TheSky+Mac

On Sat, 11 Sep 2004 11:05:36 +0100, I.J Jordan
wrote:

Also (and I may have misread here) did I read somewhere that "Carte du Ceil"
is being ported to the Mac? or is that just wishful thinking on my part.

There's a linux port in the works. If they release the source it
probably would not be that difficult to port to BSD, which would then
make it runnable on a Mac with OS 10 and the X windowing system
installed. XEphem will compile and run under most unix-like operating
systems, and so serves as an example.

Hi Everyone

I am running Mac OS 10.3, and also have "TheSky Student Edition" for which I
had to apparently install OS 9, which was no great hardship.

However every so often: with no apparent reason "TheSky" will not start
without a restart of the computer.

Has any other Mac and "TheSky" user come across this problem and found a
work a round; or found the cause, failing that are the later versions of the
program Mac OS 10 compatible in that they do not complain if OS 9 is not
there?

Also (and I may have misread here) did I read somewhere that "Carte du Ceil"
is being ported to the Mac? or is that just wishful thinking on my part.

On the whole I would be more than happy to stick with "TheSky" but at the
moment I am finding it's vanishing trick a bit of an annoyance, and something
that for me spoils an otherwise excellent piece of software that more than
serves my needs.I don't know if the "full" versions behave differently to the
"Student Edition" as my reason for purchasing that version was that I did not
require any telescope control options in the software.

Thanking you

IanJ


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I am running Mac OS 10.3, and also have "TheSky Student Edition" for which I

had to apparently install OS 9, which was no great hardship.

Hi:

I've never heard of this one...BUT...you can probably get an answer on the
Software Bisque Yahoogroup:

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/SoftBisqUser

Peace,
Rod Mollise
Author of _Choosing and Using a Schmidt Cassegrain Telescope_
Like SCTs and MCTs?
Check-out sct-user, the mailing list for CAT fanciers!
Goto http://members.aol.com/RMOLLISE/index.html

On the other hand, PC's are so inexpensive compared to Macs that you could just
get one for your planetarium program, and disable any internet interface. This
would make your PC safer than your Mac....
Clear, Dark, Steady Skies!
(And considerate neighbors!!!)

Wfoley2:
On the other hand, PC's are so inexpensive compared to Macs

Yugos are cheaper than BMW's on the showroom floor -- but independent
studies show that total cost of ownership of Macs is considerably less
than for Wintel-based computers. Time is also money!

that you could just get one for your planetarium program, and disable any internet interface.
This would make your PC safer than your Mac...

That would make it as safe as a Mac. But why on earth would I want to
use a computer that was not safe to use on the Internet!? Especially
when the Mac can run any planetarium program or other software that an
X86 box can run?

Davoud

User of Mac OS X (BSD Unix), Windows XP Pro

--
usenet *at* davidillig dawt com

XEphem will compile and run under most unix-like operating
systems, and so serves as an example.


Struggling up the learning curve with Xephem at the moment..... not quite as
intuitive as "TheSky" :-)

IanJ



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http://groups.yahoo.com/group/SoftBisqUser

Thanks for the pointer Rod, wealth of information there.

IanJ



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There's a linux port in the works. If they release the source it
probably would not be that difficult to port to BSD

Hi:

There's actually an Alpha version which you can download and run:

http://www.ap-i.net/skychart/index.php


Peace,
Rod Mollise
Author of _Choosing and Using a Schmidt Cassegrain Telescope_
Like SCTs and MCTs?
Check-out sct-user, the mailing list for CAT fanciers!
Goto http://members.aol.com/RMOLLISE/index.html

Struggling up the learning curve with Xephem at the moment..... not quite as
intuitive as "TheSky" :-)

Hi:

There is a Yahoogroup for XEphem...BTW.


Peace,
Rod Mollise
Author of _Choosing and Using a Schmidt Cassegrain Telescope_
Like SCTs and MCTs?
Check-out sct-user, the mailing list for CAT fanciers!
Goto http://members.aol.com/RMOLLISE/index.html

Hi

Running apps under Classic and OS9 probably won't continue indefinitely.
Either a major OS upgrade, or a new line of hardware will not support
it. Remembering that Classic was designed as a "bridge" environment for
users to transition to OSX, it may be time to consider another software
vendor.

you are probably right on that score, and I must admit I was rather dubious
about installing OS 9 just to run one piece of software, given that Apple
themselves are phasing out OS 9.

I'm running XEphem under X11 and OSX, and it's great, and it's free. X11
is easy to install, run, and use. It's also free from Apple. If you
image at all, you can also run Gimp under X11, which I also do, and it's
as PhotoShop as I need. Gimp is also free to the Unix/BSD community.
Remember, XEphem is used by a lot of pros on UNIX systems, as is GIMP
and FILM/GIMP.

Did not take me very long to find these bits of software, and as I said in a
previous post I am now starting to find my way around XEphem.One thing I
would like to be able to do with it assuming it is possible....... and
perhaps you can help here.Is there a way to save the window layout so it
opens the same way each time you run the application without having to open
the same windows each time?

In the commercial zone, there's Starry Night, which, as a company, truly
supports the Mac and OSX, and is the major competitor to The Sky.
A real prize in the Mac department is Equinox, which runs native on OSX

In my search for an alternative to "TheSky" it is at the moment a close thing
between Starry Night and Equinox, and i suppose it is going to boil down to
if I need the bells and whistles of SN.But then that all may well become
academic if I can get Xephem figured out as that seems to do almost
everything I need, in terms of accuracy and the ability to track
satellites.In fact the ideal all in one program for me albeit with a rather
steep learning curve, but perhaps worth sticking with


The Mac has lots of potential as a astro platform, and I am personally
working with Equinox

As a matter of interest, do you use Equinox for telescope control?
But as you say perhaps it is time for me to drop TheSky, and take OS 9 off my
machine as I would not be very surprised if there were even more clashes
between OS 9 and the new OS in development (referring to OS 10.4 Tiger)

Thanks for the reply it was very informative indeed

IanJ

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