Archive-name: NEXTSTEP-General-FAQ Last-modified: Fri Aug 27 01:27:51 EDT 1993 Version: 3.0 Every four weeks (depending on the phase of the moon) a number of postings are made to comp.sys.next.announce which are a compilation of answers to frequently asked questions in the comp.sys.next.* Usenet newsgroups. The FAQ list is broken into sections and posted separately. These sections focus on various aspects of NEXTSTEP and NeXT machines. Items that appear within sections are not in any particular order, and get added and removed over time. Posting the sections separately allows people to find the sections interesting to them quickly. Within each section each question will be preceded by a "Subject:" field, allowing news readers to break up the file into separate questions. Each question has its own unique number. The FAQ is kept on-line at several ftp sites, including: cs.orst.edu sonata.cc.purdue.edu srawgw.sra.co.jp [133.137.4.3] Many FAQs, including this one, are available via FTP on the archive site rtfm.mit.edu in the directory pub/usenet/news.answers. The name under which this FAQ is archived appears in the Archive-nameline above. Questions marked with a "+" are new to this issue, and questions with changes since the last issue are marked by a "!". Submissions, corrections, comments, input, etc., should be directed to Nathan Janette . Disclaimer: We are not affiliated with any of the companies mentioned in this posting. If you have any corrections, additions, questions, or answers to add to this list, please send email to: This compilation is meant primarily as a service to the comp.sys.next community. Newsletter editors wishing to excerpt from this work for publication should consider using local electronic bulletin boards to disseminate this information rather than preparing hardcopies. This allows for readers to access the most recent information, and perhaps save a couple of trees. We do not collect any royalties, charge any fees, or compensate anyone in connection with this endeavor. TABLE OF CONTENTS: ------------------ B0. Where can I find additional questions and answers regarding the NeXT computer? B1. Are there NeXT and NEXTSTEP specific magazines? B2. What are the names of some of the ftp sites that have NeXT-related files? B3. If I am not on the internet, how can I get to the ftp sites via email? B4. What are some good references on Objective C? B5. Where can I communicate to others interested in doing music on the NeXT? B6. What special interest groups exist? B7. How may I let the NeXT user community know of an upcoming NeXT-related event? B8. What are the guidelines for posting to comp.sys.next.announce? ____________________________________________________________________________ ~Subject: B0. Where can I find additional questions and answers regarding the NeXT computer? Every NeXT machine owner has access to manuals to a degree. Network and System Administration (NSA), for example contains answers to many of the questions asked to comp.sys.next. Some of the important man pages are reproduced in the NSA as appendices. User manuals were shipped with every NeXT. Additional copies available from NeXT (N6002/N6003/N6014/N6026) $25. NeXT Technical documentation. (How to program in the NextStep environment) Order from Addison-Wesley (1-800-447-2226) 0-201-63248-9 NeXTSTEP General Reference CANCELED (split into 2) 0-201-62220 NeXTSTEP General Reference Vol I (date not known) 0-201-62221 NeXTSTEP General Reference Vol II date not known) 0-201-63249-7 NeXTSTEP Development Tools (1 NOV) 0-201-63250-0 NeXTSTEP User Interface Guidelines (1 NOV) 0-201-63251-9 NeXTSTEP OOP and the Objective-C Lng (1 NOV) 0-201-63252-7 NeXTSTEP Operating System Software (3 OCT) 0-201-63253-5 NeXTSTEP Programming Interface Summary (1 NOV) 0-201-63254-3 NeXTSTEP Network and System Admin 3 (OCT) These are packaged ten volumes in two slipcases; the whole stack is 8-1/2 inches high. They look just like the other documents that come with the machine, 8.5x11", perfect-bound paperbacks. Operating System Software NeXTstep Concepts NeXTstep Reference, v. 1 NeXTstep Reference, v. 2 Development Tools Sound, Music, and Signal Processing: Concepts Sound, Music, and Signal Processing: Reference Writing Loadable Kernel Servers Technical Summaries Supplemental Documentation Get NeXT's Concepts and Tutorial sections electronically from the ftp archives. This is perhaps the single most important reference for people wishing to develop software for the NeXT. Unix man pages, which are included in the online docs. BSD unix documentation (MISC, PS1, PS2, SMM, USD). Available from to USENIX site members. A lot of this has been integrated into the NeXT documentation. Some of this is sorely missing. The SMM Unix System Manager's Manual is really useful! USENIX Association 2560 Ninth Street, Suite 215 Berkeley, CA 94710 USA +1 510 528 8649 fax +1 510 548 5738 office@usenix.org PS1 = Programmer's Supplementary Documents, Volume 1 PS2 = Programmer's Supplementary Documents, Volume 2 SMM = System Manager's Manual USD = User's Supplementary Documents [Carl Edman ] adds: The SMM and the rest of the berkeley documentation are also available directly and for free via anon ftp e.g. from ftp.uu.net /packages/bsd-sources/share/doc. To format them properly for viewing and printing on the NeXT use nroff with the package indicated by the file suffix (e.g. to format the documentation file 0.t use 'nroff -mt 0.t'). Adobe documentation. Available machine-readable by e-mail from ps-file-server@adobe.com. Hardcopy available from Adobe Developer Support Line +1 415 961-4111 for a nominal charge. NeXT last shipped these as part of the 1.0a release; hardcopies appeared in 0.9 Technical Documentation, were omitted in 1.0, and have returned in updated form in _Supplemental Documentation_ of the 2.0 Tech Docs (which is not available on-line). Get NextAnswers for Digital Librarian from NeXT. The current versions are actually on ftp.next.com or available via the mailserver at nextanswers@next.com Get NeXT _Support Bulletin_ from the archives. It is meant for support centers. Another good source of information is the archives of previously posted notes from the comp.sys.next.* newsgroups. Note that since the split of comp.sys.next, it is unclear if anyone is maintaining an archive of all the groups. NeXTstep Advantage book is available electronically from the archive servers: cs.orst.edu: pub/next/documents/NeXT/ sonata.cc.purdue.edu: ? etlport.etl.go.jp: pub/NeXT/documents/NeXTstepAdvantage/ ftp.cs.tu-berlin.de /pub/NeXT/documents/next The file name is NeXTstepAdvantage.tar.Z; (its compressed size is 1.3 megabytes; uncompressed, it's 9.5 megabytes). It is a good introduction to the NeXT programming environment. ____________________________________________________________________________ ~Subject: B1. Are there NeXT and NEXTSTEP specific magazines? Yes. There are also many NeXT specific newsletters, many of which are available via ftp from the NeXT specific ftp sites (look in pub/next/newsletters on cs.orst.edu and pub/next/Newsletters on sonata.cc.purdue.edu - purdue seems to carry more newsletters on line than orst.). Some cost money, others don't. Available from purdue: SCaNeWS - Southern California NeXT Users Group Newsletter, first issue came out January 1991. Edited by Mike Mahoney (manhoney@beach.csulb.edu) BaNG - Bay Area NeXT Users Group, one item on-line on Purdue. Edited by Joe Barello (Joe_Barello@bang.org) rmNUG NeWS - Rocky Mountain NeXT Users Group Newsletter, latest issue May 1991 (monthly). Edited by David Bowdish (73340.2146@compuserve.com). VNUS Newsletter - Vancouver NeXT Users Group The last issue was in Nov 91. Edited by three people, including the Chairman of VNUS, Lawrence Clarke (lclarke@next1.wimsey.bc.ca). NeXT Users' Journal, latest issue December/January 1990-1. Edited by Erica Liebman (erica@kong.gatech.edu). Hardcopy: NeXTworld. Published monthly with monthly ad-free newsletters ($23.95). NeXTWORLD, 501 Second Street, San Francisco, CA 94107 415 978 3182 (phone), 415 978 3196 (fax) NeXTworld email address: ddinucci@nextworld.com NeXUS. Published bi-monthly for $36/year. Contact Alfonso Guerra at {emory|gatech}!nanovx!nexus. What's NeXT? The Boston Computer Society NeXT User group produces a NeXT newsletter called "What's NeXT?" edited by Michael Burress (pro-angmar!michaelb@alfalfa.com) and Eric Celeste (efc@athena.mit.edu). The Boston Computer Society, One Kendall Square, Cambridge, MA 02139-1562 Phone 617-252-0600, M-F 9:30-5:30 Bulletin - Gotham Users of NeXT, Inc., latest issue May, 1992 (monthly). Edited by Robb Allan (Robb_Allan@gun.com) ____________________________________________________________________________ ~Subject: B2. What are the names of some of the ftp sites that have NeXT-related files? There are too many to list them all, so are here are just a few. NeXT: cs.orst.edu nova.cc.purdue.edu sonata.cc.purdue.edu umd5.umd.edu ftp.cs.tu-berlin.de MIT GNU: aeneas.mit.edu MIT X: export.lcs.mit.edu music: princeton.edu ____________________________________________________________________________ ~Subject: B3. If I am not on the internet, how can I get to the ftp sites via email? cc.purdue.edu is configured as an email archive server. This means you can upload and download files via email. Send mail to: archive-server@cc.purdue.edu mail-server@cs.tu-berlin.de with the subject line help and you will get a complete description of this service. Submissions: Mail should be sent to archive-server@cc.purdue.edu with the subject of 'submission' (no ticks) if a person is submitting material to the archives. They need to include a 1-2 sentence description of the submission, the OS release the product runs on, and if it is source, binary, newsletter, etc. ____________________________________________________________________________ ~Subject: B4. What are some good references on Objective C? Objective-C and other useful Object-oriented programming references: Budd, Timothy, _An Introduction to Object-Oriented Programming_ (Addison-Wesley) [It discusses Smalltalk, Object Pascal, C++ _and_ Objective-C] Cox, Brad J., _Object Oriented Programming: An Evolutionary Approach_ ISBN 0-201-10393-1. (Addison-Wesley) [Note: 2nd edition - ISBN# is 0-201-54834-8 and has coauthor A.J. Novobilski] Huizenga, Gerrit, "Slides from a short course on Objective-C" available via anonymous ftp from sonata.cc.purdue.edu in pub/next/docs/ObjC.frame.Z, ObjC.ps.Z, or OldObjC.wn.tar.Z Meyer, Bertrand, _Object-Oriented Software Construction_ (Prentice-Hall). NeXT Technical Documentation Pinson and Weiner, _Objective-C: Object-Oriented Programming Techniques_ (Addison-Wesley). 350 pages, ISBN 0 201 50828 1, paperback. User Reference Manual for Objective-C which is available from Stepstone Corporation. (203)426-1875. Note: There are some differences between Stepstone's Objective-C and NeXT's. ____________________________________________________________________________ ~Subject: B5. Where can I communicate to others interested in doing music on the NeXT? Since NeXT has become for now the platform of choice for much of the computer music composition and research community, the newsgroup comp.music is one good place to find people with information and interest in music on the NeXT. There is also a mailing list specifically for NeXT music: NeXT Music SIG (nextmusic@wri.com) To subscribe, send email to: nextmusic-request@wri.com ____________________________________________________________________________ ~Subject: B6. What special interest groups exist? Adobe Illustrator NeXT SIG To join, email: jchin@wcraft.wimsey.bc.ca AFS NeXT SIG To join, email: info-afs-next-request@transarc.com Berkeley Mathematics Software Group Email: nb@cs.stanford.edu Classroom: NeXT Courseware SIG (neUse of uninitialized value in concatenation (.) or string at E:\listplex\SYSTEM\SCRIPTS\filearea.cgi line 455, line 427. xt-classroom@gac.edu) To subscribe: send the following text message to MAILSERV@gac.edu --"Subscribe next-classroom " Communications/TeleCommunications SIG (nextcomm@marble.com) To subscribe: send email to nextcomm-request@marble.com Data GROUP NeXT SIG To join, email: data_group@dazzl.com Create Users To join email: Create-request@mcs.anl.gov DataPhile Users To join email: DataPhile-request@mcs.anl.gov Executor SIG To join, email: executor-request@ictv.com Finnish: FUNeXT (Finnish Users of NeXT) To join, send email to: mailserver@lists.funet.fi and write in body HELP LIST SUB FUNeXT Frame: FUN (Frame Users Network) To join, email: framers-request@drd.com Frame User Network - New England (FUNNE) To join, email: funne@srbci.mv.com GIS(Geographical Information Services)SIG (next-gis@deltos.com) To subscribe: send email to next-gis-request@deltos.com Lotus Improv Email User Group To join, email: improv-request@bmt.gun.com Mathematica:Special Interest Group To join. email: mathgroup-request@yoda.physics.unc.edu Medical: NeXTMed SIG (NeXTMed@ulnar.biostr.washington.edu) To subscribe: send email to NeXTMed-request@ulnar.biostr.washington.edu Music: NeXT Music SIG (nextmusic@silvertone.Princeton.edu) To subscribe: send email to nextmusic-request@silvertone.Princeton.edu NeXT Icon Enthusiasts: next-icon@bmt.gun.com To subscribe: send e-mail to next-icon-request@bmt.gun.com NexLAW: Legal NeXT User Group To join, email: NexLAW-request@techlaw.com NeXTManagers (quick & technical answers) (next-managers@stolaf.edu) To subscribe: send email to next-managers-request@stolaf.edu NeXT Q&A's To join, email the "SUBSCRIBE NEXT-L " to LISTSERV@BROWNVM.BROWN.EDU Network & Security Management for Labs & Large Installations (next-lab@cs.ubc.ca) To subscribe: send email to next-lab-request@cs.ubc.ca Programmers: NeXT Programmers SIG (next-prog@cpac.washington.edu) To subscribe: send email to next-prog-request@cpac.washington.edu Publishing Interest Group To join, email: publish-request@chron.com Japanese: Kanji and Japanese on the NeXT To join - Email: next-nihongo-request@pinoko.berkeley.edu SCIENCE NeXT User Group (SNUG) To join, email: snug-requests@whitewater.chem.wisc.edu United Kingdom SIG To join, email: uk-next-users-request@ohm.york.ac.uk and next-uk-usergroups-request@asmec.co.uk ____________________________________________________________________________ ~Subject: B7. How may I let the NeXT user community know of an upcoming NeXT-related event? Please send any announcements of upcoming NeXT-related events to announce@digifix.com These events will be posted to comp.sys.next.announce. Be sure to send your announcement in plenty of time to have it posted prior to the event. One to two weeks in advance would be a good idea. ____________________________________________________________________________ ~Subject: B8. What are the guidelines for posting to comp.sys.next.announce? Submissions can be sent to announce@digifix.com. Since postings will be carried across many networks, commercial announcements may be edited down to reflect network usage policies. Look for current guidelines posted weekly in the newsgroup. ____________________________________________________________________________ NeXT-FAQ Editor: Nathan Janette nathan@laplace.csb.yale.edu -- Nathan Janette Voice: 203 432 5065 Systems Manager Fax: 203 432 3923 Brunger Lab Internet: nathan@laplace.csb.yale.edu Yale Univ Dept MB&B/HHMI "I'm a NeXTstep Man, I'm a NeXTcube Guy"