3.673 DOS commands; Macs (69)
Willard McCarty (MCCARTY@vm.epas.utoronto.ca)
Tue, 31 Oct 89 18:03:30 EST
Humanist Discussion Group, Vol. 3, No. 673. Tuesday, 31 Oct 1989.
(1) Date: Tue, 31 Oct 89 10:16:35 CDT (30 lines)
From: "Norman D. Hinton" <SSUBIT12@UIUCVMD>
Subject: DOS commands
(2) Date: Tue, 31 Oct 89 14:50:00 EST (238 lines)
From: KESSLER <IME9JFK@OAC.UCLA.EDU>
Subject: Re: 3.669 software issues (128)
(1) --------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Tue, 31 Oct 89 10:16:35 CDT
From: "Norman D. Hinton" <SSUBIT12@UIUCVMD>
Subject: DOS commands
Adding to the general polemic about Mac/DOS is probably not useful:
I have begun to think of them as competitive religions, or more likely
minor cults. An adherent of one is unlikely to be easily converted to
the other. But I will say that I'd rather grapple with typing in words
and code than move a little arrow to a wastebasket when I want to
Erase something.
However: I get the impression that many HUMANISTs do not use file
manager software, which is surprising. Though I can write DOS commands
when I want to copy, erase, etc., I don't have to---I just go to my
file manager (using a batch file which took me about 30 seconds to
write, but you don't need a batch file to use it).
I highly recommend XTREE or its big brother, XTREE Professional, both of
which are available from Executive Systems, Inc. (Sorry, I don't have
an address. But the packages are widely advertised in computer magazines.)
With XTREE, you get an easily readable display of what files are where, and
moving, copying, eraing, changing file attributes (e.g. making "read-only"
files "readable" so you can erase them), etc. can be done in seconds. You
can do many other useful tasks, and help is available on-line. The
manuals are short and clear. I wouldn't think of doing without a file
manager any more than I would think of doing without something like the
Norton Utilities, or MACE or PC-Tools, to clean up my hard disk and retrieve
lost materials. Anyone who uses a comuter for any task whatsoever ought
to have both a manager and a set of "disk utilities".
(2) --------------------------------------------------------------244---
Date: Tue, 31 Oct 89 14:50:00 EST
From: KESSLER <IME9JFK@OAC.UCLA.EDU>
Subject: Re: 3.669 software issues (128)
The thing about the Mac, which I have had since 1984, nemmine the three
lemons I bought, chile! is its simplicity of use and friendliness to
people who want t o get on with it, apart from fonts and layouts and
better-looking MSS and ease of selection of what one wishes to do. And
none of all that long engineering, retrofitted stuff for word people.
Now with the large portrait screen before me in black and white and
crystal clear, one can write one's pages and swiftly. It is a matter of
ease. My son, who uses Suns and Irises, and was an Apple kid from the
start, regards this as a mere today today, but it is not some- thing one
has to fight or feel vain about having learned, as with the IBM things,
which my colleagues curse and sweat and weep over. Just make the
interface easy, and easier and easiest, is all one asks. Point and use,
as with e-mail, and Tale's tincan modem program for getting through to
all you folks out there swiftest, or as Beckett says, "Instanter!" J
Kessler