Dialogue Box

By Neil Ticktin, Editor-in-Chief

I want my disk!

This is just a quick note, to express my general satisfaction with MacTech Magazine. I have just received the May issue and especially enjoyed reading Dave Marks on-going column, "AppleEvents 101" and "The Secrets of the Machine". From this you probably can deduct, that I program in C, as probably at least half of your readers do. So even though C is prominent already, I'm inclined to ask for "more examples in C, please".

Concerning the code examples, why don't you include a floppy with the source code instead of listing it in the Magazine? It would be so nice to see some of these examples run on your own system, and since most of us haven't got an OCR system, a floppy a month would be a great solution. In the May issue I counted roughly 22 pages with listings out of a total of 96 pages. Alone on a weight basis, the paper needed to print these listings amount to more than two times the weight of a floppy. Besides source code, you could include demos of different utilities, charging enough to cover the cost of floppies and duplication. You already ship the magazine in a plastic bag, which should be adequate as packaging for a floppy. You would be saving on printing costs and improving on the service delivered to your readers.

- Piet Seiden

[Thanks for your comments. First, as far as a disk with the magazine, it comes down to cost. We do make a disk subscription available at an extra cost for those that would like it. See the mail order store in this issue for more information.

Multi-platform disks?

I am not sure if this is the proper place for this, but I was curious if anyone knew of a solution to the problem of putting applications on ISO disks that wouldn't require additional software (such as binhex).

The company I work for basically deals with pre-mastering software/-hardware for Unix boxes but some applications are supported on multiple platforms. Some of our clients would also like to have a clean solution to this problem.

- Casey Jenkins

[Well readers does anyone know the answer? If you submit it as a tip, you’ll get paid for it! - Ed.]

Gestalt for QuickTime?

Actually, I'm asking for a tidbit here...Is there a new Gestalt call to determine if QuickTime is installed? One is not listed in Think Reference 2.0 and I don't get any of the developer mailings.

- Anonymous

[Readers, if you answer and it gets printed, you’ll get paid for this too. - Ed.]

Simula, don't short it

Gary Odom states (Understanding Object Systems, MacTech, March 1993, Pg. 74) that Simula had its beginnings in 1967. It was earlier than that.

I may be the first object-programmer in the United States, at least the first Simula programmer. In the mid-1960s, I was responsible for the maintenance of the Algol compiler at Univac. Christian Nyaarg and his associates implemented Simula by extending the Univac Algol compiler; therefore it fell to me to learn and maintain Algol/Simula. In 1966, I was connected with the development of Exec 8, the operating system for the Univac 1108. As I didn't start with maintenance of the Algol compiler, my involvement with Simula would have been between 1964 and 1966.

I advocated developing Exec 8 in Simula rather than in the assembler because I thought it would be much easier to code a more reliable product. I wish I had made a stronger case.

- Melvyn D. Magree

[Mel, I’ll have to take your word on this one. I wasn’t in the business at that time. Thanks for the info. - Ed.]