Very Computer

I am a filemaker developer who will be buying a new Mac soon, and need to
decide whether to get a new model that includes a CD-RW drive (G4 466) or
get last year's model and buy my own CD burner separately.

I have developed a standalone application using FM5pro (on Mac) and
FM5-developer.   I want to be able to distribute it for both Mac and
Windows on CD-ROM.  I have heard on this group that in order to put a FM5
app on a CD for Windows, that I have to actually do it from the Windows
environment.  I have also heard on this group that running SoftWindows, or
similar, on my Mac will suffice for this purpose.  I've heard that the
CDRW built into the Mac G4s is tightly integrated with special Mac
software such that it is much simpler to burn CD's on this system than it
is with an external CD-burner.

Here are my questions:

1.  are the above assumptions correct?

2.  assuming they are correct,  will the "tight integration" of the
"built-in" CDRW on the Mac make it difficult or impossible to run the CDRW
from SoftWindows?

3.  Do you have any other insights?

Thanks

--
Greg

(original follows reply...)

Greg, I do cross-platform work on my Pismo PowerBook 500 using Virtual PC/Win
98. I also have an iMac DV SE set up to do the same thing.

I do my initial development on the Mac, then tweak on the VPC side. I create
installers separately on each platform, then burn CDs on the Mac side.

Inevitably, fonts and printing are serious issues, since most of my work
involves serious graphics. Fonts and printer drivers are different on each
platform, and one must be careful to choose fonts that match well across the
void, and to leave room in layouts for text to expand a bit on the dark side.
This is one of many subtleties you will encounter in an AC/DC world.

I would be wary of Apple's new drive and software until you know it can burn
hybrid CDs that are both Mac and Windows compatible. We use Adaptec TOAST on
our CD-ROM burners because we trust it. It has served us well for several
years, and we get CDs that go both ways quite easily.

<< I am a filemaker developer who will be buying a new Mac soon, and need to
decide whether to get a new model that includes a CD-RW drive (G4 466) or
get last year's model and buy my own CD burner separately.

I have developed a standalone application using FM5pro (on Mac) and
FM5-developer.   I want to be able to distribute it for both Mac and
Windows on CD-ROM.  I have heard on this group that in order to put a FM5
app on a CD for Windows, that I have to actually do it from the Windows
environment.  I have also heard on this group that running SoftWindows, or
similar, on my Mac will suffice for this purpose.  I've heard that the
CDRW built into the Mac G4s is tightly integrated with special Mac
software such that it is much simpler to burn CD's on this system than it
is with an external CD-burner.

Here are my questions:

1.  are the above assumptions correct?

2.  assuming they are correct,  will the "tight integration" of the
"built-in" CDRW on the Mac make it difficult or impossible to run the CDRW
from SoftWindows?

3.  Do you have any other insights?

Thanks

--
Greg
 >>

Bill Burkholder

Thanks!!

--
Greg