Subject: Shareware FAQ in development From: Steve Franklin Date: Thu, 18 Nov 1993 18:50:53 -0400 The following file discusses my proposal for the development of a Shareware_faq for the internet Macintosh community. The FAQ is not intended to be a pointer to the LATEST versions of software, nor is it geared to the well-weathered or experienced Macintosh user. Rather, it is a starting point to the new-users that are introduced to Internet, that might be somewhat intimidated by the volume and size of sumex-aim or mac.archive. Finding files on internet is no problem, but sometimes finding 'good' or popular files is more challenging. Please read the following article carefully, and do not hesitate to put forward any recommendations or suggestions pertinent to this file's development. I apologize if you feel this mail is unwarranted, and if you are offended I recommend that you delete the mail and send me a nasty note in response. Thank you in advance for your time, and I look forward to any response you might have. Steve Franklin franklin@ug.cs.dal.ca ############################################################################### ############################################################################### This is a call to all software/shareware/freeware/public-domain users and programmers, requesting that you enter your recommendations for net-available software under any categories including : science games utilities system extensions communications education UNIX/VMS utilities pertinent to Macintosh ... This list has already been included in various published documents, and has been retrieved by thousands of mac users over the four months. Considering this, I feel it is my responsibility to revise it to a more polished and well rounded form. The key requirements of the list are (1) that it not be too cumbersome and large, (2) that it reflect the mac community (not just my opinions), (3) that it become a service to the community - especially for somewhat new users. Note, it is not a FAQ for retrieving these files, but more so a FAQ for what is available. New users coming to the net don't have time to sift through all of the indexes available, or try each program out. This file is intended to be a pointer to the valuable software available on the net, sparing some the time of sifting through everything. WHY SHOULD I CONTRIBUTE TO THIS LIST? Well, if you're a happy user of a piece of software on the net, you're doing the author a favor. Considering the use of this list already (even in it's crude state), more publicity for the author translates into more support (financial, communicative, or whatever - depends on the nature of the software). Also, it gives you the opportunity to put something back into the net which has given you so much. Realizing that this positive-feedback of the Internet is what keeps it running, this is certainly an opportunity for the Mac community to improve something which requires change. HOW WOULD I CONTRIBUTE TO THIS LIST? Certainly, I will appreciate any and all ideas/lists/suggestions that are mailed to me at franklin@ug.cs.dal.ca As well, when contributing ideas for software available on the net, you should tell a few things about the software: ~title: Stuffit Lite version: 1.03b Descrip: Decompresses a large number of formats (cpt,sit,etc) and *.hqx Cat: Shareware (20$ fee) Location: mac.archive/sumex (Not 100% sure that those facts are correct). Requires: color? 020 chip? 4 megs ram? anything wierd should be here WHAT IS FRANKLIN GOING TO PUT BACK IN RETURN? Well, I plan on having an archive on my ug.cs.dal.ca site that will mirror ALL software that makes this list - that's right. Any newbie who is looking for the stuff on this list will be able to ftp to my site to get the software. I have already checked with my system administrator, and ug.cs.dal.ca will become a site for mac-notables if enough support warrants it. It's already been tried out, so if people want this - it WILL happen. Now... I'll show you the format of the list so far - as you can see, there IS room for improvement, and I am wiling to put the time into this. Please circulate this form to as many of your buddies as possible, because this can either be a GREAT service, or useless - you and I determine which result happens. Thanks in advance for lending me your ear, and I hope I can rely on your support. Please circulate this to bbs's, local university channels, and more to help it grow. Steve Franklin franklin@ug.cs.dal.ca ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- - Software Available on Internet - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- - Steve Franklin (August 5, 1993) - - franklin@ug.cs.dal.ca - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- All filenames that are listed as (filename.hqx) are found at mac.archive.umich.edu in the appropriate directory. All files that are list as [filename.hqx] are found at ftp.apple.com. Users should read the licensing agreement in /dts/README.FIRST for explicit instructions as to the status of some of the _Commercial_ Software referred to (e.g. ResEdit). ---------------------------------- -Required software for new users:- ---------------------------------- Software title filename (found at mac.archive.umich.edu) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Stuffit Expander /mac/util/compression/stuffitexpander3.03.sea.hqx Zterm /mac/util/comm/zterm0.9.cpt.hqx Binhqx /mac/00help/binhex4.0.bin (binary mode) Disinfectant /mac/util/virus/disinfectant3.2.sea.hqx ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Popular shareware as of August, 1993 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- COMMUNICATION: 1stBBS Modem client to hook up to 1st BBS's (/mac/util/comm/1stbbsremote1.17b1.sit.hqx) Comet Really customizable (slip-able?) modem prog (/mac/util/comm/comet2.14.sit.hqx) Eudora Great pop-mail client for reading unix mail (/mac/util/comm/eudora1.31.sit.hqx) Eudora accessories Required for running Eudora (/mac/util/comm/eudora1.31accessories.sit.hqx) Fetch Fantastic TCP-based file retriever (/mac/util/comm/fetch2.1.sit.hqx) Ftp-d Ftp server for Macintosh (TCP) (/mac/util/comm/ftpd2.10.sit.hqx) Homer-serial Serial irc client for Mac - Nice! Needs unix (/mac/util/comm/homer0.90vserial.sit.hqx) Homer-TCP TCP equivalent - needs no unix. (/mac/util/comm/homer0.90vtcp.sit.hqx) Ircle Another TCP-based irc client... Good (/mac/util/comm/ircle1.35.sit.hqx) Kermit Standard kermit interface (/mac/util/comm/mackermit0.99188.cpt.hqx) Maclayers ULTIMATE multi-windowing for Mac (/mac/util/comm/maclayers1.30.sit.hqx) Mac-news Great serial news reader - faster than rn (/mac/util/comm/macnews1.1.cpt.hqx) Termulator Zmodem capable term program - mucho scripts (/mac/util/comm/termulator2.03.cpt.hqx) Toad-news Used with uucp to batch download news (/mac/util/comm/toadnews1.0.cpt.hqx) UUPC For reading uucp as a leaf (/mac/util/comm/uupc3.0.cpt.hqx) Z-term Standard Zmodem program - popular (/mac/util/comm/zterm0.9.cpt.hqx) COMPRESSION: Compact pro For *.cpt,definitely preferred over STUFFIT (/mac/util/compression/compactpro1.33.sea.hqx) DD Expand For expanding "Disk Doubled" software (/mac/util/compression/ddexpand3.77.sea.hqx) gzip For expanding *.z or *.gzip files Stuffit-expander Expands *.sit, *.cpt, *.hqx and more - FREE (/mac/util/compression/stuffitexpander3.03.sea.hqx) StuffIt lite For *.sit,*.cpt,more - really nice features (/mac/util/compression/stuffitlite3.06.sea.hqx) Sun-tar For reading and writing *.tar files on mac Zip it For expanding *.zip files - well done (/mac/util/compression/zipit1.11.cpt.hqx) EDITORS: BBEdit-lite Way fancy text editor with lots of bells (/mac/util/text/bbeditlite2.3.cpt.hqx) Edit II Nice simple editor - easy to use/learn (/mac/util/text/edittwo2.14.cpt.hqx) GAMES: Card shell vol 1 Lots of card games - good package (/mac/game/card/cardshellsolitaire1.0.cpt.hqx) Columns ][ Tetris-ish with nice graphics (/mac/game/card/cardshellsolitaire1.0.cpt.hqx) Diamond Diamonds! One of my favorites (color) (/mac/game/arcade/diamonds1.6.cpt.hqx) Eliza Computer AI simulator (/mac/misc/compsci/eliza2.5.cpt.hqx) Empire master demo demo for a fun conquer-all game (/mac/game/demo/empiremaster2.6.cpt.hqx) Frac 3-dimensional tetris (interesting) (/mac/game/arcade/frac1.0.cpt.hqx) Klondike Solitaire! (/mac/game/card/klondike5.1.cpt.hqx) LemmingsDemo Demo for a great Lemmings game - Nice color (/mac/game/demo/lemmingsdemo.cpt.hqx) MacNH311 NET HACK! Great game - D&D role playing (/mac/game/adventure/nethack3.13.cpt.hqx) Maelstrom Author of Solarian's vers. of Asteroids (/mac/game/space/maelstrom1.2.cpt.hqx) Net trek Necessity for those with appletalk (/mac/game/space/nettrek2.0.cpt.hqx) Risk Nice color risk game (/mac/game/board/risk.sit.hqx) Solarian Fantastic Galaxian-ish color game (13" mon.) (/mac/game/space/solariantwo1.04.cpt.hqx) Starroids Nice b/w asteroids game (/mac/game/space/solariantwo1.04.cpt.hqx) Tetris max Nice two player tetris game - color & b/w (/mac/game/arcade/tetrismax2.0.sit.hqx) GRAPHICS Brad_Clip_Art Hypercard clip art Gif-converter Necessary Gif/jpeg/etc viewer - REALLY nice (/mac/graphics/graphicsutil/gifconverter2.32.cpt.hqx) Giffer Fast Gif viewer (/mac/graphics/graphicsutil/giffer1.12.cpt.hqx) Jpegview View jpegs at a reasonable speed (/mac/graphics/graphicsutil/jpegview2.0.cpt.hqx) Popcorn Quicktime viewer (/mac/graphics/quicktime/popcorn1.01.sit.hqx) QuickTime MOOV format animation for Macs MATH: Matlab-demo Powerful demo of MatLab - hardly stripped (/mac/misc/demo/matlab1.2b.cpt.hqx) Number-crunch Fantastic calculator/grapher and more (/mac/system.extensions/da/numbercrunch1.41.cpt.hqx) BINARY files (for UNIX) Macunpack Opens *.cpt *.sit and more - really nice (/mac/util/unix/macutil2.0b1.shar) Mcread Reads MacWrite files on unix (/mac/util/unix/mcread1.01.tar.Z.uu) Mcvert Convert *.hqx files - quite stable (/mac/util/unix/mcvert2.12.shar) Sit Create stuffit archives (/mac/util/unix/sit.shar) Sun2snd Convert *.au to a mac sound file Unsea Get rid of *.sea and turn into *.cpt (/mac/util/unix/unsea1.0.shar) Unsit Expand OLD *.sit files (/mac/util/unix/unsit1.5.shar) MISC: Macsbug Program switch interface - NICE debugger [/dts/mac/tools/macsbug/* (bunch of stuff)] Pspice PSpice for the Mac (/mac/misc/compsci/pspice5.3.sit.hqx) Windows3.0 Little windows gimmick for color macs (/mac/graphics/graphicsutil/windows3.0.cpt.hqx) DOCS: (if you've looked on mac.archive.umich.edu and can't find these then feel free to ask me for any of these) IBM1002-powerpc-processors.txt IBM1002-technology-alliance.txt Patent_Info afterdarkfaq0.3.txt apple-mode32.txt bestgames cheats interleavedmemory.txt mac.rom macfacts3.0a.txt macfactstwo.txt macibmcomparisons1.4.txt mactcpinfo1.1.txt mactricks mactypes6.0a.txt patches pr0113-quicktime-apps.txt what-is-apda.txt Mac-faq compsysmaccommfaq.txt compsysmacgeneralfaq2.11.txt compsysmacmiscfaq2.11.txt compsysmacsystemfaq2.11.txt csmprogrammerfaqlist.txt hellcatsfaqtips1.0.txt iisi25mhzupgradefaq.txt powerbookfaq.txt startupscreendeskpictfaq.txt SOUNDPLAYERS: SampleEditor Great interface to manipulate mac sounds (/mac/graphics/graphicsutil/windows3.0.cpt.hqx) SYSTEM: AliasMenu Nice alias tricks (/mac/system.extensions/cdev/aliasmenu1.1.cpt.hqx) Apollo Nice file launcher (expires quickly) (/mac/system.extensions/init/apollo1.0.cpt.hqx) AppMenu Lists currently running applications (sys7) (/mac/system.extensions/cdev/appmenu4.0.sit.hqx) MODE32 Run 32 bit clean on older machines (se30) [/dts/mac/mode32/apple-mode32.hqx] Applicon Icons of currently running applications (/mac/util/multifinder/applicon2.2.sit.hqx) AutoMenus Auto-drop menus (/mac/system.extensions/cdev/automenusii1.02.cpt.hqx) Bongo_Bob Fortune for your mac - random quotes (/mac/system.extensions/init/bongobob3.02.sit.hqx) Carpetbag Like Suitcase II but less fancy and cheaper (/mac/system.extensions/cdev/carpetbag1.39.sit.hqx) Dragging Windows Drag windows, not their outlines - neat (/mac/system.extensions/init/dragwindowii2.3.cpt.hqx) DarkSide NICE NICE screensaver - nice price too (/mac/util/screensaver/darkside4.0.sit.hqx) Desk_Pattern Great for 8,16,24 bit desktop patterns! (/mac/system.extensions/cdev/deskpattern1.01.cpt.hqx) Escapade Nice escape functions for sys7 (/mac/system.extensions/cdev/escapade1.32.sit.hqx) FIM Folder Icon Maker (/mac/util/organization/foldericonmaker1.1.sit.hqx) Gregs_buttons Nice 'n fancy buttons for your mac (color) (/mac/system.extensions/cdev/gregsbuttons3.1.sit.hqx) LogIn LogIn accounts for your Macintosh (/mac/util/security/login2.1.cpt.hqx) MenuDropper Drop aliases and stuff onto your menu (AMI) (/mac/system.extensions/init/menudropper7.1b6.cpt.hqx) Menuette Icons for your menu instead of heinous ascii (/mac/system.extensions/cdev/menuette1.12.sit.hqx) New_Fish FISH! backdrop for mac (/mac/system.extensions/cdev/fish2.0.sit.hqx) OtherMenu Excellent sys 7 addition - lots of features (/mac/system.extensions/init/othermenu1.2.sit.hqx) Peewee Get a YELL when you type the "magic" word (/mac/system.extensions/init/peewee1.01.cpt.hqx) Popchar Display all ASCII possibilities for a font (/mac/system.extensions/cdev/popchar2.52.cpt.hqx) Power-clicks Extra features for mouse (?) (/mac/system.extensions/cdev/powerclicks1.02.sit.hqx) Resume-To-finder Lets you always return to finder after crash (/mac/system.extensions/cdev/resumetofinder2.0.sit.hqx) SecureInit Major security for mac - no floppy boots (/mac/util/security/secureinit1.8.sit.hqx) SpeedyFinder7 Tune finder for EXCELLENT features (/mac/system.extensions/cdev/speedyfinderseven1.54.sit.hqx) SwitchApp Switch applications with keyboard (/mac/system.extensions/cdev/switchapp1.1.sit.hqx) System7pack Tweak finder settings - like speedyfinder (/mac/util/organization/system7pack3.41.cpt.hqx) System_Picker "bless" a specific system folder for boot (/mac/util/organization/systempicker1.0b11.sit.hqx) TearOFFs TEAR OFF MENUS - cool - rip 'em off (/mac/system.extensions/cdev/tearoffs1.0b4.cpt.hqx) TrashMan Ultra-deluxe trash utility (/mac/util/trashcan/trashman4.03.cpt.hqx) Wild_Magic Used with QUickTime for more features (/mac/system.extensions/cdev/wildmagic2.0.sit.hqx) WindowPicker Kinda like Windowlist - Great also (/mac/system.extensions/init/windowpicker1.02.sit.hqx) UTILITIES: About REALLY nice replacement for Finders "About macintosh" (/mac/util/developer/about1.0.sit.hqx) Auto assassin Find repetitive/redundant aliases (/mac/system.extensions/init/windowpicker1.02.sit.hqx) Basic black Effective no-nonsense screen-saver - cpu friendly (/mac/util/screensaver/basicblack1.1.cpt.hqx) Disinfectant FREE virus fighter - a MUST (/mac/util/virus/disinfectant3.2.sea.hqx) Diskcopy Used with Image format files [/dts/utils/diskcopy-4-2.hqx] Extensions manager Nice utility for choosing extensions/cps/SI [/dts/mac/hacks/extensions-manager-2-0-1.hqx] MICN16 Icons for your Menu - cool stuff (/mac/system.extensions/cdev/micn1.9.sit.hqx) Prefs-cleaner Get rid of out-dated pref files (/mac/util/diskfile/prefscleaner1.1.cpt.hqx) Resedit Used for editing mac apps - see RSRC's [/dts/mac/tools/resedit/* (bunch of stuff) Threads manager Improve Apple-events and background jobs [/dts/mac/hacks/thread-manager-exten-1-2.hqx]