🚀 go-pugleaf

There certainly has been alot of flaming about Liason software, and when it
appears in print, things definitely get complicated.  That's something that
lawsuits are made of.  The last message got my attention, as it touches on a
larger issue as well, so here is another flame (and possible solution):

    It doesn't _have_ to reconfigure it. In practice, though, they made the right
    choice. Two reasons:
							[alexis@ccnysci.uucp]

I vehemently disagree that this is the right choice.  It definitely should not
automatically reconfigure a modem, and write out that configuration (e.g. alter
the hardware).  I speak as a someone who has written terminal simulators and
have dealt with modems and network software before some of the readers of this
list were even in grammar school.

Reaching in and changing system software and especially hardware with explicit
agreement from the user is the sort of thing that viruses are made out of.
There's alot of software out there that does this sort of thing, patching
system calls and the like, and this makes life real hard for someone who has
to maintain the system software, since when there's a bug, it becomes harder
and harder to figure out whose fault it is.  An intermittent failure can make
you want to tear your (or someone else's) hair out.

    1) They are selling this product to novices as well as experts. Novices will
       not know how to configure their Telebit to autobaud, and ...  [ibid.]

That's exactly the problem.  They make the modem work great with THEIR product
and at the same time, break other products.  Novices may not even know what's
wrong, and from what i've seen lately, the average computer store's technician
may have trouble sorting this sort of thing out.

    2) Experts may well use the modem with other comm programs at certain times.
       Unfortunately, many (if not most) comm programs tell the modem to restore
       settings to the factory defaults.  So you very well may be "reconfiguring
       your modem a lot when Liason isn't looking."			[ibid.]

Right again.  This restore the modems to some consistent state at which point
the program can configure it for its own purposes.  Experts also know what
option work well for their particular brand of modem with the software they
used, neither of which may not necessarily be documented properly. Having this
gratuitously changed is very annoying at best.  Thus, it would be nice if, in
general, reconfiguration would be an option.  (I'm adding this as an option to
my own program next time i recompile).  Much more of this kind of thing out
there, and we'll be seeing `reconfiguation wars'...

    My guess is that just because of this flap, they will put in an option to
    change this in version 2.0.  I'm getting a beta tomorrow, and I'll let y'all
    know if it's in the beta.  Truth is, I'd just as soon NOT see it. Any "expert"
    user paranoid enough to worry can fix it in ten seconds with ResEdit, and it
    would clutter up a very well-done interface.			[ibid.]

The user should be asked before changing hardware settings, and i hope that
is the option provided.  The dialog could simply ask whether to change it:
[Always], [This time], [Never].  Configuring a modem does take time, so
there's reason to avoid it, especially if it needs to happen during the boot
process.  Providing these options allows for both speed and compatability.
One shouldn't need ResEdit, a relatively arcane program, in order to do this.
I'm looking forward to seeing Liason correct this defect.

					-- Tovar    <TVR@SAIL.Stanford.Edu>

P.S.  On a related topic, does anyone know of an RS232<->LocalTalk Gateway
which will coexist with an AppleShare server?  In the interest of reducing
message traffic, please reply by mail, if possible, and i will post replies
(or summarize) if requested (via mail).