Since November, 1995, I have maintained the "Mac Pruning Pages" (formerly known as the "PowerMac Pruning Page") on the Web. This site has been the best guide around for information on extensions and control panels -- it was mentioned in the June, '96 issue of MacWorld under the title "When Software Dreams Come True." I have taken the theme of the Pruning Pages, expanded it, and written The InformInit, a shareware application. Here you can find almost every init Apple has ever produced, with information on what they do, who needs them, version numbers, RAM consumption, tips and tricks, and URLs for further information on confusing items. There is an ever-growing section on non-Apple inits. A chapter on System Folder contents gives information on some of the common items found loose in the System Folder. There is a summary of Apple information on System 7.5.3, such as which computers need which of the various updates (7.5 update 2.0, Revision 2), how to best install the updates, and what changes have been made in each update. Finally, there is extensive information about PRAM, how to reset it on various Macs, and what actually gets "reset." Use this guide to satisfy your curiosity about unidentified files, to help you cut down on all the spurious extensions that you don't really need, and to generally improve the performance of your Mac.
You can download the latest version of The InformInit from:
<ftp://ftp.AmbrosiaSW.com/pub/DEF/InformInit.hqx>
Update summaries/revision histories can be found at:
<http://www.AmbrosiaSW.com/DEF/InformInit.html>
The final chapter of The InformInit also lists its revision history.
THE INFORMINIT IS SHAREWARE
This document is shareware. That means that if you find it useful, you are expected to pay for it.
"What? But this information is freely available! Why should I pay anything for it?"
The fact that you downloaded The InformInit, or that you visited the Mac Pruning Pages, proves that having all this information in one place, and not having to spend a large number of hours (or even days or weeks) searching through every Apple Tech Note, Web page, book, and manual (Apple or otherwise) is valuable to you. Also, there IS some info here which is not available anywhere else.
I find it appropriate to think of The InformInit as a book you might find in the Mac help section of your local bookstore. (That is, assuming your local bookstore has a Mac help section ;-))
The truth is that The InformInit, which in my opinion should have been written by Apple long ago and should be part of the documentation on every Macintosh, has taken me months of work to produce. Many, many hours have been spent putting it together. Like many wonderful shareware products out there, this project started out as a personal interest/hobby, and soon snowballed into proportions that I never imagined. Because of the Pruning Pages on the Web and this document, everyday I get many emails from people asking me for help on an extension, or a crash, or some other problem. I do my best to help out everyone who asks.
THE SHAREWARE AUTHORS' DILEMMA:
A GENERAL REMINDER
Shareware authoring seems rather unrewarding at times, especially when the authors have to make a decision between spending time with their families, doing their real jobs, studying, etc., and working on their 'wares. The small fee most shareware authors ask usually can't compensate fully for the time spent on their wares; however, it provides encouragement, shows appreciation, gives a bit of hard cash, and provides a bit of inspiration for updating the product ("Hey, people actually use this... I should put some work into updating it!). I say this not only for my own sake, but for the sake of shareware products everywhere. If you use a shareware product, pay for it. How many of you have actually registered that certain piece of software you use everyday? (I bet you've even forgotten that it's shareware!)
I considered limiting the features of this document (no printing, no "find," etc.) until I received a registration. However, I decided to follow the Ambrosia Software lead, and provide a full-featured version and trust that the user would live up to his/her end of the bargain.
For Registration instructions please read the "Registration" chapter within The InformInit. Please do not use "Register" without first reading that chapter. Also, do not send cash or check payments using the "Register" program.
