From:	Robert Nesius <nesius@******.COM>
Subject:	Re: ASIST assistance?
Date:	Fri, 1 May 1998 23:34:36 -0700

>>But to get to your point, I'd say that the differences between the
>>hardware of a Turtle and a 'deck go beyond running ASIST...they work
>>on different principles. Sadly, I have nothing to back me up.
>>Anyone want to help me out?
>>
>>-=SwiftOne=-\
>>

Actually, it may be that simple.
Turtle - non ASSIST interface. Manual I/O devices required.
Datajack interface - ASSIST interface - wetware display technology (your
brain), and probably wetware input as well. However, I consistantly
see deckers described as typing away as they hack, although I see it more
as hitting function/macro keys. ie: Load Attack 5, Scan Filesystem...
ie: Macro buttons for system operations with hooks to appropriate
programs.



The Off topic part.

Regarding BIOS and what not, it's my impression that it's a firmware
layer between the OS and the hardware. I think the BIOS is involved in
the bootstrap process on PCs. When I start up my NT workstation at
work, I see the BIOS stuff sanity checking things before the OS gets
a chance to do anything.

At 7:38 PM -0700 5/1/98, Stephen Delear wrote:
>>ACtually, I have a book "101 things to do with a dead computer".
>>Pretty funny. My favorite is turning the monitor into a fishtank.
>
>Um the computer science department here has an old dumb terminal that's
>been converted into a planter.

I worked at Apple for 2.5 years, and I saw some of the old Macs that
were of the old "all in one" form factor put to use for non-computing
tasks. Two that come to mind are:

1) The Fat Mac Fish Tank. A gutted box with an aquarium inside.
2) The MacBong. A coworker of mine (who shall remain nameless), gutted
the box, and had a clear plexiglass box inside. From the top of
the box, there was a hose running up through the top of the Mac, where
it went into a 4-way split, so it was multi-pothead capable.
Wish I had a picture of it. I never saw the final production model, but
I saw it near completion.