Newsbits

By Neil Ticktin, Editor-in-Chief

New THINK Reference

Symantec Corporation is now shipping version 2.0 of THINK™ Reference, an on-line reference tool for Macintosh programmers that puts all the information from Inside Macintosh (IM) at programmer‘s fingertips. Version 2.0 saves time and effort locating the information needed to program the Macintosh efficiently, and offers several new tools beyond IM.

Inside Macintosh is a crucial programmer‘s guide to Macintosh toolbox routines by Apple. The printed version spans six volumes that consist of more than 4,000 pages. Version 2.0 of THINK Reference automates access of all this information. It also includes additional Macintosh technical notes, programmer's tips and code examples written by Symantec programmers (not available in Inside Macintosh). THINK Reference works as a separate program and is compatible with both THINK C and Pascal as well as MPW.

New features in version 2.0 includes support of Volume VI of IM which covers System 7, AppleTalk, Slot Manager, Sound Manager, and Apple Events. Version 2 also allows users to cut and paste code examples and toolbox function templates. It allows instant access to any page in the database. There are hyperlinks and automatic searching as you type your request.

The U.S. suggested retail price is $129, compared to $140 for Inside Macintosh. Registered end-users can upgrade for $39. A full registerable copy of THINK Reference 2.0 is also included free with All of MacTech Magazine's CD-ROM, Volumes 1-8.

For more information, contact Symantec Corporation, 10201 Torre Avenue, Cupertino, CA 95014, Voice: 408/253-4092, Fax: 408/252-4694. For information on the All of MacTech CD-ROM, see the advertisement in this issue.

QKS Announces SmalltalkAgents

San Francisco, CA - January 6, 1993 - Quasar Knowledge Systems (QKS) announced SmalltalkAgents™ for Macintosh®, an object-oriented software development workbench and application delivery tool.

SmalltalkAgents, based on a superset of the Smalltalk language, has extensions patterned after C and Lisp, and fully supports the Macintosh toolbox including traps and callbacks. It possesses advanced computing capabilities such as dynamic linking, true pre-emptive interrupt driven threads and events, transparent memory management, a 24-bit international character set supporting Unicode and WorldScript, and a rich class library. All features are fully functional with System 7 and 7.1.

SmalltalkAgents will be available in March with a special introductory price of US$495 until April 1st, after which the price will be US$695.

Quasar Knowledge Systems, Inc., 9818 Parkwood Dr., Bethesda, MD 20814, Voice: 301/530-4853, FAX: 301/530-5712, AppleLink: QKS, Internet: sales@qks.com.

Building with components

Component Workshop™ is the first dynamic software development environment based on C++, offering a Smalltalk-like approach to C++ programming for designing, developing and maintaining object-oriented software programs. Component Workshop’s “objects only” environment has been carefully designed to support truly reusable components and to maximize portability across different platforms. Key product features include an incremental compiler and linker, an automatic memory management system (garbage collector), a full suite of C++ class libraries, a portable application framework, and the Extruder, which ensures that the applications produced are small and fast.

Component Workshop Version 1.0 currently runs on the Macintosh. A Windows release is scheduled for Q3 ‘93. Special pricing is available from $495. Call for details at 617/862-9700.

New Inside Mac Volumes

Apple Computer, Inc. and Addison-Wesley Publishing Company have released two new additions to the New Inside Macintosh series. They are Inside Macintosh: Overview and Inside Macintosh: Toolbox Essentials. This brings the total available volumes of the New Inside Macintosh to five. Still to come are Imaging, Text, QuickTime™, Inter-application Communication, More Macintosh Toolbox, QuickTime Components, Operating System Utilities, Networking, Communications, and Devices. These remaining volumes will be available by Spring, 1993.

All New Inside Macintosh volumes are available through the MacTech Magazine Mail Order Store.

For more information, contact Addison-Wesley Publishing Company, 1 Jacob Way, Reading, MA 01867, Voice: 617-944-3700.

Computerized Mahogany

Emerald Intelligence announces the availability of Mahogany HelpDesk (MHD) version 2.2, the first knowledge based software tool for rapid development of support troubleshooting systems. MHD improves the quality and speed of problem resolution in customer support, technical support and help desk environments.

Version 2.2 adds several powerful new features like connectivity to a wide range of software such as: Call tracking systems, databases, spreadsheets and hypermedia to name a few. Version 2.2 also adds powerful calculation abilities that are often important in decision making. MHD is currently being used to develop service and support applications such as computer equipment support, loan processing, and customer support. MHD runs on Macintoshes and PCs (with Windows 3.0 or greater).

For more information, contact Emerald Intelligence, 3915 AI Research Park Drive, Ann Arbor, MI 48108, Voice: 313/663-8757.

High Powered BASIC

Zedcor has released FutureBASIC™ (FB), a high-performance BASIC compiler. FB compiles programs into stand-alone applications, control panel devices, inits, desk accessories, and XCMDs. New features include: creation of true applications and code resources, interactive compiler/ editor, functions and procedures, local and global variables, pre-defined and user-defined constants, arrays as large as memory, source-level debugger, direct access to resources built-in editor/assembler, records and variable typing, direct access to Inside Macintosh's Toolbox functions, procedures and data structures. The editor allows multiple source files, include pre-compiled modules for faster compiling, compile-time error messages in plain English, automatic indenting of if-then and loop structures, highlights keywords, has a built-in cross-reference utility so displaying any function, variable, or label is only a mouse click away.

FB is fully System 7 compatible and supports 32-bit addressing, virtual memory, balloon help, AppleEvents, QuickTime, and the new color QuickDraw routines.

FB's suggested retail price is $299.95. ZBASIC owners can upgrade for $99.95. Until May 1, 1993, owners of HyperCard, QuickBASIC, HyperBASIC, and TrueBASIC, as well as C and Pascal compilers, can get an introductory price of $149.95.

For more information, contact Zedcor, Inc., 4500 E. Speedway Suite 22, Tucson, Arizona, 85712, Information: 602/881-8101, Orders: 800/482-4567, Fax: 602/881-1841, AppleLink and AOL: ZEDCOR.

Supporting Software Professionally

The Software Support Professionals Association announced the publication of its latest book, Automating Your Support Center. Written by Merra Lee Moffitt of Knowledge Networks and Bill Rose of SSPA, this book is a practical guide to assessing service automation tools for the support manager planning to purchase - or upgrade to - a new system.

The book contains information not found in other product digests. It guides support managers through the complete support system selection process. There are 64 call-tracking and automation systems covered in this book with detailed descriptions. Cost: $145.

For more information, contact SSPA, 16981 Via Tazon, Suite 0, San Diego, CA 92127, Voice: 619/674-4864, Fax: 619/674-1192.