From: moofie@apple.com (Steve Klingsporn)
Subject: Re: RE-7.1 in Beta???
Date: Mon, 17 Aug 1992 20:07:11 GMT
Organization: Apple Computer, Inc.
Followup-To: comp.sys.mac.system

In article <713959300.F00001@blkcat.UUCP>,
Kaz.Karl@f1138.n261.z1.fidonet.org (Kaz Karl) wrote:
> 
> >In fact, why the heck is the System File a suitcase - that doesn't  
> >really make sense.  All changeable pieces should be separated from the  
> >System.
> 
> This is going to sound mean, but I often wonder what kind of idiots they have
> working down there at Apple...I mean, not only were some of the Sys7 ideas
> deprovements, but others were things they could have done a long time ago, which
> were simple logical, not things to take advantage of new hardware/firmware and
> power...
> Dumb things: Balloon help, System Resources in the System...the method of
> distributing processor time(I often forget to force my machine to get on with
> things by clicking the mouse on the area the System is forgetting is
> foremost...Compact Pro, for example, sometimes takes twice as long to crompress
> a file because the finder is off doing other, archane things...clicking on the
> dialog causes it to suddenly get back to work)...there are others...but I'm low
> on time, perhaps someone else would like to chip in...

Okay, I'll chip in.

When you say "...working down at Apple," it's kind of funny.  You really
have no idea what the big picture is from where you sit (in the glow
of the system software you so desperately despise), but there are many
other issues involved in design and development.  For one, Apple is not
one person, Apple is a group of individuals with different preferences,
beliefs, etc., some of them passionate, some not.

Sounds and fonts and all have always been stored in the System file.  I
think that extending the Finder metaphor (drag/move/copy) to these
items is wonderful, personally.  The issues that arise when managing
resources OUTSIDE of the system file are not issues you've thought
about.  It makes sense for resources such as this to be in the
System file.  What other alternatives do you have, and what solid
design concepts do you have?  If you're worried about speed, I'm
sure you realize that looking in other files takes time, not to mention
that the other files have to remain open, and weren't they to remain
open, it'd take even more time to open them for operation.  You don't
want it to take seconds to change your font, do you?  To play a sound...

Balloon help is not dumb.  Balloon help is a step in the right direction
as far as online help is concerned.  How many times have you had
an application that was written poorly or non-intuitively (or just
not understood it; people think in different ways), and wanted a balloon
to describe the functionality of a given radio button, check box, what
have you?  Take Eudora for example (not a commentary on it, but in
the settings dialog, it's often nice to know what's going on -- the
balloon help here is wonderful, and makes things really clear).  Beginning
users may have questions (not all of them are whizzes at the Mac as
you are).

Distributing processor time.  I won't even touch that.  Applications
call _WaitNextEvent, and supply a sleep variable that helps with how
things are scheduled and how much time your app gives to other apps.
When your app is in the background, the frontmost app has priority over
all others, which is logical.  You ay "clicking the mouse on the area
the system is forgetting is foremost."  hehe...okay.  Please be more
intelligent in your descriptions; this is way vague.

The finder is "doing arcane things..."  You don't really know what the
Finder is doing, do you?

Things don't just STOP.  Believe it or not, things are going on just as
they were -- you just are impatient.  Sure, the Macintosh could be
re-engineered, but it wouldn't be Macintosh.  And you wouldn't have
the level of compatibility and quality there is.  If you want
preemtive multiasking, run A/UX.

So, to answer your question, "The kind of people we have down at Apple"
are not stupid.  Sure, I bet there're some idiots here -- there are
idiots all over.  And, I'm sure there are people who aren't very nice,
or have really big egos, or who are inconsiderate -- we're not all
in big white robes.  What Apple *is* seems to be one of the last
strongholds in the personal computing industry for true innovation,
spirit, and is most definitely provides the most intuitive and
seamless personal computing experience available.  If you don't like
what Apple is doing, maybe it's better to look at the big picture.
I, like you, once thought Apple was one person, one idea.  Apple is
a company, perhaps a state of mind...


...Just some thoughts from someone who cares about Apple.


Steve

(Disclaimer -- my opinions only)
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Steve Klingsporn                     "There are moments you can reach with
Apple Computer, Inc.                  people that are pure bliss, but then
20525 Mariani Avenue, MS 35A          you have to get it again, and it can
Cupertino, CA  95014                  turn into a futile exercise that can
(408) 738-1694                        undermine your entire existence.
moofie@apple.com                      The quest for the perfect moment."

                                                    - Robert Smith

Disclaimer: Opinions expressed in this post do not represent my employer.
Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac.system