LETTERS

Thanks for the kind words about develop, and for the idea of putting the files on apple.com (actually, it's now ftp.apple.com). Like Technical Notes, DTS Sample Code, and Snippets, develop articles and code are now available via anonymous ftp on ftp.apple.com, thanks to Mark Johnson, manager of Apple's Core Technical Support group, who does this on his own time.
--Caroline Rose

OUR AUTHORS ARE REAL
I would like to suggest that you publish your authors' e-mail addresses. I wanted to send a note of praise, thanks, and encouragement to Bryan K. ("Beaker") Ressler, author of the excellent article "The TextBox You've Always Wanted" in Issue 9-- but I didn't know how to reach him. Even a "Find Address" search on AppleLink turned up nothing. Are you sure this guy's for real?
--James Plamondon

Yes, we're sure. Since receiving your suggestion, we're asking all authors if they'd like to put their e-mail addresses in their bios. Many would prefer not to be contacted directly. And sometimes the authors are in flux and don't have a stable or convenient address for a while. Where no address is provided, letters should be sent to the AppleLink address DEVELOP, and they'll be forwarded.
--Caroline Rose

ASSOCIATES MISS DEVELOP
In Issues 8 and 9 of develop, you mentioned that Apple Partners and Associates no longer receive a printed copy of the publication. If I were an Associate, and I plan to become one soon, I would continue to subscribe to the printed version.

First, there's the "curling up in front of a fire" factor you mentioned. There are many places I takedevelop that I couldn't take a Macintosh and CD-ROM drive. It slips easily into a briefcase and can be read on a bus or while waiting in line. While I'm reading develop, somebody else can use the Macintosh. Some of the articles require some effort to understand, which is easier while sitting in an overstuffed chair with the article in my hands than while looking at a computer screen. Oh, yeah, put a cat in my lap for good measure.

Second, the aesthetic experience of the printed version would be hard to give up. The beautiful covers are the most obvious part of this, but the care you put into laying out the pages, providing just the right amount of white space, selecting the typefaces to complement each other and make the content easy to read makes reading develop a very pleasant experience. Then there's the smell of a newly printed develop and the faint "crick" sound of it being opened for the first time.

Third, the printed version has material that would be impossible to view on the 1-bit screen I'm using. How would I know what "Konenna" looks like without a printed copy? How would I know what you look like? Even if I could display some of the artwork and photographs, it would take some effort and time, and I might not bother. Turning a page is a very simple thing to do. And the access time is much faster than a CD-ROM could ever be.

Fourth, the "green" factor. A Macintosh uses electricity even when you're just sitting there staring at the screen. I haven't noticed develop using any, no matter how long I spend reading it. I believe you use partially recycled paper, and you don't have to worry about my copies being recycled because they'll sit on the bookshelf until I die or get a room in the loony bin. Sort of like National Geographic.develop, in its physical form, is beautiful, informative, sometimes funny, interesting, and occasionally inspiring. I won't give it up when I become an Associate, though for what that costs I darn well shouldn't be asked to. Keep up the good work. I appreciate it!
--Lyle Gunderson

I've been a fan of develop since its first issue, and still look forward to each one. I take mouse in hand to share my angst about hardcover versions of develop.

I love them.

Hey, we recycle at home. We have a compost heap. We're down to one car. But, for a mag likedevelop, I like the feel of hefting it, scanning through to see what's up, and snooping through the bios looking for the ever present chuckles. It's a magazine I sit on the couch with and, what else, browse. This is not the Technical Notes stack, nor is it Inside Macintosh. I'm prepared to look at them through the glass keyhole of my Apple monitor, since they're only mildly amusing, very functional, and I usually need them when I'm in front of it anyway. That's what references are for.

But develop is a different beast. develop is Life magazine for Mac-crazed software craftspeople. It needs to be perused, thoughtfully, where it can be set down and have some latte dripped on it.

I hope the developer mailing resumes the practice of sending develop in paper form.
--David Kauffman

I love these letters--and the similar comments that we got at this year's Worldwide Developers Conference. As a result of all this feedback, which has been pouring in since develop was taken out of the developer mailing, people in high places at Apple no longer believe that this is what most Associates and Partners want. No changes are imminent, but the subject is not dead. For now I can only urge you to pay the $30 to subscribe todevelop in its printed form.
--Caroline Rose

NEW SINCE LAST DEVELOP?
Could you prevail on the Developer CD folks to include a "What's new since last develop" folder on CDs that come with develop? It would be done like the very nice "What's new on this CD?" folder, but cover three months rather than one.
--John Baxter

The "What's new on this CD?" folder now indicates (separately) what's new for each of the last three months--in this case, June, July, and August. Thanks for the idea!
--Caroline Rose

FAKIN' IT
develop is a great publication, and the Q & A section is especially useful. In Issue 10 you define the term "fakey" as "riding your snowboard backwards." There are two problems with this. First, the correct spelling is "fakie." The greatest mistake, however, was not attributing the word to its original source: skateboarding. Snowboarding has taken almost all of its trick names from skateboarding, "fakie" included. Keep up the good work, but get the facts straight! ;-)
--Frank Giraffe

We here at develop are embarrassed and chagrined that such an obvious and important error could have slipped past us, and we apologize profusely for any inconvenience this misrepresentation of fact has caused you, either real or imagined. Thank you for your comments.
--Dave Johnson

IT MAKES OUR DAY WHEN YOU WRITE We welcome timely letters to the editors, especially from readers reacting to articles that we publish in develop. Letters should be addressed to Caroline Rose (or, if technical develop-related questions, to Dave Johnson) at Apple Computer, Inc., 20525 Mariani Avenue, M/S 75-2B, Cupertino, CA 95014 (AppleLink: CROSE or JOHNSON.DK). All letters should include your name and company name as well as your address and phone number. Letters may be excerpted or edited for clarity (or to make them say what we wish they did). *

A note for international folks: Tech Notes now print on A4 paper as well as US Letter, so you don't need to spend hours reformatting them by hand! *

Send your feedback on Tech Notes or Sample Code to Neil at AppleLink NMDAY or on the Internet at nmday@apple.com. *