Quick Introduction

The story
Who are we ?
The Future
Extras

The MacPPP 2.2.0 release bundles all good additions and modifications that we came across; it offers : better security, higher speeds and an increased ease of use. MacPPP 2.2.0 includes the following modifications:

The modifications in Cliff McCollums '2.01 cm4' version: extended password functionality and background operation (his 'Open PPP' application can be used in the Finder)
Display of the modem connect info as in Koji Kobayashi's 2.01k2 release.
The high speed hack to 115K and 230K for faster Macs from Steve Dagley as in his 2.1SD version.
(fixed in this 2.2.0a version)
Some modifications by John Stephen for compatibility with PSI's dial-up ISDN service and with some slower modems
Improved windows and icons as in Marc Matteo's 'MacPPP Add-ons'.
Compatible with the preferences files of previous MacPPP versions so installation is a simple and quick replacement of the Control Panel and the Extension.
This release is NOT yet compatible with Apple's upcoming Open Transport 1.05 release. (shortly in 2.2.1!)

The story

The MacPPP 2.2.0 project - 'Best of MacPPP', as we call it - originally started with some ideas to improve the Config PPP user interface and a bug that has to do with Portshare. It quickly turned out that a lot of people have many good ideas to improve th e old MacPPP 2.0.1 and so several PPP versions were floating around. Until now a user had to choose between those modified versions (2.1SD, cm4, k2, add-ons 2.0.1) so it was quite obvious to integrate all this. That's why I mailed the people I knew at that moment and the enthusiasm really was overwhelming. As such, it is only the enthusiasm of all those programmers that made it possible to collect all the source code and windows modifications and bundle them in 1 new source. I would like to thank Cliff McCollum, Deepak Mehta, Koji Kobayashi, Larry J. Blunk, Marc Matteo, Paul Van Cotthem and last but not least: Steve Dagley for their contribution. Thanks !

Who are we ?

We call ourselves MacBel UG vzw, a non-profit user group that consists of enthusiast of Mac datacommunications, networking and especially internet. We give meetings, demonstrations, a magazine, an electronic bi-weekly magazine (in dutch), etc . Almost 100 members, mac internet users, several programmers... We already programmed an all-in-1 internet installer that shows 1 window (where the user can enter all his data) and takes care of the installation and setup of TCP, PPP, Eudora. We did this to support a Belgian Internet provider.

In this way we recieved an ok from the authors of cm4, 2.1sd, k2, JS and add-ons 5/95. Of course we wanted to add a sauce of icons and a prettier config PPP (rebuild your desktop eg with TechTool 1.07 to see new icons in the Finder). We call it version 2. 2.0 because it has to be clear the version offers more features than 2.01 or 2.1sd, and 2.2.0 also offers a path to new releases. We would be happy to work together with all programmers that improved the original Merit's 2.01 MacPPP if you are willing to share your source modifications. Just drop us an e-mail.

The Future

Things we will try to implement in a future 2.2.x release are:

Compatible or works together with:
- Apple OpenTransport 1.05 and 1.1(TCP/IP 3.x & AppleTalk 60.x) (As we are already testing this, we see a lot of setup problems and a lot of applications that are not compatible yet.)
- Internet Configuration System 1.1
An even better user interface
- like interslip/copydoubler a dialog box that can be made smaller/bigger: only the following functions stay visible: Open, (Hard) Close, Pop(popup), and a triangle to increase the window size for the setup. A floating window (with timer) would be IT.
- multiple modem settings and multiple POPS (also new 'duplicate' button will be activated)
- balloon help

Extras

You can expand your MacPPP software with some other fine additions:

to open and close a PPP session without the MacPPP Control Panel, you can use:
Toggle PPP, PPPop, MacPPP Quickeys, PPPStrip, MacPPP Control, Control PPP
to measure and log the time, you can use:
PPP Floater, PPPReport, PPPSummarize, MacPPP Timer

If you would like to read a lot about MacPPP, read the following interesting texts:

on nic.merit.edu/internet.tools/ppp/mac you will find a detailed description of macppp 2.0.1 (macppp.txt).
on cs.uni-bonn.de/ppp you can find a 'ppp faq'.

Happy MacPPP'ing !

Greetings,

Lieven Embrechts
MacBel User Group
info@macbel.be

PS: THIS SOFTWARE IS FREE BUT HAS ABSOLUTELY NO WARRANTY WHATSOEVER ATTACHED TO IT. NO GUARANTEE IS MADE TO ITS FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. BY USING THIS SOFTWARE YOU TAKE ALL RESPONSIBILITY FOR ANY LOST DATA, TIME, OR MONEY THAT MAY OR MAY NOT BE C AUSED BY MACPPP, AND YOU AGREE TO HOLD LIEVEN EMBRECHTS, THE MACBEL USER GROUP AND ALL ORIGINAL AUTHORS FREE FROM ANY RESPONSIBILITY FOR SUCH LOSSES.