September 90 - Editor's overview
Editor's overview
Welcome to our first, special summer edition of FrameWorks! Actually, that's just a sneaky way of finding a quick rationalization for the smaller, 48-page size of this issue.
In reality, we're woefully short of funds, folks, and dropping two 8-page signatures from our standard 64-page spread allows to continue to live in friendly coexistence with our printer, who seems to like getting paid in a timely fashion for what he does. But don't worry; be happy: next issue we'll be back up to full strength.
New Board
And how can I state that so categorically? Because we've got a brand new Board of Directors who are just full of wonderful schemes and ideas for rescuing the Association from its current financial woes. Two hundred and six ballots came in and it's now official; this is the new crew:
| President | Tony Meadow
|
| Vice President | Don Sawtelle
|
| Past President | Carl Nelson
|
| Apple Representative | Tom Chavez
|
| Director at Large | Jeff Alger
|
| Director at Large | Howard Katz
|
| Director at Large | Neil Rhodes
|
| Director at Large | Dick Trismen
|
| Director at Large | Dave Wilson
|
As you can guess, the (vast) majority of those who voted went for an expanded, nine-member board. There were a few days of uncertainty while Apple Legal did a little dance, trying to decide if Tom Chavez, who was also elected directly, could serve in an official capacity as Apple Representative. In the end they finally went for it, and what you see is what we got!
I can certainly speak for myself and say that I'm really pleased to have been elected and look forward with enthusiasm to working with the other Board members in helping to determine policy and direction for the next year. I'm also certain that they feel just the same; it's going to be exciting!
MADA meeting in Boston
Those results were announced in Boston. Unfortunately I couldn't make it, and neither could our official transcriber, who called in sick the morning of the meeting. I was able to make a few quick phone calls to Carl, Tony, and Tom to find out what had transpired. The big news from the meeting was undoubtedly E.T.O., and a few hints and looks at what's coming down the pike with MacApp 2.1.
Just to mention, before we move on, that Carl notes that more than half of the audience of 50 to 60 developers indicated that they're using both THINK and MPW for development. The majority opinion seems to be that the THINK environment is wonderful for prototyping, and final production code gets ported over to MPW for recompilation before it goes out the door.
E.T.O.
E.T.O.-Essentials-Tools-Objects-is out. This CD-ROM package is going to form the main core of Apple's plans for distributing development tools in future. The full-blown disk contains MPW, every language that Apple supports, developer tools galore, including MacApp (of course) and (according to Tom) a "boatload" of documentation (including release versions of the standard docs in hardcopy format).
Updates will be provided on a regular quarterly basis, and you can buy into the whole starter package with three updates for $995, or just pick up what you need, according to what tools you already have on hand.
If you've already got everything on the ROM, for example, you can buy in for $300 and just receive the three quarterly follow-ups with documentation. If you're only missing C++, you can pick that up and receive the follow-ups for $125. And there's every combination and permutation in between: check APDA for specific pricing.
The MacApp 2.0 shipping on the E.T.O. disk also contains (finally!) support for windoids and tear-off menus, thanks to Chris Knepper. Tom says that Chris did a good job of doing this in a way that's nicely compatible with the existing TView architecture.
ME: DOUBLECHECK WITH TOM THAT WINDOIDS ARE OUT NOW, AND THAT THE VIEWEDIT AND MOUSER BELOW ARE COMING W/THE NEXT ETO.
MacApp 2.1
The first E.T.O. update is scheduled to come out in November, and that's going to contain the first alpha release of MacApp 2.1. This is the first MacApp release that's going to contain a good chunk of System 7 functionality, so it's going to be well worth a boo. I wonder what TDocument is going to look like?
The November update will also ship with the new ViewEdit that Lonnie Millett showed off in Boston. The new ViewEdit actually lets you see what views are going to look like as you edit them, with multiple view attribute windows to boot. If you edit attributes in the textbox-attribute window, the view 'view' updates immediately. There's also a "Save in Place" for faster saving to disk, and support-yeah!-for custom view types.
Mouser has some new stuff, too. Most importantly, it's been officially rechristened MacBrows by Mary (the cat now has thick eyebrows), and 411-support now provides online documentation, including the full class and method reference that's now shipping as a HyperCard stack. (I believe that will also continue to ship as a separate product in future.)
MacApp Conference 1991
Tony's made his first official announcement as President (after promising to never sacrifice the lives of our brave hostages in Iraq): the Winter '91 MacApp Conference is going to be held the week of February 4 – 8 in Phoenix, Arizona. This somewhat easterly move in location is an attempt at placating the feelings of East Coasters and European members, who will have to travel (somewhat) less of a distance to get there. Besides, I was tired of getting winked at by horny (really horny!) sailors.
As I promised several issues ago, we've doing a bit better this time around at giving you proper notice. We don't have a seminar list worked up as yet, but it's coming. So mark your calendars, start beating on your boss, and treat your controller to lunch. This is going to be a great event; you'll be sorry if you missed it! For the details, see our double-page ad on pages xx-xx.
One final note: Phoenix in February is hot, sunny, and High Season, so hotel space goes fast. 'Twould indeed be best if you booked early. Consider yourself warned.
Odds and sods
What else? Don Sawtelle, who's our official MADA sysop, has now taken over the mantle of official ALink editor as well. I happily-this is known in the trade as understatement-pass on the reins of responsibility to Don for his new "MADA OnLine" column. Thank you, fellow. Don worked up some spiffy new software to automate the time-consuming formatting process.
And that's just about it. I had intended to say something here about the state of MacApp and Macintosh development in Japan, a subject close to my heart (having lived there nearly five years), but it's still a bit early in the game over there and I have to be out the door in 30 minutes for a drive to (finger in throat) Los Angeles for my parents' 50th wedding anniversary.
So like the anchor fellow says on Saturday Night Live: I'm outta here!
–Katz
