Feature Interview - Jawaid Bazyar


Q

What was your first experience with the IIGS and when?

A
In the computer store I used to essentially live in. I was very excited when I heard about the "IIx" project finally coming into existence, and so the very day the IIGS was released I was there. The first thing I saw was the Apple IIGS Dealer Demo - and that blew me away. The best sound I'd ever heard out of any computer, and high-resolution color graphics! Wow!

Q

What was the first program you wrote or were involved with for the IIGS?

A
It was "Liphe-816", a version of John Conway's 'Life' artificial life program. It was an obvious first thing to do; I'd written an Apple IIe version that was limited to using the text screen, and was reasonably fast, but not blazingly fast. The features of the IIGS allowed me to use the Super Hi-Res screen (so I could fit more blocks on the screen) and also make use of the power of 16-bit instructions, which allowed me to speed up the program by several times.

Q

When and how did you first meet, team up with, develop and program with
Tim Meekins?

A
Tim and I had exchanged email on the Internet for a while, when Derek Taubert and I hosted a sort of party for Apple II programmers on the Internet - the First Annual Programming Party, I believe it was called. Tim and Greg Thompson came to "lovely" Champaign, Illinois, to program IIGS's and also attend a Yes concert that was showing the same weekend. During that weekend, Derek and I finished a working core of a multitasking kernel on a IIGS, and Tim started work on a shell, or command-line user-interface for it. GNO was born that weekend.

After that, we collaborated over the Internet on GNO for over a year, until it was done.

Q

Where is Tim Meekins these days, what's he up to and does he still do any
development work with you in any capacity, with respect to hardware of software?

A
Tim is working for a video game company near San Francisco called Visual Concepts. We haven't collaborated on any projects recently, but one of these days we hope to.

Q

What is your background with respect to programming skills, languages, hardware designing interest, IIGS programs, that you've written and hardware that you've designed privately or for sale to the general public?

A
I am experienced in C, C++, assembly, Pascal, and Scheme. I like to *create*, so software, hardware, and the occasional fix-it-up around the house are things I love to do. I've written many, many software packages - the most well-known ones would be discQuest, Switch-It!, and GNO/ME .

Q

What precisely would you say, concerning the future of the IIGS as a computer?

A
As a computer? Well, mine still works great, and I still use it daily. As a platform? It looks like things are starting to wind down. However, there are a lot of hobbyists still around doing good work on the machine, so expect to see new software for at least a couple more years.

Q

What are it's strong points over say, a Mac or PC?

A
Unlike most Macs, it has a large number of expansion slots. That is the #1 reason the IIGS wasn't relegated to dumpsters long ago - and it's something Apple should take a serious look at again, for the Mac. It's simple to add a peripheral card: you just plug it in, unlike a PC, where you have to worry about IRQ's and DMA's and IO PORTS conflicting. It has BASIC built-in. The Mac-like GUI was superior to Windows 3.1, and even had some better ideas than the Mac. From a programming standpoint, the toolbox and operating system were cleaner and easier to deal with.

Q

Do you think the different models of computers that Apple has sold, past
and present; (all of them) Apple III's, II's, IIGS', Lisa's, Mac's and PPC's can enhance and share their efforts with each others users, on a productive cross-platform basis? If so, could you please give some in depth feelings on such?

A
I think that's always been the case, that users interchange data among the machines, and use multiple machines to get a job done. And I'll grant Apple that much, that someone there had the foresight to make sure the Apple II and Mac used common disk drives and networking.

Q

Why do you still develop hardware and software for the IIGS, when you could make more money with MAC and PC efforts?

A
Well, that's not always a given. The Mac and PC markets are huge, but there is a lot of competition as well. I've always enjoyed the IIGS, and I was good at programming it - and as I note in the Procyon catalog, if you can make a living doing something you enjoy, isn't that what it's all about?

Q

What exactly motivated you to design and develop the SS card for the IIGS?

A
I've always wanted to do a video card for the IIGS. After I wrote discQuest, Sequential Systems decided it would help sales to have a companion video card, to better see the great images on the various discQuest CD-ROM discs.

Q

What problems have you encountered during its development?

A
Lack of time; incorrect documentation from all parties; Apple, Oak, Zilog, etc.

Q

To date, how many SS cards have been sold, how much do they cost, what exactly will they do, what do they require and so on?


A
I am not at liberty to say exactly how many Second Sight cards have been sold. Suffice it to say that it exceeded my expectations. The cost is $199.95 for the full 24-bit color version, and it works in any IIGS or IIe.

Q

Where (which area and/or country) have the most sales of the SS card been to?

A
The United States, I'm sure. And if the sales of SS were anything like GNO, then a plurality went to California and New York (not surprisingly :-)

Q

Was any of the technology from the TurboRez card project ever transferred to you or included in the SS card?

A
No. There were some vicious rumors being promulgated by Ian Schmidt and others claiming that I and others "conspired" to "steal TurboRez technology". These were outright lies. I haven't talked to Bill St. Pierre since his sad announcement when he said that he'd stopped working on the TurboRez.

Q

Why was the TurboRez project abandoned? What, if anything that you're aware of, did the TurboRez card projects have to offer that are not included with the use of the SS card?

A
I suspect the main reason is the one Bill St. Pierre noted: SecondSight got to market first, and there just wasn't room in the market for two cards. From my understanding, TurboRez did offer some hardware animation support.

Q

What made you decide on the name Second Sight card?

A

Thanks go to Petar Puskarich for the name. I liked it because "Second" meant a new life, a second chance; and "Sight" indicated the the fact that it was a video card; and the combination has a good sound to it.

Q

How long do you continue to develop software and hardware for the IIGS?

A
As long as it's fun!

Q

I noticed that you are somewhat connected to EGO, as they seem to be with you, could you explain what exactly your connections are with each other, as you are both separate companies?

A
The only connection between the two companies is that EGO systems sells the Procyon software line, and Diz (Steve Disbrow) is a really cool guy and fun to talk to.

Q

It's interesting, as I see it, that difference IIGS development circles and companies can work in unity and cooperate with each other, within such a limited, yet competitive commercial market and be successful with their efforts. That could never happen on the PC side of the fence. What do you have to say about that?

A

Well, I wouldn't ascribe it to "cooperation". I'd chalk it up to good old self-interest. Nobody wants to duplicate what someone else is doing, because the market is too small.

Q

Well, back to the SS card, what does the SS card offer its users, with respect to; product enhancements, software (either; freeware or commercial) releases and others software development efforts for its support?

A
The main benefit of Second Sight is its superior video output; plug in a quality VGA monitor, and you have the best looking Finder screen in the history of mankind. It's easy to read, the display is crisp and solid. That 12" monitor Apple designed for the IIGS was a big mess from the beginning.

Seven Hills Software is currently working on some product enhancements that include support for Second Sight; Sequential, of course, has a lot of software that supports Second Sight now.

Q

Could you please give a detailed listing and description, with availability, prices, status, software update cost, where and how to get it etc. - of all such as card offerings, currently or in the future?

A
Current pricing and availability of Sequential products can be had by calling 800-759-4549. I can't comment on future projects.

Q

I've seen a lot of both; pro and con comments about the SS card and it's compatabilities, with your other products, i.e., the RAMFast cards, posted on csa2 by many users. Could you outline (in detail please) exactly what the SS card users might encounter and how to (possibly) correct any problems they have with compatabilities, etc.?

A
All the hardware compatibility problems that I know of have been corrected, so a new purchaser of the card should have no problems.

Q

What's up - with respect to the status of programs, that will be released to support the SS card, such as Tim Meekin's imageQuant, Lord High Giffer, Seven Hills software products, etc?

A
You would have to contact those individuals or companies to find out.

Q

What motivated you to set up the newest iigs IRC?

A
The existing IRC channel had little to do with the Apple II.

Q

What do you think it's produced, so far that's been beneficial to the
IIGS?

A
It's a place where users can go to talk about their computer with other fans.

Q

Do you actively monitor its comments or involve yourself with chats on it?

A
I participate in it quite often.

Q

Is there anywhere others that can't access it, can find a transcript of activity and content from it, available as, say a standard text file?

A
I don't keep logs of the content yet; but I hope to starting soon.

Q

What was the first Apple computer you ever used?

A
It was an Apple II+, at my Junior High School.

Q

Who are some of the people, that are still involved with the IIGS, that impress you the most, with what they know, offer and what they hope to provide for the IIGS, now or in the future?

A
I'd have to say that Derek Taubert, for his GS/TCP package.

Q

What is your favorite memory of any experiences, encounters or outstanding events concerning the IIGS, that you've ever been involved with or a part of?

A
Apple Expo West was definitely a high point for me. It was a great show, with some great people, and all were enthusiastic and upbeat.

Q

What do you think is needed the most, with respect to the future well being and continual improvements for the IIGS, its users and its developers?

A
If someone could find some way to reach the large IIGS user base in a cost-effective manner, that would be a great boon to the IIGS. As it is, it's possible to reach only a fraction of the user base; most users are "cut off": few user-groups, computer dealers that know nothing about the product, etc.

Q

Do you know anything about any IIGS emulators for the Mac and/or PPC?

A
Not really.

Q

Do you think such an emulator is possible and if so, what (if any) limitations do you think it might have?

A
Certainly such emulators are possible. I'd say that emulating the Ensoniq sound chip properly would be the hardest part.

Q

Do you think it should be made available as a freeware, shareware or commercial?

A

That would be up to the author, of course.

Q

Do you think such an emulator, if released, could have any positive influence with the future develop of software for the IIGS platform?

A
I believe it could extend the market for a while.

Q

Do you think many IIGS users would sell their IIGS and buy a Mac, if such an emulator were available and worked well, emulating IIGS and II software, using the actual disks within the Mac or PPC disk drives, rather than image files?

A
No I don't think they would sell their IIGS and buy a Mac. if such a theoretical IIGS emulator were available. I do think it would be a stimulus for the sales of the PowerMac and useful with Macs in the educational area.

Q

There are a lot of various programmers for the IIGS, now working on the active development of difference programs and related items such as the IIGS'; ppp, tcp, gif, jpeg display and conversion programs, and an ever increasing Web presents of Apple IIGS users, programmers, groups, Usenet postings, etc. - presenting the very real possibility of a IIGS Web Browsers need, development, availability and release. Could you please outline whatever you think, you know and can relate with facts and information or even rumors about such a thing?

A
I'm not one to spread rumors when I don't know for a fact that it is true. I can state that this is an exciting time for Apple II users, and if half of these rumors come about, Apple II's will continue to be useful well into the next century, continuing to follow the latest technology.

One thing I can talk about is GS/TCP - this is a package that will allow your IIGS to talk to the majority of Internet Providers that only support SLIP or PPP connections. GS/TCP provides your IIGS with *direct* Internet capability, so you can use such programs as FTP, Telnet, and Lynx right from your IIGS (no "terminal" program needed). Your readers can get more information on GS/TCP by going to: http://www.winternet.com/~taubert/gstcp.html

I guess that covers everything that I can think of to ask you about. Thanks for the interview and the valuable information you've given. It was a pleasure hearing everything you presented. I've learned a lot and I'm sure everybody that reads this will also!


Should you care to contact Jawaid you can reach him as follows:

Jawaid Bazyar
P.O Box 641
Englewood, CO 80151-0641
Voice: (303) 781-3273
fax: (303) 789-4197
email: bazyar@hypermall.com





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