Mar 93 Newsbits
Volume Number: 9
Issue Number: 3
Column Tag: 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.