem cable, Standard Sales Dept. +(no equivalent); 7) DCD; and 8) certain circuits need to be cross con 2(K)1 Eye Street Receive Data +(no equivalent). Pins 6 nected and others will either need to be Washington, D.C. 20(X)6

Ilgs or Mac+ Modem Ilgs or Mac+ IBM 8 mini DiN DB25 8 mini DiN DB9

1 20 - 6

2 6

3 2

4 7 r Shield 3

5 4

6 Shield

7 5

8 6 C 7 8

Mac Printer Ilgs or Mac4- Printer DB9 DB25 8 mini DIN DB25 1 1 — 20

2 2 — 6

3 — 2

Shield —J 4 — 7 4 Shield j 5 5 6 6 7 7 a a 9 — 3

4

□ 5

6

□ 20

Figure 2. A few of the common coble connections.

Apple Barrel Page 13 Patchin

I I am looking for a programmer I who has disassembled Apple- Works. There are several glaring faults in AppleWorks that need ^ to be corrected, even at the expense of many kilobytes of patches. Some changes will be rel- MmShr atively minor, such as adding the abso- ^^ '4'' A lutely essential log() function to 'i the spread- Ap sW|Orks ^ sheet. This should involve no more ^ than modifying a lookup table and ad- ding a subroutine to call the appropriate function in ROM. Other changes would undoubtedly be very difficult, perhaps even impossible, such as adding true tabulation to the word processor. In brief, here are the changes to be made, organized by module.

The desktop 1. All the arrow keys should work on all of the menus. Some support only the left and right arrows, some support only the up and down arrows, while a blessed few support all four. An AppleWorks 2. Change or (optionally) eliminate the beep. 3. Allow more than twelve desktop files simultaneously. Fanatic's Wish List 4. Should support more printers, including more than one custom printer. 5. Removing a custom printer should not delete it perma nently. There should be some way of saving custom printers. 6. There should be more options for printer codes. These could be user definable for maximum utility.

The word processor 1. The maximum paper length should be 14 inches (legal) not 13.2 inches (?). 2. Should allow imbedded control characters like AppleWriter. 3. There should be an automatic paragraph indent feature. 4. AppleWorks does not use true tabulation. You can't in by Peter Lemettais sert tabs, and changing a tab does not affect existing text 5. No right justification.

Page 14 November/December 1987 Apple originally designed AppleWorks as a workable basic program that would sell Apple //s. What I don't understand is why there are so many planned limitations and design flaws.

6. No 1-1/2 line spacing. The database 7. Should show headers and footers on-screen after page 1. should mean "accept entry and go right one cell," calculation. "accept and go left." 8. Headers and footers should be able to use more than one 2. should mean "accept entry and go down one line. cell," "accept and go up." 9. User cannot change the two line space between header 3. Should be able to copy fields as well as records. or footer and main body of text. 4. Should be able to type past the right edge of the screen. 10. Should (optionally) do automatic page breaks like 5. The last record selection rule should be the default for MacWrite. the next search. 11. Search and replace functions should use "stop/find 6. Should be able to select records based on more than next/change then find/change all" logic to reduce keystrokes. three criteria. 12. Should have a footnote feature like AppleWriter. 7. Fields should be able to use more than one line of text. 13. Should have conditional form feeds AppleWriter. 8. There are too few date and time formats. 14. New document page setup defaults are wrong. 15. Find page should calculate pages, then go to the top This job will require hard work, a keen mind, dedication, of the page. and a willingness to overcome all odds without much help. 16. Markers should use text instead of numbers for better The pay is very poor (i.e. the satisfaction of a job well done). mnemonics. I doubt 1 would find anyone crazy enough to tackle the assign ment anywhere except an Apple users' group—everyone The spreadsheet knows hackers, especially Apple hackers, are crazy! 1. Must overcome the 1800 byte-per-row limit! Actually,I am serious about this. We could put the result 2. Must add trigonometric and logarithmic functions—^sin ing AppleWorks patches in the public domain on major bulle 0,cosO, asinO, acosQ,logO, and InQ. tin boards(Compuserve, HAAUG Heaven). I am only a no 3. Should add standard deviation STDEVQ. vice programmer, but I would be willing to help. This might 4. Should be able to type past the right edge of the screen. even be a good "Advanced Topics" topic. 5. Should add text commands - lookup text, if cell=text, Apple originally designed AppleWorks as a workable bas midQ. ic program that would sell Apple//s. What I don't understand 6. Should be able to change the alignment of numbers. is why there are so many planned limitations and design 7. If you make a mistake entering something, the only flaws. The programmer took Quickfile part and parcel, so the way out is to backspace all the way back and hit return. database is very good. Apple was apparently too cheap to do 8. should mean "accept entry and go right one the same with AppleWriter, however. Thus, the word proces cell," "accept and go left." sor in AppleWorks is pathetic. The spreadsheet, once the 9. should mean "accept entry and go down one 1800 byte-per-row limitation is overcome, will be workable, cell," "accept and go up." even useful with a few more functions. 10. Entries should be evaluated at the end,so 123 Main Individually, the modules would rate about two starsi The Street would be a label, not an error. integration is relatively seamless, so as supplied by Apple, the 11. Should add cell protection. package rates three stars. With Applied Engineerings' patches, 12. Must allow column width of zero. this rises to four stars, and with the changes listed above,Ap 13. Should have a bar graph value format(1 = *,6 = pleWorks could easily be a five-star program!

14. When copying one cell to many (replication), one should only have to answer "no change/relative" once. 15. There are too few date and time formats.

Apple Barrel Page 15 The new smarts

Computers can make learning less painful

by John W. Daut

A short while back, one of my and Sesame Street. music increase the magnetism and the daughters (the college student this time) After doing more thinking (and re occasional stroking, like "G-O-O-D J- announced that one of her North Harris membering and watching Sesame Street 0-B J-O-H-N" and "Y.O.U A.R.E County College professors had just a little myself), it became evident that R.I.G.H.T A.G.A.I.N" make you want bought a new Apple He computer for while they were wasting their time, the to try harder on the next round. Huh!!! home use. Not only does the teacher smarts were being painlessly pounded Maybe that is what the designers intend work with computers every day at into their little heads by Mr. Rogers, ed to do. school, but she already had one He at Big Bird, The Count, and Burt and Er There is however, to adults, one in home. The new one is for her son to nie. There was even a wonderful bonus furiating thing about children's pro use. in this new way of learning. All that grams. The children usually do much "So, what else is new!" you are time they thought they were having better and learn to use the programs fast thinking."A lot of people buy comput fun. er then the adults. Why? Children are ers for their kids to use. It helps them Much later(two years ago), we pur not hindered by the knowledge that in school." Sure they do,I agree, but in chased a computer to help my two some things can not be done and try this case the son is a little less then two youngest with their school work and to everything. If they goof up, who cares? years old. keep my small amount of business They do not quickly cut their eyes "Good Lord!" was my first re records. Youngest? One is now a sen around to see if someone noticed the sponse. Even thinking about the ex ior in high school and the other is a mistake or have to make an excuse like pense of a Apple He, as a toy for a mere sophomore in college. In helping them "My finger slipped," or "The joy stick baby, was almost beyond my imagina learn to use the computer and some of must have stuck." tion. However, it continued to stick in the educational programs,I discovered So now modem preschoolers can my mind and inspired me to do some that there are a vast number of good pro get their smarts from a television screen serious rethinking about education. grams besides Lode Runner and like my children did. But now they in When I entered school and started AppleWorks. teract with the program rather then just learning to read, write and count, we Now,even my grandchildren who being a passive observer. Being an ac started from scratch and got our "smarts" attend the first and second grade in the tive participant greatly increases the the old fashioned way. We learned by little country school at Tarkington Prai amount of knowledge that is retained. doing boring repetitive lessons and rie u^ Apples IIs in their classes. They In addition, the active participation re maintaining a serious attitude or we got can sit down,insert a disk into the drive quired with most computer programs de the palm of our hand swatted with a rul and start running games and learning signed for children even better disguises er. Most often the method of learning programs as easy as I can. The best part the learning process as fun. was memorizing long and tedious les is that, like watching Sesame Street, After giving the matter a great deal sons while staring at a textbook and while they are getting their smarts, my of thought, I still think buying an Ap daydreaming about playing. grandchildren think they are having fun ple He for a child less then two years old Thinking back, though, when each instead of learning. it is a little outrageous. But, if I ever of my four kids started to school they And,as weird as it may seem,an start another family,I have decided that I seemed to already know a lot about read old timer like myself can even have fun would definitely share my computer. ing, writing, and counting. All I ever playing with programs like Alphabet Then my children would get their smarts saw them do when they were growing Circus, Gertrude's Secrets, and Rocky's with a joy stick in the palm of their up was waste their time sitting around Boots. The graphics and colors hold hand instead of a mler. watching Mr.Rogers' Neighborhood your attention, the sound effects and

Page 16 November/December 1987 APPLE USER GROUP

The Genius behind HyperCard: Bill Atkinson

An exclusive interview When did the product get underway size of the MacPaint window to full and who was on your team? screen ones. That really opened up the with Quick Connect I've been working on HyperCard for ability to use HyperCard as an authoring He is a dreamer, an inventor, a soft the last three years. Two years ago, I tool to make something that was an end ANew Connection ware artist, and one of the biggest names showed a working prototype of it to application that didn't have to look like in personal computing. Best known as . He got excited about it and HyperCard. the author of MacPaintf Bill Atkinson wanted to make it a real product. And I A big breakthrough was when we has a penchant for pushing the fron did, too. So a team was put together at went to bit-map packing. We really Presentations tiers of the Macintosh™ dream: to put Apple which today numbers about 30 wanted to use the richness and lush the power of the personal computer people. Four people contributed to the detail that you can get with a full bit into every user's hands. First, he gave code: Dan Winkler worked closely with map in the graphics, but they're very all of us the power to create sophisti me writing the language portion, Adam expensive—the cost of each shared Connecting Witt) cated graphics on a computer. Now, Paal did the printing code, Ted Kaehler graphic and card-specific graphic was JoanTal)b he's given us the power to become did the sound code, and Carol Taylor 44K, uncompressed. So I worked out software developers without having to played a big role in the interactive, on a new packing algorithm. I remember know a single word of programming line help system. Chris Espinosa is my waking up at four in the morning and Developing Your code. HyperCard™ is already pushing product manager and I was very fortu going downstairs to work on it. Own Training the outer limits of this dream farther nate to have him. He basically enabled Basically the algorithm I than anyone thought possible, except, me to just keep working to make it A came up with worked. It allowed us to pack of course. Bill himself. happen while he worked on the M Apple Grantees We asked Bill to tell us his story of political connections, including V many many more and User Groups HyperCard and to make a few predic the planning and the rollout. Mike ^ f images per disk that ■ tions about the future. Here's what he Holm is currently the product man- VJ \* I 'V we would have been had to say. ager while Chris is on sabbatical. \ k-T' able to otherwise. How did you get the ideafor Hyper What breakthroughs were made E. '•' Continued On Page 2 Card? over the last three years? Actually, HyperCard is a descendant There were a lot of break of two ideas. One was the give-away throughs. One was when / ■ Rolodex program that I wrote just to we first got from the |, keep track of my own journal articles. smaller-sized cards The other was a research project I did that were the same ^ *' on what the new generation comput er should look like. In this project, we knew what we wanted to build, but we knew we couldn't build it within ten years. Part of HyperCard is an extraction from that project that could be done on today's technology. Quick Connect— September/October 1987

The Genius behind HyperCard: Bill Atkinson Continuedfr om page I Another breakthrough was working out the technology for fast searching. In my research, I had already figured out that, at least theoretically, the searching could be speeded up 100 times. When i fftt Iff I actually got to doing it, the measured performance was 700 times faster! This "The great ideas that breakthrough allowed us to search the are yet to come Los Gatos town library card catalog— In the Macintosh which had 100,000 cards or 15 mega world are mostly bytes of text—in 2 seconds instead of going to tie from 10 minutes. We were really pleased. It people who aren't was very exciting when that first broke. programmers... How would you compare your work on HyperCard with MacPaint? didn't have to learn all the control char trate on the feeling and message that HyperCard is much more open and acters and all the command sequences he is portraying in his rendition of this much more ambitious. Unlike Mac and bits and bytes and stuff like that. music. So slinging the bits is an enabling Paint, HyperCard is something that you You didn't have to be a computer jock technology for me to expre.ss and com build on top of. It's going to open up to u.se the Macintosh. municate and teach. The most excit people becau.se there are so many things But at the same time, we made it ing thing for me is when I see people you can do with it. In terms of ambi harder for the programmers to create amazed and pleased at the newfound tion, HyperCard is about 15 times as big Macintosh applications. It really takes power they got from a program—when as MacPaint. The assembly language not only a professional programmer, but they say,"Wow, I can do this!" That's the alone in HyperCard is bigger than that in also someone who has spent a year or feeling people got back in 1984 when "Slinging the bits QuickDraw. It's certainly the largest so learning the Inside Macintosh hand they saw MacPaint and started using it. Is an enabling thing I've attempted, and I think it's the book to understand how to use all the It's the same kind of feeling that is going technology most significant in terms of what it will Toolkit features, the graphics, the men to happen here with HyperCard. But that forme...." do to the computing community as a us, etc. So the Macintosh dream wasn't feeling will be magnified, because the whole. really complete because the individuals amount of power you get out of Hyper What ivill HyperCard do to the comput couldn't get all the power of the per Card is really so much greater. Hyper ing community? sonal computer. Tliey could only use Card is going to open up the whole All the people with great ideas or spe canned pieces of power. meaning of what personal computers HyperCard, acting like a software cialized knowledge of information won't can be. erector set, really opens up Macintosh need access to a professional Macintosh Can you make any predictions about software architecture to where individ programmer with time on his hands to thefuture? ual people can make their own custom express themselves. Making stacks is no I think if we look a year from now, I'll ized information environment, and in big deal. It's easy. The great ideas that bet there will be 20 times as many peo teractive information and applications What was the are yet to come in the Macintosh world ple making interactive information for without having to know any program name of the are mostly going to be from people who the Macintosh as there are now. A lot festival put on by a ming language. It takes the creation of aren't programmers but who have great of people are going to get opened up, well-known Apple software down to the level of generat ideas. HyperCard is going to enable enabled, empowered to control their founder? ing MacPaint images that you like, then them. computer. That's really what we're try Answer on Back Page pasting buttons on top of them to make ing to do. It's the same dream. Nothing's You've said that HyperCard is part ofthe them do what you want. HyperCard changed. It's the original Macinto.sh original Macintosh dream. Could you puts this power into the hands of any dream of making the power of person explain what you mean? Macintosh user. al computer accessible to individuals. The Macintosh dream has really been What is the most exciting thing about putting the power of the personal com HyperCard is just unfolding another your work as a software designer? puter into an individual person's hands. layer of Macintosh. It touches all the The art of creating software that is usable We succeeded to some extent by u.sing people who now own Macintosh com by individuals is a communication skill. graphics and menus, and a consistent puters, and a lot of people who are It is not a programming skill. Program^ user interface and direct-manipulation going to own them because of this. ming and what a software artist does is metaphors to make the software more analogous to a pianist who needs to usable and accessible. The end u.ser know how to move the keys and have that down cold so that he can concen Quick Connect— September/October 1987

A New Connection Says Hello!

You can't have too many good con improved Apple's connection with end nections. Nor can you have connections users. That's when she discovered that that are too good. So Apple is pleased to the newly born Tech Tidbits newsletter introduce the User Group community to could be expanded to address a larger another supporter—and one of the best audience. So she approached the Con kind. She's Sue Goodin, Technical Sup nection to determine how this growing port Engineer in Charlotte, North Caro resource could be used. lina, and creator of the dynamic Tech Needless to say, her question fell on Tidbits document now sent to all Apple eager ears. Within a week, back issues of User Groups. Sue's documents were being formatted Like many User Group members. for User Group distribution, and ASCII Sue has treen a long-time Apple advo versions were being posted to the User cate. In fact, she has aspired to work at Group Bulletin Board System on Apple- Apple since putting her fingers on her Link® first Apple® II. Today, she's mousing "I'm committed to the User Group away at her office in East Coast Tech community, and to extending Apple's nical Support, providing technical and outreach to them however I can," Sue troubleshooting support to Apple's affirms. "In addition to my other respon authorized dealers, national accounts, sibilities, I plan to 'hang out' when pos Also, if your group mns a Bulletin "...Tech Tidbits universities, and other direct customers, sible on the AppleLink User Group Bul Board, let her know so that she can and my AppleLink and assembling valuable technical in letin Board, responding to User Group make the appropriate referrals in her presence will be sights in a spirited, easy-to-understand technical inquiries and other things my area. available to all document now being distributed to User office can provide." She stresses, how We're sure you'll extend the same groups." Groups. ever, that she is a finite resource, and warm welcome to Sue that we have. Let Much of Sue's new job—she official will not be able to get directly involved her know that you appreciate her con ly joined Apple in August after several with User Groups outside of her geo tribution by sending her your newsletter months of contract involvement—is graphic region. "But Tech Tidbits and and corresponding with her on Apple- dedicated to answering her share of the my AppleLink presence will be avail Link. She can be reached the following 2,500 technical inquiries that her group able to all groups," she adds. addresses: fields each week. Sue requests tliat any interested Sue Goodin, TSE But Sue wanted more. She wanted to groups place her on their newsletter Apple Computer, Inc. feel the satisfaction of knowing her work mailing list using the address below. 5130 Parkway Plaza Boulevard Charlotte, NC 28210 AppleLink G00DIN2 On a Personal Note CompuServe 70007,3141 Sue's personal life involves Apple, too. She met her husband—you may know fiim as the Primary Sysop on the Apple II/III Forum on CompuServe's MAUG—through her involvement with Apple computers. But the real apple of their eye is daughter Barbara, age 2, whose favorite phrases include, "Mommy,'puter NOW!" and "Daddy, Mac! Do balloons!" Sue's tecfmical expertise came in handy when Barbara tried a user inter face experiment on her Apple lie: drizzling iced tea onto the keyboard. A What was Mike command followed: "Clean keys. Mommy!" Hmmm. Sounds like multitask Markkula, co- ing is no problem for Sue! founder and one of Apple's early presidents, doing for a living immediately before he came to Apple?

Amiver on Back Page Quick Connect— September/October 1987 Making an Impression with Desktop Presentations

As a User Group, you probably give by loading the paper cassette with trans need to project your Macintosh images presentations all the time. So you already parency materials and clicking on Print. for large audiences, there's Macnifier know the value of using visuals to get Charts and graphs, illustrations, and text- by Comtrex Ltd. This small LCD de your point aCTO,ss. But you may not only outlines come out looking profes vice, which connects to the Macintosh know about the host of new tools and sionally done in near typeset quality. through the video out port, sits on top techniques that can help you prepare And if you want to get fancy, there's a of your overhead projector and mag New tools and your materials quickly, cost-effectively, new software product that's opening up nifies images from the computer screen techniques...help and beautifully using Apple technology. new possibilities in preparing presenta to a large screen or on a wall. you prepare your It's all part of Desktop Presentations—a tion materials. PowerPoint, developed Another new entry into the world of materials quickly, major new applications area that Apple by Forethought, not only allows you to Desktop Pre,sentations is a desktop slide- cost-effectively, and is addressing to help people like you create overheads by cutting and pasting making machine called ImageMaker by tieautlfuily using communicate more effectively. graphics, text, or scanned images from Presentation Technologies. With Image- Apple technology. In both large corporations and small other applications, but allows you to Maker, you can create 35mm slides from professional firms. Desktop Presenta add borders, designs, or your company any image on your Macintosh screen. In tions is rapidly becoming one of the hot- logo to your materials. Once you design fact, you can create color slides even if te.st applications for the Macintosh and a template, it can automatically be trans you don't own a Macintosh 11. How? By La,serWriterf particularly in the areas of ferred to all your overheads. The pro .selecting fill patterns for the different sales, marketing, education, and training. gram also gives you the capability of colors you want in your slide. So even Workgroups everywhere are discovering adding speaker notes below each over if your saeen is black and white, Image- that these two tools are ideal for creating head and printing mini versions of each Maker can produce slides in living color. high-quality visual aids for everything one—up to six per page—to use as And, to produce your slides, you pay from small, informal business meetings handouts. only for the co.st of film and developing to large-scale, slick sales and marketing For tho.se of you who want to add —quite a cost savings over the $50 to presentations. Here's a sampling of how a bit of drama to your pre.sentations, $100 per slide typically charged by Apple technology can help make any PowerPoint features a "slide show"capa professional service bureaus. presentation take on a whole new bility so you can present your materials These are just a few of the Desktop dimension. right on the Macintosh screen. If you Presentations solutions currently avail With a Macintosh and LaserWriter able for creating materials that make you alone, you can produce exceptional look your best. As the market continues quality black-and-white overheads just to grow, you'll see more and more new products that can help you produce some .,n4o very impressive presentations from a desktop.

TP s'l!° W Is / • I. v.- I

These two screens represent the slide vieu< ofcells created uith PowerPoint. They arefrom an example proiided with the program which demonstrates how Christopher Columbus might have presented his ideas to Queen Isabella with his Macintosh. Quick Connect— September/October 1987 Connecting with Joan Tabb... The right kind ofencounter!

Chance encounters happen all the And that's where Joan is planning to time, but how many of them change r" take full advantage of her government your thinking, your job, your lifestyle? 1 and business sales connections, her Joan Tabb has had three such encoun-1 training background, and what she con ters in only two years' time. But then, 1 siders her main skill: communicating. "I want to be a synchronicity has always been a part 1 As Joan explains, "I feel that atxrve catalyst to create ofJoan's life. She seems to meet the \ all else, I am a communicator, and my more momentum, right people at the right time—in hall- 1 goal is to bring together three different more enthusiasm, ways, in parking lots, in elevators. And I groups to share information and sup more sharing of this propensity will serve her well as the port: Apple corporate, the government the resources from new Program Manager for Government and business User Groups, and Apple Apple and the ideas, and Business User Groups. In this role, field offices—the sales and support strategies, and Joan's job is to bring people and ideas I people who can provide the resources solutions that together in mutually beneficial ways. that User Groups want. These groups people have Here's a look at how joan connected can generate new ideas just by being out there." with the Apple's User Group team and training for this group and one thing together, and my job is to facilitate that how Apple's government and business led to the next. Before I knew it, I had communication and coordination. I User Groups will soon be connecting become the training person for govern want to be a catalyst to create more with her. ment sales, in federal as well as state momentum, more enthusiasm, more Two years ago,Joan made her first and local channels." sharing of the resources from Apple connection with Apple. At the time, she Training Apple's government sales and the ideas, strategies, and solutions was managing the new sales training ■reps was perhaps one of Joan's biggest that people have out there. My role is program at Memorex and producing and most rewarding career challenges. to be a clearinghouse for information video tapes on the company's new pro "My task was to develop training for and to connect all these people together ducts. She was also the program chair these people—to teach them the pro to build new programs to facilitate person of a professional group of in ducts, how to work with Apple cor these efforts." structional designers and training spe porate, how to write Apple contracts, "I have a tremendous enthusiasm for cialists—the Silicon "Valley chapter of and how to maximize the Macinto,sh." what's in front of me. Both government the National Society for Performance And train she did. In this one-week and business are markets that have hard and Instmction. The president of this training, Apple's entire government ly even been tapped, and I see User organization happened to be Bob Loftis sales force learned the basics of every Groups as an integral part in helping of Apple's Customer Publications group. thing from A to Z about Apple products Apple break new ground. The User Bob was Joan's first connection with and opportunities for them in govern Group community, in providing ser person L*s. Apple. As Joan describes it, "He tapped ment applications. And from them, vice, support, and training, has already me on the shoulder at one of our meet Joan learned a lot about working with become an important resource for the ings and said, 'I know the company you the government. large numbers of new business and should be in.' Two months later, I was It was Joan's work in training that led government Apple Computer users. I at Apple." her to her third chance encounter—this feel an overwhelming appreciation for Her first mandate in Apple's Train time with Ellen Leanse, the Connection's them and am privileged to be a part of ing Support group was to develop sales program manager. Joan tells it this way: building the business and government training programs for two channels: na "I realized that I wanted my next career User Group efforts." tional accounts and VAEs(Value-Added move to bring me closer to our end "I encourage anyone from these Resellers). But it wasn't long before a users. I really wanted to work with those groups who is interested in participat second chance encounter added another people who had real love and enthu ing or contributing their ideas and' responsibility. "One day I was walking siasm for our products. That's when suggestions to drop me a note, or link down the hall," Joan recalls, "and liter Ellen and I bumped into each other in me at Applelink TABBl." ally bumped into Bob Hall—one of the the parking lot. "We already knew each So, if you're a government or busi architects building Apple's government other, because she often made presen ness User Group, don't leave your en sales program."We began discussing tations in sales trainings. So when I told counter with Joan Tabb to chance. "Who her what was on my mind, she said, 'Call knows? This may be just the connection me when you get back to the office. Let's you've been looking for! talk.' And that's how I got into the User Group Connection." Quick Connect— September/October 1987 Developing Your Own Training

on the Macintosh byJeffVasek

Suppose you've been asked to put mers how the graphics and the instruc together a training class for your User tion fit on the screen together, we started Group. Whether the class will teach using storyboards. A storyboard is a kind geometry, wind surfing, or cooking, you of script that shows the text and graphics

"What we needed decide that the best training program that will appear on the screen. It also de was a dynamic would be one developed and run on a scribes in words and graphics the action story|}oardlng tool... computer. If you were ambitious enough that will occur on the screen, whether Enter HyperCard." to try it, you would probably sit down at it is some type of movement of the gra your computer and start programming phic or an action that the user should in BASIC, or Pascal, or even A.ssembler. complete. After hours and hours of programming, Unfortunately, sketching the graphics you might have about five minutes worth on paper, typing the words on a word of instruction that might or might not do processor, then laboriously cutting and justice to your topic. That's when you'd pasting them (you remember the days of say to yourself, "There's got to be a bet manual cut and paste, don't you?) into Jeff Vasek is manager ofthe Interactive Educa ter way!" the storyboards was a real tedious opera tion group within Apple's Customer Publications We at Apple arrived at the same con tion. Then along came the solution in and CBT department.Jeffs department is respon clusion. Our job is to develop computer- the form of desktop publishing on the siblefor producing CBTfor all ofApple's products based training(CBT) to teach our cus Macintosh. We could now develop the and has spent the last two years developing and using state-of-the-art CBT development toolsfor tomers how to use the computer. And sketches with a graphics package and the Macintosh. our situation wasn't much better than the the text on a word processor, then in The result of one described above. We'd begin with a tegrate them using a page layout pack Authoring Languages . Apple's Instructional concept, spend months committing our age, such as PageMaker or Ragtime. For After we'd found the tools to develop animators' work Is training to paper(which we called a the first time, we were able to show the storyboards more efficiently, we still near movle^uallty script), then hand it over to a program ideas we had for the training without needed to expedite the production of computer-based mer who would go away and come back using scissors. the final version. Programming the train training. a couple of months later with a finished Then we discovered we had another ing product in BASIC or Pascal took version of what he thought we meant to problem on our hands. No matter how enormous amounts of time. Revising show. Then we'd correct it, maybe add detailed our .storyboards were, and no even the smallest part of the program— a few graphics, and hand it over to the matter how much we waved our arms in to fix a bug or to make a part of the train programmer again. This cycle would go the air to explain what would be on the ing easier to understand—required re on until we got it right, or until the train screen, people who didn't have a lot of writing a lot of the code, which took ing absolutely had to ship. We also de experience with CBT couldn't envision more time. And, as any programmer cided that there had to be a better way. what the final product would look like knows, fixing a bug in one place always And we found several. Thanks to a from the sketches and words we showed presents the possibility of introducing whole new kind of software that's now them on paper. more bugs somewhere else. available for the Macintosh, we've dis What we needed was a dynamic What we needed was an authoring covered a variety of ways to develop storyboarding tool, one that would allow language—a software program that high-quality CBT faster, more efficiently, us to show the graphics and text on the would allow us to put the text, graphics, and more economically. We'd like to screen just as it would appear in the final and interaction together in final form share these new tools with you, as well product. Enter HyperCard, Apple's new without having to re.sort to a program as the ways we're using them here at system software product. With Hyper ming language. What we found was Apple. Card, we could very easily import text VideoWorks Interactive(VW/I), a de rivative of the original VideoWorks, co- Storyboards from the word processor and sketches developed by Apple and MacroMind. Because people learn better when con from the graphics package to individual "VW/I moved graphic "sprites"(or ob cepts are presented to them visually, cards, each representing a full screen. jects) on the screen and received user we decided a few years ago to develop We could create buttons .so the reviewer input—either from the mouse or the graphic-based training programs rather could move through the instruction, and keyboard—and checked it against than text-based programs. We wanted even flip through several cards very the graphics to be an integral part of the quickly to simulate the animation we predetermined correct answers. The program allowed the training to branch training rather than an illustration or two had in mind. For the first time, we were in several different directions, depend thrown in when there was enough space able to show the training exactly as it ing on the feedback we wanted to give left on the disk. To show the program would look in final form, but without the months of programming time that usu Continued On Page 7 ally went into developing a prototype. Quick Connect— September/October 1987

Continued From Page 6 the user. This was the tool we used to Apple Grantees and User Groups: develop such training disks as Your Apple Tour of the Macintosh SE, and Forging the Missing Links by Sterling Speirn Your Apple Tour of the Macintosh n Applications: A Software Overview. As many of you know, Apple's Com calls from members who wish to volun But because VW/1 relies on sprite ani munity Affairs program donates comput teer their services—was common among mation, it requires knowledge of how to ers to charitable organizations through all. And if so, how were User Groups move objects across the screen, as well out the United States. These "Apple identifying needs and opportunities in as some programming ability to struc grantees" are quite a diverse group of their communities where members'com One of the first things ture the user interaction. Here at Apple, nonprofit organizations whose success puter skills could make a difference? we teii grantees is, we use people who have both the gra ful proposals have earned them dona This summer, our staff has been on "Join a User Group." phic animation ability, as well as a bent tions of computer equipment. Included the road conducting follow-up training for programming, and we call them in in their grant are three days of hands-on workshops around the country. At every structional animators. The result of their training to help them launch their com site. User Group representatives have work is near movie-quality training. puter projects. Trainees arrive at our lab been there eager to help train and con In addition to this authoring lan in Cupertino in a curious condition. duct demonstrations, and to let Apple guage, others are available with differ They are what we call "inexperienced grantees know just how much the User ent features and flexibility. For example, experts." They have clearly become Group has to offer them. It's that old languages based on graphic flowchart quite skillful in their service areas, be it story of the out-of-towners playing ing allow each screen to be designed food banks or AIDS projects, a program matchmaker. As soon as our grantees independently—complete with text, for disabled citizens or an arts consor realize that the answer to a .software graphics, animation, and user interac tium. But they are just begirmers when it glitch may be just a phone call away, or tion, then linked together in a sequence comes to using computers. Despite their that a User Group member is actually determined by a flowchart. HyperCard, years of experience, they are entering excited about helping them get their too, works like an authoring language, unknown territory. And they need help. modem hooked up or a template work since it allows cards, or screens, to be After more than five years of helping ing, their eyes light up quicker than you designed and linked together in any human service and arts groups adopt can say "AppleWorks!" order to create the final GET. computer technology for their operations, If you have ideas about how these Conclusion we believe the critical factor for most kinds of good connections can be fos With these tools and others like them, nonprofit groups is ongoing local train tered among User Groups and Apple we at Apple can develop and produce ing and support. And that's why one of grantees and nonprofit groups in gen sophisticated GET in less time than was the first things we tell grantees is, "Join eral, we would greatly appreciate hear ever possible before. And so can you. a Hser Group." Well, some do, but too ing them, and we would like to share Gone are the days when you needed a many don't. 1 suspect our grantees re them with others interested in undertak background in computer science and semble the majority of nonprofit organi ing similar projects. More than the hard computer programming to put together zations. They imagine that User Groups ware or software they are often iden a training program that worked. But just are just for pros, and they don't realize tified with. User Groups also offer their like the old days, good GET still requires what a wealth of information and assis communities something else, and that's research and planning, and results from tance they might find if only they would humanware. a good design. If you don't know what join. Sterling Speirn is the Program Officerfor Com you want to teach before you begin At User Group University this spring, munity Affairs at Apple Corporate Grants. He can developing the training, you'll almost 1 was overwhelmed by the enthusiasm he contacted at SPEIRNl on Applelink. always end up teaching the wrong thing. that User Group representatives seemed So the next time your User Group to have for helping nonprofit enterprises needs a computer-based training course, in their communities. 1 was interested to get your hands on the tools that will hear how various groups had taken on make the job easy. Because now, the special projects to help local organiza Who told The power to develop GET is where it be tions or schools, and 1 wondered out Wall Street Journal,"We longs: in the hands of the people like loud in several conversations how User Groups could recruit more nonprofit believe this will you who have both the knowledge to be a two-horse teach and the ability to teach it. people and help shepherd the.se new race between users and late adapters into the tech Apple and IBM"? nological fold. I also wondered if the Answer on Back Page phenomenon reported by one User Group president—that he gets many Quick Connect— September/October 1987 QUICK BULLETINS

IKlVLVIIAmS Introducing the Apple Answers Training Alliance Program page 2- In response to the growing demand The US Festival, by for Macintosh applications training, par page 3- ticularly for Desktop Publishing solutions, Nothing(He was retired.) Did You Know? 1 Apple will announce a new training pro Apple's Chairman, CEO,and President, \ gram in October. We have established Talk (It got too noisy, since offices John Sculley, is an author. His book (co- ^ the Apple Training Alliance(ATA) to en authored by John A. Byrne of Business were separated only by five-foot courage and support successful training Week magazine), entitled Odyssey: Pepsi cubicle walls.) efforts by selected third-party training to Apple ...A Journey ofAdventure, I companies and authorized Apple page 5- Ideas and the Future, will be pub 1 dealers. Dick Cavett lished in mid-October by Harper & Row. page 6- The objective of the program is to Amoth make Macintosh application training more accessible to our users. The first page 7- five applications will be: John Sculley • Aldus PageMaker 2.0 • Microsoft Word 3-01 • Adobe Illustrator • Forethought PowerPoint • Silicon Beach SuperPaint For more information, contact your In Apple's History... authorized Apple dealer. SEPTEMBER»76-Sixmonte.fle,Applebegan,Jotean

Reader Rabbit is a fun and effective The Sorter Game repeat the steps to play the Labeler way of teaching young children to read To play the sorter game press the Game but choose the Word Train. The and talk with over two hundred words. number 1 key. Then it will say "lets goal of this game is to load words from Yes, I said talk. Reader Rabbit uses play the sorter game." To play this the Word Factory onto the Word Train. digitized sound through the standard game, you simply match the word it This game teaches children to read by Ilgs sound port meaning no need for an says with the target word in the box. If recognizing different patterns in the extra sound card to hear it talk. the word that slides out of the side words. Each word must have a differ To start the program you simply put matches the target pattern, press the ent letter in it than the one in front of it the disk in the drive and turn on the space bar to store it on the shelf. to enable the child to load it onto the computer. If you have a RAM card, Basically, it is a very simple game to you can turn it on and the program will teach recognition of syllables. load itself into memory making it run Matchup much faster. From the startup screen The Labeler Game The Matchup tries to have the child you can choose to play one of the four To play the Labeler Game, press review what he or she has learned in the games by pressing the corresponding escape and choose it from the main previous games. Therfore, it should be number key on the keyboard. To toggle screen. This game teaches children to played last but it doesn't really matter, between Voice & Sound and Voice & spell. You choose a letter from a especially to the kid who is playing. Quiet press the number 5 key until the scrambled group of letters and it will selection you want appears and it is set. help you place it in the right order under Reader Rabbit was written by The To toggle between Joystick and a picture of the word you're spelling. Learning Company. It was the first to keyboard press the number 6 key until use digitized sound extensivly in a your selection appears. There is no The Word Train program. If you have a Ilgs and young mouse control. Playing this game requires that you kids, consider getting Reader Rabbit.

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By Tom Carson and Larry Stehling system of calculations based upon ap games in our Top 10. Because of my Every month in the Games SIG, proximate hours of enjoyment I re deceptively quantitative approach I Larry and I trash new games. The ques ceived from the game. Larry used a came out with a Top 20, the second half tion arises (at least in our minds), what more truthfully subjective system which of which I only mention when it coin games do we like? With the Christmas he explains below. cides with some of Larry's picks. At season upon us, Larry and I would like the end of the article we list our picks to share our opinions on the best Apple Larry's Opening Comments: along with the publisher. With the ex II games we have played. If you are a When I began thinking of my favorite ception of two of the games (which are game player, it is our wish to point out games for the Apple II, I thought I noted), all are priced from $20 to $40. some games you may have missed. If would have an easy answer. But before you have have a loved one who pursues I could finish my answer, I thought of Larry's#!: Elite this seemingly mindless activity, take several games I liked for different rea My number one favorite game is Elite pity. The game player does not want a sons. First of all, I have had my Apple by Firebird. This is the exception to my woolly sweater, a leather briefcase, nor lie for less than three years, so I know guideline of being able to start and fin a cuddly puppy for Christmas. He or that I have played but a small percent ish a game in one sitting. Elite is a she wants a game! It is your duty to age of the games available. I look for a space trading simulation. You start out buy the game player games—lots of game that has play appeal. Games that equipped with a basic cargo cruiser with them. use a gimmick usually get boring after a pulse beam lasers and a small bank ac Both Larry and I have game preju little amount of play. However, if the count that you inherited from your de dices. We both are partial to sports game has great graphics, player interac ceased father. The objective of the games. If your loved one does not like tion, and a personality, then it becomes game is to achieve Elite status by killing to watch sports, steer clear of our sports a winner for me. I also disqualify my space pirates, Thargoid mother ships games selections. Neither of us like self from commenting on war simula and their drones, and blasting approach text-only adventures (so-called "interac tions. I very rarely have more than a ing asteroids. Not only will blasting tive fiction"). I would much rather read couple of hours a week to dedicate to these items credit you with a kill, you a book than play "guess- which-words- game playing on the computer, and I also get monetary credits to your bank the-computer-understands." I enjoy like to start and finish a game in that account, and with enough kills you wargames. We don't show wargames at time period (I do have an exception to jump status. You jump from system to the Games SIG anymore because they that guideline, which will be discussed system, galaxy to galaxy while trading tend to clear the room. So be warned; if later). goods in demand (example: agricultural your potential gift recipient does not planets need computers to aid harvest, show a propensity towards wargames, Tom's Opening Comments: industrial planets require food). You don't buy one. Our lists were compiled independently can determine your own fate by dealing In choosing my list, I employed a of one another. We only shared three in illegal goods such as narcotics, weap-

November/December 1987 ons, and slaves. You can attack other at the bottom. There is no diplomacy or To successfully retrieve each item, you traders or police ships. All of the previ cuteness. The player simply hacks, must first defeat the robots and return ously mentioned activities will gain you slashes, and steals his way to victory. the items, one at a time, to the Spirit fugitive status and cause every bounty The map-making required is not too Guardians who will reward you with hunter in the galaxy to come after you. hard nor too difficult. One can back up additional lives and the chance to earn Once you have traded successfully sev characters so that in the event your ad additional jet sleds. There are seven eral times, you can then afford to up venturing party gets wiped out, not too different robots, each with their own grade your ship. You can add an extra much time is lost This game also has a characteristics. Once you have re cargo hold, a fuel scoop, better lasers, a good manual and should appeal to trieved all three items you are then as galactic hyper-drive, an escape pod, etc. gamers whose motto is,"Kill them and signed to save the baby prince who is What attracts me to this game are the take their gold." also guarded by robots. The most inter smooth graphics and constant action. esting thing about this game is the (Vector graphics are used instead of Larry's #2: Captain Goodnight and graphics. The graphics are very fast solid filled objects.) You can save the the Islands ofFear and crisp. When the jet sled skims game often so that when you are killed This game is fast and absorbing. I have across the water, you can see ripples. you don't have to restart your character. yet to successfully complete this adven When the sled submerges, the image is I can recommend this game to all aspir ture, but it is very entertaining, although broken and distorted. When the sled ing Luke Sky walkers out there. at times very frustrating. You, as Cap and its pilot emerge from the water, the tain Goodnight, are assigned to save the pilot shakes the water from his head. Tom's#!: Elite world by turning off the Doomsday When the sled is stopped, the pilot will Elite also ranks as my number one se Machine located on Doom Island. look around like he is confused or lost. lection. Along with the points Larry However, to reach Doom Island, you Really great stuff. made, let me add that once the game has must survive two other islands with booted it never accesses the disk— their own defenses. You mostly en Tom's Response: thereby eliminating, at least temporar counter renegade robots that eiAer zap I agree with Larry in regards to the ily, the silly idea of buying a newer you or toss hand grenades at you. The game's graphics. They are the best of more powerful computer. The game's most appealing thing about this game is any for the II (non-GS)series. On the manual is without peer in a world of that it has a personality. During the en basis of the graphics, this game came in mediocre documentation. Attendees of tire game you are taunted by your foe at 19th on my list. our Game SIG meetings will vouch for with little dialog messages. Captain one of my mottos,"If you have to read Goodnight has a personality of his own. Tom's #3: Battle ofAntietam the documentation, it might as well be a It seems that the Captain is not a very This game is a wargame. It is fairly spreadsheet." You don't have to read patient person (that is all I'm going to complicated and children will not like Elite*s lengthy manual, but you'll want say about him. I'll let him catch you by it. However,if you enjoy tactical-level to. It is written as a technical manual in surprise like he caught me. I will say board wargames, then you will probably the made-up future. It is not cloying as that I found it very amusing). The like this game. The game simulates the so many other manuals feel the need to graphics are very good in this one. American Civil War battle of the same be. The drawback of the game is that name. Players command the units of once all the ship assessories have been Tom's Response: McClellan and Lee's armies. The game bought, the sense of purpose that drives I haven't played this game nearly as can be played solitaire (you won't find a player is exhausted. The game's os much as Larry has. I would underscore anyone to play with you), two-player, or tensible goal is to achieve "Elite" status. Larry's use of the word "frustrating." I with the computer playing both sides However, this goal can only be understand that there is a cheat program (why bother?). Computer wargames are achieved by hours of repetitious play. available that allows an unlimited mis terrible as two-player games because Although the player grows stronger, the sion clock. This "cheating" sounds like the inactive player cannot study the bat opponents do not, thus causing boredom a good idea, but should have been in tlefield while the active player moves. to set in. Nevertheless, the game does corporated with the original game. Too As solitaire games, they are wonderful provide about 25 hours of top-notch frustrating for my tastes. for the avid wargamer. Your opponent computer game playing. is often infinitely patient and unlike Larry's #3.Airheart board wargames, it is a lot harder to Tom's #2: Wizardry—Proving For number three, A/r/zearr. In "cheat" for one side(come to think of it, Grounds of the Overlord Airheart, you are the pilot of a jet sled maybe this facet is a drawback). Anti This original issue of the Wizardry se that skims across the water surface. etam was the first of SSI's civil war se ries transferred fantasy role-playing to You are given several tasks by the Spirit ries. Subsequent releases include the the computer. The computer replaces a Guardians. Each task becomes increas Battle of Gettysburg, Battle ofChicka- role-playing referee with excellent re ingly more difficult. You must find and mauga, and Battle ofShiloh. They all sults. The game player creates charac retrieve three proofs of fitness. They use the same mechanics as Antietam ters that go into a dungeon with the pur are a sword,a goblet, and a harp. Each with a few added refinements (e.g., the pose of killing the evil wizard who lives of these items are protected by robots. non-random depletion of ammunition).

Apple Barrel Page 27 I spent about 25 engrossing hours play when you are winning and low when ball simulation. The graphics of this ing this game until I realized my entire you start to lose and have patience. game are very primitive, but they are line of defense (I was the Confederate Once you have enough money, go to an adequate. Unlike the arcade games,the player)faced imminent demoralization. auto factory and custom order a car to player assumes the role of a baseball I haven't booted the program in over a your liking. Driving between towns is manager making only managerial deci year because the thought of losing to a like driving in one of the Mad Max sions—setting defenses, warming-up computer opponent is demoralizing in movies. You encounter meanies trying bullpen members,substituting, setting itself. to kill you, steal your cargo, and salvage line-ups, etc. As a game player, you your car. As you successfully travel have no control over strictly player Tom's #4: Questron from town to town, your prestige will functions such as the pitch locations, Blind loyalists of the Ultima series will increase. One annoying thing about this timing of swings,etc. The designer detest this adventure game. It uses the game is that at night, when everything shared that same love of esoteric detail same outdoor graphics as the Ultimas closes, you must go back to the truck that marks baseball fans. It is possible (under license). I found Questron to be stop for a night's sleep. This seems a to experience player injuries, rain-outs, much more playable than any of the Ul waste of time. Itjustinterupts the flow and ejections. Plus, you can print the timas. The plot of the game is identical of the game. Other than that, the game box-scores of the games. The game also to every other fantasy adventure game is pretty good. allows you to input any team or player (the evil wizard must be killed), but the you have the stats for. The main draw game thankfully lacks the pretentious Tom's Response: backs to the game are time consuming ness and seriousness of the other role- This game has a good premise and a disk access for substitution and the al playing adventures. Variety in an ad rather good execution, but the fatal flaw ready mentioned graphics. Another venture game is an alien concept Here, that Larry mentions kills the game. The draw to the game is the reduced price- it arrives as a blast of fresh air into the designers were too cruel. A large time tag it and its companion Computer stuffiness of the dungeon genre. The investment can be wiped out too easily Quarterback now carry. game incorporates a simple arcade by the game's unforgiving death rules. 1 game,a memory game,and lots of gam know a cheat program exists for this Tom's #6: Decision in the Desertt bling into its system. The game is more game,as well. But again, these "cheat" If you have some interest in playing forgiving than most of this ilk and re features should have been written into computer wargames but have never in wards the player with a grand ceremony the program. dulged yourself, the Microprose Com for his gD(^ work. mand series is an excellent introduction. Larry's #5. Loderunner They use joystick control, have a lim Larry's #4: Autoduel This fast moving arcade game has 150 ited number of units to control, are This game enters my list with mixed different levels. Each level is a differ fairly fast moving (these are "real-time" emotions. The game plays very well ent puzzle that must be solved. You games), and can be completed in less but there is one major drawback. The must avoid the enemy,gather the gold than two hours. Decision in the Desert game allows you to save to disk any boxes, and escape the level to proceed simulates the North African Campaign where during the game. But if you die, to the next screen. The interesting part of World War 11. The game has several that character and any cars or fortune of the game is figuring out how to get scenarios covering different parts of the accrued cannot be retrieved for contin all the gold boxes without getting campaign. Unfortunately, no campaign ued play. Also, you caimot retrieve the trapped or killed. The character you length scenario is included. The other character from the last place saved. He control has a laser blaster that is used to two games in this series are Crusade in is dead,forever. TTiis may not seem melt bricks which can serve as traps or Europe (World War 11 Western Front) like much,but you will spend many escape routes. There is even a screen and Conflict in Vietnam (several differ hours developing the character's for editor and a "build your own" capabil ent Vietnam battles). tune, cars, and [B'estige. To have it ity. wiped out with one mistake can be very Larry's Response: frustrating. There is some hope; 1 have Tom's Response: For a wargame, this one is fairly easy to seen character editcn* programs available Number 14 on my list The game learn and, unlike most of them,conflict in the back of magazines. 1 would con avoids the fiostration of many computer is resolved quickly. sider this a must, although 1 don't have games by allowing players to enter the one myself...yet!!! In Autoduel, you specific screens that they want to. Larry's #6 and #7: Computer Quar start out with $2000.00 and you are on terback and Computer Baseball foot. You can start out driving in ama Tom's #5: Computer Baseball Basically, these two games are non teur nights to gain some prestige which Computer Baseball was released in graphic game simulations. That is, they will later get you the better paying cou 1981. In the relative world of computer are statistical number crunchers. Both rier jobs, or you can travel by bus to advances, this six year old game almost games rely on success rates of offense Adantic City and gamble to amass your qualifies as an archaeological find. versus defense. In Computer Quarter fortune. 1 recommend going to Atlantic What is truly amazing is that in six back you select how much you want to City and playing stud poker. Bet high years no one has released a better base spend for each position and the com-

Page 28 November/December 1987 puter will automatically determine how off at the pass. You must defeat each of much repetition of action to achieve the successful he will be at his position. these goons and continue to and through goal. Instead of inventiveness, the de You select the plays. The computer will the castle, chamber by chamber, goon signer relies on the stamina of the calculate the yards gained or lost, throw by goon until you battle the warlord player to finish his creation. After the in a random number of penalties at what himself. Just one tip, if you get through enjoyable time,I spent at least another seems like the worst possible times the warlord, watch how you approach 20 hours in an effort to ^ish the game. (sounds like the Oilers...just joking) and the princess. Also, if you get really I didn't and I won't(at least for a turnovers. In Computer Baseball you good, try booting the disk label-side while). This game's inclusion on my can select from several teams on the down. list is a reflection of the early, explora disk, select from those teams your start tory phase of the game which really was ing line-up and their batting order. You Tom's Response: fun. also control the bullpen, defensive posi Unlike Larry, I've never finished this tioning and plays, and you can control game. It is very cinematic in concept, Larry's Response: the offense (e.g., hit and run, steal a and is a good game to show to non- I'm not patient enough to stick with base, bunt, etc.). Both games have team computer gamers. these adventure games. disks available and both games can be played with one or two players. Tom's #8: LordlingsofYore Larry's #9: Ogre Although the packaging of this game The only reason I like this one is be Tom's #7. Winter Games makes it appear to be another fantasy cause I played it when it was a microg- Epyx has released a slew of these sports role-playing game, it is actually a me ame by Micro-Gaming Concepts. Ogre, games. Each is similar in that they con dieval wargame. The magical elements developed by Steve Jackson (the same tain about eight different events (e.g., included could be explained by conven guy who developed Car Wars, which kayaking, figure skating, gymnastics, tional means. The scenario pits the was transformed into Autoduel), was pole-vaulting) which are played in an lordlings of four contiguous shires originally a $2.95 board game which arcade format. These games' events against one another. As one of these came in a baggie with cut-out pieces. vary from the enjoyable (javelin-throw, four lordlings, the player collects reve The game transforms well from board skeet shooting) to the imworkable nue,outfits his army,invades the en to computer because the concept is (high-jump, fencing). Winter Games emy,and tries to protect his own shire. simple. There is a giant robot tank that has the best graphics and highest overall The game system hides enemy troop just knows to attack your headquarters quality of the series. All the events are dispositions. To collect such informa and defending army of small artillery playable and half of them are outstand tion you must enter into battle or pay and tanks. In the process it destroys as ing (hot-dog skiing, biathlon, ski-jump the local peasants for spy reports. To much of your force as possible and then ing, and bob-sleding). The game ac avoid calamities, you must also return returns from whence it came. Ogre can cepts up to eight players at once and part of the taxation to the peasants as be played with one or two people. The keeps a running tabulation of the medal appeasement. The game can be played game can be used with either a mouse competition. Additionally, the vanity with one to four humans, although hav or a joystick; however, the mouse is board keeps individual "World Rec ing more than two humans substantially highly recommended to make command ords" for Ae different events. The joys lengthens the game. As a two player selection easier. Sound effects are tick controls are fairly easy to learn. game, you can team up against the com pretty good. An improvement to the That and the non-lethal nature of the puter opponents, double-cross each game would be a helm's view of each action make this game appealing to other, or simply wage open warfare. attacking vehicle during the attack se people who would not usually care for The relative number of fighting men is quences. video gaming. low so that a lost battle can have dire effects. An invading army has the bur Tom's Response: Larry's Response: den of garrisoning the towns and vil Like Larry,I played the original board This game is entertaining, has good lages of the hostile shire to ensure version of this game. The computer ver graphics, and is the best of the Epyx greater tax revenue. Tax revenue is sion improves very little on it The Games series. used to purchase more troops or $2.95 board version was a much better magician's spells. This game uses value. Larry's #8: Karateka many good ideas. It is marred some I really like this pme because I have what by not using a joystick. Tom's #10: Computer Quarterback successfully completed it several times. As Larry mentions, this game relies on I can't say the same for any of the oth Tom's #9: Ultima HI statistics, not arcade action. There are ers above. The graphics are typical I found this fantasy role-playing game two levels of play: semi-pro(18 offen Broderbund—excellent. You are given to be very entertaining for the first 20 sive plays, 14 defensive plays) and pro the task of saving the princess who has hours of play. Unfortunately, 20 hours (36 offensive plays, 24 defensive been abducted by the evil warlord. As will not get you close to your goal plays—each with the choice of 3 you approach the castle, the warlord (killing the evil wizard). Like so many alignments and 3 double team possibili sends out his Karate goons to head you adventure games,this one requires ties). The computer can provide an op-

Apple Barrel Poge 29 ponent for the semi-pro version but the and the keyboard. play Bards Tale I and//. Wizardry, and pro version is strictly for human oppo any of the Gamestars/Activision sports nents. As in Computer Baseball, there Tom's Response: games. are rudimentary graphics. Both Com This has the best graphics of any Apple If there are any games that should puter Baseball and Computer Quarter n baseball game. Larry is right, the receive any attention on my part, please back are due for revision but until that computer does cheat. The game is best let me know. I'm always looking for a time they remain a great value. (Note: played by two players. The players good game. Computer Quarterback requires game should disallow positioning the paddles.) catcher's mitt as this movement makes Tom's Parting Shot: hitting too hard. The game was 13th on Below is a list of the Top Ten. With the Larry's #10: Hardball my list. exception of Computer Baseball and Another baseball game. This one has Computer Quarterback which are outstanding graphics. The game can be Larry's Closing Comments: priced at around $12, all of these games one or two player; however,I recom Well, there it is. My top ten. Now,let cost between $20 and $40 from mail mend finding someone to play with be me explain that these are the favorites order or discount retailers. As with any cause I think the computer cheats. It of the games I have played. There are a computer product, mail order is cheaper must be scuffing the ball and using few that I haven't played yet, but I cer but does not supply immediate gratifica corked bats. I usually hold the game tainly would like to. I would like to tion. close for three or four innings then nothing goes right. As manager, you Larry's Top Ten Tom's Top Ten select the players, substitute when de 1. Elite^ Firebird 1. Elite, Firebird sired, and select offensive plays. As 2. Captain Goodnight, Broderbund 2. Wizardry, Sir-Tech player, you control the pitch selection 3. Airheart, Broderbund 3. Battle of Antietam, SSI 4. Autoduel, Origin 4. Questron, SSI and location, fielders' positioning, and 5. Loderunner, Broderbund 5. Computer Baseball, SSI throws to the infield. As batter, you can 6. Computer Quarterback, SSI 6. Decision in the Desert, Microprose select the type of swing you take. 7. Computer Baseball, SSI 7. Winter Games, Epyx When played against the computer, only 8. Karateka, Broderbund 8. Lordlings of Yore, Softiore 9. Ogre, Origin 9. Ultima III, Origin the joystick is used. When two players 10. Hardball, Accolade 10. Computer Quarterback, SSI play, they alternate using the joystick

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By Eric Nye

Did you buy a printer whose name probably the most difficult aspect of Nowhere in my manual did I find the doesn't appear on the list of supported AppleWorks, The task requires a few clear phrase,"To make the printer print printers on the AppleWorks "Add a (maybe quite a few) hours and a 17 ci you should specify command(s) X Printer" screen? There are plenty of ex willingness to follow steps in an orderly and Y." Unclear manual instructions cellent printers not listed and good way. We'll start with the printer exacerbate the difficulty of setting up a reasons to buy one. If you chose manual as the place to identify the custom printer in AppleWorks, In "custom printer" on the "Add a printer" commands you will need. Find the fairness to printer manual writing staffs, screen and have been able to keep the section which presents the general one must consider that they intend their printer from printing one line on top of comments on \h& subject "characters per product to be used by many computer another, you are as far along as I was inch" and determine what widths your brands; therefore, their vagueness can six weeks after I unpacked my new printer is capable of producing and be forgiven somewhat. In order to fill system. I had only seen one size char make a chart like the one in Figure la. in the chart above, you will have to acter on all the paper that had passed Don't try to fill in the portion to the locate the codes for pica and other through my printer. It looked great! right of the equal sign, yet. terms. Lastly, there is the concept of But the word processor section of Next, locate the section of the proportional characters. This principle my AppleWorks manual kept mention printer manual which gives the codes allots more width to a"w" than to an ing the phrase "characters per inch or for these character widths. At this point "i". This is the trickiest one of all, but ci." I asked myself,"What are they you may need to learn a few terms, such my experimentation has indicated that talking about?" (I asked that one as pica which means 10 ci, elite which proportional pica works in AppleWorks frequently.) I read the section again and means 12 ci, and others. Your manual if you specify thirteen characters per experimented with Open-Apple O,CI, may not state that 10 ci = "code X"; inch. You should postpone the aspect specifying numbers like 6, 8,12,15,17, rather, it may state Pica = "code X". of proportional character width until and 20 because my printer manual said Furthermore, you must realize that if you feel comfortable with the standard my printer was capable of those sizes. I you combine the term pica with widths. At that time you will want to was really puzzled because they seemed something like "wide print" or "double experiment for yourself. You cannot to make no difference. Well, if you width" you arrive at the 5 ci figure hurt the computer or printer by specify haven't seen your dot matrix printer above. You would determine 6 ci by ing commands that are incorrect. The create those great big letters and those combining "double width" with elite or printer just won't do what you desire it little tiny letters, read on... one-half of 12. For ci numbers higher to do, and may even print part of the In order for you to get the printer to than twelve, you will have to combine code it doesn't know how to interpret, vary its character width and shape, you terms like "condensed" or "com thereby giving you a clue to the must enter certain printer commands as pressed" with pica or elite. Through problem's solution. part of the custom printer set-up. To the combining these names your printer can You must then find the section of inexperienced user this procedure is produce the different character sizes. the printer manual which specifies

Apple Barrel Page 31 "codes" for your printer. Having found "Printer Information." If you have not during this code entry step, you will see them, are you confused by the three or already added a custom printer, press 3 something on the screen you do not four choices listed for the term elite? and highlight "custom printer." Press want to see there. Don't panic and stab From my personal experience, if the return and give the printer a name and at various keys in an attempt to escape. manual specifies a "control code" for a press return. If you already have added If you do, you will merely add more term, I recommend that you use it rather a custom printer, you will not be words to the screen you don't want to than the ASCII code. If the manual allowed to add a second. You may see there. There is no way to delete or does not mention a "control code," use continue to work with the custom erase an incorrect key press at this the ASCII code. Only "real" program printer you already have named or point. Once you detect an error, there mers need the decimal and hexadecimal delete it and create a new custom is only one way to end the code entry equivalents. AppleWorks is able to use printer. step: press shift 6 or the caret key. The either the ASCII code or the "control While at the "Printer Information" caret key press will return you to the code." Okay, now fill in the chart you screen, press 4 to "Change printer "Characters per inch" screen where you made earlier with the code for elite specifications." The ensuing screen is may start over. Type the same ci width. All of my examples, by the way, titled,"Change a Printer." For deci number on which you made the are from the Epson LQ series printer sions 1-5 on this screen I refer you to mistake. It is good practice to jot down manual. your AppleWorks manudl. To para the ci number as soon as you detect the To the right of"12 chars per inch phrase their main idea, try the default error and before you press the caret; =" I write "ESC M"(without the settings and if your printer performs otherwise, you will exit the error screen quotes). The capital and lower case correctly, don't be concerned about only to ask yourself,"Now which one letters are totally different so make sure these choices. By the way,AppleWorks was I working on?" Expect to make you are transcribing them properly. version 2 adds choice 5,Interface cards. plenty of mistakes, but don't let it upset Completing the chart in the same At the bottom of the screen, you. manner, I write the code for pica, ESC "Change a Printer," type the number for From the "Characters per inch" P. For double-width pica or 5 ci I write Printer codes. You are then presented screen, press 5 again and try to make two sets of codes: ESC P for pica and with the screen titled appropriately, your key presses correctly. It takes ESC WI for double-width. For double- "Printer Codes." Remember the term practice. Laugh a little at your mis width elite or 6 ci I also write two sets "characters per inch" or ci? Press 1 takes. Continue entering the codes for of codes: ESC M for elite and ESC Wl (return). "Characters per inch" is the the rest of the characters per inch for double-width. For fifteen (the name title of this screen. Next, press 5 numbers which have codes for your given to the 15 ci width), I write only (return) for 5 ci. At last, we are ready printer. For the beginner, to enter a one code because that is the third to enter the codes we placed on the Control-0 for example, press the standard size that the LQ prints: ESC g chart prepared earlier. The prompt at control key and while holding it for fifteen. For condensed pica or 17 ci the bottom of the screen asks you the depressed, press the other key (upper or I write ESC P for pica and Control-0 question,"Is the presently displayed lower case, this time). for condensed. Finishing the list, I printer code correct?" The current code After all the codes for characters write ESC M for elite and Control-0 for is "none." Aha! Now you understand per inch are entered, you are ready to condensed. I bet you are getting the why my printer never changed the see your dot matrix printer create those hang of it now? Does the code name width of any characters it printed during large or tiny characters which, by the itself mean anything? Well, in general, the first six weeks I used it. Apple- way,look the same on your AppleWorks no. But the "P" in "ESC P" could be Works, as usual, performed its part screen. Place a short word processor remembered easily because "p" is the correctly. It had sent my printer document on your desktop and enter it. first letter in pica. Nevertheless, it's "None" when I had specified the Skip down a few lines of text and press perhaps best to think of them as various characters per inch. My printer Open-Apple O. Then type CI (return) arbitrary symbols. The chart should received "None" and made no changes and pick any number other than 10 look like Figure lb now. to what it had been printing. Well, the which appears on your chart. (Well, We are now ready to put these present code of"None" is not okay; so pick 5 this first time so we'll communi strange looking codes into the Apple- press return while "No" is highlighted. cate more clearly.) Type that number Works file, SEG.PR on the program Refer to the chart you made earlier and press return. Notice that Apple- side of the diskette. I interject that for and enter the appropriate code(s). For Works has inserted" Chars those who have wondered what those the inexperienced, to enter "ESC" or per Inch: 5 chars" at the left margin just cryptic file titles mean. PR indicates "Escape" press the key named Esc and above the paragraph in which you printer information. I'm still wondering release it. Don't press the space bar inserted the ci option. Print the docu about most of the other titles. Load next, a space will be added automati ment on your printer and notice that at AppleWorks and from the main menu cally by AppleWorks. Then press the the point where you specified 5 ci, the type 5 for "Other Activities." Then next code letter. If a second ESC is letters have now become twice as large type 7 to specify information about your needed, press the Esc key again and as the default 10 ci letters at the top of printer. continue. the page. Take out your ruler and Now you are at the screen entitled After you have made a mistake measure one inch; then count the

Page 32 November/December 1987 number of characters. You now have a Character Widths clear understanding of the concept of Printer Codes characters per inch. Turn off the printer 5 characters per inch power switch; then turn it back on. You 6 characters per inch do this to erase the codes which 10 characters per inch produced 5 ci. (More about this later.) 12 characters per inch Try the other ci numbers by placing the 15 characters per inch cursor directly under the" 17 characters per inch Chars per Inch: ?? chars" and watch the 20 characters per inch number change as you type in your other ci choices. Caution: Try them all Figure la. Your sample chart should look like but only one at a time. And remember the above chart before you start writing codes. to turn off the printer power switch between each printing experiment. The Character Widths Printer Codes reason for this will be apparent below. 5 characters per inch ESCP ESCWl Experiment with each ci number your 6 characters per inch ESCM ESCWl printer is capable of producing. 10 characters per inch ESCP You have the basic concepts fully 12 characters per inch ESCM understood and have seen the big and 15 characters per inch ESCg tiny characters your dot matrix printer is capable of producing. But it sure was a 17 characters per inch ESC P Control-O hassle to turn off the printer every time 20 characters per inch ESCM Controi-O you changed to a different setting, Figure lb. After finding the appropriate codes for tuming on wasn't it? This is the idea which is the various widths, your chart should look like the above chart. basic to all printer codes: if you enter a command to tell the printer to change its Character Widths Printer Codes behavior in some way, then it will continue to print that way until you 5 characters per inch ESCP ESCWl Control-R have entered another command to tell it 6 characters per inch ESCM ESCWl Control-R to stop behaving in that way. Thus, for 10 characters per inch ESC P ESC WO Control-R every option that you can turn on with a 12 characters per inch ESC M ESC WO Control-R command, there is its cancelling or 15 characters per inch ESCg ESC WO Control-R negative command. 17 characters per inch ESC P Control-O ESC WO We must return to the printer 20 characters per inch ESC M Control-O ESC WO manual at this time to note how to turn off an attribute that we have specified. Figure Ic. The final chart with a complete It's back to square one, but now we set of enabling and disabling codes. have a little more experience and can build a more complete chart. guide as you add proportional com because you have done a great deal of Start with a chart like the one in mands,for instance. The reason I do work which will be lost if something Figure la. The terms required to print 5 not have to cancel pica, elite, or fifteen destroys that file on your AppleWorks ci were pica and double print but we is that they are "super commands" disk. didn't need condensed so we must enabling the Epson's three basic There are many more ideas to share cancel condensed just in case we had character widths. It is only the options on the subject of custom printers. For been using a character width which which need the cancelling commands. instance,"How do you gti AppleWorks employed it immediately preceding You will need to enter the codes for to print those big letters and little letters where we now want to insert 5 ci. (It the "Lines per inch. Boldface, Sub on the same line?" or"How could I never confuses the printer to receive a script, and Superscript, and Underlin build a macro which would enter all of cancel command even though what you ing" which appear on the "Printer those codes with a single key press?" I are cancelling was not in effect at the Codes" screen using basically the same have learned many helpful tips from the time.) So, we must locate the com techniques and methods you have used work of Charles Rubin, a nationally mand which cancels condensed and to enter the characters per inch com recognized expert and author of include it along with the commands mands. Notice how AppleWorks helps excellent books on AppleWorks. I hope which we do need to print 5 ci. The you with the start/stop concepts with the somewhat tedious chore of setting command is Control-R. boldface, etc. up a custom printer in AppleWorks will The formulas will now look like Once you have entered all the be worth the trouble when you look those in Figure Ic. Notice how all the codes you need, it might be a good idea down at your documents and say,"They formulas have the same number of to make a back-up of the file SEG.PR looked great before, but now they look codes on the right? Use that as your spectacular!"

Apple Barrel Page 33 a

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If your Macintosh is lonely while in a manner which can only make them you're at work, have you ever thought more attractive. of letting your kids play with it? (If Six of these programs are available you're through gasping in horror,please in two formats: Stepping Stones, level Mac consider the possibilities) After all, one, and Stepping Stones, level two, unless your Mac is under lock and key based on age group. Since both my because you're a selfish parent, you'll five- and eight-year-old children operate find that youngsters, whether toddlers or with opposite levels of understanding for future MENSA members,really can for computer skills, perhaps it would be benefit from a little quality time on the useful to suggest that not all children Mac. are necessarily at a learning level based Early criticism of children's pro on age. Nevertheless, all CompuTeach grams for the Macintosh varied, but programs follow a simple, repetitive Kids? there was a consensus that there wasn't user format. Even the simplest requires enough bang for the buck, the cost was a child to interact with mouse and key generally too high, and the quality of board commands. the programs was usually low. Fortu ABsCenes, in the level one package, nately, some software producers are lis is built into three steps of learned exer tening to the criticism. cises, always reinforced by animation CompuTeach is one of the more re and lively sound to keep the child inter ceptive children's software publishers. ested. In step one, you press a letter on CompuTeach has produced several en the keyboard to produce the associated chanting children's programs which use alphabetical picture and a tune. In step the Mac interface well. Previous ver two,the picture appears, and the child Macintosh sions of their programs were marketed must press the correct letter and is re individually with list pricing of around warded by sound and partial animation. Learning Aids $50 each. That price, alone, hardly en In step three, the picture is shown with couraged you to replace your young blanks to actually spell the correct word. Reviewed by ster's $3 Sesame Street ABC wall chart Correct spelling is rewarded by fiill ani Ted Lee with ABsCenes for the Mac. However, mation across the screen with sound. A CompuTeach has just revised its pric wrong response gets a disappointing ing and is now bundling their programs raspberry sound from the Mac.

Page 34 November/December 1987 pftmi)

From ABsCenes.

The level two package,Pictionary, you buy one program mail-order and ume control setting, shown below, will has a four-step format. The first step is send the receipt to CompuTeach. They be very useful when the kids are going to learn the picture and see the spelled would then send you the second pro solo. The lively sounds are great for word; the second is to see just the pic gram. The new pricing and "two-fer" kids but not exactly top ten material. ture and find a correct word which cycles offer allows you to get all six programs by pressing the space bar. In the third for the price previously charged for one. step, the word is shown while the pic One further observation; after a few ture cycles, and a fourth step requires the run-throughs of the programs, the vol word to be inserted into a sentence which already has the picture.

Stepping Stones, level one, con f . tains three programs: Counting, AB- PICTURE AHD WORD sCenes, and Word Pieces', priced at 1^ V / $39.95.(The manufacturer suggests an GUESS WORD age range of 2-6 years). Stepping V J

Stones, level two, is similarly a three- r \ pack, containing Addition, Pictionary, GUESS PICTURE J and Sentence Wizard; priced at $39.95. V /— \ (Suggested ages,4-8) PICTURE in SEDTEnCE The good news is that CompuTeach V ) has completely revamped its pricing for > these programs. By dialing a toll-free CHAHGE VOLUmE V J number,(1-800-448-3224 ) they will \ mail a coupon which enables you to EXIT purchase their programs from any retail J er on a two-for-the-price-of-one basis. This bonus should also be available if The Pictionary control panel.

Apple Barrel Page 35 Works at Work by Charlie Moger Click. Ding. Another day begins, as work and my Mac both come to life. People demand a lot of Mac and me. Before the Mac's screen asks for one, disks are already in both drives; before the coffee fills my cup, my phone's already ringing. Here comes another day of being reached out for and touched... I work in Buffalo, San Diego and I pop on the intercom: "Good 35 other cities in between—on the morning, did Albany's signage go telephone. All told, there are more out?" Silence. "Let's overnight it than 175 people on any given day for Saturday delivery," I suggest. TS/Call Sheets with fires that need my attention. I Back to the market database for work for a national radio marketing 6 items 239K in disk 529K available the phone number of the Area company that sells sponsored pro Manager in upper New York state motions to radio stations. Anyone jiijijij 1 -Eastern |°^2-Central so I can notify him that DHL will who's done it will tell you it's hard |~ |5-MQuntain |°^4-Pacific drop the goods off in the morning. work, with more little details to re The promotion director is happy. member in one day than a dozen le [S-Vorkinq r 1Correspondanc The Area Manager is on top gal pads can hold. That's where of it. Crisis averted. Everything is Microsoft Works comes in. 1 -Eastern under control...in Albany. My first call is from a promo Name Size Kin tion director in Albany, where it's Wonder Works already 9:30. She spent the first D IS/ Albany BK Every now and then in life, some hour of her day looking for trou thing so perfectly suited for your D IS/ Augusta IK ble—and found it. As she lays out unique set of circumstances comes the problem, I bring up my affrliat- D IS/Birmingham 7K along that you think, wow—clean ed stations market database and the D IS/Buffalo 4K living has finally paid off. Re Albany call sheet. member the first time you held a She tells me the local distribu D TS/Charleston, SO 4K mouse in your hand? Well, Works tor hasn't received his display ma □ IS/Erie PA IK didn't give me quite that Zen-like a terials and her night club event is D IS/Erie, PA IK reaction, but it was pretty close. tomorrow night. That doesn't quite Microsoft Works integrates TS/Flint Ml (P) add up, so I bring up my shipping D 6K word processing, database, spread report for the banners, posters and sheet and communications pro other goodies we send out.. Sure grams under one roof. It's a per enough, the request went in, but MARKET SHOPPING LIST: Each market sonal productivity program that had a word processing document where I record the goods never went out. gives you basic integration. ed notes during each contact.

Page 36 November/December 1987 ' ^•P File Edit LUIndoui Organize Format Report

TS/CM's Mkts (DB) St Market Calls Fon Phone PD GM SM o 6 i Portland, OR j HBON j AOR i 50Z-655-S181 ]Iris H^rison IMr. Charlie King Dan I i^zlc^R;1^^323^ '" I Gloria Bently-Brine ts'fr 4 j^n Die^^ ic A ^ ^ J 1^9!^ 1 ^^^^92^1^0 IT>dd Edwards IBob Lafrate Tom 5 j^uix F^isV^ I^R I^^555^^0 iD^n Kieley IBob Freeman Paul 1 TS/Neiu Vork City (LUP) 0 . 1 , 2 , 3 , 14 , 5 | 6 I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I ' I I ' I I I I I I ' I I I I ' I I I I I I I I I I I L_l.

IfinS-^ngbua Randall ASk dave if he's semt out pi amd to whomi.She will cc s buchTnam on ervaiythimg. She's also goimg to do someof the PR.They've gotten TV on Lcxng ISalnd and should be getting some in N VC latei this week!

lJ(^4-Dave Cezoini Left message. Call me.He lan the stuff ovei to Boening Biotheis on bdonday^ he says. ALSO i Sam's looks like it's going to happen foi NOV/6 oi 7. He's going to speakwith Bob abouot geneiating Affidavits foi the piomos.Said I would send him the Butchei cut foi use in piomos.PROMOTIONS AFTERHOUSEj516-587-1283

WORKS'WINDOWS ON MY WORLD: The top of the screen is filled by my market contact database which includes all market information; the bottom is where call sheet notes appear. During each call, I record notes from my calls to track

Now,let's understand what we have information for the more than 35 affili Works'job description here: a spry little gadget with all the ru ates each works with, comprehensive Rather than keeping sections in a ring dimentary features you could ever hope notes from dealings with each market (at binder filled with handwritten sheets of to use in basic day-to-day applications. least four separate contacts in each), and notes from conversations for each mar No, Works isn't Double Helix. It isn't weekly status reports on the overall ket, I organized a series of word process Excel or Fullwrite Professional either. program. ing documents-one for each market. It is a nifty little package, however, that When I call into, say Portland, I open delivers all the "power" this user really Works finds a job... the Portland document and type my needs to get through a day at work. A The first day I walked in with my Mac, notes in during the conversation along day in the life of Works on my desk everyone from president to part-timer with the date and contact person called. gives a glimpse of the program's power wondered exactly what I was going to do As time goes by, each document be and potential. with it The company had recently comes a chronological narrative of what bought a Mac and ImageWriter II but happens in each market. Work without Works largely remained the domain of IBM Then,instead of maintaining a My job is a mix of dates, quantities, PCs. phone contact book in another three-ring budgets and notes. In pre-Mac days, we What I did was take the AE job into binder,I keep everything from names kept an Account Executive's notes for the computer age. First, I looked at how and numbers to the most current ratings each market in ring binders. A different things had been done in the past. Each information in a Works database. In ra section for each market We generated person maintains two ring-binders: one dio, people change jobs at a furious weekly reports on IBM-based word- for market contact notes; another for clip. What begins as a neatly organized processors. The idea of integrating contact names, numbers and addresses. I volume at the beginning of our promo notes, reports, correspondence, and sta replaced them—and the supplemental le- tion, winds up with names scratched out tion data was something everyone was g^ pads and card files with the Mac, and written over two and sometimes too busy to consider. Works and a couple of floppies. three times before the notebooks are up Specifically, the company asks its dated. My database listing is constantly AE's to track names, titles and address updated throughout the promotion.

Apple Barrel Page 37 Integrating my Works Notes and contact information are the most important things we manage as ac count executives. Thanks to Works' in tegrated nature,I'm able to have both on DESKTOP the screen at the same time. On the top half of the screen. Works displays my contact database. The bottom half of the screen displays my contact sheet. PUBLISHING In fact, I often stack up the call sheet windows at the beginning of a day. When I wrap up my contact with one market,I close its window to reveal SERVICE 15% OFF the next one requiring my attention. In any typesetting order this way. Works also functions as a with this ad. "People To Call" list.

Works-a lot! Besides organizing my contact informa Linotronic Phototypesetting tion and call sheets. Works also gener ates my weekly summary report and a Laser Printing host of other reports. When I have to contact all the markets with a mass IBM PC or Macintosh mailing. Works' mail merge capabili EDEOL ties, combined with my contact data Desktop publishing becomes professional when you bring your IBM PC/XT or Apple Macintosh files to MicroType for base, makes mailings a breeze. Works typesetting. We can help your business add the economy of tracks. It updates. It reports. It does so desktop publishing while much,I can't think of any area of my RECREM Vv'ESTHEIMER < improving your brochures, job that Works hasn't helped organize, ^ □ manuals, newsletters, etc. simplify—^including packing up at the LLI MicroType, a professional Q- end of the day. Rather than filing lots ALABAMA I/) o graphics firm, offers of papers, all I do is Quit, Shutdown, < typesetting, design and UL u. and split D printing services. QD

RICHMOND MicroType is your one-stop The bottom line for everything desktop. Many so-called "Power Users" scoff at Works because of its limitations: no macros, no definable default-fields, and so on. The same people tell you how Microsoft Works is a program that's a MICR0TYPE jack of all trades and a master of none. I 3433 W. Alabama, Houston, Texas 77027 • 713/963-8717 don't argue with them. They're the same kind of people who would rather buy a high-performance sports car capa ble of mach speed to drive on city streets with 40 mile per hour speed Sprague Computer Services limits. Bruce Sprague • HAAUG #784 P Works will never replace the more (713) 360-1000 (24 Hrs.) powerful programs out there. I'm sure Houston's Mac SE / LaserWriter Specialist! that was never its creator's objective. Radius FPD's, Accelerators and SuperMac Hard Drives What we have in Works is a realistic Memory Upgrades, Power Directors, Modems toolbox for the day-to-day demands real Complete Mac SE Systems Sold and Supported life places on man and Macintosh. The Best in Mac Products and Reputation of The program may not be for every f Honest Service and Support Since 1983 one, but but since it came to the office, my job has been downright Works-ahle. ^ Agent for Authorized Apple Dealer ^ Curtis - Dove - Kensington - Radius - SuperMac

Page 38 November/December 1987 The LaserWriter does

business cards term papers Or anything else you create on newsletters the Macintosh,printed out(like invitations this) at near-typeset quality... for less than a dollar a page! programs graphics ^\^u can print out on the Laser Writer 24 hours a day, seven resumes days a week. Bring us one of posters your own disks, or rent our leaflets Macintosh for just $8.00 an hour and use our software free tickets to create whatever you need, letters laid out exactly as you like. flyers

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2035 SW Frwy 1430 San Jacinto 9894 SW Frwy At Shepherd At Bell At Bissonnet 520-9753 654-8161 271-6311 This advertisement was created in PageMaker™ and printed out on the LaserWriter. No scissors, no glue, no rulers, no paste-up. BULK RATE U.S. POSTAGE PAID HH" HOUSTON, Houston Area Apple Users Group TEXAS P.O. Box 610150• Houaton, TX 77208 •(713) 522-2179 PERMIT 3936 Address Correction Requested

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