Bob, Gertrude--this is an unformatted version of a MS-Word document I prepared describing MACX (which I want to rename as MACSNVAX). Comments? --Dan MACSNVAX (MACX) A VAX/VMS to Macintosh/Macterminal Link Program 1111111111111111111111111111111 Daniel P. B. Smith Eye Research Institute 20 Staniford St. Boston, MA 02114 (617) 742-3140 CIS 74706,661 1111111111111111111111111111111 DANIEL P. B. SMITH, EYE RESEARCH INSTITUTE, 20 STANIFORD ST., BOSTON, MA 02114 MACSNVAX p.  MACSNVAX is a link program in advanced beta stage which runs on Digital Equipment Corporation VAX/VMS systems and supports Macintoshes running Apple's MacTerminal. MACSNVAX is being developed at Eye Research Institute in response to emerging needs of Macintosh users at ERI. We know of no comparable VAX-to-Macintosh link products. We think this is a market niche where there is presently little competition, and that MACSNVAX could be a successful commercial product. We seek help from an organization capable of marketing it or helping us market it. Who are we? The Eye Research Institute of Retina Foundation (ERI) is an independent, nonprofit institution which does scientific research related to eye disease. ERI's computer unit provides central computing facilities for research, accounting, and development, and support for the use of microcomputers for "personal productivity" applications. Equipment at ERI includes a VAX-11/780, about fifteen Apple ] [-family units, and about ten Macintoshes. The author of MACSNVAX is Daniel P. B. Smith, CDP. He is a key proponent of the Macintosh at ERI and is the computer unit member charged with microcomputer support. He has been at ERI since 1975 and has extensive experience with products of both Apple Computer Corporation (since 1980) and Digital Equipment Corporation (since 1964). How can MACSNVAX be used? As a "store-and-forward" system. MacTerminal's transfer utility is limited because your recipient must be ready to receive at the same time when you wish to send. With MACSNVAX you can send your document to the VAX and your recipient can pick it up at his or her convenience. VMS's own MAIL facility makes coordination easy. As a library. You can maintain a library of Macintosh documents and applications on the VAX. New entries are available to users immediately, without the problems of maintaining and distributing a physical disk library. As a slow file server. You can transfer a 100K file in about two minutes. This compares favorably with the time it takes to find, locate, and copy a file from a Macintosh disk that is not already on line. MACSNVAX supports multiple unattended downloads via a wildcard specification. As an archiver. Files can be transferred to the VAX as they become outdated, from which backups and tape archiving can be efficiently handled as part of normal system operating procedures. As a text file converter. MACSNVAX does convenient and accurate text file transfers between the Macintosh and VAX/VMS, properly handling the special requirements of each system. What does MACSNVAX do? Works with MacTerminal using MacTerminal's "XMODEM/MacTerminal" protocol. Stores complete Macintosh files of any kind on the VAX (applications, MacPaint documents, etc.) Catalogs the Macintosh files stored in any VAX subdirectory. The catalog shows the full Macintosh name, type, creator, and Macintosh file date. Allows for storage of a descriptive paragraph with each file. Displays text files directly. The MACSNVAX "type" command displays the file contents on the screen. Files can be read immediately, without having to download them and open them with MacWrite. Files can be read from any VAX terminal; a Macintosh is not required. Extracts text from MacWrite and MS-Word documents. MACSNVAX can extract and display an unformatted version of the text from a stored MacWrite (v2.2) or Microsoft Word document. Converts between Macintosh and VMS text formats, via IMPORT, EXPORT, UPLOAD/TEXT, and DOWNLOAD/TEXT commands. Uses the VAX VMS command-language interpreter to provide a normal VMS user interface, including HELP. MACSNVAX requires no supporting documentation beyond what is in HELP messages. Allows wildcarding where appropriate (cataloging and downloading). What are the obstacles to MACSNVAX commercialization? The source code to MACX v3.2 (an early version of MACSNVAX) has been widely distributed in an uncontrolled manner, by posting to electronic bulletin boards. The versions posted contained copyright notices, and included an announcement that MACX was not in the public domain and that Dan Smith should be contacted before using it. There is an ownership question with respect to about 1/4 of the source code of MACXÐ-namely, the portions implementing the XMODEM protocol. This code was not written by Dan Smith, but adapted from a DECUS library (public domain) program, credited (perhaps not accurately or completely) to the successive efforts of many people. Most of this code has already been heavily modified and reworked, and it would relatively easy and perhaps desirable even from a technical standpoint to rewrite it completely. However, at present, this has not been done. Eye Research Institute's computer unit consists of three busy programmers. ERI does not have the capability, experience, or staff to market, distribute, or support software to current commercial standards. The Digital Market Most discussion of integrating Macintoshes with other vendors' systems has centered on IBM. We think the Digital market is a potentially valuable niche market that is being ignored. We think that Macintoshes are a natural candidate for DEC integration. Apple doesn't make superminicomputers, and Digital doesn't make low-end personal computers. The two companies are not direct competitors. Both VAX computers and Macintoshes are strong presences in universities, where there is an obvious market for link products. MacTerminal's superbly faithful VT100 emulation already makes the Macintosh a product that integrates well in a Digital environment. A Sample Session The following sample session illustrates features of the present version of MACSNVAX. $ macx < ENTER MACSNVAX MACX v3.61, copyright (c) 1985 by Eye Research Institute of Retina Foundation All rights reserved H)elp, C)atalog, G)etinfo, U)pload, D)ownload, Q)uit MACX>help < HELP FEATURE MACX MACX lets you upload Macintosh files to the VAX and download Macintosh files from the VAX. The files can be of any type, including MacPaint pictures, formatted MacWrite files, fonts, and applications. To use MACX, you MUST be running MacTerminal (you can't use any other terminal program), and your file transfer settings must be: Transfer Method (*) XMODEM ( ) Text Remote System (*) MacTerminal ( ) Other The other settings don't matter. Notice that you set "remote system" to "MacTerminal" even though the remote system is really a VAX. MACX commands can be abbreviated to one character. C)atalog will show you what files are available. The main commands are C)atalog, G)etinfo, U)pload, D)ownload, and Q)uit. Special commands are available for text files. Additional information available: Catalog Getinfo Download Upload Text MACX>catalog r* < CATALOG FEATURE, NOTE WILDCARDING VMS name Macintosh file Type Size Last modified REDIT Resource Editor Application 74K 7-MAR-1985 07:47:10 REDIT0 Redit Application 94K 22-DEC-1984 10:25:12 REDITINFO Redit Info MacWrite WORD 11K 9-JAN-1985 23:12:48 REDRYDER Red Ryder 4.0 Application 63K 3-MAR-1985 13:54:57 REDRYDER1 Red Ryder Doc #1 MacWrite WORD 23K 3-MAR-1985 21:25:31 REDRYDER2 Red Ryder Doc #2 MacWrite WORD 22K 3-MAR-1985 21:25:58 REDRYDER3 Red Ryder Doc #3 MacWrite WORD 21K 3-MAR-1985 21:25:00 REDRYDER4 Red Ryder Doc #4 MacWrite WORD 10K 3-MAR-1985 13:54:13 RESOURCEM Resource Maker Application 11K 13-JAN-1985 21:08:59 ROLODEX Rolodex Application 9K 9-AUG-1984 06:55:12 MACX>g redryder < "g" GETS ADDITIONAL INFORMATION REDRYDER Red Ryder 4.0 Application 63K 3-MAR-1985 13:54:57 $40-requested "shareware" communications program by Scott Watson. True Mac application, successor to the well-known MS-Basic Red Ryder programs by Scott Watson and the late Wat Buchanon. Interesting program with powerful macro features including command files, a "host" (server) mode, and both XMODEM and KERMIT protocols. No VT100 emulation WILL NOT download from MACX. Protocols have apparently NOT been adapted to transfer full Mac applications. The author specifically requests that you NOT download this without ALSO downloading and reading the four accompanying MacWrite documents (Red Ryder Doc #1-4). MACX>type redryder4 < TEXT OF MacWrite DOCUMENT IS DISPLAYED SOME FINAL TIPS % Most of the problems with Remote Service Procedures come from one of two things, forgetting the TYPE ^M command after a TYPE string command, or forgetting to put a PAUSE after a PROMPT command. The importance of the PAUSE command is that it gives the other computer time to settle down and be ready to accept what you're about to TYPE. Use PAUSE's liberally while debugging a Procedure. When issuing modem commands, always use a PROMPT command for the modem's response before issuing any further modem commands. % Your modem must be in a "ready" state before a Dial or Redial will work. To insure this, type "AT" and press Return. Continue to do this until the modem sends back an "OK" message. This is (etc.) MACX>download redryder* < WILDCARDED DOWNLOADING (At this point, without further intervention, five consecutive MacTerminal transfers are automatically triggered, each with the usual MacTerminal progress display box. When the transfers are complete, the user logs off, exits MacTerminal, and finds his desktop now shows icons for four formatted MacWrite documents and the Red Ryder application.)