Catching Up We are finally back, we hope bigger and better than ever.We have a new title and a new look. "MacCorner"has been 'morphed'into "MacStuff". Still the same interesting and informative articles, just a new name that better describes what the column is all about. And gone is the former exhausted-Macintosh-head-boxer-in-the-ring logo. (Any suggestions for a new logo?) There are lots of new and interesting things to talk about in the upcoming issues, but one New Year's resolution that I have made for myself is no more articles about anything having to do with the "internet", or that refer to the "information superhighway". (At least not for a couple months :-). I think we have been overdosed by the media on that front and there are many other things that we can cover. So welcome back and let's get started.
For this inaugural MacStuff article, I am going to continue with the annual tradition of reviewing software applications and listing their current versions. The natural place to begin is with the Macintosh system itself. The most up-to-date version is 7.5 which I'm sure everyone has heard a lot about. C&IS has obtained a site-license for members of the Yale community so it is available to everyone who wants it. That's the good news. The downside is that not everyone will be able to install it or make use of it. System 7.5 requires at least 8MB of memory on 68K Macs, and 16MB of memory on PowerMacs. Most applications now have versions of their software that are compatible with 7.5, but not all so you have to make sure before you upgrade. The good thing is that there is now an installation option called a "Clean Install"where you can have a complete, separate System 7.5 System Folder built on your existing hard disk. In this way you can easily switch back to your existing system if you encounter any difficulties running under 7.5. Also, I would caution against installing either the PowerTalk or QuickDraw GX components of 7.5, at least initially, as these require considerable amounts of memory and disk space, and their usefulness is limited in most environments. For those folks who are not running System 7.5 or don't wish to upgrade, or can't upgrade, you should be using version 7.1 of the Macintosh system. System 7.1, as is 7.5, is available to Yale folks over the network.
Regardless of which Macintosh software system version you are running, you should try to run the latest Network Software Installer to update your Macintosh to the most current version of AppleTalk. Right now, version 1.4.5 of the Network Software Installer will bring your AppleTalk to version 58.1.4. System 7.1 users should also run the "System Update 3.0"to upgrade all of their system files and utilities to the very latest versions. Also available is the version 8.2 level of Apple's "LaserWriter 8.0"printer driver.
QuickMail users should be using version 2.6v1, and if you use Meeting Maker then you should be up to version 2.1. If you have a CD-ROM on your Mac then get the "Macintosh CD-ROM Setup"package which is version 5.0.1 (and check out its new audio CD player). If you want a simplified front-end for doing FTP, then fetch "Fetch 2.1.2". Connecting to other hosts from your Mac? Then it is a good bet that you will soon want to have Brown's "tn3270 2.4a7"or NCSA's "telnet 2.6". To use them make sure you have "MacTCP 2.0.4".
This was a quick look at some of the more common software packages. Most of the software mentioned above is available from the AppleShare file server "ASHD server"found in the "CIS file servers"zone. Some software is available freely, some as ShareWare, while some is only available commercially. If you have questions about these or other applications, write. If you try installing any of this software and encounter problems, don't write. In other words, only try installing new software on your machine if you: a) are experienced with installing software applications, and b) know how to undo what you have done, and c) feel comfortable with the backup/restore software you have been using regularly. You have been backing up regularly, right?
Below is a table of common user software, all of which is available from the "ASHD server"mentioned above. Also listed is the current version, and the volume and path to get to where the software is located. Hope this is useful and again, welcome back.
If there are things that you would like to see discussed in this column in the future, please send your suggestions (as well as any comments, questions, or complaints) to peter.furmonavicius@yale.edu
Peter Furmonavicius is a senior research programmer for C&IS Technology and Planning.
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Macintosh System Software 7.5 /System 7.5 CPU Upgrade/
Macintosh System Software 7.1 /System 7.1/
Network Software Installer 1.4.5 /ASHD1/Apple software
System Update 3.0 /ASHD1/Apple software
Apple HD SC Setup 7.3.2 /ASHD1/Apple software
DiskCopy 4.2 /ASHD1/Apple software
Express Modem 1.5.5 /ASHD1/Apple software
LaserWriter 8.2 /ASHD1/Apple software
CD-ROM Setup 5.0.1 /ASHD1/Apple software
SimpleText 1.1.1 /ASHD1/Apple software
MacTCP 2.0.6 /ASHD1/MacTCP 2.0.6
System Enablers * /ASHD1/System Enablers Folder
HyperCard player 2.2 /ASHD1/HyperCard Player 2.2
Disinfectant 3.5 /ASHD1/Virus Stuff
Fetch 2.1.2 /ASHD1/Fetch 2.1.2
ph 1.2 /ASHD1/ph f
Mosaic 2.0.0 /ASHD1/Mosaic
Mosaic extras * /ASHD1/Mosaic extras
Netscape 1.0N /ASHD1/Netscape
Netscape extras * /ASHD1/Netscape extras
MacWeb 1.00a3 /ASHD1/MacWeb
TinCan 5.0.2 /ASHD1/TinCan
tn3270 2.4a7 /ASHD1/Telnets
NCSA telnet 2.6 /ASHD1/Telnets
InterNews 1.0.5 /ASHD1/netnews clients
Nuntius 1.2 /ASHD1/netnews clients
NewsWatcher 2.0b22 /ASHD1/netnews clients
TheNews 2.36 /ASHD1/netnews clients
GopherApp 1.3b60 /ASHD1/gopher clients
GopherApp++ 2.2b43 /ASHD1/gopher clients
PNLInfo Browser 1.05 /ASHD1/gopher clients
Sextant 1.0 /ASHD1/gopher clients
TurboGopher 2.0b7 /ASHD1/gopher clients
Anarchie 1.4.0 /ASHD1/Archie clients
InterSLIP 1.0.2d2 /ASHD1/SLIP
MacPPP 2.0.1 /ASHD1/PPP
Chat 2.0.6 /ASHD1/Chat clients
HomerIRC 0.94.4 /ASHD1/Chat clients
ircle 1.5.1 /ASHD1/Chat clients
Communicate Lite 1.0.2 /ASHD1/terminal emulators
Mac Kermit 0.991 /ASHD1/terminal emulators
ZTerm 1.0b2 /ASHD1/terminal emulators