directory-contents.txt       revision: 17 Jul 93

Each directory in the archive has two names, one descriptive and one 
abbreviated for ease of repeated use. The descriptive names are 
capitalized so they will sort to the top of directory listings. Here 
is an example of an entry in the following list:

DescriptiveName  name
    A description of the contents of this directory.  It may be
    accessed with both "cd DescriptiveName" and "cd name".
  SubdirectoryDescriptiveName  sub
    A description of the contents of this subdirectory of name.  It
    may be accessed with both
    "cd DescriptiveName/SubdirectoryDescriptiveName" and
    "cd name/sub".

--- Directories with Descriptions -------------------------------------

AntiVirus  vir
    Software virus protection & removal utilities and information.

Application  app
    Little applications and handy utilites. Calculators, calendars, 
    etc. Other applications that don't fit anywhere else (schedulers,
    tax forms, etc.). (New categories will be added to this
    description as they are added to the dir.)

Communication  comm
    Inter-computer communication software: Modem dialers, file transfer,
    telecommunications, etc.
  Network  net
    Local network and Internet utilities. 
  Information  info
    Info about communication hardware, software and standards. 

Compress-Translate  cmp
    Compression and general format translation utilities and info.
    Unix encoding, binhex, macbinary, tar, encryption, MS-DOS disk
    access.

Configuration  cfg
    Low level stuff to examine and control your Mac.
    Hardware and software configuration reporting, speed testing,
    extension managers, startup managers, memory managers, fpu
    emulation, system monitors, screen resolution & depth, keyboard
    configuration, volume control. (Not for typical system or control
    panel extensions.)

Development  dev
    Software development utilities, language compilers and
    interpreters, debuggers, resource editors and templates, etc.
  4thDimension  a4d
    Examples, demos, source and info about the database development
    system.
    External  ext
      External modules for 4D.
  SourceCode  src
    Source in C, Pascal, etc.  Note: apps that come with source should
    be included here as well as the appropriate software directory.
  Information  info
    Tips, documentation and format specifications.

Disk-File  disk
    Disk configuration and file management utilities and info. RAM disk,
    image mount, disk analysis & repair, scsi management, disk copying,
    file cataloging, directory search, file concatenation, file save &
    recovery, file comparison & update, alias & trash management.
    Folder locking, file shredding.  (For compression and encryption
    utilities, see Compress-Translate.  For utilities that work only on
    text files, see Text.)

Font  font
    Typeface packages that contain both PS and TT formats (with any 
    companion bitmaps) and packages that contain only bitmap format.
  Truetype  tt
    Typefaces in Truetype format (with any companion bitmaps).
  Postscript  ps
    Typefaces in Postscript format (with any companion bitmaps).
  Utility  util
    Programs for manipulating fonts.  Font info.

Game  game
    Interactive entertainment and time killers of all kinds.
  Arcade  arc
    Fast action games.
  Board  brd
    Games that would be played on a board if they weren't on your Mac.
    Chess, go, etc., unique originals, and tile games like dominos.
  Bolo  bolo
    All manner of stuff for the multi-player (via network) tank
    battle.
  Cards  crd
    From solitaire to bridge.  Any game that is played with cards.
  Commercial  com
    Demos, tips, editors, and anything that goes with commercial
    entertainment software.

Graphic  grf
    Pretty pictures in many formats: StartupScreen, PICT, JPEG,
    TIFF, GIF, etc.
  Quicktime  qt
    Quicktime movies.
  Utility  util
    Programs for manipulating graphics, Quicktime movies, etc.
    Graphics info.

Help  help
    You found this directory already!  Info about how the Info-Mac
    archive works, how to use it, what's here, etc.
  Abstract  abs
    Text files for each directory in the archive containing info about 
    the files stored in that directory.  (These are actually links to 
    the real files, which are stored in the directory they describe. 
    New link files will be added here as new directories appear
    in the archive.)

Hypercard  card
    Hypercard utilities, externals and info for Hypercard programmers.
    (Stacks live in the appropriate topic directory or info/nms/.)

Incoming  in
    A place to upload submissions for the archive with the ftp "put"
    command.  You cannot list this directory or get files from it.

Information  info
    General mac info.
  Communication  comm
    Info about communication hardware, software and standards.
    (Actually a link to the comm/info directory.)
  Development  dev
    Documentation and information about development issues.
    (Actually a link to the dev/info directory.)
  Hardware  hdwr
    Hardware reviews, tips, and documentation.
  NonMacStuff  nms
    All kinds of stuff that has very little to do with Macs.
    Informational Hypercard stacks, literature, useful info, etc.
  Software  sft
    Announcements, tips and reviews about system and application
    software. (Most software info is archived by topic in the other
    directories.)

Newton  nwt
    Software for and information about Apple's Newton Personal Digital
    Assistant.

Periodical  per
    Regularly published electronic journals.
  CSMProgrammer  csmp
    Usenet newsgroup comp.sys.mac.programmer
  InfoMac  im
    Info-Mac almost-daily news and digest
  Tidbits  tb
    TidBits weekly electronic newsletter
  Vaporware  vap
    Vaporware electronic newsletter

Print  prn
    Printer utilities, drivers, and info, postscript tools.

Recent  rec
    Copies of newly archived (within three weeks) submissions are kept
    here in addition to their home directory.

Science-Math  sci
    Science & Math applications.  Graphing, plotting, fractals, etc.

Sound  snd
    A plethora of delightful, cute, offensive, famous and obscure
    sounds!  Music, speech, nature, movies, tv, effects, etc.
  Utility  util
    Programs for manipulating sounds.  Sound info.

TextProcessing  text
    Applications, utilites and info for text and word processing.
    Editors, viewers, note makers, text comparison, search and
    replace, dictionaries.

UserInterface  gui
    Goodies to adjust the look and feel of your system.  Color
    control, menu & scroll bar & button details, window control,
    keyboard shortcuts, icon/ppat/curs tools, clipboard extension,
    app launchers, macro makers, ballon help managers, Finder
    customization.  User interface info.
  AfterDark  ad
    Afterdark screensaver modules.
  Graphic  grf
    Icon, cursor and desktop pattern resources to decorate your
    environment.

Date: Wed, 8 Jun 1994 13:52:38 +1000
From: "Michael.Smith" <Michael.Smith@maths.anu.edu.au>
Subject: Tricks for keeping aliases connected

Warning: I waffle on a bit in this message.

This a brief account of my recent experiences with aliases. Hopefully it
will be of use to others. A simple trick allowed me to do a backup-restore
of my hard disk with only a few aliases ending up detached (some because I
forgot to unlock them before starting, others because they ended up
pointing across the new partitions).


How do aliases work?
--------------------

As far as I know, an alias encodes its destination in two ways.  I won't go
into too many details, since I have only educated guesses on precisely how
it works, but experimentation can verify the following facts:

(1) Stored within the alias is a "pointer" to the location of the target on
the disk --- when a file is created it is assigned a unique pointer which
remains unchanged as the file is moved around, renamed and modified. If the
file is deleted, this pointer becomes invalid.  If the pointer stored in
the alias is valid then just follow the pointer to the target.

(2) Also stored in the alias is the last known path to the file. For
example the stored path might be "HD:Documents:targfile" which means that
when the alias was last resolved it was to a file called "targfile" in
folder "Documents" on hard drive "HD".


So when the system attempts to resolve an alias it first checks whether
step (1) gives the target, and only if that fails does it then check step
(2). If both fail, the alias cannot be resolved.

Bacause of step (1), you can create an alias to a file, and then move the
file around, change the name of it and change the names of folders and
drives that it is stored on. None of these operations changes the pointer
to the file's information blocks. However, replacing a file by one with the
same name does prevent step (1) from succeeding, but then step (2) comes to
the rescue.


Hassle free backup/restore
--------------------------

What was I to do?  I had a 330MB hard drive with a single partition named
"Centris650", and I wished to back it up, reformat and partition it into 3
volumes, and then restore files into the 3 new partitions.

First I ran an alias checking program, which searches disks for all
aliases, and tries to resolve each of them (AliasBoss, AliasZoo and
FileBuddy all do this for you). This ensured all my aliases on "Centris650"
had both their components (pointer and path) updated. This was important
since I may have moved some around a while ago without resolving them
since, so their paths would be incorrect, and the whole trick it to rely on
the path component of the alias.

Then I backed up the disk into 2 different Stuffit archives, one for each
of the intended volumes.

After reformatting and partitioning the drive, I restored the files into
the 3 new volumes named "part1", "part2", and "part3".  But now every file
was a new copy, and none of the pointers stored inside the aliases would
point to their targets anymore. Moreover, an alias on one volume may now be
for a file on another volume. All the paths stored in aliases start with
the drive name "Centris650", so both resolving steps will(?) fail.

In three steps practically all aliases are fixed. Rename "part1" to
"Centris650", and run the alias checking program. It finds all the aliases
on all the drives, finds that none of the pointers work, and starts looking
at the last known pathnames. All the targets on the first partition can now
be resolved, since the first partition now has the old drive name.  In the
process of successfully resolving by name, the pointers to files are
updated as well, so when the name is changed back to "part1", all these
fixed aliases remain valid.

Repeat this step for "part2" and "part3".


Ammendment: It is possible that renaming the volumes is not necessary, but
I didn't pay close enough attention while I was going through this process
to know for sure.  A simple experiment seems to indicate that it is not
necessary. Make a new folder called "XXX", and then an alias to it on the
same volume. Delete the original. Rename the volume, and make a new folder
named "XXX". The alias will find it, despite the fact the path is
different.


If the alias and the target are separated across partitions, the alias will
not be fixed in this process. These must be fixed by hand (with the help of
FileBuddy or something similar).

End result --- backup and restore completed with a minimum of broken
aliases.  The only remaining problems are those file pointers that are
stored in preferences files: eg your copy of Fetch or Anarchie can no
longer find your "Download Folder", since when you set it the program
stored the folder's pointer which no longer works bacause all files are new
copies.


Another mind numbingly simple tip
---------------------------------

I like to keep aliases in readily accessible places, and original programs
in well organised places :-). Typically I have 4 or 5 aliases to an
important or frequently used program.

Problem was, whenever I got an update to a program, there was a bit of
bother replacing the old one by the new, because aliases usually broke.


Now whenever I install a program, eg Fetch 2.1.2, I make sure that I store
it in a folder that *does not* involve the version number. So I rename the
folder to "Fetch folder", or something similar. I make sure the application
does not involve the version number in its name, say "Fetch 2.1.2", since
updates will then have different names. Rename it to simply "Fetch". Ignore
the names of documentation files (indeed, hopefully they will be named
"Fetch 2.1.2 docs" or something similar).  Now I make all the aliases I
want of the application.

When I get a copy of Fetch 3.0, updating is now easy. Rename the folder it
is in to "Fetch folder", and make sure the application is called simply
"Fetch".  Replace the old folder by the new one. All aliases will continue
working.


Cheers,
Michael.

---------------------------------/|-|--|-|--|--Michael-Smith-------------------
 Michael.Smith@maths.anu.edu.au /-| |\ | |  |  Mathematics (CMA)
-------------------------------/--|-|-\|-|_/|--Australian-National-University--

http://pell.anu.edu.au/~smith/Michael_Smith.html

Date: Fri, 17 Jun 94 13:47:15 EDT
From: wse@matahari.dfci.harvard.edu (William Edwards)
Subject: Autodoubler Problem SUMMARY: I went to Stacker

Thanks to everyone who responded.  As you'll see from the attached
mail, there was some skepticism about disk-level auto-compression,
though one person was using Stacker without any problems.  One person
suggested a new disk drive, which I am too cheap to buy at the moment.
I went ahead, installed Stacker and got rid of Autodoubler.  This
eliminated the mysterious spinup problem, *and* gained me disk space,
since Autodoubler was not compressing my System Folder.  So far so
good.  Here come the messages:
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Original posting:

       I am about to go this route, and was wondering if any have travelled
it before me.  I am about to dump Autodoubler (2.0.3), which is spinning my
Powerbook drive up every thirty seconds, and which is incompatible
with Quicken 4.0 and macBible 3.0.  I'm running Stacker on my HP 95,
and it just seems to work.  I want to try it on my PB 100 8/40, and
Classic II 10/40, both running System 7.1 (lots of system extension).
Please respond via email with any comments on Autodoubler vs. Stacker,
as well as going from AD to Stacker, and I will summarize.  Thanks!

Date: Tue, 7 Jun 1994 17:08 EST
From: Don't Panic! <ABRODY@vax.clarku.edu>
Subject: compression programs (A)
To: wse@jimmy.harvard.edu
X-Vms-To: IN%"wse@matahari.dfci.harvard.edu"

Mr. Edwards,
In response to your comp.sys.mac.digest post about Stacker:
I have not worked with Stacker, but I do know a thing or two about compression 
programs.  If a compression program is driver level compression, avoid it!  
Driver level compression programs have the worst kind of crashes when the hard 
disk crashes.  Stick to file level compression.  In either case make sure that 
you have everything you use backed up frequently.
I currently have Autodoubler 2.0.3 (control panel),
 and have made an alias for it to my desktop.
Anytime I worry that it is running the hard disk too often, I open it and 
click on the Automatic Compression checkbox to turn it off. When I want it on 
again I click it back on.  Also use the When option to make it only turn on 
when you move the pointer to a corner of the screen.  That way you are in 
control of the time it compresses and when it doesn't.  Both methods still 
allow for already compressed files to load.  Also you can use the Autodoubler 
Utility Autodoubler Internal Compressor that came with the package.  This 
allows you to use many large files (like Quicktime) when they are still 
compressed. My copy of Quicktime which was 962k is now 560k.  It always runs 
fine.
Hope this helps.
P.S. Superdoubler is now available from Symmantic.  It includes the latest 
version of Autoubler Diskdoubler and Copydoubler.  
Sincerely,
ABRODY@VAX.CLARKU.EDU

Date: Wed, 8 Jun 1994 03:01 EST
From: Don't Panic! <ABRODY@vax.clarku.edu>
Subject: Re: compression programs (A)
To: wse@jimmy.harvard.edu
X-Vms-To: IN%"wse@matahari.dfci.harvard.edu"

Mr. Edwards,
I don't know off hand of any "war stories" about Stacker.  Also I forgot to
mention, Autodoubler fancies spinning the hard disk at its leisure when 
compression is on.  Did you understand the two settings I told you about 
turning compression off temporarily?  These will stop the spinning of the hard 
disk.  If you like I can send you binhexed the images of where the settings 
are set and not set to reduce the spinning of your hard disk.  Let me know 
what what of these three formats you support if you do: JPEG, TIFF, PICT.

Have you 
contacted Symmantic about the inability to work without the power plugged in?
Do you know that Stacker will work on battery power, or are you only guessing?
Call the makers of Stacker to find out if it works, or get it on warranty no 
questions asked to test it for yourself.
I'd be happy to give a few tidbits about Autodoubler.  However, as for 
Stacker, I don't have a clue.  I just know the part about the driver level vs. 
the file level compression.

BTW the best all-around compression program IMHO is Compact Pro.  While slow 
it has the advantage of not using any extensions, and archival compression 
using Finder view style interface.  I have never had any problems with Compact 
Pro except its slowness. Beauty is that it alone creates edits .sea files, as 
well has the ability to read and write Binhex 4.0.  Check it out in 
info-mac/cmp/compact-pro-134.  The author of the program sent me back the key 
when I sent in my $25 shareware fee.  

Good luck.
Sincerely,
ABRODY@VAX.CLARKU.EDU

X-Sender: casgrain@fisher.sc.ucl.ac.be
Mime-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
Date: Wed, 8 Jun 1994 13:43:46 +0200
To: wse@jimmy.harvard.edu
From: Casgrain@ecol.ucl.ac.be (Philippe Casgrain)
Subject: Compression

        This may not be what you are looking for, but my suggestion would
be to buy a bigger HD. For the Classic II, you can get an internal 200MB
disk for under 400$ (probably 300), and for the PB, although new ones are
pricey, you can get an used 80 or 120 (or even 160 MB!) for a good price
>From someone who's buying a bigger drive.

        Auto-compression is slow on these computers, IMHO (esp. the PB).
Myself, I bought an external SQ 105 and I put seldom-used stuff on SQ
cartridges and essential stuff on my PB's 80MB HD.

Philippe

--
Casgrain@ecol.ucl.ac.be, Mac Hacker Lite
  Sirius Cybernetics Corporation

Date: Wed, 8 Jun 94 20:45:07 PDT
X-Sender: lwin@popntop.san-jose.ate.slb.com
Mime-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
To: wse@jimmy.harvard.edu
From: lwin@San-Jose.ate.slb.com (Peter Lwin)
Subject: RE: Autodoubler vs Stacker

Hi,

Regarding to your query, I used to be a user of Autodoubler but for a
variety of reasons I have been happy on Stacker since it came available on
Mac. The only complaint I have is that Stac does not seem to care much
about the Mac market and do not keep it up-to-date vis-a-vis the features
in PC Stacker.

Autodoubler
-----------
Pros:   - freedom to choose what to compress
        - less sensitivity to disk level device drivers
        - potentially faster based upon what to compress
          (usual argument is that it is better if virtual memory is used)
        - theoretically safer since it only effect selected compressed files

Cons:   - non-transparent nature
          (always seems to be compressing when I need the machine)
        - compatibility with PB Sleep mode. It is dangerous to move PB with the
          disk active so I put it to sleep before I move. Autodoubler seems to
          busy with the disk at that time, so I wind up waiting.
          (to be fair, the new version may deal with this better)
        - too many user decisions to make
          (should I compress System Folder or not?)
        - IMHO, it is more suitable for desktop macs than PB Macs

Stacker 1.0
-----------
Pros:   - truly transparent, set it and forget it. Put it to sleep instantly.
        - high level of file compatibility since it is at device level
        - excellent on removable Syquests since it is host system independent
        - compresses everything, no user's decision necessary

Cons:   - Adds delay system wide (noticable when compared with non-Stacked sys.)
          My experience shows a slowdown of about 15% w/o virtual memory.
          Some can be avoided by partitioning the drive and stacking selected
          partition. This method also works for virtual memory usage; dedicate
          an uncompressed partition for virtual memory.
        - Potentially more dangerous since you could lose the entire disk
          True; but a trusim for all types of compression. Back-up often to be
          safe. So far I have not found anything I could blame Stacker for.
          Knock on wood! pretty good for first version on Mac.
        - Disk device driver compatibility
          Potentially true; but Stac has done a good job. I use Silverlining to
          format all my disks and I have found no problems. Cannot say for other
          low level disk formatters.
        - More tedious to upgrade to the next or newer version.
          True; my PC experience on Stacker tells me the best thing to do is to
          back-up, reformat and re-install with newer version.
        - Cannot "tune" compression level
          True on the Mac. This is where Stac's PC bias comes in. Stacker 4.0 on
          the PC is great. It is the only disk comprssion s/w that guarantees
          better than 2:1 compression. When on the Mac?
        - Poor technical support on Macs. When I started, I called their tech
          support line a couple times. Huge difficulty in finding someone who
          knows much about the Mac version.

Stats from my PB experience with Stacker:
-----------------------------------------
Originally started on PB-170 4/80; two partitions, one dedicated for
virtual memory and not compressed. Boot partition compressed. Acceptable
but found more delays due to virtual memory than Stacker.

Currently moved over to PB 160 8/80.

I have currently "stacked" the whole disk since I stopped using virtual
memory. I have, by Stacker, 131Mb of files on disk with 30.6Mb free space
left on disk. On my last back-up, Restrospect reported that 81 Mb of files
were backed up. I believe that represent the "true" uncompressed file size.
I have a mixture of 85%/15% of standard files and .sit (pre-compressed)
files on my disk.

Hope this helps. The attitude on the Net favors Autodoubler but I don't
think we are being fair to Stacker. They have a taint of the PC but they
have an excellent product. Used with an understanding of the trade-offs, I
think it is far superior to Autodoubler, especially on Powerbooks.

Good luck! if you know Stac's e-mail address, send them a copy of this or
any other you may receive. Maybe they will pay better attention to the Mac
market.


------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Peter P. Lwin
Telecom Business Manager                  Phone:  (408)437-5195
Schlumberger Technologies                 Fax:    (408)452-1752
Telecom Test ATE, San Jose, CA, USA       E-mail: lwin@san-jose.ate.slb.com
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
--



Date: 9 Jun 1994 11:30:22 U
From: "Harris Tom" <harris_tom@po.gis.prc.com>
Subject: AutoDoubler Problem
Return-Receipt-To: "Harris Tom" <harris_tom@po.gis.prc.com>
To: wse@jimmy.harvard.edu

I currently use AutoDouble 2.03 and Quicken 4.0 and I have no problems.  If
AutoDoubler (file level compression) is causing your hard disk to spin up, then
Stacker (driver level compression) should solve that problem.  I have found
that several email programs will also spin up your powerbooks hard disk.

From: kylea@INS.INFONET.NET
Date: Wed, 09 Nov 1994 09:39:20 CST
Subject: .MOD file info summary

Hello fellow netters!
 
Long ago I promised a summary posting of suggestions and info regarding my
request for
information on the .MOD file format on the Macintosh. Well, I finally have
prepared
one. I realise that this is a frequent question and that this response may be
over-
due, but better late than never.
 
I will post the replies I received here.  Those recommending SoundTrecker:
 
get the newest version of the soundtrecker.
its great!
and shareware
ciao    kp <klaus-peter gores>
 
also <Alan Piszcz>
 
Try a program called SoundTrecker.. It's a German program redone in
English, but is quite good. It even lets you perform surround sound effects
on MOD files, as well as the requisite save to disk as Sys7 sound.
 
It should be in either Info-Mac or Umich archives.. if you have trouble
locating it, let me know and I'll mail it to you!
 
Joel Moses
WSMV-TV (NBC)
jmoses@edge.ercnet.com
 
There is a shareware called "the Sound-Trecker" that can
play .MOD files on the Mac. If you cannot find it on
a ftp site, I can email you a copy.
Where do you get .MOD files?
 
			Louis <Louis Moreau>
 
Try Sound-Trecker. It's avaliable at most mac ftp sites, or email me and
I'll sen it to you (230k).
 
		adamf@isx.com (Adam Fouse)
		
Try Sound Trecker 2.2. It is EXCELLENT.
 
It is available in the sounds/utilities folder of your favourite Info-Mac
mirror site. The path once inside info-mac is:
 
/info-mac/snd/util/sound-trecker-22.hqx
 
Have a nice day :-)
 
Any trouble? Let me know.
 
Arthur Day, Electron Microscopy Group
Ansto Advanced Materials Program                        Phone: 61-2-717-3457
PMB 1,  Menai (Sydney), NSW, 2234                        Fax: 61-2-543-7179
Australia
Email: ard@atom.ansto.gov.au
 
Try Sound-Treker its available from many sites. It seems pretty good and
can read many .MOD formats at various sampling rates. It seems pretty
good. I have a copy on a CD at home if you can't find it in the archives
just drop me a line and I'll bin-hex it to you.
 
Regards Ralph Buckley                     Baldrige Silver Project Manager
                                              Customer Satisfaction Group
BUCKLR at UKSSVM1 / GBIBMZGZ at IBMMAIL          ISSC Service Delivery
Ralph@vnet.ibm.com                               PO BOX 41, North Harbour
                                                 PORTSMOUTH, Hampshire
Int:(7)255504 / Ext:(0705) 565504                UK, PO6 3AU.
_________________________________________________________________________
 
Standard Disclaimer: These are my comments; not the views of IBM-ISSC.
 
X-MX-Comment: QUOTED-PRINTABLE message automatically decoded
 
Hi there... What you are looking for is a program called THE SOUND TRECKER, a
beautiful nifty interfaced .mod player for the mac. (if you are lucky enough to
own a PowerMac, you'll be pleased to know it comes with it's own PowerPlug, to
take adv
The program is definitely in SUMEX. I have version 2.2, and I believe it's the
latest. I'm sure you'll get loads of mail telling you to get Player Pro, but I
recommend The Sound Trecker instead.. It is not only faster, but niftier.
        Enjoy...!
 
Cheers,
CRISTIAN
 
aviola@conicit.ve (Agustin Viola)
 
 
Hi,
 I have a utility called sound Trekker which plays amiga mods. If you
haven't sorted your problems out by the time you get this then drop me a
line and I will post it to you.
 
 
Cheers,
 
 
Rob. \\//
 
Public service announcement: This signature file is under construction....
******************************************************************************
* Confused? You Will be! * Okay here's the way to contact me,if you want to! *
* Sodomy non sapiens..   *    w.r.brady@ncl.ac.uk is for email..             *
* Oh No, another boring  *    +44 (0)91 266 8998, answered as Digital Domain *
* signature file..Ho Hum *    +44 (0)91 266 9995, for faxes and stuff..      *
******************************************************************************
... and normal service will be resuming shortly, just like British Rail ;-)
 
 
*****The following posts were more detailed than most. Note that the
overwhelming
response was in favor of SoundTrecker. I liked Player Pro and SoundTrecker --
try
both and see which is better for your situation.  Thanx again for all the help
everyone.  Cheers!
 
====
 
There are a couple of MOD players for Macintosh.  The one I like best is
The Player Pro, which you can find at:
 
ftp://sumex-aim.stanford.edu/info-mac/snd/util/player-pro-42.hqx
 
The other one I've looked at is called Sound Tracker.  It seems to work
well; I just like The Player Pro better.
 
I don't know if you can easily convert a .MOD file to a snd file.  As
SoundApp's documentation states, MOD files are not sound files, but music
files.  A MOD player will take relatively short sound samples in a .MOD
file and play them according to the pitch and sequence score also stored in
the file.  By using this method, you can produce several minutes of music
from a very small file.  If you could convert this to a snd file (strictly
a sample, with no sequence information), the result could take up an
enormous amount of disk space.
 
I hope this helps.  If you want to find out more about music file formats,
try looking at:
 
ftp://sumex-aim.stanford.edu/info-mac/info/music-file-formats-10.hqx
 
Bill Cameron                                       sdg
camerowd@picard.ml.wpafb.af.mil
billc55122@aol.com
 
====
 
regarding your questions about .MOD files in the info-mac digest,
(also C.S.M.D? I don't have Usenet access :-( )
 
SoundApp converts only the samples in a mod file, not the wholr
song.  SoundApp plays the MODs with routines borrowed from Sound
Trecker. Sound Trecker will play the MODs just the same way, but
with a better IMHO interface, and will also convert them to AIFF,
SYS7, and Soundmover? suitcases, or such... anyway, a few different
formats. and with sampling of 11 to 44 Khz and 8 or 16 bits and
stereo or not. if you don't know about all that stuff, the higher
each of the settings is, the better it sounds, and the more it
fills up your hard drive :-)
        you might want to just keep them as MODs, though, they
take up a few megs apiece as SYS7 sound files. as MODs, they are
just a bunch of samples, and instructions on what to do with them,
so they are very small. The Sound trecker is available on info-mac
in the sound or sound/util folder, I'm not sure which. hoe this
helps. TTYL
-- 
Jim "Chr0med Aardvark" Russell of Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada
Internet: jrussell@unibase.Unibase.SK.CA
 
=====Player Pro info.
 
From: jamal@bronze.lcs.mit.edu (Jamal Hannah)
Message-ID: <199409212114.RAA24231@bronze.lcs.mit.edu>
To: kylea@INS.INFONET.NET
Subject: playerpro-info.txt (this is a little old.. sorry..)
 
THE PLAYER PRO DEMO INFORMATION FILE (FAQ)
by Jamal Hannah <jamal@gnu.ai.mit.edu>, 6/21/94, version 1.21
-------------------------------------------------------------
CONTENTS:
 
* What is the Player PRO Demo?
* What is the latest version of Player PRO?
* What are the features of Player PRO?
* What Hardware do I need to run the Player PRO?
* Where can I get the Player PRO?
* What Software do I need to run the Player PRO?
* What are MOD files?
* What file format is native to Player PRO?
* What do I need to do to make my own MOD files?
* Where can I find MOD files?
* How do I go About Writing MOD-Playing Code?
* How do I Register the Player PRO so I can Edit MOD files?
* What do I do if I cant get the Player PRO to work?
* What other programs for the Macintosh play or Edit MOD files?
* Seeking further technical information.
* Electronic Mailing-List Address
 
 
WHAT IS THE PLAYER PRO DEMO?
 
"The Player PRO" is a shareware music/soundtrack file player and
editor for the Apple Macintosh.  The version available on public FTP
sites and BBS systems is a _DEMONSTRATION_ version and does not have editing,
and some other capabilities activated, and is commonly known as the "BBS"
archive.
 
 
WHAT IS THE LATEST VERSION OF THE PLAYER PRO?
 
As of June 9, 1994, the latest version of the Player PRO is version
4.15(6)  (Released: 6/6/94)
 
In some erlier versions of The Player PRO, it's hard to tell exactly what
version it is, because in some places it will say one version number, and
in other places it will say another.  The best way is probabaly to check the
version in the "Get Info" window, in the Finder.  (Though even this may
not be reliable... just look at all the different version numbers and try
to find the latest one.)
 
 
WHAT ARE THE FEATURES OF THE PLAYER PRO?
 
A registered version of the Player PRO can currently import and play music
module files of the following types:
 
Amiga SoundTracker 4 voice, 15 instrument
Amiga NoiseTracker 4 voice, 31 instrument (M.K. signature)
Amiga ProTracker 4 voice, 31 instrument, 64 pattern (M.K. sig.)
Amiga ProTracker 4 voice, 31 instrument, 128 pattern (M!K! sig)
Amiga Star Tracker (StarTrekker) 4 voice (FLT4 sig)
Amiga Star Tracker (StarTrekker) 8 voice (FLT8 sig) [Not tested]
Amiga Oktalyzer 4-8 voice [beta]
IBM FastTracker (ver 1.0) 6 & 8 voice (6CHN, 8CHN sig)
Macintosh MADF 1-16 voice, 8 bit instruments (Player PRO ver 4.1x? - 4.154)
Macintosh MADG 1-32 voice, 16 bit instruments (Player PRO ver 4.155 - ?)
 
The Player PRO does not yet properly import the following music formats:
MIDI, IBM 669 ("Composd" editor), IBM ScreamTracker 3.0 (S3M),
Amiga MED/OctaMED, and IBM Multi-Tracker Module (MTM), but these
are being worked on!
 
Note: The "FastTracker 1.0" 8-channel module type is actualy identical
to IBM GraveMod (.WOW files with "M.K." sig), and at least two 8-track
Atari STe formats ("FA08" and Octalyser's "CD81").. one simply needs to
change the 4-byte signature at position 1080 in the file to "8CHN" in
order to import them with Player PRO.
 
 
WHAT HARDWARE DO I NEED TO RUN THE PLAYER PRO?
 
The Player PRO will run on any Apple Macintosh with an Apple Sound Chip
(ASC) in it, or possibly a non-ASC Macintosh with System 7.1 and
Sound Manager 3.0 extension. (System 7.2 and above have Sound Manager 3.0
built-in) This includes the Mac SE/030 and the Mac LC, though they probably
do not have performance which is as good as machines like the Macintosh
Quadra family, or the AV series.
 
The Player PRO also works on the Power PC series, and has a "FAT" binary
code block in the data-fork for this purpose. The data fork contents can be
deleted by those who do not have a Power PC and wish to save some disk space.
 
 
WHERE CAN I GET THE PLAYER PRO?
 
The Player PRO version 4.15x is available from FTP site
sumex.stanford.edu, in directory path: /info-mac/snd/util
or these info-mac mirror sites:
wuarchive.wustl.edu in path: /systems/mac/info-mac/snd/util
ftp.hawaii.edu in path: /mirrors/info-mac/snd/util
 
As well as:  mac.archive.umich.edu, path: /mac/sound/soundutil
 
The file name (often) is: player-pro-415x-demo.hqx  (stored in Stuffit
Lite/Stuffit Delux format, and encoded with BinHex 4.0)
 
 
WHAT SOFTWARE DO I NEED TO RUN THE PLAYER PRO?
 
All versions of the Player PRO need System Software that takes
advantage of the Apple Sound Chip.  This includes system version
6.0.5 to 6.0.8, but is better implemented in System 7.0 and 7.1.
however, none of these contain the specific information for using
the Player PRO's current capabilities optimally.. you need
"Sound Manager 3.0" _and_ "System 7.1" specificly for this.
The Sound Manager 3.0 extension (as well as an enhanced Sound Control
Panel, version 8.0.1) is available via FTP at ftp.apple.com, in the file:
system-update-2-0-1-image.hqx, in directory path:
/dts/mac/sys.soft/7.system.updates.  The file must be
downloaded in ASCII mode, unless you have an automatic BinHex converter.
You must then un-BinHex the file, and then use the utilities called
"MountImage" (a Control Panel) or "DiskCopy" (an application), both from
Apple, in order to access the *.image file  (the file will have to be
decompressed first.)
 
If you don't have System 7.1 with Sound Manager 3.0, the sound quality
will depend completely on the performence of the Apple Sound Chip and
specialized routines that Player PRO uses for it, rather than standard
routines from Apple Computer.
 
Once you install the Sound Manager Extension, reboot your machine, and
launch Player PRO.  Go to the "Preferences" menu selection and set it
to use the "mono" Sound Manager 3.0 routines if you don't have your
Mac connected to a stereo.  This will significantly reduce problems
with the software, though it may run slower than it would with the
specialized, hardware-accessing sound routines.  Also, make sure you
turn on the "32-bit addressing" mode, in the "Memory" control panel
before running the latest version of Player PRO.
 
A Wish List:
 
All of the above is of course a lot of trouble.  It would be nice if
Antoine would add to the "Preferences" the option to use some
"Sound Manager 2.0" playing code, for use on non-32-bit-clean Macs running
system software erlier than 7.1.  (The shareware program "MacTracker 1.2"
has source code like this)  It would be even nicer if Antoine would
also include "Sound Driver/Sound Manager 1.0" routines, for the very old,
pre-ASC Macintoshes to be able to use The Player PRO!  (in Black and White,
with a small screen, of course.)
 
If you have a wish list of your own, feel free to contact Antoine Rosset
in email or with a fax, and suggest it to him.
 
A Note About Bugs:
 
Player PRO currently crashes if you attempt to "Import S3M" (IBM
ScreamTracker 3.0 MODs), so don't bother with it. (this will only
work in version 4.155 for now)  IBM FastTracker 8-voice
MODs load and play fine, however.  (Though you may run out of memory)
An actual 8-voice Amiga "StarTrekker" MOD file has not been tested yet,
but 4-voice StarTrekker (also called "Star Tracker" v 1.2) play fine.
 
Player PRO will force mod files from other Mac programs which
_already_ have an icon to have a Player PRO icon when it plays them.
You may or may not want this to happen. (too bad it isn't optional..)
 
Sometimes the icon for the Player PRO 4.15x application will look like
the icon from "The Player II", even on a color screen.  But it
also may look like a colorful Compact Disk... I have no idea why it is
sometimes one or the other.
 
Files do not always repeat correctly if they have a "pattern jump"
command at the very end.. also, there are problems with modules
that do not set the speed in the beginning: if they repeat, and the
speed has been altered, they will replay at this new faster or slower
playing speed!
 
The editor actualy displays octave ranges C2-B6, though MOD files
use octave ranges of C1-C3 (extended versions use C0-C4).  This does not
seem to effect pitch playback quality, however.  The General-MIDI and XTracker
formats support up to 9 full octaves!
 
 
WHAT ARE MOD FILES?
 
"MOD" files, also called "music modules", or "soundtrack" files, were
originally created on the Amiga computer by a man named Karsten Obarski,
in a program called "SoundTracker".  They were intended to be compact
ways of storing music inside games and demos, especially background music.
The files consist of "patterns" of musical notes inside "partitions"
(pattern lists) which can be played in different order, and more than once.
(Note: the term "pattern" sometimes refers to a single set of 4 notes &
commands in a 4-voice module, or sometimes to an _entire_ pattern list
(partition) of 64 patterns.)
 
The musical notes are played as sampled sounds which are stored at the end
of the MOD file.  The sounds are played back at different pitches to give
the effect of a real musical instrument or synthesizer.
(Note: The term "sample" sometimes refers to a single byte inside
an 8-bit digitized sound, and sometimes to the _entire_ digitized
sound (intrument or "patch".)
 
Simmilar "memory dump" formats were written by Amiga programmers like
Armin Sander (Oktalyzer), and Teijo Kinnunen (MED), though later they were
changed both to something more extensible. (see below)
 
The origional SoundTracker format was later extended by "Mahoney and Kaktus"
of Switzerland in an Amiga program called "NoiseTracker", and later even
further extended in "ProTracker" by Lars "ZAP" Hamre (PT 1.1),
Peter "CRAYON" Hanning (PT 2.3A), and eventualy various members of
an Amiga coding group called "CryptoBurners".  Version 3.10 or 3.15
is the current version of ProTracker for the Amiga.
 
Since the origional version of the MOD format spec, there have been many
new types of MOD file, some simply adding more patterns so the MODs could
hold more "voices", while others added more effects.  These types include
Star Tracker, Oktalyzer, and OctaMED on the Amiga, and GraveMod (WOW modules),
FastTracker 1.0, ScreamTracker 2 & 3.0, Farandole, MultiTracker,
XTracker (DMF modules), TakeTracker (almost identical to FastTracker 1.0),
and UltraTracker on the IBM.
 
Newer, more advanced and flexible module formats are always being written,
and future version of the IBM "ScreamTracker" and "FastTracker" programs
will have completely new, extended formats.
 
 
WHAT FILE FORMAT IS NATIVE TO PLAYER PRO?
 
The module format that The Player PRO currently uses is called "MAD",
and is commonly referred to as "MADF", though a newer, extended version
with the internal signature "MADG" is now being used.
 
 
WHAT DO I NEED TO DO TO MAKE MY OWN MOD FILES?
 
In order to edit your own MOD music files on the Macintosh, you need to
register the Player PRO Demo so that the editing capabilities can be
activated.  Also, you need specific information about the internal
structure of MOD files, as well as the different musical effects "commands"
which you can use within the MOD.  This information is available on
FTP site sumex.stanford.edu, in the files "mod-info.txt" and
"mod-form.txt", both of which reside in directory path
/info-mac/sound/util, or on the mirror site wuarchive.wustl.edu
in /systems/mac/info-mac/sound/util.  You _must_ have these files,
or something else with similar information, because most MOD editors
(Sound Trackers) are not like traditional music composition software,
and they do not rely on placing notes on a musical staff.  (which would
be far more intuitive.)  Rather, the user must edit the patterns directly.
The Player PRO npw offers a limited form of "Classical Partition" editing,
which is a step in the right direction.
 
Some helpful information for editing MOD music would be in the
"LESSON_1.TXT" file by Per Almered of Sweden, which origionaly
came with an Atari STe 8-track module-editor called "Octalyser".
This is available with it's accompanying module on info-mac ftp sites.
(info-mac/info/sft/mod-editing-lesson.hqx).
 
Also, the electronic magazine called "SIGNALS" has some very valuable
information about editing mods, by an IBM programmer called "Necros",
at email address: <segaag@craft.camp.clarkson.edu> (this address
seems to be out of date)... "Necros" and other IBM music programmers
and composers can sometimes be found on Internet Relay Chat (IRC),
in channel "#coders".
 
It might also be a good idea to have the Mac shareware utility "HexEdit"
(System 7 only), which is great for editing the data inside a Macintosh
file data fork.
 
 
WHERE CAN I FIND MOD FILES?
 
If you simply want to play MOD files, a good place to look is the aminet
FTP site.  You will need the Macintosh utility "MacLHA" in order to
decompress archive files with names that end in ".lzh" and ".lha".
Aminet's FTP address is: wuarchive.wustl.edu  path:
/systems/amiga/aminet/mods
 
 
HOW DO I GO ABOUT WRITING MOD-PLAYING CODE?
 
You can get source code for playing MOD files several different ways.
Antoine Rosset's MADF module playing libraries are available in info-mac
as a developer package.  Frank Seide's Sound-Trecker MOD-playing routines
are available at the same location.  Tom Lawrence & Marc Espie's Macintosh
Tracker source code is also available.  Other source-code tends to…

Showing first 20,000 characters of 37,103 total. Open the full document →

From: jbthoo@ucdavis.edu (John Thoo)
Date: Mon, 19 Apr 93 21:20:03 PDT 
Subject: insurance for Mac equipment (report) 


Note to moderators: At the risk of repeating this submission, I'm
sending you this report for the second time.  (The notorious mailer
daemon returned my first submission.)  My apologies if this is, indeed,
reaching you for the second time. --John.
=========================================

Several digests ago, I posted the following query:
>Does anyone own any insurance for Mac equipment?  I've been thinking
>lately that perhaps I should invest in some, perhaps as part of some
>type of renter's insurance; but then something from a company called
>`Safeware' (Columbus, OH) showed up in my snailmailbox yesterday.
>
>What's your opinion?  Is insurance for Mac equipment and programs worth
>getting?  And, if so, what's the best `type' (whatever that means) of
>insurance to get?  And from where?  And how much is considered reasonable,
>and at what cost?


The response has been fabulous.  Not only were there replies posted
directly to the digest, but I also received responses directly from

  Jerry <iscjcw@uccvma.ucop.edu>
  K. A. Graff <kgraff@csd4.csd.uwm.edu>
  Harald Herchen <herchen@navier.stanford.edu>
  Ed Kaszubowski <dlogics!ejk@uu.psi.com>
  Charles Martini <cmartini@tecnet1.jcte.jcs.mil>
  Tim Richard <Timothy.Richard.Peng@um.cc.umich.edu>
  
Thanks for your help, folks.  I really appreciate your help and advice
in this matter.  Insurance can be a confusing business, especially for
one unschooled in such matters.

I am submitting a compilation of all the responses I received directly,
along with those I cut from the last few digests.  I hope that this
information will serve someone else as well as it's served me.

The upshot is that if you have renter's insurance, then you might
check into adding a rider for computer equipment.  The extent to which
such a rider would cover your equipment/software would, necessarily,
depend on your insurance company.  There are also companies around that
specialize in computer insurance, one of which is Safeware (the company
about which I enquired).  One person compared such companies to those
insurance companies that specialize in insuring motorcycle riders.  Having
one been an avid motorcycle rider, myself, I could relate to that.  Several
folks advised checking the BBB before purchasing insurance from any company
with which one is not familiar---good advice in any case.  Finally, there
was one person who reported that the BBB had nothing bad to say about
Safeware, and that Safeware's been in business since 1982.

What I've summarized above is nowhere comprehensive.
Please check out the compilation of responses I'm posting to read each of them
for yourself.  I've deleted all mailing headers from the responses I received
directly; those that I cut from the last few digests still bear their mailing
headers.

Good luck!
--John.
J. B. THOO, Math. Dept., Univ. of California, Davis <jb2@math.ucdavis.edu>


=============================================================================
MODERATORS: PLEASE CUT HERE

---------------------------------snip, snip----------------------------------

john - your regular household insurance should cover it (even if you
live in a dorm, you can buy renter's insurance in most states).  most
insurance companies require you to add a computer equipment rider on
your policy, and deductibles are usually in the $200 range (a pittance
compared to the cost of mac systems).  this shouldn't be more than
$15 to $25 bucks on top of your regualr insurance, and should cover you
for upwards of $10k.  regular renter's insurance costs around $100 a
year here in ann arbor (a college town with many many burglaries),
and also covers your stereo and cds (perhaps as great a loss as your
computer, if you have a big collection!).

-------------

John,

I had a homeowners policy last year when my Mac SE, DeskWriter, and a
whole bunch of other stuff was stolen from my house. I was advised to
get a policy with replacement value by my agent. It costs more but you
have your stuff replaced instead of getting a cash settlement based on
the depreciated value. It is a good choice if you are low income and/or
are using older equipment for your work. I had everything replaced and
was up and running again in a few weeks.

I am living in a rental unit now and have my computers covered it a renters
policy. Like the homeowners, you want to have an inventory of your stuff
and receipts, etc in a safe place.

I found out that my insurance would cover occasional use of my computer
equipment at school, but if I kept it at work (school) neither the
school's insurance or my own policy would cover it. Also if you take
computers from work home, your policy will probably not cover it and
you may get into hot water with your employer.

Good luck. Stealing computers is big business these days. We had a
$2K notebook with a $5K board for running an air pollution monitor
stolen from one of our labs during spring break last month. A big
killer in my case was that although I had my distribution disks in
a file cabinet in another room and they were not taken, I had just
set the disk file with my backups on the printer that morning. The
backups were stolen with the system, probably for the box they in.
That was probably the greatest loss for me as I had projects for work
and a lot of personal work on them. The theft of something like that
is like having a manuscript for a book stolen. You will get the medium
on which you wrote it replaced as there is no way to put a value on
your creative effort.

-------------

In comp.sys.mac.digest you write:

>Does anyone own any insurance for Mac equipment?  I've been thinking
>lately that perhaps I should invest in some, perhaps as part of some
>type of renter's insurance; but then something from a company called
>`Safeware' (Columbus, OH) showed up in my snailmailbox yesterday.

>What's your opinion?  Is insurance for Mac equipment and programs worth
>getting?  And, if so, what's the best `type' (whatever that means) of
>insurance to get?  And from where?  And how much is considered reasonable,
>and at what cost?

Why not just rely on Renter's or Homeowner's insurance?  Unless there is
some special provision, like you have special "professional uses" for
your equipment, basic home insurance should cover your mac just like
they'll cover your TV, stereo, etc.

It is my opinion that those special computer insurances are a scam.
Easy money for them.  Like selling earthquake insurance in Illinois.

Incidentally, I live in a pretty-high crime-rate area of Chicago, and I
pay $193 a year for $20,000 of coverage with a $100 deductible - basic
renter's insurance from Allstate.

Later.

-------------

Hi John,

Saw your posting in info-mac and thought I chime in with my $.02.

I've had Safeware since I bought my current Mac system (2+ years now).
Before I had an old plus, an imagewriter and a smidgeon of software. Now I
have a IIci, laser printer, CD, Syquest, monitors, and tons of software.
After discussing the insurance (or lack of it) provided by my homeowners
policy, I looked around and selected Safeware's all-risk policy. If memory
serves, I pay aboaut $200/year for $10,000 coverage. The coverage is
all-risk -- including theft, fire, power surge, damn near anything.

I (touch wood) haven't had a claim, but the company has been around quite a
while and I've *never* seen anything negative posted or written about them.

Hope this helps


ps -- most homeowners/renters policies either specifically exclude personal
computers or make you add a very expensive rider. And, many have clauses
that say if you even so much as think business while using it, your PC
becomes a business machine and you lose all coverage. I've heard, however,
that there are some homeowners/renters policies which do cover them. Check
with your agent first, and be sure you find out about all of the excusions
and deductibles.

-------------

Hi, yes, I have insurance for my Mac.  I have about $6000 worth of equipment,
and the insurance cost me $120.00.  It is a little more expensive than
other places, becuase it covers my Mac while I am on the road, i.e., in
my car, even while unattended.  I have driven over 20,000 miles, and
it is worth it.  If you just want coverage for your office, then if it
is your personal machine, you should be able to get away with $80 for
the same amount of Mac equipment.

I don't know about your place, but around here, any Mac that isn't locked
down is immediately stolen, and even if they are locked down, they
sometimes get lifted.  So insurance is essential, only one step below
backups!  I note that '486 PC's sit here blissfully unlocked, and they
have never been lifted!

I can't recall the name of my insurance agency, but they are located
in Ohio, and advertise each month in the back of MacWorld.  If nobody
else tells you, I can look it up for you.

Cheers!

-------------

Date: Mon, 12 Apr 1993 11:09:41 GMT
From: photo@theporch.raider.net (David Anderson)
Subject: insurance for Macs/peripherals/software (Q)

Info-Mac@sumex-aim.stanford.edu writes:

>Does anyone own any insurance for Mac equipment?  I've been thinking
>lately that perhaps I should invest in some, perhaps as part of some
>type of renter's insurance; but then something from a company called
>`Safeware' (Columbus, OH) showed up in my snailmailbox yesterday.
>What's your opinion?  Is insurance for Mac equipment and programs worth
>getting?  And, if so, what's the best `type' (whatever that means) of
>insurance to get?  And from where?  And how much is considered reasonable,
>and at what cost?
>Lots of questions, but I don't know where else to turn for good,
>honest advice on this.  Thanks for your help.

I have insurance on all my computer equipment, but it's wrapped up with my
business insurance policy.  It's not terribly expensive.  Outside of the
business policy, I'm not sure how I'd go about it.

David Anderson
nashville tn

------------------------------

Date: Tue, 13 Apr 93 11:14:00 CDT
From: PULLMANN@VM1.TUCC.TRINITY.EDU
Subject: Mac Insurance (R)

John Thoo asks:

>Does anyone own any insurance for Mac equipment?  I've been thinking
>lately that perhaps I should invest in some, perhaps as part of some
>type of renter's insurance; but then something from a company called
>`Safeware' (Columbus, OH) showed up in my snailmailbox yesterday.
>
>What's your opinion?  Is insurance for Mac equipment and programs worth
>getting?  And, if so, what's the best `type' (whatever that means) of
>insurance to get?  And from where?  And how much is considered reasonable,
>and at what cost?

What did this 'Safeware' outfit offer? Just as a personal opinion, I think
some sort of insurance on computers in the home is a must, but I also
think it's a field ripe for enormous rip-offs. My renter's insurance
covers my equipment if it's stolen or flooded or whatever, and I have
an Applecare policy to cover electrical/mechanical ills. This last is not
cheap, but for me it's the only way to go, because I can budget for it and
know that no matter what mega-$$$$ component of my system fails, I can
get it fixed. For someone with a larger bank account, it might make more
sense to gamble that by not paying premiums you could save enough money to
cover any problems that might come up. Then again, maybe not...
                                                               Pat

Pat Ullmann  PULLMANN@VM1.TUCC.TRINITY.EDU or PULLMANN@TRINITY (BITNET)

------------------------------

Date: Wed, 14 Apr 93 13:59:36 PDT
From: cmartini@tecnet1.jcte.jcs.mil
Subject: [ANS] insurance for Macs/peripherals/software (Q)

John Thoo <jb2@math.ucdavis.edu> wrote for information on insurance for
Macs/peripherals/software...

I've seen the ads for Safeware, but I don't know anything else about them.
Before you buy a policy from them, I'd suggest the usual caveats:  check with
the Ohio Better Business Bureau, state insurance regulators, etc.

As to buying Mac insurance in the first place...I'm a Lieutenant in the
Navy, and I've had my computer equipment, and all electronics, insured for
years with Armed Forces Co-Op.  While that company's clientele is limited,
other insurance companies offer similar policies to what I had:  full
coverage, with a replacement-cost floater.  This covered me if, for example,
my LC & 12" monitor fell off my desk at sea and smashed to bits.  In this
instance, the company would pay for a new LC III and 13" monitor, since the
original LC and 12" monitor aren't available.  For my money, a policy without
replacement cost coverage for electronics is useless--the going rate for the
LC I bought two years ago is $800.  ACV (Actual Cash Value = depreciation)
coverage for computer equipment is no good.

Now, is any coverage needed?  Depends on your usage.  Is your Mac in a
pilferable spot (ie-your office)?  What are the chances of damage to the
equipment?  Do you have insurance for other high-value items you own?

I've never seen a policy that covers software.  The best policy I can think
of is regular backups.  If your data is especially critical, the best thing
to do is keep one recent backup off-site.  You should always keep your
master application disks locked and securely stored.

The only kind of software insurance policy I can imagine would be one that
guards you against business losses caused by loss of data/software.

Just tossin' out some thoughts...

                                       _____
                                       \   /
Chuck Martini                           \o/
Oak Harbor, WA                           |
cmartini@tecnet1.jcte.jcs.mil           _|_

------------------------------

Date: Wed, 14 Apr 93 13:16:19 CDT
From: gray@cmgroup.engr.wisc.edu
Subject: insurance for Macs/peripherals/software (C)

I have renters insurance through State Farm and computer equipment
(up to $8000, I believe) is included in that.  It is also replacement
insurance and doesn't shaft me on depreciation.  You can also add a
rider to the policy if you have more than $8000 of hardware/software.

I personally wouldn't be without it.  Computers and their software are
an awfully big investment to let go up in flames or get stolen
without protection.

Best regards,

Gary L. Gray                *  Engineering Mechanics & Astronautics
gray@cmgroup.engr.wisc.edu  *  University of Wisconsin-Madison

------------------------------

Date: Thu, 15 Apr 1993 17:03:25 -0800
From: Jerry Wilcox <iscjcw@uccvma.ucop.edu>
Subject: Computer Insurance (R)

I have been most interested in seeing comments in Info-Mac regarding
computer insurance, especially the ones indicating that State Farm renter's
insurance covers computers. I have homeowner's insurance (plus earthquake,
auto, life, and a few others) also through State Farm. When I bought my
system for home several years ago, I turned first to my agent who carefully
pointed out that my policy specifically excluded "business equipment" from
any coverage. He was quite candid with me and said that while the company
would cover a Nintendo, or perhaps even something like a Commodore 64 as a
"home computer," my Macintosh System (which cost > $10K back then) was
clearly for "business" and would not be covered. He offered to write me a
"business" policy, but then was very open about telling me to look first at
the companies which specialized in insuring computers. This caused me to
stop and think about an earlier situation of a similar type -- motorcycle
insurance. Years ago when I was an active rider, I did all the research and
discovered that the "traditional" insurance companies all charged a lot
more for motorcycle insurance than did the companies specializing in
motorcycles.

Suspecting that the same thing might be true of computer insurance, I
checked with several other insurance carriers, in addition to companies
like Safeware. I learned a great deal. Some companies cover computers with
their homeowner's or renter's insurance; many do not, or make the
deductible so high that it isn't worthwhile. Some allow the addition of a
rider to cover extra value or reduce deductibile; others don't.

The bottom line for me is that I bought a policy from Safeware that covers
all of my hardware *and* software against all risks, including even power
surges and the like. One netter commented that s/he had never seen
insurance covering software, and why bother -- just keep adequate backups.
Unfortunately, a fire or earthquake might cause me to lose the
documentation and the original disks, things which a backup cannot replace.
It is a loss to me if I have to repurchase a package because I don't have
the original disks or because I need the documentation.

Your bottom line might be different, but if you think that your computer is
automatically covered by your current insurance, I'd urge you to check
again, carefully, just to make sure it actually is.

Jerry
-----
Jerry Wilcox - iscjcw@uccvma.ucop.edu   All opinions are mine alone

------------------------------

Date: Wed, 14 Apr 1993 04:15:01 GMT
From: rik@world.std.com (Rik Ahlberg)
Subject: Mac Insurance (R)

Info-Mac@sumex-aim.stanford.edu writes:

>John Thoo asks:

>>Does anyone own any insurance for Mac equipment?  I've been thinking
>>lately that perhaps I should invest in some, perhaps as part of some
>>type of renter's insurance; but then something from a company called
>>`Safeware' (Columbus, OH) showed up in my snailmailbox yesterday.

I got the same mailing and think I'll fax them for more info... it seems
odd that they cover whatever you have without requiring a specific list of
equipment, just a price range.

But they claim they cover you for complete replacement without
depreciation... and that on my 5-year-old SE would be great if it were
ever stolen or damaged.

And it's a minor premium, only about $70 to cover up to $5,000 worth of
equipment for a year.

You might also want to look into insurance services offered by the large
users groups (BCS, BMUG, etc.) as I was just looking at a flyer on an
extension policy for homeowners insurance from the BCS.

Rik

Sources:  Safeware, 2929 N. High St., PO Box 02211, Columbus, OH 43202
          BCS Insurance Services (COMPASS Associates), 1-800-464-0703

------------------------------

Date: Thu, 15 Apr 93 14:21:08 EST
From: Kenneth Simon <KSSIMON@ucs.indiana.edu>
Subject: Safeware Computer Insurance

 In answer to the recent musings about the Safeware Insurance Company:
I just bought some insurance from them after checking with the
Better Business Bureau: they are a member of the BBB with no complaints
on file.  They have been in business since 1982.

Sounds promising to me!

 ------------
Kenneth Simon, Indiana University
Internet: KSSIMON@INDIANA.EDU   Bitnet: KSSIMON@IUBACS

------------------------------

Date: Fri, 16 Apr 1993 08:46:25 -0600
From: bwalls@marvin.msfc.nasa.gov
Subject: Computer insurance (C)

Jerry Wilcox says
>...system for home several years ago, I turned first to my agent who
carefully
>pointed out that my policy specifically excluded "business equipment" from
>any coverage. He was quite candid with me and said that while the company
>would cover a Nintendo, or perhaps even something like a Commodore 64 as a
>"home computer," my Macintosh System (which cost > $10K back then) was
>clearly for "business" and would not be covered. He offered to write me a
>"business" policy, but then was very open about telling me to look first at
>the companies which specialized in insuring computers.

Just wanted to comment that I have State Farm Homeowner's insurance. They
cover computer equipment up to about $3000, and offer a rider for more
expensive things. This is the same type policy as for furs, guns, and coin
collections. Home computers (and other consumer electronics) are much more
common today than a few years ago, so calling any real computer "for
business" may have changed, but I woul…

Showing first 20,000 characters of 21,981 total. Open the full document →

From: DouglasN@eworld.com
Subject: Mass standardizing on Pentiums

There are a few things I would like to make clear. I think the note at 
the end of this message is too harsh, to the point of being rude.
I do not endorse this kind of talk, nor does Moe or anyone else speak for me.

However, I do not think it is right for a state to impose "standards" such as
those to which he refers. I agree that the State of Massachusetts should not
 only "allow" Macintosh computers, but they should also consider how to
encourage or at least better incorporate more of them or to take advantage of
this superior technology.

I have added to this message notes from various people (all included in
address field above) and some other useful information and addresses for the
people of our great state to look at.

I added the letter from Moe at the end of all this.

Doug Nelson


--------------------------------
here are some reasons to consider (from another email source):
(1) Macs cost less to operate.  (2) Some Macs are even cheaper than an
identical PC.  (3) No more worry about a single vendor computer since there
now are clones.  (4) There is a higher percentage Internet connected Macs
than PCs.  (5)  Other than one specific brand of Unix machine, there are
more Macs as Web servers.  (6) Contrary to popular opinion, it does not
cost more to have both Macs and PCs in a single organization. etc.


--------------------------------
Kansas City has quite a large implementation of Macs. You might want to give
them a call.
I don't have names other than the listing of N B (Ben) Nelson, Chief, of
KDOT's Bureau of Computer Services. They list phone numbers in the 95
Kansas Communications Services Directory for
Engineering support  -----(913) 296-4057
Operations Support   -----(913) 296-4258
Administrative Support ---(913) 296-4259
Planning Support  --------(913) 296-3545

"... I'm sorry I don't have an email address for you, but you might want to
talk to Mike Jones. He's in charge of an all-Mac network at a county office
here in Kansas City....
Here's his analog info:

Michael Jones
Director of MIS
Jackson County Prosecutor's Office
415 E 12th Street
Floor 7M
Kansas City, MO  64106
Phone: 816.881.3888"


--------------------------------
"  Reply to:   RE>Massachusetts standardizing on Pe
or, where were YOU when the decisions were being made?

Sounds like more of old Weld's backroom idiocy. Like eliminating licensing,
or eliminating teacher certification (you know, we tried that strict
certification stuff for a year or so). Maybe he's on the early track of
Reagan's alzeimer's.

In 1985 I was at Brookhaven National Laboratory. They standardized on PC/XT
and AT computers. I had to fill out a 20 page form justifying why I wanted to
buy a nonstandard computer. But I did it. Then I proceeded to run circles
around the PCs with my Mac Plus, LaserWriter and 20Mb HD. I tied into the
VAX, pulled down data, analyzed it with spreadsheet and statistics software
on the Mac, programmed models of the data in True Basic on the Mac, and
generated the best looking reports in the department.

So fight it. Argue it. Prove that it is a cost savings for your office to go
with Macs. Prove that they will have a harder time integrating than you will.
Hey, after a year or so, he will probably get over it and throw out the
strict standards anyway. Argue free market with him. Hey, we need competition
so that the best can win out. Argue small government -- get the government
out of the government! I mean, all his own arguments on issues like this work
against him.

I gotta go. But you really got me pissed with that one (not at you, at
Weld)."


--------------------------------
"So typical. I work in a site with a heavy Mac presence, yet despite that I
encounter the same bias in MIS (where these decisions are made). Worst of
all, it is founded on complete ignorance. I have lost all track of the
number of times they knowingly told me (in complete error) that "this can't
be done on the Mac". And then when you show it to them working beautifully,
they are amazed and impressed and agree it's easier than Windows!
ARRGHHHHHH......."     anonymous quote


--------------------------------
"I looked at the URL and it made me puke.  You would think that
Windows was the only desktop operating system in the Universe.  You didn't
say what your area of interest (CAD, DTP, GIS, etc.) so I'll chime in w/ some
insights to my area: Architecture and Planning.

We have several CAD and desktop publishing programs that we go cross
platform with everyday.   We also use a GIS app that interfaces to the
industry standard:  ARC INFO.  The software is called MapGrafix by
CommGrafix out of Clearwater FL.  The city of St Louis uses this software
for ALL their GIS needs.  The reason I'm pushing the GIS issue is that it
is very demanding of systems and a complex to learn and implement.  It also
is something a dos/windows dweeb wouldn't expect a Mac to be able to do.
MapGrafix is the easiest to use GIS package around.  It is also *very*
powerful.

You may want to send Guy Kawasaki some mail at Apple.  He may be able to get
someone to look into why these guys have got their heads in buried in the
sand."

--------------------------------
"This is government?  I think standardizing is a bad idea to begin with, but
that sounds ridiculous.  Call it Evolution, or Devolution, still sounds like
a change involving a lot of people who'd have to relearn how to compute."


--------------------------------
Join EvangeList. Send an email to <macway-request@abs.apple.com> for an
automatic reply. (Any message will work.) Archives are at:
<http://wais.sensei.com.au/searchform.html>.


--------------------------------
I urge you to check out the following web sites to gather some information
for yourselves:

http://www.icsi.net/~crfrank/TableofContents.html
http://www.icsi.net/~crfrank/TableofContents.html
http://redback.cs.uwa.edu.au/Quinn/WWW/HumanInterfaceSubtleties.html
http://wais.sensei.com.au/searchform.html



+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
The following note was sent to me on December 26, 1995.

begin original text
==============
<<<<<Subj:    Re: Resp. to "Moe Walters"
Date:    Tue, Dec 26, 1995 9:54 PM EST
From:  moe@ultranet.com
X-From: moe@ultranet.com (Moe Walters)
To: kzimmerman@state.ma.us
CC: DouglasN@eworld.com, wweld@state.ma.us

>        Thanks for your e-mail to Governor Weld regarding state computer
>purchasing guidelines.  As you may know, much of the state's computers are
>linked via a LAN/WAN system, and much of our software is used on a shared
>basis, so it makes sense to have a consistent standard for PC purchasing.
>
>        The Department of Procurement and General Services (DPGS)
establishes
>the specifications for state purchasing.  For more information on the
decision-
>making process behind these standards, contact the DPGS at (617) 727-7500.
>
>        Again, thank you for writing.

Dear "Kzimmerman@state..":

Many thanks for you replay.  I assume that you have a name? Small point,
but it is common practice to sign a "e mail" with a name.

You fail to explain exactly why it makes sense to "have a consistent
standard for PC purchasing". Yes, it would make the lives of purchasing
agents easier, in that they wouldn't have to learn about multiple computer
platforms. Please be advised, however that many of us in the private sector
have learned DOS,  MAC  and UNIX...systems. This is not rocket science. It
may come as something of a shock to the governmental system, but there are
LAN/WAN systems in the world which service DOS, MAC and UNIX machines. And
many tax payers resent employing lazy/"computer-challenged" employees.

Surely a state with "accommodations" ranging from Gov. Weld to our Senior
Senator, MIT to Umass. Dartmouth, Dover to Holyoke can accommodate Mac and
DOS computers???????? Surely we can find and employ purchasing agents who
understand both systems? Surely we need not employ chronic idiots and
establish policy with which they secure their jobs?????????

Why should we have to use the telephone to "glean" the DPGS decision making
process?  Surely there is a spare megabyte or 2 for the details available
on a Commonwealth server?

Moe Walters>>>>>
==============
end original text

Date: Sun, 20 Feb 1994 17:46:34 -0800
From: qwerty@netcom.com (Xenon)
Subject: "Here's How to MacPGP!" guide

Here's the latest version (2.7) of my "Here's How to MacPGP!" guide, to
replace /info-mac/info/macpgp-guide-18.txt.

Hey Mac user, having too much fun? Don't want your plans made public?
You're sending e-mail on "postcards" if you don't have the free public key
encryption program PGP. You heard about it in the news; here's your easy
guide to getting and using it. It will get non-Mac users started too.

 -=Xenon=- <qwerty@netcom.com>

Send mail to qwerty@netcom.com with Subject "Bomb me!", for my "Here's How
to MacPGP!" guide (this document) and Gary Edstrom's PGP FAQ. If you
received this unexpectedly, it means I found your post on Usenet or
elsewhere asking about PGP, or I have made a mistake. People can now get
these by anonymous ftp to netcom.com in /pub/gbe and /pub/qwerty as well.

 -=Xenon=-

Note: Don't try to get MacPGP from the ftp site soda.berkeley.edu, since
it is mislabelled as being a Mac BinHex file, but it happens to also
be Unix gzipped, without being labelled as such (no .gz at the end). They are
being slow about fixing this.

Also: ViaCrypt should be coming out with a licenced MacPGP version. I
suggest you buy it when it is available. It would be nice to get over
this patents stigma.

Archie search for macpgp2.3 ftp sites, done 2-20-94:

Host athene.uni-paderborn.de
    Location: /unix/network/security
           FILE -rw-r--r--     422851  macpgp2.3.cpt.hqx
Host cs.huji.ac.il
    Location: /pub/security/pgp/2.3A
           FILE -r--r--r--     422851  macpgp2.3.cpt.hqx
Host ghost.dsi.unimi.it
    Location: /pub/security/crypt
           FILE -rw-r--r--     422851  macpgp2.3.cpt.hqx
Host isy.liu.se
    Location: /pub/misc/pgp/2.3A
           FILE -rw-r--r--     422851  macpgp2.3.cpt.hqx
Host ftp.luth.se
    Location: /pub/mac/appl/encryption
           FILE -rw-r--r--     422900  macpgp2.3.cpt.hqx
Host ftp.cc.adfa.oz.au    (131.236.1.2)
    Location: /pub/security/pgp23
      FILE    -rw-r--r--  422885  macpgp2.3.cpt.hqx

-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE-----

Hey Mac user you're sending e-mail on "postcards" if you don't have PGP.
You heard about it in the news; here's....

How to MacPGP:
Version 2.7 (Feb. 19, '94)

PGP will encrypt files so not even crazy people with supercomputers can
decrypt them. You write e-mail on a word processor, encrypt it using a
someone's public key, and send it off. They use their private key to
decrypt it. Public keys are just that; give yours out freely. Once a person
encrypts a message with your public key, not even they can read it again.
Only you, using your private key. Phil Zimmerman's PGP is the grassroots
alternative to the Clipper Chip, which gives the government your secret
key. I will send the PGP FAQ and this guide to anyone who sends mail to
qwerty@netcom.com with Subject "Bomb me!".

[Non-Mac users: READ THIS, and the "PGP FAQ" by Gary B. Edstrom (available
on alt.security.pgp or ftp to netcom.com in /pub/gbe in parts as
pgpfq*.asc)! A beginner's guide like this one by Out and About
<an50928@anon.penet.fi> called "DOS PGP Guide" exists (ftp to ftp.eff.org
in /pub/EFF/Policy/Crypto as pgpstart.tutorial). Answers to questions (not
in the FAQ) are available on the Usenet group alt.security.pgp. If you
don't have Usenet, mail questions to alt.security.pgp@news.cs.indiana.edu
(or @anon.penet.fi) and ask for e-mailed replies. There are versions for
DOS (and friendly add-on interfaces), Windows, Unix, VAX/VMS, Atari ST,
Amiga, OS/2, Archimedes and others. Get "The Big Dummy's Guide to the
Internet" as shown below.]

Get a Unix e-mail account (student or commercial) with internet access, and
a modem. GET A COPY OF THE FREE MAC PROGRAM STUFFIT EXPANDER (you NEED it,
not just BinHex!). Log into your e-mail account. If you are stuck in a
menu-driven place, figure out how to "escape to Unix" which will give you a
$ or % prompt. Welcome to the internet. Let's find PGP. Type 'telnet
archie.internic.net', login as 'archie', and type 'prog macpgp2.3'. A list
of sites around the world having PGP will appear. Type 'bye'. One of the
sites it gave me was:

Host isy.liu.se    (130.236.1.3)
Last updated 08:14  3 Nov 1993

 Location: /pub/misc/pgp/2.3A
  FILE  -rw-r--r-- 422851 bytes  10:58 19 Sep 1993  macpgp2.3.cpt.hqx

This archie server is fast, rarely overloaded, but limited. Another is
archie.sura.net. Trying this site may fail but gives a list of other sites
(and a hint to try 'qarchie' at this site). Do archies at night (same for
ftp). You want a macpgp2.3 that ends in .hqx (or try leaving out the .gz
when you do 'get' below, OR use 'binary' instead of 'ascii' below, then
'gunzip macpgp2.3.cpt.hqx.gz' in your account). Hqx (BinHex) is a way to
code Mac stuff as text. The .cpt is a Mac compression method, as are .sit
or .sea. The lists from other servers will be longer. I will use the above
macpgp2.3.cpt.hqx at site isy.liu.se as an EXAMPLE.

Type 'ftp isy.liu.se', login as 'anonymous' and use an e-mail address as
the password. For fun type 'ls -l'. You are in their hard disk's main
directory and this is what's on it. Lines starting with 'd' are directories
that you can move into using 'cd' ('cd ..' to backup). (During ftp use 'get
filename "|more"' if you want to read a text file called "filename"; 'q' to
stop). Based on the archie search, type 'cd /pub/misc/pgp/2.3A', and again
'ls -l'. There it is! Type 'ascii', 'get macpgp2.3.cpt.hqx', and wait; it
is being transferred to your account. When you get the ftp> prompt type
'bye'. Back to e-mail and the hard part. Type 'ls -l' to see it. 

Find out how to DOWNLOAD a text file from your account to your desktop.
[Try 'kermit', 'set file type text', 'send macpgp2.3.cpt.hqx', and initiate
a receive in your software (set to do kermit transfers). Or 'sz
macpgp2.3.cpt.hqx' (with software set to zmodem)]. Drag this file onto the
icon of Stuffit Expander. MacPGP2.3 will appear. In your account 'rm
macpgp2.3.cpt.hqx' will remove it.

You naughty thing. PGP on another Mac. Print the documentation. It is
indeed cryptic. Better is the help feature of MacPGP2.3 itself, which is
also printable. Start PGP. Make yourself a public/private key pair with
'Generate key', select '1024' ("slow" is only key generation), leave the
'17' alone, and enter a name. Your secret key is really a long file that
you will never have to manually type in, but you have to remember a "pass
phrase" to use it (and keep others from using it if they steal your secret
key). Check 'Show pass phrase' and enter a very memorable, very obscure
sentence. Don't use all normal words! Make up tricks like "Pile?driver" or
"Here1we2go3you2stupid1bozo." Type away as requested to make some random
numbers. Wait. You can see your public key with 'View keyring' on
pubring.pgp. DON'T FORGET YOUR PASS PHRASE! Writing it down is better than
a slight chance of forgetting it.

Sign your own key to prevent others from changing its ID: 'Certify key',
select pubring.pgp, select your own key, and again your own key. This is
also how you sign other people's public keys [then extract it as shown
below to send to them, so they can add ('Add keys') your signature to their
public key]. Once you have a circle of friends who have signed each other's
keys, you have a trusted network. If someone mails you a key signed by
someone in this network, you can better trust it. There is no way for
someone to forge your friend's signature on that key unless they stole your
friend's secret key AND knows its pass phrase. [You need the public key of
a friend to verify ('Check signatures') a signature they have placed on a
key.]

Write some e-mail on a word processor and save it ('Save As') to the
desktop as TEXT ONLY (ascii) and close its window. Do 'Encrypt/Sign' on the
file. Double click on the public key you want to encrypt it with (for now
your own) and hit 'OK'. Check 'Treat source as text', 'Produce output in
ASCII format', and hit 'OK'. A file ending in .asc will be made. Don't let
the icon fool you; this is a simple text file that you can open with a word
processor. Do this. You will see,

 -----BEGIN PGP MESSAGE-----  
 Version: 2.3

 Lines of random looking text characters here.  
 -----END PGP MESSAGE-----

This text (lines included) can be sent by e-mail to anyone on any computer
running PGP. But since it is encrypted with your public key, let's pretend
a friend made it and sent it to you. Toss the original. In PGP, do
'Open/decrypt', and choose the .asc file. Enter your pass phrase so PGP can
use your secret key. A text file, the decrypted message, will appear. [The
System 7 Control Panel "defaultappliction" by L. D'Oliveiro will allow a
double-click to open text files to the word processor of your choice (ftp
to ftp.luth.se in /pub/mac/system/controlpanels). If you use Microsoft
Word, removing the "Text with Layout" filter from the "Word Commands" file
will kill that annoying choices window too.] When you receive a PGP
message, it will have e-mail headers, but PGP will ignore (and edit out!)
anything outside the PGP header and footers.

Shortcut: write text in a word processor, copy it to the Clipboard and have
PGP encrypt it THERE ('Clipboard' button in 'Encrypt/sign' dialog box),
then paste it into e-mail. This also works for decryption, allowing you to
paste the decrypted text anywhere. The Finder also has 'Show Clipboard', or
you can check 'Decrypt to screen only' but I do NOT recommend this feature
(fails if lines >80 characters, and crashes during saves). There is a nasty
bug in MacPGP2.3 which causes a crash if you use the Clipboard to check a
signed message and you don't have the public key to check it with. If you
get mail from someone who's key you don't have, don't use the Clipboard
feature!

[You can just paste small text blocks into e-mail. Your software should
also have a "send" feature to autotype LARGE text files to the screen. This
is what I use, but it can be tricky AND there may be no error control
(characters may get lost, ruining the message). If lines get cut wrong,
turn off word-wrapping in your account or software. More reliable is to
upload a file ('rz'; or 'kermit', 'set file type text', 'receive') and
include it in e-mail (in Unix 'mail', '~r filename' as a line in e-mail, or
use 'mail -s "Hi there!" name@site < filename'). You can view text files
with 'more filename', 'q' to stop. Flow control should be 'hardware' (in
software or modem setup string). If you RECEIVE long e-mail, use the
"capture" feature of your software when you view it, OR save it to a file
and download it. Making windows tiny lets text scroll faster. Ask questions
on comp.dcom.modems.]

Checking 'Encrypt and sign' also SIGNS a message you are encrypting.
Signatures are a trick, in that they are ENCRYPTED with your secret key,
meaning a message must be from you (unaltered) since only your public key
can decode them. If you want to SIGN NON-encrypted text, use the menu item
'Sign Only' and check 'Append clear signature'. A text file will appear
containing your readable e-mail between the header and footers of the
signature. Anyone can check that this message is from you and is unaltered
(copy to Clipboard, then 'Open/Decrypt'), if they have your public key.

[Problem with signing NON-encrypted messages: If you don't cut lines to
about 75 characters BEFORE signing, the carriage returns added on uploading
(by Unix or your software) will spoil the signature! For this I use
Drop*TextBreak by Robert Gibson (ftp to sumex-aim.stanford.edu in /info-
mac/text as drop-text-break.hqx). Another problem: certain characters may
be altered upon uploading text. Don't use smart quotes (curly symbols for '
and ") or control characters. E-mailing a message to yourself will reveal
problems (use a text comparison utility). This ONLY concerns "clearsigning"
of NON-encrypted messages.]

To send your public key to a friend do 'Extract key' with 'aciify' checked,
and name it "My public key". A text file of your public key will appear:

 -----BEGIN PGP PUBLIC KEY BLOCK-----  
 Version: 2.3

 About 8 lines of random looking characters here.  
 -----END PGP PUBLIC KEY BLOCK-----

When you get a friend's public key, get it to your desktop (paste into
blank document and save as TEXT ONLY). Do 'Add keys', select the file, and
select pubring.pgp to add it to your public key ring. Try this with my key.
('Fingerprint key' will give you a short string of characters unique to
that key, for verbal confirmation of key origins.) 

Now you can encrypt text files with their public key to send to them. You
can also send non-text files (ANY Mac file) by using 'Treat source as a Mac
file' and 'Produce output in ASCII format'. You will again get PGP text
block to send. To decrypt this, it is the same as before. Presently MacPGP
wont let you select a Macintosh folder full of stuff, so use a compression
program (Stuffit Lite or Compact Pro, shareware) to put items into one
archive file (PGP itself compresses files so make NON-compressed
archives).

[To encrypt a file on your hard disk only, you can use the menu item
'Conventional Encryption' (and even create "self-decrypting" Mac files)
with 'Treat source as Mac file' checked. However the pass phrase in this
case is ITSELF the key used to encrypt the file, so you must be VERY
careful in typing it and remembering it (and why not use the drag-and-drop
utility Curve Encrypt by Will Kinney instead, even though it doesn't
compress files like PGP does, it can do multiple files at once; from
ripem.msu.edu in pub/crypt/other/curve-encrypt-idea-for-mac as
curve_encrypt.sea.hqx). I prefer to just encrypt such files with my public
key, again checking only 'Treat source as Mac file". The result of these is
not a text file!]

When you have PGP up and running, with a few signatures on your key, send
your public key to a keyserver. You can find most anyone's key on these
servers. See the "PGP FAQ" and the blurb in the PGP documentation for
details. (There are people who will plop your public key onto the
keyservers, even if you send it in e-mail and especially if posted to
Usenet. Be happy with your key first. You can still add new signatures to
your key on the servers by adding your the signed key to any server.) There
is also a finger server for public keys. Do 'finger keyword@wasabi.io.com'
to check for someone's public key, and to find out what its Key ID is,
where "keyword" is part of his name or e-mail address. Then do 'finger
0x123456@wasabi.io.com', if 123456 is the Key ID.

[Bug: if you are sent a PGP message by e-mail (ascii text-format), and you
don't end the name of this text file on your Mac with .asc, PGP will ask
you if you want to replace it. If you say yes and give it another name, it
may fail to immediately update the finder views. You wont be able to see
the output file (ignore the temporary files ending in .$01 and such), but
you CAN see it in the 'Open' dialog of a word processor. Three solutions:
add .asc (or just a period!), enter a new name while you are STILL in the
decryption options dialog box (not possible if you use the drag-and-drop
feature of System 7), or LET IT OVERWRITE THE ORIGINAL TEXT FILE (you loose
any text outside the PGP message). This is not a problem with binary PGP
messages, which normally end in .pgp but don't have to.]

Realize that a PGP message tells anyone the name of the public key it was
encrypted with. On creating a new key pair with an anonymous nickname and
using an anonymous remailer (send blank mail to help@anon.penet.fi or read
about remailers in the PGP FAQ), this information is removed. A commercial
Unix account is good too, as e-mail errors wont route to your LOCAL system
administrators. Netcom (408-554-UNIX) even lets you keep your real name
private (but call by phone or the sites you have telnetted in from are
told). Note though, that sending a floppy with no return address is much
more secure than using anonymous remailers on the Word Wide Wiretap, er...
internet.

Another trick is to HIDE your use of encryption. Stego by Romana Machado
(ftp to sumex-aim.stanford.edu in /info-mac/cmp) will hide text as the
least significant bit in a Mac PICT file, but this increases the size of a
message by 8-24 times. I prefer to type a message in a word processor, cut
it out, encrypt it within the Clipboard, paste it back, save it as a real
word processor file, then BinHex that (using the Drag and Drop utility
hqxer-11.hqx by John Stiles: ftp to sumex-aim.stanford.edu in /info-
mac/cmp), and finally have my software autotype the file into e-mail. This
is fast, and it's business as usual sending BinHex encoded Mac files. This
way PGP is simply a Clipboard utility that adds encryption to a word
processor. On receiving such a file, download it, drag it onto Stuffit
Expander, and again use PGP as a Clipboard utility to decrypt it. [You may
need to put 'set escape=~' into a file called .mailrc, if your Unix system
doesn't use the normal tilde (~) escape character for e-mail, to avoid
stripping any lines out of BinHex files!]

You can set many defaults by editing the text file config.txt. 'TextMode =
on' checks 'Treat source as text'. 'Recycle_Passwords = on' means you only
have to type a pass phrase once per PGP session (but get it right the first
time!). 'Armor = on' checks 'Produce output in ascii format'. 'ClearSig =
on' checks 'append clear signature'. 'Verbose = 0' sets Quiet Mode, which I
prefer. You can always uncheck them; they are only defaults. I do NOT
recommend setting 'showpass = on' which checks 'show pass phrase', since it
leaves it on the screen! Just check 'Show pass phrase' manually to avoid
this. Even so, your pass phrase is really only safe after you have quit
MacPGP, so don't leave it running if you put a PowerBook to sleep.

Read the manual and the Usenet groups alt.security.pgp, alt.privacy and
talk.politics.crypto. If MacPGP ever freezes hold down the option, command,
and escape keys to force it to quit. Get a program to erase data from your
hard disk after you "empty" the Trash and a replacement for the Trash
itself (FlameFile by Josh Goldfoot does both; ftp to mac.archive.umich.edu
in /mac/util/security as flamefile1.38.cpt.hqx). Get "The Big Dummy's Guide
to the Internet" by Adam Gaffin and Joerg Heitkoetter (ftp to ftp.eff.org
in /pub/Net_info/Big_Dummy, as the text file bigdummy.txt). Get "Anonymity
FAQ" (ftp to rtfm.mit.edu, in /pub/usenet/news.answers/net-anonymity, in
four parts) and "Privacy and Anonymity FAQ" (in
/pub/usenet/news.answers/net-privacy, in three parts) by L. Detweiler. If
you find PGP hard to use, live with it; new versions will arrive. I know
nothing about non-Mac PGP. Go figure; don't ask me. I don't care about you.
I just want more people to use PGP so I can hide my wonderfully important
messages in the noise of your boring ones ;-).

[If you get tired of the tiny scrollable list of keys when you select a
public key for encryption, open a COPY of MacPGP2.3 with ResEdit (ftp to
ftp.apple.com in /dts/mac/tools/resedit as resedit-2-1-1.hqx) and open
DLOG, #129, set 'MiniScreen' in the menu bar to the size of your screen,
and resize the little window to make it taller. Double click on it, then
move the buttons to the bottom, after dragging a rectangle around them to
select them. Make the selection box taller now too. Quit. Now you will get
a full-sized scrollable box which shows many more keys at once. Do NOT
distribute this modified form of MacPGP.]

Note that PGP is very controversial, both legally (patent rights and export
laws) and politically (as a tool it empowers individuals to ensure their
own right to privacy). Despite this it is becoming the standard encryptor.
It may change the world.

Comments on when and where I should post this and suggestions as to content
are invited. I see too many "How do I get PGP?" inquiries needing real
answers, and too many copies of PGP added to unused novelty collections.
POST…

Showing first 20,000 characters of 21,015 total. Open the full document →

From: Info-Mac Moderator <macmod>
Date: Mon, 7 Nov 94 6:46:05 PST

for @techunix.technion.ac.il:info-mac@sumex-aim.stanford.edu id AA00819; Sun, 6
Nov 94 09:10:03 -0800
Date: Sun, 6 Nov 1994 09:09:23 +48000
From: Guy Shaviv <guy@arshaviv.technion.ac.il>
To: info-mac@sumex-aim.stanford.edu
Subject: [R] X-Windows for mac
Message-Id: <Pine.SGI.3.90.941106090824.806A-100000@arshaviv.technion.ac.il>
Mime-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; charset=US-ASCII




As requested by some, I am posting the smallest subset of responses 
which covers all the suggestions received concerning the question of running 
X-emulation on the mac.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

From: ericb@sicom.com (Eric Brombaugh)
Message-Id: <9411022108.AA10252@sicom.com>
To: guy
Subject: X-Windows for mac
Status: RO
X-Status: 

>I have a MacIIx connected via serial port to a Unix-Workstation. Is there
>any way to emulate X-windows on the mac? I can also connect the mac via
>TCP/IP.

I have done this with my PB145 and a Sparc II machine at work.  I have
installed Suns SLIP software on the Sparc (shipped with the PC-NFS
server software), and MacTCP / InterSLIP on the Mac.  With this setup
I can get full access to the TCP/IP network via the Mac serial port.
I have used Mac X with it, but at a maximum data rate of 19.2 kbps it
is somewhat slower than is really useful.  Telnet and FTP are very
usable though.

If you have any questions, don't hesitate to ask.

Eric Brombaugh
ericb@sicom.com (work)
emeb@indirect.com (home)

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
To: guy
From: jkortg01@mpg.gmpt.gmeds.com (Jerry W. Kortge)
Subject: Macintosh X-Emulation
Status: RO
X-Status: 

Guy,
I have used both MacX and eXodus on a  Quadra 700 to run x-window sessions=
 with a unix host via TCP/IP.  Both worked fine.  I'm not sure is Apple is=
 still supporting MacX which is the reason we switched to eXodus after=
 having originally evaluated the MacX package. Good luck.

Jerry W. Kortge

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
From: boris@ny.ox.com (Boris Altman)
To: guy
Subject: X for the mac
Status: RO
X-Status: 

You have to connect via TCP/IP wich requires either ethernet card or
some Appletalk/Ethernet box like Gatorbox.
As far as software goes you have to get either MacX from Apple
or eXodus from White Pine software. This will transform your mac into
an Xterminal. However, it is quite slow Xterminal. It is fine for text
but real X applications with menues and graphics runn very slow.
I tried to run SaberC that way and got tired of it in about .5 hr.
IF you do not really need X, get telnet. It is free. It has multiple windows
and allows copy/paste between windows. It has ftp buil-in.
If you want to use serial connection you can get maclayers which is free,
allows multiple windows and supports X-modem protocol.
			Boris

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
To: guy
From: "Markus Hatterscheid"  <MARKUS@glider.econ3.uni-bonn.de>
Date:         3 Nov 94 17:24:18 -11
Subject:      Re: X-Windows for mac
Priority: normal
X-Mailer:     Pegasus Mail v2.3 (R5).
Message-Id: <1A22F86A41@glider.econ3.uni-bonn.de>
Status: RO
X-Status: 

Hi Guy,

in the last info-mac-digest you asked about connecting your mac via a
serial line to a unix host.

It sholuld be possible to setup a TCP/IP connection between the unix
host and your mac using MacTCP and InterSLIP. Based on this TCP/IP
connection you could use MACX as a X-Windows-Server for the unix host.

Cheers
    Markus

AWOL Utilities 1.4:  Where to Find Them!
 April 24, 1998

Internet mail address:
 ab026@freenet.carleton.ca

Paper mail address:
 AWOL Software Productions
 PO Box 24207
 Hazeldean RPO
 Kanata, Ontario, Canada
 K2M 2C3

Package contents:
 Each program archive includes the "About AWOL Utilities" file, which gives a
 capsule summary of all AWOL Utilities programs.
 Virtual Desktop 1.9.2: powerful virtual desktop manager for all Macs and monitors
 Maybe 1.5.3: Finder alias enhancer, useful with Virtual Desktop
 Help on Wheels 1.3: stand-alone help server, used with all AWOL Utilities
 HoW Developer's Kit 1.3: developer's kit for Help on Wheels client applications
 PictPocket 1.3.2: window capture utility that produces small, editable pictures
 Menu Events 1.3.1: enables Apple events for inter-application menu control
 Menu Grabber 1.3.1: application using Menu Events to offer remote-control menus
 Trash Bag 1.2.2: maintains alternative trash folder to fight download clutter

Cost:
 Absolutely FREE!

Locations:
 [sumex-aim.stanford.edu and mirror sites (anonymous FTP)]
  <ftp://mirrors.aol.com/pub/info-mac/gui/virtual-desktop-192.hqx>
  <ftp://mirrors.aol.com/pub/info-mac/gui/maybe-153.hqx>
  <ftp://mirrors.aol.com/pub/info-mac/app/help-on-wheels-13.hqx>
  <ftp://mirrors.aol.com/pub/info-mac/dev/how-developers-kit-13.hqx>
  <ftp://mirrors.aol.com/pub/info-mac/gst/grf/pict-pocket-132.hqx>
  <ftp://mirrors.aol.com/pub/info-mac/dev/menu-events-131.hqx>
  <ftp://mirrors.aol.com/pub/info-mac/gui/menu-grabber-131.hqx>
  <ftp://mirrors.aol.com/pub/info-mac/disk/trash-bag-122.hqx>
 [Web site]
  <http://www.magma.ca/~awolsp/>
 People who cannot access the above services are welcome to send an envelope or
 disk mailer with adequate return postage (Canadian stamps, postal reply
 coupons, or U.S. cash in lieu) and an 800K or 1400K diskette to the address
 above for free reproduction.

Advice:
 When you pick up an AWOL Utilities program, be sure to get a copy of Help on
 Wheels too, so that you can read the help file in its best format.  The help
 file serves as both user manual and on-line help.  If you have a copy of
 Anarchie or Fetch, use the bookmark file provided in any AWOL Utilities
 program archive to get the latest version of Help on Wheels via FTP.

From: cottle david michael <cottle@ux1.cso.uiuc.edu>
Subject: Lime Readme
Date: Thu, 10 Feb 1994 13:29:50 -0600 (CST)


This is the README file for free anonymous ftp distribution of 
the demonstration version of Lime (version 2.15).  Lime is music 
notation software for the Macintosh, written by Lippold Haken
(faculty member at the CERL Sound Group, University of Illinois) 
and Dorothea Blostein (faculty member at Queen's University,
Kingston, Ontario). 

To use this free anonymous ftp facility, you will need:
 2 Meg or more of RAM on your Macintosh, 
 A program which can decode binhex files (Stuffit can do this), 
 and access to a PostScript printer. 

The demonstration version of Lime is for demonstration purposes only; 
it allows you to edit and print sample pieces, but you will not be able 
to save your changes.  If you have questions or comments, please call 
217-355-4500, or send Email to Lime@uiuc.edu.  If you would like to 
purchase Lime, see the address listed below.

To try demonstration Lime, follow these steps:
(These are System 7 instructions; Lime will also run under System 6.)
1)  ftp LimeDemo.sea.hqx and DemoMan.txt to your Macintosh.
    (You do not need LimeCProgrammer.sea.hqx -- that is only for
    C-language experts who want information on Lime disk files.)
2)  Decode LimeDemo.sea.hqx using a BinHex decoding program. (If
    you have StuffIt, 'Decode BinHex File' under the Other menu does
    this.)
3)  Double-click on LimeDemo.sea to expand.
4)  Read the instructions in DemoMan.txt for installing Demonstration
    Lime on your Macintosh.  DemoMan.txt is an ascii text file; it
    contains the beginning of the Lime User's Manual.  If you would
    like to look at the complete manual, ftp LimeManCom.sea.hqx
    and decode as described above.  It is written in MS word 5.0.

Please send Email to Lime@uiuc.edu if you have questions or comments 
about Lime.

Distribution (cost info) of Lime is handled through:

 	Electronic Courseware Systems
	1210 Lancaster Drive
	Champaign, IL 61821
	(217) 359-7099
	1-800-832-4965
	FAX   359-6578