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Path: senator-bedfellow.mit.edu!bloom-beacon.mit.edu!pad-thai.aktis.com!pad-thai.aktis.com!not-for-mail
From: eharold@sunspot.noao.edu (Elliotte Rusty Harold)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac.apps,comp.sys.mac.misc,comp.sys.mac.system,comp.sys.mac.wanted,comp.sys.mac.hardware,comp.answers,news.answers
Subject: Introductory Macintosh frequently asked questions (FAQ)
Supersedes: <macintosh/general-faq_745041620@GZA.COM>
Followup-To: comp.sys.mac.misc
Date: 25 Aug 1993 00:00:39 -0400
Organization: Department of Mathematics, NJIT
Lines: 1279
Sender: faqserv@GZA.COM
Approved: news-answers-request@MIT.edu
Expires: 22 Sep 1993 04:00:11 GMT
Message-ID: <macintosh/general-faq_746251211@GZA.COM>
Reply-To: eharold@sunspot.noao.edu (Elliotte Harold)
NNTP-Posting-Host: pad-thai.aktis.com
Summary: This document answers a number of the most frequently asked
questions about Macintoshes on Usenet. To avoid wasting bandwidth
and as a matter of politeness please familiarize yourself with this
document BEFORE posting.
Keywords: FAQ, Macintosh, Mac, macintosh, mac, general, introduction
X-Last-Updated: 1993/08/23
Xref: senator-bedfellow.mit.edu comp.sys.mac.apps:42637 comp.sys.mac.misc:50733 comp.sys.mac.system:36069 comp.sys.mac.wanted:27045 comp.sys.mac.hardware:64712 comp.answers:1736 news.answers:11768
Archive-name: macintosh/general-faq
Version: 2.1.8
Last-modified: August 22, 1993
Copyright 1993, Elliotte Harold
Changes:
0.0: The table of contents has been revised to reflect new questions.
2.3: Where can I find application X?
I've expanded this question to include payware.
2.4: Added this question, "Where can I find an application to do X?
4.7: Disk Utilities
Disk First Aid and HD SC Setup have
been upgraded to version 7.2. Everyone should replace the
old DFA and HD SC Setup on the Disk Tools disk with the
new versions.
comp.sys.mac.faq
Part 1: An Introduction to the Macintosh Newsgroups
I. I have a question...
1. How do I use this document?
2. What other information is available?
3. Which newsgroup should I post to?
4. Someone just asked why the System was taking up sixteen
megabytes on their IIcx. Shouldn't I display my knowledge
to the world by posting the seventeenth response to
their question?
II. FTP
1. Where can I FTP Macintosh software?
2. Can I get shareware by E-mail?
3. Where can I find application X?
4. Where can I find an application to do X?
5. Can someone mail me application X?
6. What is .bin? .hqx? .cpt? .image? .etc.?
7. How can I get BinHex? StuffIt? etc.?
8. How can I get BinHex, StuffIt, etc. from a PC?
III. Troubleshooting. What to do when things go wrong
1. Identify the problem.
2. Read the READ ME file.
3. Check for viruses.
4. Reinstall the application and all its support files.
5. Reinstall the system software.
6. Isolate the problem.
7. Contact technical support.
IV. Preventive Maintenance
1. Trash Unneeded Files
2. Reevaluate Your Extensions
3. Rebuild the desktop.
4. Zap the PRAM and Reset the Clock
5. Resize the system heap. (System 6 only)
6. Reinstall the system software.
7. Disk Utilities
8. Backing Up
9. Disk Defragmentation
10. Reformatting and partitioning your hard disk
V. Meta-FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions about the FAQ)
1. There's a mistake in your FAQ.
2. Why don't you include this complicated/payware solution as well
as the simple/free solution you already include?
3. Would you please include my software in your FAQ?
4. Why don't you post the FAQ more often?
5. Where can I repost the FAQ?
6. Can I republish your FAQ?
7. Can you help me with this problem I'm having with my Mac?
8. Will you send me the FAQ?
9. Why don't you format the FAQ in setext? Word? Digest? etc.?
Other FAQ lists currently available:
B. comp.sys.mac.system:
I. Memory
1. Why is my system using so much memory?
2. What is Mode 32? the 32-bit enabler? Do I need them?
3. Cache and Carry (How much memory should I allot to my cache?)
II. System Software
1. Why does Apple charge for System 7.1?
2. What does System 7.1 give me for my $35 that System 7.0 doesn't?
3. Where can I get System 7.1?
4. How can I use System 6 on a System 7 only Mac?
5. Non-US scripts and systems
6. What is System 7 Tuneup? Do I need it?
7. Why do my DA's disappear when I turn on MultiFinder?
8. Do I need System 7.0.1?
9. How can I get System 7.0.1 on 800K disks?
III. Hard Disks, Filesharing, and the File System
1. Help! My folder disappeared!
2. Why can't I throw this folder away?
3. Why can't I share my removable drive?
4. Why can't I eject this SyQuest cartridge? CD-ROM? etc.
5. Why can't I rename my hard disk?
6. How do I change my hard disk icon?
IV. Fonts
1. How can I convert a Windows font to a Mac font and vice versa?
A TrueType font to a PostScript font?
2. Which font will be used on my screen and printer when I have
different types installed?
3. Where should I put my fonts?
V. Miscellaneous:
1. What does System Error XXX mean?
2. What is a Type Y error?
3. What is A/ROSE?
4. Easy Access or One Answer, Many Questions
C. comp.sys.mac.misc:
I. Viruses
1. Help! I have a virus!
2. Reporting new viruses
II. Printing and PostScript
1. How do I make a PostScript file?
2. How do I print a PostScript file?
3. Why won't my PostScript file print on my mainframe's printer?
4. Why are my PostScript files so big?
5. How can I print PostScript on a non-PostScript printer?
6. How do I make my ImageWriter II print in color?
7. Why doesn't PrintMonitor work with the ImageWriter?
8. Why did my document change when I printed it?
9. How can I preview a PostScript file?
10. How do I edit a PostScript file?
III. DOS and the Mac
1. How can I move files between a Mac and a PC?
2. How can I translate files to a DOS format?
3. Should I buy SoftPC or a real PC?
IV. Security
1. How can I prevent users from changing the contents of a folder?
2. How can I password protect my Mac?
V. Sound
1. How can I read a track from an audio CD onto my Mac?
2. How can I extract a sound from a QuickTime movie?
3. How can I convert/play a mod/wav/etc. file?
VI. No particular place to go (Miscellaneous Miscellanea)
1. Are there any good books about the Mac?
2. How do I take a picture of the screen?
3. How do I use a picture for my desktop?
4. Can I Replace the "Welcome to Macintosh" box with a picture?
5. What is AutoDoubler? SpaceSaver? More Disk Space? Are they safe?
6. How do they compare to TimesTwo, Stacker and eDisk?
7. Where did my icons go?
8. Where can I find a user group?
D. comp.sys.mac.apps
I. What's the Best...
1. Text editor
2. Word processor
3. Genealogy software
4. TeX/LaTeX
5. Integrated application
6. Spreadsheet
7. JPEG Viewer
8. Electronic publishing software
9. Drawing application
II. Microsoft Word
1. Character based styles
2. Cross-references
3. Word to TeX and back
4. How do I depersonalize Word?
5. Where can I get more information?
III. TeachText
1. How can I change the font in TeachText?
2. How do I place a picture in a TeachText file?
3. How do I make a TeachText document read-only?
This work is Copyright 1993 by Elliotte M. Harold. Permission
is hereby granted to distribute this unmodified document provided
that no fee in excess of normal on-line charges is required for
such distribution. Portions of this document may be extracted and
quoted free of charge and without necessity of citation in normal
on-line communication provided only that said quotes are not
represented as the correspondent's original work. Permission for
quotation of this document in printed material and edited on-line
communication (such as the Info-Mac Digest and TidBITS) is given
subject to normal citation procedures (i.e. you have to say where
you got it).
Disclaimer: I do my best to ensure that information contained
in this document is current and accurate, but I can accept no
responsibility for actions resulting from information contained
herein. This document is provided as is and with no warranty of
any kind. Corrections and suggestions should be addressed to
erh0362@tesla.njit.edu.
Apple, Macintosh, LaserWriter, ImageWriter, Finder, HyperCard
and MultiFinder are registered trademarks and PowerBook is a
trademark of Apple Computer, Inc. Linotronic is a registered
trademark of Linotype-Hell AG, Inc. PostScript is a registered
trademark and Illustrator and Photoshop are trademarks of Adobe
Systems, Inc. Microsoft is a registered trademark of Microsoft
Corporation. PageMaker is a registered trademark of Aldus Corp.
AutoDoubler and DiskDoubler are trademarks of Fifth Generation
Systems, Inc. StuffIt and StuffIt Deluxe are trademarks of Raymond
Lau and Aladdin Systems, Inc. StuffIt SpaceSaver is a trademark of
Aladdin Systems, Inc. More Disk Space is a trademark of Alysis
Software Corporation. TimesTwo is a trademark of Golden Triangle
Computers, Inc. UNIX is a registered trademark of AT&T. All other
tradenames are trademarks of their respective manufacturers.
This is the FIRST part of the this FAQ. The second part is
posted to comp.sys.mac.system and features many questions about
system software. The third part is posted every two weeks in
comp.sys.mac.misc. Tables of contents for those two pieces are
included above. Please familiarize yourself with all three
sections of this document before posting.
All pieces are available for anonymous ftp from
rtfm.mit.edu [18.70.0.224] in the directory
pub/usenet/news.answers/macintosh. Except for this introductory
FAQ which appears in multiple newsgroups and is stored as
general-faq.Z, the name of each file has the format of the last
part of the group name followed by "-faq.Z", e.g the FAQ for
comp.sys.mac.system is stored as system-faq.Z and the FAQ for
comp.sys.mac.misc is stored as misc-faq.Z. RTFM stores files as
compressed (.Z) BINARY files. If you leave off the .Z at the end
of the file name when "getting" the file, rtfm will automatically
decompress the file before sending it to you. You can also have
these files mailed to you by sending an E-mail message to
mail-server@rtfm.mit.edu with the line: send
pub/usenet/news.answers/macintosh/"name" in the body text where
"name" is the name of the file you want as specified above (e.g.
general-faq). You can also send this server a message with the
subject "help" for more detailed instructions.
====================
I HAVE A QUESTION... (1.0)
====================
Congratulations! You've come to the right place. Usenet is
a wonderful resource for information ranging from basic questions
(How do I lock a floppy disk?) to queries that would make Steve
Jobs himself run screaming from the room in terror. (I used
ResEdit to remove resources Init #11, WDEF 34, and nVIR 17 from my
system file and used the Hex Editor to add code string #A67B45 as a
patch to the SFGetFile routine so the Standard File Dialog Box
would be a nice shade of mauve. Everything worked fine until I
installed SuperCDevBlaster, and now when I use the Aldus driver to
print from PageMaker 5.0d4 to a Linotronic 6000 my system hangs.
P.S. I'm running System 6.0.2 on a PowerBook 170.)
Since the Macintosh newsgroups are medium to high volume, we
ask that you first peruse this FAQ list including at least the
table of contents for the other pieces of it, check any other
relevant on-line resources listed below in question 1.2, especially
the FAQ lists for the other Macintosh newsgroups, and RTFM (Read
the Friendly Manual) before posting your question. We realize that
you are personally incensed that the System is taking up fourteen
of your newly-installed twenty megs of RAM, but this question has
already made its way around the world three hundred times before,
and it's developing tired feet. Finally, before posting to any
newsgroup (Macintosh or otherwise), please familiarize yourself
with the basic etiquette of Usenet as described in the newsgroup
news.announce.newusers.
HOW DO I USE THIS DOCUMENT? WHERE CAN I GET IT? (1.1)
comp.sys.mac.faq is currently divided into multiple pieces,
a general introduction which you're reading now, and specific lists
for the newsgroups comp.sys.mac.system and comp.sys.mac.misc. FAQ
lists for comp.sys.mac.wanted, comp.sys.mac.apps and
comp.sys.mac.hardware are in development. When ready each part
will be available in its respective newsgroup. All pieces are
available via anonymous ftp from rtfm.mit.edu in the
pub/usenet/news.answers/macintosh directory. Except for this
document itself which is named general-faq.Z the pieces are named
as per the last part of the newsgroup they cover followed by
"-faq", e.g. system-faq.Z, misc-faq.Z. The .Z means the file is
stored compressed so you'll need to ftp it in binary mode and use
either MacCompress, StuffIt Deluxe, or the UNIX uncompress command
to decompress it. However if you leave off the ".Z" extension when
you "get" the file, rtfm will automatically decompress the file
before sending it to you.
This introductory document is posted to all of the concerned
newsgroups. The tables of contents for each of the specific FAQ
lists are at the beginning of this file so you should be able to
get at least some idea whether your question is answered anywhere
else in the FAQ even if you don't have the other parts at hand.
It's not always obvious, especially to newcomers, where a
particular question or comment should be posted. Please
familiarize yourself with the FAQ lists in all the major Macintosh
newsgroups before posting in any of them. Which questions appear
in which FAQs can serve as a basic guide to what posts belong
where.
To jump to a particular question search for
section-number.question-number enclosed in parentheses. For
example to find "Where can I FTP Macintosh software?" search for
the string "(2.1)". To jump to a section instead of a question
use a zero for the question number.
WHAT OTHER INFORMATION IS AVAILABLE? (1.2)
comp.sys.mac.faq provides short answers to a number of
frequently asked questions appropriate for the Usenet newsgroup
comp.sys.mac.misc and comp.sys.mac.system. Four other files
are worthy of particular note: Daryl Spitzer maintains a
FAQ list covering Macintosh programming for the newsgroup
comp.sys.mac.programmer. It's posted to that group weekly and
available for anonymous ftp from ftp.cs.uoregon [128.223.8.8]
in /pub/mac. Eric Rosen maintains a frequently asked questions
list for comp.sys.mac.comm available in that newsgroup and from
sumex-aim.stanford.edu in info-mac/report. This list answers
many frequently asked questions about networking, UNIX and the
Mac, telecommunications, and foreign file formats. Norm Walsh
has compiled an excellent FAQ for comp.fonts that answers a lot
of questions about the various kinds of fonts and cross-platform
conversion and printing. It's available in comp.fonts
or by ftp from ibis.cs.umass.edu [128.119.40.118] in
/pub/norm/comp.fonts/FAQ*. Finally Jim Jagielski maintains a FAQ
for comp.unix.aux covering Apple's UNIX environment, A/UX. It's
posted every 2 to 3 weeks in comp.unix.aux and news.answers. It's
available for anonymous ftp at jagubox.gsfc.nasa.gov.
WHICH NEWSGROUP SHOULD I POST TO? (1.3)
There are no stupid questions, but there are misplaced ones.
You wouldn't ask your English teacher how to do the definite
integral of ln x between zero and one, would you? So don't ask
the programmer newsgroup why your system is so slow when Microsoft
Word is in the background. Ignorance of basic netiquette is not an
excuse. If you want people to help you, you need to learn their
ways of communicating.
Posting questions to the proper newsgroup will fill your
mailbox with pearls of wisdom (and maybe a few rotten oysters too
:-) ). Posting to the wrong newsgroup often engenders a thundering
silence. For instance the most common and glaring mispost, one
that seems as incongruous to dwellers in the Macintosh regions of
Usenet as would a purple elephant to Aleuts in the Arctic, asking a
question about networking anywhere except comp.sys.mac.comm,
normally produces no useful responses. Posting the same question
to comp.sys.mac.comm ensures that your post is read and considered
by dozens of experienced network administrators and not a few
network software designers.
Please post to exactly ONE newsgroup. Do not cross-post.
If a question isn't important enough for you to take the extra
minute to figure out where it properly belongs, it's not important
enough for several thousand people to spend their time reading.
For the same reason comp.sys.mac.misc should not be used as a
catch-all newsgroup.
The breakdown of questions between different newsgroups in
this document can also serve as a reasonable guide to what belongs
where. Specifically questions about productivity applications
(software you bought your Macintosh to run, not software you bought
to make your Macintosh run better) should go to comp.sys.mac.apps
unless the application is covered in a more specific newsgroup.
Communications programs, games, HyperCard, compilers and databases
all have more topical comp.sys.mac.* newsgroups. Post questions
about non-communications hardware including questions about what
software is necessary to make particular hardware work to
comp.sys.mac.hardware. Questions about MacOS system software
belong in comp.sys.mac.system. Questions about utilities and
extensions normally belong in comp.sys.mac.misc. Questions about
A/UX go to comp.unix.aux. Detailed questions about Appletalk
belong in comp.protocols.appletalk.
Direct questions about HyperCard to comp.sys.mac.hypercard.
Non-HyperCard programming questions and questions about development
environments should go to comp.sys.mac.programmer. ResEdit
questions may be posted either to comp.sys.mac.misc,
comp.sys.mac.system, or comp.sys.mac.programmer; but generally the
netters who inhabit the darker recesses of comp.sys.mac.programmer
are considerably more practiced at the art of resource hacking.
A general exception to the above rules is that any VERY
technical question about an application that actually begins to
delve into the how's of a program as well as the what's (Recent
example: How does WriteNow which is written entirely in assembly
compare to other word processors written in high level languages?)
might be better addressed to the programmer newsgroup.
For Sale and Want to Buy posts should go to
comp.sys.mac.wanted and misc.forsale.computers.mac ONLY. We
understand that you're desperate to sell your upgraded 128K Mac to
get the $$ for a PowerBook 180; but trust me, anyone who wants to
buy it will be reading comp.sys.mac.wanted. Political and
religious questions (The Mac is better than Windows! Is not! Is
too! Is not! Is too! Hey! How 'bout the Amiga! What about it? Is
Not! Is too!) belong in comp.sys.mac.advocacy. Anything not
specifically mentioned above probably belongs in comp.sys.mac.misc.
Finally don't be so provincial as to consider only the
comp.sys.mac newsgroups the appropriate forums for your questions.
Many questions about modems in comp.sys.mac.comm are much more
thoroughly discussed in comp.dcom.modems. Questions about Mac MIDI
are often better handled in comp.music even though it's not a
Macintosh specific newsgroup. Shop around. Usenet's a big place
and not everything relevant to the Macintosh happens in
comp.sys.mac.
4. SOMEONE JUST ASKED WHY THE SYSTEM WAS TAKING UP SIXTEEN OF
THEIR TWENTY MEGABYTES OF RAM. SHOULDN'T I PUT MY BRILLIANCE AND
WIT ON DISPLAY FOR THE WORLD BY POSTING THE SEVENTEENTH RESPONSE?
No. Frequent answers are just as boring and uninteresting as
frequent questions. Unless you really have something new to add to
the traditional answers (such as the recent discovery that fonts in
System 7.1 could eat memory) private E-mail is a much better medium
for answering common questions like this one.
You might want to add a mention of this FAQ in your E-mail
response and a polite suggestion that your correspondent read it
before posting future questions. I do read all the newsgroups
covered here and have written a small script in MicroPhone II that
lets me send PWFAQ's (people with frequently asked questions) the
section of this document that answers their question with just the
click of a button so please don't feel obligated to respond to
someone who cares so little about the answer to their question they
can't be troubled to read the FAQ list to get it.
===
FTP (2.0)
===
WHERE CAN I FTP MAC SOFTWARE? (2.1)
The three major North American Internet archives of shareware,
freeware, and demo software are sumex-aim.stanford.edu (36.44.0.6),
mac.archive.umich.edu (141.211.165.41), and wuarchive.wustl.edu
(128.252.135.4) which mirrors the other two sites and several
others. Wuarchive often holds on to files after other sites remove
them for space concerns, and still has files that were deleted from
the formerly important site, rascal.ics.utexas.edu. Rascal was
notable for storing its files in MacBinary format rather than the
less efficient BinHex format common at the other archives. Unless
otherwise noted shareware and freeware mentioned in this document
should be available at the above sites.
To keep traffic on the Internet manageable, Scandinavians
should try connecting to ftp.funet.fi (128.214.6.100), ftp.lth.se
(130.235.20.3), or sics.se (192.16.123.90) instead. Those in
the U.K. should look first at src.doc.ic.ac.uk (146.169.2.1).
Continental Europeans can try nic.switch.ch (130.59.1.40),
ezinfo.ethz.ch (129.132.2.72), and anl.anl.fr(192.54.179.1).
Australian users should try to find what they want at archie.au
(139.130.4.6) which mirrors info-mac and mac.archive. Japanese
users will find sumex mirrored at ftp.u-tokyo.ac.jp
(130.69.254.254).
A fourth very important site is ftp.apple.com (130.43.2.3).
This is Apple's semi-official repository for system software,
developer tools, source code, technical notes, and other things
that come more or less straight from Apple's mouth. Some material
at this site may not be distributed outside the U.S. or by other
sites that don't have an official license to distribute Apple
system software. Please read the various README documents
available at ftp.apple.com for the detailed info if you're
connecting from outside the U.S. or if you wish to redistribute
material you find here.
CAN I GET SHAREWARE BY E-MAIL? (2.2)
The info-mac archives at sumex-aim are available by E-mail from
LISTSERV@RICEVM1.bitnet (alternately listserv@ricevm1.rice.edu).
The listserver responds to the commands $MACARCH HELP, $MACARCH
INDEX, and $MACARCH GET filename. Mac archive files are available
from mac@mac.archive.umich.edu. Send it a message containing the
words "help" and "index" (no quotes) on the first two lines of your
message for instructions on getting started and a list of the files
you may request. You can retrieve files from other sites by using
the server at ftpmail@decwrl.dec.com. For details send it a
message with just the text "help" (no quotes).
WHERE CAN I FIND APPLICATION X? (2.3)
If you can't find shareware you're looking for at one of
the above sites, try telnetting to your nearest archie server or
sending it an E-mail message addressed to archie with the subject
"help." Archie servers are located at archie.rutgers.edu (128.6.18.15,
America), archie.mcgill.ca (132.206.2.3, the original archie server
in Canada), archie.au (139.130.4.6, Australia), archie.funet.fi
(128.214.6.100, Scandinavia), and archie.doc.ic.ac.uk (146.169.3.7,
the U.K. and the continent). These sites index the tens of
thousands of files available for anonymous ftp. Login as "archie"
(no password is needed) and type "prog filename" to find what
you're looking for or type "help" for more detailed instructions.
For instance you would type "prog Disinfectant" to search for a
convenient ftp site for Disinfectant. If the initial search fails
to turn up the file you want, try variations on and substrings of
the name. For instance if you didn't find Disinfectant with "prog
Disinfectant", you might try "prog disi" instead. Substring
searches often hide the gold in a pile of dross. To avoid many
erroneous matches add a ".*\.hqx" to the end of the substring,
e.g. "prog disi.*\.hqx" Most Mac software available on the net
ends in .hqx but almost no UNIX or PC software does.
Most common payware is stocked by MacWarehouse and featured
in their catalog which you can get by calling 1-800-622-6222 and
asking for a copy. Apple brand software not stocked by MacWarehouse
and not available on ftp.apple.com is often available from APDA,
the Apple Programmers' and Developers' Association. Call
(800)282-2732 in the U.S., (800)637-0029 in Canada, (716)871-6555
elsewhere, for a catalog. Finally most third party programming
tools with too small a market to be advertised in the MacWarehouse
catalog is advertised in every issue of MacTech along with
information on how to order.
Please check the above catalogs and ARCHIE personally BEFORE
asking the net where you can find a particular piece of software.
These sources provide answers much more quickly than the net.
WHERE CAN I FIND AN APPLICATION TO DO X? (2.4)
Most archives of shareware and freeware have index files
which contain brief descriptions of the various programs available
at the site. At anonymous ftp sites these files typically begin
with 00 and end with either .txt or .abs. Lists that cover the
entire archive and topical subdirectories are both available.
For example if you're looking for a program to play MOD files, ftp
to sumex-aim and look in the directory Sound/util for any files
beginning with two zeroes. You'll find 00Utility-abstracts.abs.
Get it and then browse through it at your leisure. Then when you've
located a likely candidate in the index file you can ftp it and try
it out.
The best source of information about payware programs is the
MacWarehouse catalog. You'll occasionally find it on sale at
newsstands for about two dollars; but if you call MacWarehouse
at 1-800-622-6222, they'll be happy to send you one for free.
Unlike many other catalogs almost all common software is
advertised in the MacWarehouse catalog. A quick browse through
the appropriate section normally reveals several products that
fit your needs.
CAN SOMEONE MAIL ME APPLICATION X? (2.5)
No. Nor will anyone mail you a part of a file from
comp.binaries.mac that was corrupt or missed at your site.
Please refer to the first questions in this section to find
out about anonymous FTP, archie, and automatic E-mail servers.
WHAT IS .BIN? .HQX? .CPT? .ETC? (2.6)
Most files available by FTP are modified twice to allow them to
more easily pass through foreign computer systems. First they're
compressed to make them faster to download, and then they're
translated to either a binhex (.hqx) or MacBinary (.bin) format
that other computers can digest. (The Macintosh uses a special
two-fork filing system that chokes most other computers.) BinHex
files are 7-bit ASCII text files, while MacBinary files are pure
8-bit binary data that must always be transferred using a binary
protocol.
How a file has been translated and compressed for
transmission is indicated by its suffix. Normally a file will have
a name something like filename.xxx.yyy. .xxx indicates how it was
compressed and .yyy indicates how it was translated. To use a file
you've FTP'd and downloaded to your Mac you'll need to reverse the
process. Most files you get from the net require a two-step
decoding process. First change the binhex (.hqx) or MacBinary
(.bin) file to a double-clickable Macintosh file; then decompress
it. Which programs decode which file types is covered in the table
below. Also note that most Macintosh telecommunications programs
will automatically convert MacBinary files to regular Macintosh
files as they are downloaded.
***************************************************************************
Suffix: .sit .cpt .hqx .bin .pit .Z .image .dd .zip .uu .tar
Extractors
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
StuffIt 3.0| X X X X X
Compact Pro| X X
Packit | X
UUTool | X
MacCompress| X
SunTar | X X X X
BinHex 5.0 | X X
BinHex 4.0 | X
DiskDoubler| X X
ZipIt | X
DiskCopy | X
macutil | X X X X
***************************************************************************
A few notes on the decompressors:
StuffIt is a family of products that use several different
compression schemes. The freeware StuffIt Expander will unstuff
all of them. Versions of StuffIt earlier than 3.0 (StuffIt 1.5.1,
StuffIt Classic, UnStuffIt, and StuffIt Deluxe 2.0 and 1.0) will
not unstuff the increasing number of files stuffed by StuffIt 3.0.
You need to get a more recent version of StuffIt or StuffIt
Expander.
StuffIt 3.0.6 (Lite and Deluxe) consistently makes smaller
archives than any other Macintosh compression utility. To allow
maximum space for files on the various ftp sites and to keep
net-bandwidth down, please compress all files you send to
anonymous ftp sites with StuffIt 3.0.6.
UUTool, MacCompress, and SunTar handle the popular UNIX
formats of uuencode (.uu), compress (.Z), and tar (.tar)
respectively. The UNIX versions are often more robust than the Mac
products, so use them instead when that's an option. Translators
that allow StuffIt Lite to expand uuencoded and tar files are also
available by anonymous ftp.
Macutil is dik winter's package of UNIX utilities to
decompress and debinhex files on a workstation before downloading
them to a Mac. Since UNIX stores files differently than does the
Mac, macutil creates MacBinary (.bin) files which should be
automatically converted on download. It can't decompress
everything. In particular it can't decompress the new StuffIt 3.0
archives. :-( However, if you need only one or two files out of an
archive--for instance if you want to read the README to find out if
a program does what you need it to do before you download all of
it--macutil is indispensable. It can be found at sumex-aim in the
info-mac/unix directory.
A few notes on the compression formats:
.bin: These are MacBinary files. Always use a binary file
transfer protocol when transferring them, never ASCII or text.
Most files on the net are stored as .hqx instead. Only rascal
stores most of its files in .bin format. Most communications
programs such as ZTerm and MacKermit are capable of translating
MacBinary files on the fly as they download if they know in
advance they'll be downloading MacBinary files.
.image: This format is normally used only for system software,
so that on-line users can download files that can easily be
converted into exact copies of the installer floppies. Instead of
using DiskCopy to restore the images to floppies, you can use Steve
Christensen's freeware utility MountImage to treat the images on
your hard disk as actual floppies inserted in a floppy drive.
MountImage has a reputation for being buggy, so you should have
some blank floppies and a copy of DiskCopy handy just in case.
.sea (.x, .X): .sea files don't merit a position in the above
table because they're self-extracting. They may have been created
with Compact Pro, StuffIt, or even DiskDoubler; but all should be
capable of decompressing themselves when double-clicked. For some
unknown reason Alysis has chosen not to use this industry standard
designation for self-extracting archives created with their
payware products SuperDisk! and More Disk Space. Instead they
append either .x or .X to self-extracting archives.
HOW CAN I GET BINHEX? STUFFIT? ETC.? (2.7)
By far the easiest way to get these programs is to ask a human
being to copy them onto a floppy for you. If you're at a
university there's absolutely no excuse for not finding someone to
give you a copy; and if you're anywhere less remote than McMurdo
Sound, chances are very good that someone at a computer center,
dealership, or user group can provide you with a copy of StuffIt.
Once you have StuffIt (any version) you don't need BinHex.
If you're such a computer geek that the thought of actually
asking a living, breathing human being instead of a computer
terminal for something turns you into a quivering mass of
protoplasmic jelly, you can probably download a working copy
of StuffIt from a local bulletin board system.
If you have religious objections to software gotten by any
means other than anonymous ftp, then I suppose I'll mention that
you can in fact ftp a working copy of StuffIt though this is by
far the hardest way to get it. Ftp to wuarchive.wustl.edu
and login. Type the word "binary." Hit return. Type "cd
mirrors/rascal.ics.utexas.edu/compression" and hit return. Then
"get StuffIt_Expander_1.0.1_SEA_bin" and hit return. Of course
it's always possible that by the time you read this StuffIt
Expander will have been updated and the name changed so if this
fails look for something similar. If you've ftp'd straight onto
your Mac you should now have a self-extracting archive which will
produce a working copy of StuffIt Expander when double-clicked. If
you've ftp'd to your mainframe or UNIX account first, you still
need to use a modem program to download it to your Mac. Just make
sure that the Mac is receiving in MacBinary mode and the mainframe
is sending in binary mode. If you need more details on the last
step, consult the FAQ list for comp.sys.mac.comm and the manuals
for both your mainframe and Macintosh telecommunications software.
HOW CAN I GET BINHEX, STUFFIT, ETC. FROM A PC? (2.8)
You can't. There is absolutely NO way to get an executable
Macintosh file from an ftp site onto a PC and then onto your Mac
without some software obtained by means other than anonymous ftp.
You MUST beg, borrow, or steal the necessary software such as
Binhex or StuffIt Lite from another person. I realize this may
terrify those among you who haven't left your parents' basement
since you got an Apple II+ in 1980, but eventually you're going
to need to link up with some human being other than your mother.
(though I suppose if you're this much of a nerd you could send
your mother out to get it for you.) While you're gathering
your nerves for a venture into the strange and terrifying world
of daylight, please don't bother the net by asking this question
again. There simply is no way to move executable Macintosh
programs from a PC or other non-Macintosh computer onto a
Mac without software that is not bundled with most Macs.
=================================================================
TROUBLESHOOTING: WHAT TO DO (BEFORE POSTING) WHEN THINGS GO WRONG (3.0)
=================================================================
While the various FAQ lists cover a lot of specific
problems, there are far more problems that aren't covered here.
These are a few basic techniques you should follow before asking
for help. You should probably also perform the ten-step
preventative maintenance routine described in section four,
especially rebuilding the desktop (4.3) and resizing the system
heap (4.5). Following these steps may or may not solve your
problem, but it will at least make it easier for others to
recommend solutions to you.
IDENTIFY THE PROBLEM. (3.1)
"Microsoft Word is crashing" doesn't say much. What were you
doing when it crashed? Can you repeat the actions that lead to the
crash? The more information you provide about the actions
preceding the crash the more likely it is someone can help you.
The more precisely you've identified the problem and the actions
preceding it (Step 1) the easier it will be to tell if the
following steps fix the problem. For example, "Sometimes
QuarkXPress 3.0 crashes with a coprocessor not installed error." is
not nearly as helpful as "QuarkXPress 3.0 crashes when I link two
text boxes on a master page when copies of those text boxes already
contain text." The former will leave you wondering whether the bug
remains after a given step. The latter lets you go right to the
problem and see if it's still there or not.
READ THE READ ME FILE. (3.2)
Many companies include a list of known incompatibilities and
bugs in their READ ME files. Often these aren't documented in the
manual. Read any READ ME files to see if any of the problems sound
familiar.
CHECK FOR VIRUSES. (3.3)
Run Disinfectant or another anti-viral across your disk. Virus
infections are rarer than most people think, but they do occur and
they do cause all sorts of weird problems when they do.
REINSTALL THE APPLICATION AND ALL ITS SUPPORT FILES. (3.4)
For half a dozen reasons (external magnetic fields,
improperly written software, the alignment of the planets) a file
on a disk may not contain the data it's supposed to contain. This
can cause all types of unexplained, unusual behavior. Restoring
from original masters will normally fix this.
REINSTALL THE SYSTEM SOFTWARE. (3.5)
Bits are even more likely to get twiddled in the system file
than in the application and the effects can be just as disastrous.
See question 4.6 for a detailed procedure for performing a clean
reinstall.
If the problem continues to occur after you've taken these
steps, chances are you've found either a conflict between your
application and some other software or a genuine bug in the
program. So it's time to
ISOLATE THE PROBLEM. (3.6)
You need to find the minimal system on which the problem
will assert itself. Here are the basic steps of isolating the
cause of a system or application crash:
a. Run only one application at a time. Occasionally applications
do conflict with each other. If the problem does not manifest
itself without other applications running simultaneously, you can
begin launching other applications until you find the one that
causes the crash.
b. If you're running System 6, turn off MultiFinder. If you're
running System 7, allot as much memory to the application as you
can afford. Sometimes programs just need more memory, especially
when performing complicated operations.
c. If you're running System 7, turn off virtual memory and 32-bit
addressing. There's still an awful lot of System 7 hostile
software out there including some from companies that really
have no excuse. (Can you say Microsoft Word 5.1, boys and girls?
I knew you could.) Some of this software only expresses its
incompatibilities when certain uncommon actions are taken.
d. If you have a 68040 Mac, turn the cache off. Many older
programs don't work well with the built-in cache of the 68040.
e. Boot from a virgin system floppy. If the problem disappears
you likely have an init conflict. You need to progressively remove
extensions until the problem vanishes. Use a little common sense
when choosing the first extensions to remove. If the problem occurs
when you try to open a file, remove any inits that mess with the
Standard File Open procedure such as Super Boomerang first. If the
problem remains after the obvious candidates have been eliminated,
either remove the remaining extensions one at a time or, if you have
a lot of them, perform a binary search by removing half of the
extensions at a time. Once the problem disappears add half of the
most recently removed set back. Continue until you've narrowed the
conflict down to one extension. When you think you've found the
offending init restart with only that init enabled just to make
sure that it and it alone is indeed causing the problem.
CONTACT TECHNICAL SUPPORT. (3.7)
By now you should have a very good idea of when, where, and why
the conflict occurs. If a tech support number is available for the
software, call it. If you're lucky the company will have a work
around or fix available. If not, perhaps they'll at least add the
bug to their database of problems to be fixed in the next release.
======================
PREVENTIVE MAINTENANCE (4.0)
======================
You wouldn't drive your car 100,000 miles without giving it a
tune-up. A computer is no different. Regular tune-ups avoid a lot
of problems. Although there are Mac mechanics who'll be happy to
charge you $75 or more for the equivalent of an oil change, there's
no reason you can't change it yourself. The following nine-step
program should be performed about every three months.
TRASH UNNEEDED FILES (4.1)
Many of the operations that follow will run faster and more
smoothly the more free disk space there is to work with so spend a
little time cleaning up your hard disk. If you're at all like me,
you'll find several megabytes worth of preferences files for
applications you no longer have, archives of software you've
dearchived, shareware you tried out and didn't like, announcements
for events that have come and gone and many other files you no
longer need. If you're running System 7 you may also have several
more megabytes in your trash can alone. Throw them away and empty
the trash.
RETHINK YOUR EXTENSIONS (4.2)
Some Macintoshes attract inits like a new suit attracts rain.
Seriously consider whether you actually need every extension
in your collection. If you don't use the functionality of an
extension at least every fifth time you boot up, you're probably
better off not storing it in your System Folder where it only takes
up memory, destabilizes your system, and slows down every startup.
For instance if you only read PC disks once a month, there's no
need to keep AccessPC loaded all the time. Cutting back on your
extension habit can really help avoid crashes.
REBUILD THE DESKTOP (4.3)
The Desktop file/database holds all the information necessary
to associate each file with the application that created it. It
lets the system know what application should be launched when you
open a given file and what icons it should display where.
Depending on its size each application has one or more
representatives in the desktop file. As applications and files
move on and off your hard disk, the Desktop file can be become
bloated and corrupt. Think of it as a Congress for your Mac.
Every so often it's necessary to throw the bums out and start with
a clean slate. Fortunately it's easier to rebuild the desktop than
to defeat an incumbent.
One warning: rebuilding the desktop will erase all comments
you've stored in the Get Info boxes. Under System 7 Maurice
Volaski's freeware init CommentKeeper will retain those comments
across a rebuild. CommentKeeper also works with System 6 but only
if Apple's Desktop Manager extension is also installed.
To rebuild the desktop restart your Mac and, as your
extensions finish loading, depress the Command and Option keys.
You'll be presented with a dialog box asking if you want to rebuild
the desktop and warning you that "This could take a few minutes."
Click OK. It will take more than a few minutes. The more files you
have the longer it will take. If you're running System 6 you may
want to turn off MultiFinder before trying to rebuild the desktop.
If you're experiencing definite problems and not just doing
preventive maintenance, you may want to use Fifth Generation's
freeware init Desktop Reset. Desktop Reset completely deletes the
Desktop file before rebuilding it, thus eliminating possibly
corrupt data structures.
ZAP THE PRAM AND RESET THE CLOCK (4.4)
All Macs from the original 128K Thin Mac to the Quadra 950
contain a small amount of battery powered RAM to hold certain
settings that properly move with the CPU rather than with the disk
such as which disk to boot from. Unfortunately this "parameter
RAM" can become corrupted and cause unexplained crashes. To reset
it under System 7 hold down the Command, Option, P, and R keys
while restarting your Mac. Under System 6 hold down the Command,
Option, and Shift keys while selecting the Control Panel from the
Apple menu. Click Yes when asked if you want to zap the parameter
RAM. Since you've erased almost all the settings in the General
Control Panel, you should now reset them to whatever you want.
The one setting that zapping the PRAM does not erase is the
date and time; but since the internal clock in the Macintosh is
notoriously inaccurate you'll probably want to take this
opportunity to reset it anyway.
RESIZE THE SYSTEM HEAP (System 6 Only) (4.5)
Even after rethinking their extensions as per step two most
people still have at least half a row of icons march across the
bottom of their screen every time they restart. All these
extensions (and most applications too) need space in a section of
memory called the System Heap. If the System Heap isn't big enough
to comfortably accommodate all the programs that want a piece of
it, they all start playing King of the Mountain on the system heap,
knocking each other off to get bigger pieces for themselves and
trying to climb back on after they get knocked off. All this
fighting amongst the programs severely degrades system performance
and almost inevitably crashes the Mac.
If you're using System 7, your Macintosh will automatically
resize the system heap as necessary; but if you're running System 6
it's important to set your system heap size large enough to manage
all your extensions and applications. By default this size is set
to 128K, way too small for most Macs with any extensions at all.
The system heap size is stored in the normally non-editable boot
blocks of every system disk. Bill Steinberg's freeware utility
BootMan not only lets you resize your system heap but even checks
how much memory your heap is already using so it can tell how much
needs to be allocated. If you're running System 6, get BootMan,
use it, and be amazed at how infrequently your Macintosh crashes.
REINSTALL THE SYSTEM SOFTWARE (4.6)
System files can become corrupt and fragmented, especially if
you've stored lots of fonts and desk accessories inside them.
Merely updating the System software will often not fix system file
corruption. I recommend doing a clean reinstall. Here's how:
1. Boot from the Disk Tools floppy of your System disks.
2. Copy any non-standard fonts and desk accessories out
of your System file into a temporary suitcase.
3. Trash the System file on your hard disk. Also trash the
Finder, MultiFinder, DA Handler, and all other standard Apple
extensions like Control Panel and Chooser. These will all be
replaced in the new installation. If you're running or
installing System 7, move everything in the Extensions,
Control Panels, and Preferences folders into the top level
of the System Folder.
4. Rename the System Folder. Any name other than System Folder
is fine.
5. ShutDown and then boot from the Installer floppy of your
system disks.
6. Double-click the installer script on your System disk. Then
choose Customize... Select the appropriate software for your
model Mac and printer. You could do an Easy Install instead,
but that will only add a lot of extensions and code you don't
need that waste your memory and disk space.
7. Once installation is finished, move everything from the
temporary folder you created in step 4 into the new System
folder. If you're asked if you want to replace anything, you
forgot to take something out in step 3. You'll need to replace
things individually until you find the duplicate piece.
8. Reinstall any fonts or DA's you removed in step 2.
9. Reboot. You should now have a clean, defragmented System file
that takes up less memory and disk space and a much more stable
system overall.
DISK UTILITIES (4.7)
Much like system files hard disks have data structures that
occasionally become corrupted affecting performance and even
causing data loss. Apple includes Disk First Aid, a simple utility
for detecting and repairing hard disk problems, with its System
disks. It's also available for anonymous ftp from ftp.apple.com
in the directory dts/mac/sys.soft/utils as part of the image file
software-utility-1-0-image.hqx. If you have an earlier version
than 7.2 (and almost everyone does) you should get version 7.2
from ftp.apple.com, make a copy of your Disk Tools disk, and
replace the old Disk First Aid on the copy with the new version.
At the same time you should also replace the old version of
HD SC setup on your Disk Tools disk with the new HD SC Setup 7.2
from the same image file.
Several companies have released payware disk utilities that
detect and repair considerably more problems than Disk First Aid
though, interestingly, none of them detect and repair everything
that Disk First Aid does. The three most effective for general
work are Central Point's MacTools Deluxe 2.0, Fifth Generation's
Public Utilites, and Symantec's Norton Utilities for the Macintosh
2.0. A department or work group should have all of these as well
as Disk First Aid since none of them fix everything the others do.
For individuals MacTools ($48 street) is about half the price of
Norton ($94 street) or Public Utilities ($98 street) so, features
and ease of use being roughly equal, I recommend MacTools.
All of these products occasionally encounter problems they
can't fix. When that happens it's time to backup (4.8) and
reformat (4.10).
BACKING UP (4.8)
This is one part of preventative maintenance that should be
done a LOT more often than every three months. The simplest back
up is to merely copy all the files on your hard disk onto floppies
or other removable media. If you keep your data files separate
from your application and support files then it's easy to only back
up those folders which change frequently. Nonetheless every three
months you should do a complete backup of your hard disk.
A number of programs are available to make backing up
easier. Apple included a very basic full backup application with
System 6. With the Performas Apple ships a new Apple Backup
utility that can backup the entire disk or just the System folder
onto floppies. The previously mentioned Norton Utilities for the
Mac and MacTools Deluxe 2.0 include more powerful floppy backup
utilities that incorporate compression and incremental backups.
Finally if you're lucky enough to have a Tape Drive, network
server, or removable media device to use for backups, you should
check out the more powerful payware utilities Redux ($49 street,
doesn't support tape drives) and Diskfit Pro ($74 street). There
are NO freely available backup utilities other than the old HD
Backup from System 6.
DISK DEFRAGMENTATION (4.9)
As disks fill up it gets harder and harder to find enough
free space in the same place to write large files. Therefore the
operating system will often split larger files into pieces to be
stored in different places on your hard disk. As files become more
and more fragmented performance can degrade. There are several
ways to defragment a hard disk.
The most tedious but cheapest method is to backup all your
files, erase the hard disk (and you might as well reformat while
you're at it. See question 4.10.), and restore all the files.
A number of payware utilities including Norton Utilities for
the Mac and Mac Tools Deluxe can defragment a disk in place, i.e.
without erasing it. Although the ads for all these products brag
about their safety, once you've bought the software and opened the
shrink-wrap they all warn you to back up your disk before
defragmenting it in case something does go wrong.
Fast Unfrag is a $10 shareware disk defragmenter by Kas Thomas.
It appears to do the job it was designed for (defragmenting the files
on a hard disk) and my brief tests didn't reveal any glaring bugs or
trash any files. Nonetheless, I'm a bit nervous about this product
because the programmer and his skill level are unknown to me, and
writing a disk defragmenter is not something I'd trust to a novice.
The interface is flaky; the program only works on the disk where the
application resides (very unusual behavior for a disk defragmenter);
it's unfriendly to background applications (not so unusual for any disk
intensive app); and neither documentation, online help, nor an E-mail
address are provided with the program. Since this is still a relative
unknown I STRONGLY recommend that you backup your files before using
it. I'd appreciate hearing any experiences you have with it.
Regardless of which defragmenter you choose please note that
defragmentation will NOT cure problems with a disk. In fact,
defragmenting will most likely make existing problems worse.
If you are having trouble with a hard disk do not use a
defragmenter on it. Backup, reformat, and restore instead.
REFORMAT YOUR HARD DISK (4.10)
Just as a floppy disk needs to be initialized before use, so a
hard disk must be formatted before it can hold data. You don't
need to reformat every three months; but when your system is
crashing no matter what you try, reformatting is the ultimate means
of wiping the slate clean. Reformatting your hard disk may even
gain you a few extra megabytes of space. Not all hard disks are
created equal. Some can hold more data than others. To facilitate
mass production and advertising without a lot of asterisks (* 81.3
megabytes is the pre-formatted size. Actual formatted capacity
may vary.) Apple often formats drives to the lowest common denominator
of drive capacity. When you reformat there's no reason at all not
to reclaim whatever unused space Apple's left on your disk.
Unlike floppies hard disks need a special program to
initialize them. Most hard disks come with formatting software.
Apple's disks and System software ship with HD SC setup, a minimal
disk formatter which will format Apple brand hard drives ONLY.
Version 7.2 of HD SC Setup was recently released as part of the
Software Update 1.0 disk and should be used in preference to
earlier versions. The Software Update 1.0 is available on
ftp.apple.com in the directory /dts/mac/sys.soft/utils. Most
other manufacturers ship appropriate formatting software with
their hard drives. Normally this is all you need to reformat
your hard disk.
A number of general-purpose formatters are also available
which go beyond the bundled software to include features like
encryption, password protection, multiple partitioning, faster disk
access, System 7 compatibility, and even compression. Two of the
best are the payware Drive7 and Hard Disk Toolkit Personal Edition
($49 street for either). While there are one or two freeware
formatters available, none are likely to be superior to the ones
bundled with your hard disk.
PowerBook users should be sure to turn off Sleep and
processor cycling before reformatting their hard drives no matter
what software they use. Otherwise disk corruption, crashes, and
data losses are a very good possibility.
====================================================
META-FAQS (FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT THE FAQ) (5.0)
====================================================
Since posting the first version of my FAQ list a little over
a year ago I have noticed a precipitous drop in the frequency of
certain questions. Most noteably: Why is my system using 14 of my
20 megs of RAM? Though that still shows up occasionally, it's no
longer at the twelve times a day level that induced me to start
writing. I count that as some measure of success. However, I have
experienced one unexpected phenomena. Certain questions have begun
appearing frequently in my mailbox so I've composed this little list
of meta-faqs, i.e. frequently asked questions about the FAQ. Please
familiarize yourself with this list before mailing me comments
or questions.
THERE'S A MISTAKE IN YOUR FAQ. (5.1)
Thanks for pointing this out. Since I maintain several
documents of about 200K total size, it would be helpful if
you would reference the specific document where you found
my error and the question number.
WHY DON'T YOU INCLUDE THIS COMPLICATED/PAYWARE SOLUTION AS WELL
AS THE SIMPLE/FREE SOLUTION YOU ALREADY INCLUDE? (5.2)
When there are multiple solutions to a common problem, I try
to pick the one that is achievable with the fewest and cheapest
tools. Chances are I do know about that undocumented feature
of WhizzyWriter 1000 that lets you download PostScript files.
Call me crazy, but I just suspect that most people would prefer
to download a free utility from ftp.apple.com rather than shell
out $995 for WhizzyWriter just to solve their PostScript problems.
Similarly if a problem can be solved with the tools that are
bundled with every Mac, I'll choose that solution over one that
requires downloading some shareware. Space in the FAQ is limited
(mainly by brain-dead news software at some sites that restricts
files to 64K) and I can't give comprehensive lists when they're
not needed.
WOULD YOU PLEASE INCLUDE MY SOFTWARE IN YOUR FAQ? (5.3)
As explained above space in these documents is limited, and I
simply can't mention every imaginable software that conceivably
falls somewhere within the purview of the Macintosh newsgroups.
If, however, you feel your software answers a frequently asked
question (e.g. a virtual desktop manager) or it provides a
solution to a common problem superior to what's already available,
then I'll be happy to consider it for inclusion in the FAQ. I'm
also often willing to beta-test software. That is, however, no
gurantee that the software will be mentioned in the FAQ.
WHY DON'T YOU POST THE FAQ MORE OFTEN? (5.4)
The FAQ is posted automatically about every two weeks, give or
take a day. Normally it doesn't change more frequently than that;
and I want to avoid wasting bandwidth since the Internet is not,
contrary to popular belief, free. The FAQ includes an Expires:
header to insure that one version doesn't disappear from your
news spool until the next one arrives and a Supersedes: header
so multiple copies won't waste everyone's disk space. This is
all accomplished automatically via Jonathan Kamens' faq server.
If the FAQ is ever not available at your site, then your
news software is BROKEN and should be fixed. Complain to your
news administrators about their broken software that ignores
Expires: headers, not to me.
WHERE CAN I REPOST THE FAQ? (5.5)
The FAQ may be archived at any site that does not charge
extra for downloads, i.e. if the FAQ is available on a system
it must be available at the minimum charge for accessing the
system. For instance you may post it to most BBS's that charge
either a flat monthly fee or a per hour rate. However if there
is an extra charge for downloading files over what is charged per
normal access, either per hour, per kilobyte, or per month, then
the FAQ may not be posted to that system without my explicit,
prior permission.
CAN I REPUBLISH YOUR FAQ? (5.6)
For permission to repost the FAQ verbatim in electronic format,
see above. If you wish to republish it in a modified form or in a
non-electronic medium, please contact me with specific details.
I'm normally receptive to non-profits that wish to redistribute
it at no charge, and to anyone who is willing to make reasonable
remunerative arrangements for non-exclusive republication rights.
CAN YOU HELP ME WITH THIS PROBLEM I'M HAVING WITH MY MAC? (5.7)
Certainly! I negotiate consulting fees on a case-by-case
basis, but they tend to average about $60 an hour with a four
hour minimum. If you're outside the metropolitan New York
area (roughly Philadelphia to New Haven) the minimum is seven
hours and you'll also be expected to provide airfare and $100
a day expenses for meals, hotel, and car rental. Quantity
discounts and support contracts can be negotiated on a
case-by-case basis. Oh, you meant free help?. Sorry, that's what
Usenet is for. Post your question to the appropriate newsgroup,
and you'll probably get a lot more advice than I could give you.
WILL YOU SEND ME THE FAQ? (5.8)
No. I have neither the time nor the inclination to act
as a mail-server for people who can't be bothered to use the
mail-server at rtfm.mit.edu as outlined in the introduction.
I reject all such requests.
WHY DON'T YOU FORMAT THE FAQ IN SETEXT? WORD? DIGEST? ETC.? (5.9)
While I get about one request per month to adhere to some
imagined "standard" format, I have yet to receive two requests
for the same format. I am considering redoing the FAQ
in setext format since that is reasonably close to what I already
use, half-familiar to the Internet-Macintosh community from
TidBITS, and ASCII readable. I may also release a Microsoft Word
version when Word 6.0 is released if the promised macro language
is included and if it proves powerful enough to let me support
multiple formats from a single source document. I'm also very
interested in Common Ground, Adobe Acrobat, and MIME-based news.
However none of these are particularly high on my priority list.
--
Elliotte Rusty Harold National Solar Observatory
eharold@sunspot.noao.edu Sunspot NM 88349