CompuServe Thread

#Superformatter SuperFlop

8 messages in this thread
#96177From: <David L. Gold>Apr 18, 1993 9:16 PM
Apparantly, SuperFormatter is 100% non compatable with pre-2.0 systems. Every time I tried to use it, it crashed my system. There should be something in the documentation or the description to say this. It'd save me some download time & $. <Dave>
#96195From: Jonathan BlackwellApr 18, 1993 11:31 PM
I disagree.. 2.x has been around for many years and all programs should be assumed to be compatible only with current OS's… On the other hand, I would want to know if a software REQUIRED an ancient kickstart like 1.3. Now that 3.x is out and everyone I know has 2.x (available for years) , I didn't know that there were still any 1.3 users that did anything other than play games. -Jonathan
#96203From: John HortonApr 19, 1993 12:42 AM
I disagree with you Johnathan…..Many people, like me stuck with 1.3 for many reasons. Any OS with a point zero (i.e. 2.0) needs time to iron out all the quirks and now we have 2.1(for the non-AGAers). RAJH studios-a Graphics and Midi/Music Studio has been operating under 1.3 for a while now. I admit we do play games, but we also do some serious stuff here! We will be going to 2.1 next week and we can't wait! 1.3 did have its usefullness as it was the first "major" improvment in the Amigs OS since 1.0! Later……………..John.
#96310From: Jonathan BlackwellApr 20, 1993 1:12 AM
Well, that is why DKB and other people have developed *CHEAP* multi-rom switchers. 2.0 went through many iterations before it became available to owners of machines other than A3000's. Note that 2.1 is software and not hardware… When you boot a game, it uses the ROM kickstart and your argument that 2.1 has fixed some problems does not make sense. I too find uses of 1.3, but that is VERY rare and only when using some poorly written games. Being that the subject was on a *NEW* utility, it would be safe to assume it would be made for the new OS. Some of the features of the new OS is the FFS disk file system (1.3 does not support it) and thus, it is clear that new utilities will potentially have problems with ANCIENT kickstarts. One other note, 2.x has been out for years now, it's well over the testing mode. -Jonathan
#96433From: Christopher TolmieApr 20, 1993 9:40 PM
Jonathan, As a side note, if you don't install the 2.04 ROM, a kickstart 1.3 OS will not recognize the 2.1 disks and report that they are unreadable. This is because the disks are formatted with the new FFS to increase the capacity of the floppy. Chris
#96603From: Jonathan BlackwellApr 21, 1993 9:19 PM
That, I know… that is why when the description of the file said that the formatter used FFS, why would someone try to use it for a 1.3 system? -Jonathan
#96214From: Mike SchillerApr 19, 1993 2:08 AM
Jonathan: While I agree 100% with you, and the policy that only programs that REQUIRE 1.3 should have a special note, I do know that there are quite a few users (mostly video studios) that use only a couple of apps, have older versions of them, and as long as their machine works they don't care to update their machines. Of course these kind of users aren't generally on CompuServe (or any other network for that matter), as they're not particularly interested in how/why their computer works, but ONLY in what they get out of their computer. I have a friend who is using an old A1000 with 1.3, and NO HD, and he won't upgrade to either 2.x or a HD no matter how much I tell him he'll like it, as he's too afraid he'll loose data if the HD crashes, and he's real happy with his system just as it is, so he sees no reason to upgrade. Along the same lines, we used a Burroughs bookkeeping machine (old, large mechanical unit) up into 1980 to do our bookkeeping at our company, and had the same bookkeeper running the machine since 1963 when we first bought it. (he's since retired, and we now have a couple of PCs). I guess my point is that when you buy a machine, and it does what you want it to, it doesn't matter if it becomes obsolete, as long as it does the job you originally purchased it for, and you're happy with that, then no upgrading is nessasary. // -Mike Schiller \X/ AMIGA! On AutoPilot in sunny Fort Lauderdale
#96311From: Jonathan BlackwellApr 20, 1993 1:12 AM
When 1.3 is needed in rare instances, a multi-rom switcher works great and they are cheap! -Jonathan