Notes on Para  5/23/90

The goal of this sample code is twofold.
First, to help broaden your markets.  Try to make it more
profitable for folks who are writing GS applications by broadening their 
scope to include Macs in their target audience. To keep them in the
business of writing GS applications.
Second, entice some Mac developers over to the GS.  Good Software
breeds good software, no matter what platform it originated on.


The goal of Para and it's source code is to provide GS ( and Mac ) developers
with an example of how paralell development can work for them.
I've written a simple game to show the process, primarily because I
could use more toolbox areas than just a TextEdit GS/Mac demo, or a 
QuickDraw Mac/GS example, and  also to keep things as simple at 
the actual application level as possible.  I want you to see the toolbox
use more than the application code use.

Along those same lines, I've written this in _as simple_ as possible
K&R C.  I haven't optimized anything, I haven't used any language or
toolbox obscurities, pecularities, neat ideas, or tricks.  
I've also used a few parallel coding techniques.  
There is a mis-perception among both GS and Mac programmers that the 
machines are very different, and the programming models and worlds
are too different to transition smoothly between.  The point of Para is
to show that that is wrong, that the machines are siblings under the lid.
And to do that I don't want to confuse the basic simplicity of the 
concept with tricks, that can be learned later.
This is not the optimum way to parallel code, but I wanted to show 
the options available more than the 'best' way.  Look at the techniques 
I used, develop your own, and decide what will work best for your 
applications. Once you understand the concepts, you can and will find many 
ways to juice up your code and make the task easier.  

This is a starting point.  It's a working shell of some of the most common 
toolbox procedures, and you can cut and paste this app.
The immediate needs are met. An app starts, creates a menu bar,
opens a window, adds a control, draws, plays sounds, uses dialogs, 
handles events, and prints. Pretty much everything you'd want from
the toolbox side of an application.

This is not the final version of the sample.  I'm releasing it on this CD
in response to WWDC conference participants requests, so please
be aware that there may be some bugs or inconsistancies in the code.
In particular there is not as much error checking as you'd need in
a robust commercial application.  Look for a future full release, plus
code covering other, more specialized, Parallel issues

And as usual, if you are having problems, contact us at DTS.
GS specific questions should be addressed to AIIDTS.
Mac specific questions should go to MACDTS.
Parallel specific questions can reach me at C.K.HAUN

C.K. Haun
Apple Computer Developer Technical Support