Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac.misc,comp.sys.mac.system,comp.sys.novell
Subject: Re: *** WARNING *** Novell + QuickTime = Disaster
From: news@massey.ac.nz (USENET News System)
Date: Thu, 17 Dec 92 00:20:30 GMT
Organization: Massey University

From article <1992Dec16.012131.21023@cujo.curtin.edu.au>, by ken@cujo.curtin.edu.au (Ken Taylor):
> USENET News System (news@massey.ac.nz) wrote:
> : Just in case this is unknown:
> : 
> : Apple NZ & our Apple Education Centre were running some courses on
> : campus and wished to use some of my software as demos. However I was
> : going to be in OZ so I had to leave the software on the Novell file
> : server so they could pick it up an demo it. Result: "Not a valid movie
> : file" whenever they tried to run a movie during the demo :-( :-(.
> : 
> : I've tracked this down to the Novell server altering files in someway
> : (I think I know how, but until its confirmed no rumors) which results
> : in the connection between a QuickTime movie reference (i.e. a pasted
> : movie in some document or application) and the QuickTime data file
> : being invalidated - so none of your pasted movies will work :-( :-(. If
> : you open the ORIGINAL movie file it will still play, and re-pasting it
> : will also work.
> 
> A known problem with Novell's AFP server is that it doesn't maintain
> correct modification dates on some files (this makes system software
> installations from Novell flaky), but I have never had a file be
> "modified" by the server..
> 
> : WARNING: DO NOT place ANY QuickTime movie files on Novell file servers
> : to which you have references, EVEN if you move the
> : documents/applications containing the references. This problem has
> : been confirmed using the ScrapBook as well as my own software.
> 
> Then you have another problem, we regularly transfer movies via a transfer
> volume which is on a Novell 3.11 fileserver..
> 
> : This problem may also affect other programs, not just QuickTime, but
> : we have not found any so far.
> : 
> : Moral: Don't use so called "multi-platform" file servers which are
> : really just DOS is disguise (personal opinion!). Novell DOES NOT
> : PROVIDE A TRANSPARENT MAC FILE SYSTEM.
> 
> No, but it provides one of the best value-for-money AFP platforms for
> high-performace servers..
> 
> Please confirm rants and raves before posting them worldwide...
> 
> : Systems: Mac LC, Quadra, System 7.0.1, System 7.1, Novell 3.11 + 3.011
> : for the Mac.
> : -- 
> : Dr Nigel Perry                    Email: N.Perry@massey.ac.nz
> : Department of Computer Science    Tel: +64 6 356 9099 ext 8900
> : Massey University                 Fax: +64 6 350 5611
> : Palmerston North
> : New Zealand
> 
> Ken
> -- 
>  Ken Taylor              |  "I have a friend who's seen inside my tiny brain
>  ken@cujo.curtin.edu.au  |   He's seen the aging and the mildew from the rain
>  Curtin University       |   And he does what he can to keep on top of every
>  Perth, W. Australia     |     one of them"     - Happy Rhodes

We have since discussed this problem with Novell who are looking into it.
When I said I suspected the reason for the failure I was refering to the
date problem. If you copy a QuickTime movie onto Novell and THEN paste
it into an application you will have no problem (I think). However if
you paste and then copy it will break. Novell is breaking the link between
the movie reference in your application/document & the movie data in the file.
I suspect another application which might fail is Modula-2, as the dates
on any compiled object files will be changed if copied to Novell then
future links may fail and report you need to recompile.... If it does this
to the system libraries you can't recompile. We will check this and report
back.

I checked this problem out carefully BEFORE posting the warning. If, like
us, you use Novell as a file transfer medium - we will (or were) probably
going to use it to transfer pre-compiled Modula-2 object files to our labs,
then this could cause you major pain - I therefore thought the warning
was justified.

Nigel

P.S. If it does turn out to be the date problem Novell do not know when
it will be fixed :-(
-- 
---
Dr Nigel Perry                    Email: N.Perry@massey.ac.nz
Department of Computer Science    Tel: +64 6 356 9099 ext 8900
Massey University                 Fax: +64 6 350 5611
Palmerston North
New Zealand