From: mnc0678@ultb.isc.rit.edu (M.N. Cannava )
Subject: SUMMARY: Apple-menu/Backup SW/Docker pgm
Summary: Responses to request for info 
Originator: mnc0678@ultb
Organization: Rochester Institute of Technology
Date: Fri, 24 Jul 1992 18:09:02 GMT

SUMMARY:  Marc's quest for system-assistance programs

A few days ago, I posted a request for three types of programs:

	1. Programs to clean up the Apple menu,
	2. Programs to place a file/application "docking bar"
	   on the screen,
	3. Backup programs & accompanying hardware

I received many excellent suggestions, and I'd just like to thank
everyone who responded -- your help is appreciated!! 

Okay. Here's the results, broken down into the three categories listed
above.


1. Programs to clean up the Apple menu

Commercial:	NowMenus, from the Now Utilities package.
			Favorable responses from all.

		HAM (Heierarchical Apple Menu) from Microseeds
			Again, favorable responses.

		Apollo (unknown publisher/distributor)
			Some warnings from hoek@dutiws.tudelft.nl:

			- B/W only
			- No icons next to menu text
			- Not too user-friendly when configuring
			  the menu


Shareware:	BeHierarchic, v1.0.5. At sumex-aim.
			Excellent reviews. Grab it.


2. "Docking Bar" Programs

Okay, yes, you can use System 7 to put aliases on the desktop, thus
creating a pseudo-docking-bar. However, I find that when the
"snap-to-grid" option is turned on, the icons are spaced either too
far apart, or too close together. I was looking for something to
organize and group those clever icons on the screen, pop up and
dismiss with a click of the mouse. 

Commercial:	Tiles
			"..lots of promise, mostly unfulfilled."
				- hausmann@scrvm2.vnet.ibm.com

		QuicKeys/QKIcon by CE Software
			Good reviews.

		System 7 from Apple
			Place icons/aliases on the desktop. Kind of
			like the "poor-man's" software docker.

Shareware:	Applicon 2.1 (Sumex)
			A dock for currently running programs only; a
			nice task switcher alternative to the Finder
			menu on System 7.

		Finder Palette 1.0 (Sumex)
			A NeXT-like dock for applications, files, etc.
			Requires System 7. Favorable reviews, but it
			has a quirk with multi-partition/drive systems.
			Solution: Place all files to be tile'd in one
			folder on the system disk.

		_Launch 3.0 (Rascal)
			I found this on a CS machine here; the latest 
			revision I could find is 3.0. Runs fine on
			System 7, although designed for Sys 6 +
			MultiFinder. 

			Does anyone know if a more recent version is,
			or will be, available?


3. Backup software/hardware

Ian Neath (neath@psych.purdue.edu) gave me the best recommendation for
a software/hardware combo; I include it verbatim (with permission):

> (3)  I use a Teac tape drive packaged by APS (the 160 meg)
>      with Total Recall 1.52.  Works under System 7 (and 6),
>      very easy to use, automated backups, can turn your
>      system off when done, trivial to install.  I switched
>      after RetroSpect caused too many aggravations.  Tape
>      reliability is excellent.  I switch tapes on Friday
>      night and backup the whole disk (except system stuff)
>      and each night append any changes.  Since backup is
>      automated, I don't have to do anything and all my work
>      is protected.

When I asked for a recommendation for APS, Ian responds:

> I also have an APS hard drive in my CI (170 mb) and have had no problems
> whatsoever.  It is a fast, quiet drive (its a quantum).  The tape worked
> great, particularly since it is NOT internally terminated and because
> you can set the SCSI number on the back.  Came with all the cables and
> a spare SCSI terminator.    The tape unit (a Teac 155 mechanism) was
> around $650 but that was well over a year ago; I understand prices hve
> droped.  Total Recall is about $100.  My unit came with Retrospect.


That's it! Again, I'd like to thank everyone who responded to my
request; your help has been more-than-extremely-helpful!!


Thanks To: (sorry if I missed anyone who replied!)
----------

byrne@cc.gatech.edu Thu Jul 23 09:33:52 1992 (Mike Byrne)

Bryan Michael Kearney <bk1a+@andrew.cmu.edu>

"James A. Rose" <jar@banach.ece.wisc.edu>

neath@psych.purdue.edu (Ian Neath)

d88-jwa@nada.kth.se

amhastings@ucdavis.edu (amhastings@ucdavis.edu) alan hastings

jwillner@uncvx1.acs.unc.edu Jeff Willner

Anand C Patel <patel@suna0.cs.uiuc.edu>

"C. Roald" <HOBBIT@AC.DAL.CA>

hoek@dutiws.tudelft.nl (Tjeerd Hoek)

"John Hausmann, Rolm Systems,Santa Clara" <HAUSMANN@SCRVM2.VNET.IBM.COM>


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\marc