At 07:23 PM 17/08/02 EDT, [EMAIL PROTECTED]: > >I've noticed there seems to be a confluence in appearance if not function >between Mac OS's and Windows as each new generation of OS's arrives. >Windows98 opens Mac files. Since I installed Conversions on my Dell 450, I've >been able to transfer almost any type of file from the System 7.1 era Mac I >use. Even Mac formatted diskettes open easily in Windows. Graphics, in >particular, make a facile move, particularly those in the TIF format. I hope >the same routine interchange of files will occur under System X -- going both >ways -- of the G3 Yosemite that I should receive by the end of August. I'll >be doing monochromatic scanning with the G3.
That's not so much to do with the OSs than applications (Though Apple did incorporate Apple File Exchange back in System 7?, which I used extensively to transfer stuff to and from DOS PCs). As you mention, Conversions Plus is very useful in Windows, but it's not from MS. (It's cool to be able to read PDFs on Mac CDs under Windows). Aside from the basic differences in disk formats, not so much an issue if you transfer by a network/email etc, the file formats have been made easier or harder to translate due to the attitudes of application companies. Since TIFF, JPEG, MP3, AI, EPS are all well defined and mostly open formats, they translate easily. Also with most traditional Mac DTP apps now having Windows versions, that made simple file exchange a priority. I'm pretty sure Adobe made their Type 1 font formats deliberately different to make transferring them difficult, though there is reliable (but non-Adobe) software to translate Type 1 fonts. Finally they've seen the light with "Open Type", though it's going to take a while for support to trickle down. I only wish that there had been an effort to standardise simple text files and character mappings. I have to always double-check when getting files if they're encoded DOS, Windows or Mac. Recently had some fun with a file that had been composed in Windows, laid out on Mac, exported back to Windows. All the accented characters were scrambled, a the high-ascii coding of these is a matter of dispute. There are ways around this -- I always ask for RTF, which always draws blank expressions from the "I just click save" people, and I usually have to repair the file anyway. I could easily rant about the incredible annoyance that not having curly single and double quotes and dashes on simple keys (instead of weird combinations or trusting "smart quotes" to fix them). Look at product packaging in the supermarket and notice that at least half of them, no doubt laid out on top-end machines as our friend Tim uses, have vertical quotes or fake-italic fonts or hyphens instead of dashes... -- G-List is sponsored by <http://lowendmac.com/> and... Small Dog Electronics http://www.smalldog.com | Refurbished Drives | -- We have Apple Refurbished Monitors in stock! | & CDRWs on Sale! | Support Low End Mac <http://lowendmac.com/lists/support.html> G-List list info: <http://lowendmac.com/lists/g-list.shtml> Send list messages to: <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To unsubscribe, email: <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> For digest mode, email: <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subscription questions: <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Archive: <http://www.mail-archive.com/g-list%40mail.maclaunch.com/> Using a Macintosh? Get free email and more at Applelinks! <http://www.applelinks.com>
