Have you discovered older software that still works under Tiger?
... here are a few
Continued from the previous page...
Amidst all the excitement and hype surrounding each new Macworld event we sometimes forget Macs humble beginnings; who really made it happen, and the true "rest of us."
HyperCard: I'm sure there are new technologies, and new techniques for accomplishing things on the Mac, but I just haven't found them yet. I spent several hours studying up on Automator the other day. I know I'm not the sharpest knife in the drawer when it comes to programming -- but as cryptic as Automator is for all but the most simple tasks -- quite frankly, I don't know of anyone would could figure out how to do some of the things I need done. For instance, I'd love to have someone show me how to do the following in Automator:
* Open a series of text files from a folder
* Search through each stopping on certain key strings
* insert a string of text after the key string
* continue until the next unique string
* insert a new string after that key
* continue until end of file
* Find a string within the text
* copy that string
* save the text file
* insert the copied string as the NAME of the file
* add the appropriate .extension to the file name
* Save the file to a different directory
* return to the first directory
* open the next file
* repeat the process until all files are done.
It really isn't rocket science. But for the life of me, I could not figure out how one might do that in Automator, even though Apple claims:
"Accomplish all of your time-consuming, repetitive manual tasks quickly, efficiently and effortlessly with Automator. It's simple to create custom Workflows just by dragging items, pointing and clicking. Perform the task once using your Automator Workflow."
Well, if that's true, you couldn't prove it by me. Someone with far more software intelligence has to figure that one out!
So, I asked a UNIX programmer friend if the task could be done. He said it could be programmed in machine language, but it might take several weeks at a cost of upwards to $3,000 to get it done.
Thank you Bill Atkinson. One Saturday and Sunday afternoon I used HyperCard and its simple language to tell hypercard what to do, when to do it and how to do it. The simple HyperScript processes files according to the rules above, effortlessy and quickly. The other day I processed a folder of 323 files in just under 4 minutes. Thank goodness HyperCard has been doing that for me for the last ten years or so. Thank goodness Bill Atkinson and those early HyperCard developers knew their stuff and were resolved to build good, bullet-proof code that works for the rest of us! Thank goodness HyperCard continues to work nicely under Tiger, using Classic.
VSE LinkTester: I had come to depend on VSE's LinkTester software like a crutch for my own sloppy html coding. Each update of the sites I would run VSE and it would report back with all the broken links I had introduced into the latest editions. Whew!
So when it came time to do January's site updates, I copied over my trusty copy of VSE Link Tester, and ran the usual routine. GREAT... so far, I said: "It WORKS!" But here's the rest of the story:
Imagine my shock when I opened the report file -- reporting SIX broken links -- but the links and their locations had been replaced with the words : "This is a demo, unpaid version of LinkTester" ... and "If you want LinkTester to report broken links, then go here and purchase!"
No problem. It's been a real life-saver since the late 1990s, so I don't mind paying again! I went to the web site only to discover -- they're gone -- being replaced by some kind of Windows email spamming software. All traces of VSE LinkTester -- gone. Period. So, rather than having to research and find another link tester that works -- and learn how it works -- I had an idea.
Another of those wonderful early softwares is Eudora. Those people have been gold since the early 1990s when the killer email program came out as freeware on the PC platform. Thank goodness it was brought to Mac shortly thereafter! I opened Eudora and ran a few searches, and yes, low-and-behold, there was my VSE registration, circa 1995. I greedily copied the serial number, pasted it into VSE LinkTester and off it went!
So, regardless of what ever naughtiness the VSE people have gotten themselves into, my applause goes out to them for building good, solid software that runs perfectly under Tiger.
We've run out of time... but next issue I'll talk about FileMaker, Eudora and some of the other oldies that continue to give good service. In the mean time, I'd like to hear what kinds of successes and failures you've discovered in the process of upgrading software or hardware.
'Till next time thanks for reading...
Fred Showker, Editor/Publisher UG Net News
Fred Showker is co-editor of "MUG Info Manager," the User Group Network News service, and a founding Apple User Group Advisory Board (UGAB) member. He was an original founder of the User Group Forum on AppleLink Personal Edition which became America Online in 1988 ... read more
"This Old Mouse" presents short, interesting articles about computers and computing for reprint in Macintosh user group newsletters, and the Macintosh computer community at large.
If you would like to reprint "This Old Mouse" in your nonprofit newsletter contact us for details. We can supply header graphics, slugs for both web and print publication. We welcome your questions, problems, tips, tricks and input. Macintosh User Groups should register your group before reprinting
Return to: the top of this page, or read more from This Old Mouse
Exit to: The User Group Network front page
Read more The User Group Articles
Check the The User Group News Department
Read this week's MUG Info Manager