I enjoy your Readers Write section because it offers a way for Apple II computer users to communicate problems they may have with their software.
The Reviews section is interesting, too. It would be nice if you could test hardware such as hard drives, RAM and accelerator cards, etc. in the near future and let your readers know about it. I used to get that type of information from A+ magazine, but since it merged with inCider, it seems
I have been a subscriber of Softdisk G-S since the beginning and enjoy it very much, especially G-Essence and your reviews.
The "Power of the Pen" is very mighty and if the facts are not correct, can be very damaging to the innocent. Your reviews of Vitesse's "Guardian" backup utilities found on issue #15 was unjust. I currently have two of Vitesse's programs, their "Renaissance" disk optimizer and the
"Guardian" backup and both work very well.
In the article, it states that if any error is encountered on the backup disk, the entire backup is lost and because of this, the program should be called "Damnation." That is totally false. I encountered an error once when restoring the backup to my hard drive. By starting over again, the information was installed flawlessly. In the worst case, I would have only lost the one file where the error occurred. Vitesse's technical support is also superb (wish other software companies were as good).
I do not have any connections with Vitesse other than being an existing customer. The comments made in your review could be very damaging to them. The Apple II line is having enough problems staying alive without false accusations being printed. Softdisk should formally apologize for their
comments.
The next time you plan to crucify a program--get your facts straight!
Ronald G. Anderson
Pleasanton, CA
Dear Ronald,
I agree with you that Tom blasted Vitesse's Guardian program a little too much. However, I was here when he tried (on more than one occasion) to use it as a hard drive backup. When you use the program and it gets an error, there is not a user friendly message telling you what is going on. It simply says an error occurs and stops. Now, even if you do start over and it works, what happened to that error? Personally, my hard drive sources and programs are the heart of my job. When I backup a source, it better damn well be backed up. Without total trust in a hard drive backup program, I do not use it.
Vitesse is an incredible force in the Apple II world. We agree with you and applaud their development skills and most of their efforts, but not this one. Finally, their technical support is top-notch, as we have found on many occasions.
I wish to add my appreciation, and encouragement, for your novel publication. The articles, especially G-Essence, are usually timely and to the point. But clearly the heart and soul of the format are the programs. The games are fun but my preference would be for CDA's versus NDAs and home/office productivity programs. I'd love to see a print spooler that ran under GS/OS. Many of us have plenty of RAM to handle such a program. I'd encourage other readers to subscribe to A2-Central, their format and emphasis on detailed reviews and articles is an excellent adjunct to your disk approach. I recently decided to continue investing in the Apple IIgs
rather than worry about whether Apple would continue their support etc. I bought a RAMFast SCSI card and a 4 meg. RAM 4000 memory card. Both are excellent products and Andy at C.V. Tech. has been super in providing support and service. As long as there are good companies like his and magazines like yours who gives a damn about Apple Mac-anations. Keep
I really like G-Essence and also Reviews. I own and have played Dungeon Master and it is one of the best games for the GS ever! I really appreciate your including the System 5.0.4 with issue #17. Most of my questions have been answered already in Professor Know-It-All's section. I would also like to point out grand favors for a company -- Quality Computers! In Lansing (our state capitol by the way) the Apple retail market has literally died out because of no expenditure for advertising. Most (all right, basically all) products, revisions and such things are heard about because of Softdisk, Softdisk G-S and Quality computers. Don't get me wrong, there are some Apple stores around. But boy! The PRICES! Yourselves and Quality Computers (no they're not paying me) offer the only reasonable prices in this region! Last note on this subject-- they are located around Detroit over 200 miles away!
Please keep up the good work, I've owned my Apple IIgs for two years and had an Apple IIc for five years before that. Also, I use a PC at school. Let me tell you: If Apple would put their core back, get on the ball with marketing, (let alone the development end) and gave the IIgs a reasonable
price -- they would be back to owning the Public! The PC's at school are newer, but the ease of use with my Apple IIgs and AppleWorks GS, Print Shop GS, Softdisk, and Softdisk G-S: THERE IS NO COMPARISON!!!
I just wanted to comment on a recent complaint I made to Apple Inc. about the abandoning of the Apple II market, and more importantly, the Apple IIgs. The people with whom I got in touch with were (supposedly) very friendly. (Gee, I wish Apple was more like they sounded). Anyway, here's an
excerpt of what this operator said to me (with minor editorial comment):
"We, the Apple Corporation ( A little rhetoric, my dear Watson? ...) have not abandoned the Apple II GS (Oh Boy! That's real assuring...), may I point out that we have just released HyperCard GS..(which, of course shows a real commitment to that 1-drive, 768K IIgs). Would you like a free book, the Apple II users guide, which explains further in detail our stance on the Apple II?
"Look, Lady nobody is going to go for that rhetoric that Apple is making, and furthermore, just support the IIgs! Gee, that felt good!"
P.S. I loved the cartoon in What A Poster G-S! I wish somebody at Apple would see it, and carve it on the CEO's desk!
Nick Farr
Grand Rapids, MI
Dear Nick,
I think if they see you headed for the doors at Apple in Cupertino they'll call the National Guard. Anyway, from what I heard at KansasFest, Sculley is not the one to be mad at. But, they wouldn't tell us who to be mad at so let's continue to use him as a scapegoat. O.K.?
I look forward to seeing your column every month. It gives me a connection to the rest of the Apple II world. I was prompted to write by your plug for Softdisk T-Shirts. I personally would rather see Softdisk sweatshirts but, failing that, I would be interested in a T-Shirt.
As soon as I saw your request for possible logos/slogans, I knew that I would have to write in. Oh sure, I had a couple of kneejerk ideas (Softdisk: Louisiana's greatest contribution to modern civilization or Softdisk : It beats a sharp stick in the eye), but I knew this would take some
effort.
And then it came to me (perfectly timed to coincide with recent war in the middle East.) Softdisk: THE MOTHER OF ALL PERSONAL PRODUCTIVITY SOFTWARE.
If you wanted to get fancy, you could add a picture of Saddam "Big Blue" Hussein - clad in his usual beret and a PC User T-Shirt, seated behind...what else...an IBM, wrestling with Satanic MS-DOS. I was g
