Red Ryder (software)

First released in 1984 for Macintosh computers,{{cite magazine |last=Wortman|first=Leon A.|date=November 26, 1984|title=Macack, Mactep, Red Ryder|magazine=InfoWorld|publisher= IDG|issn=0199-6649|volume=6|number=48|pages=63–66}}{{rp|65}} early versions of Red Ryder were written by Wat Buchanon as a Microsoft BASIC program with documentation included on the disk filled with humor aimed at Apple and programmers.{{cite magazine |last1=Wiggins|first1=Robert R.|last2=Bobker|first2=Steven|date=December 1987|title=A Perfect 10|magazine=MacUser|publisher= Ziff-Davis Publishing|issn=0884-0997|volume=3|number=12|pages=152, 154, 156, 158}}{{rp|152}} After Wat Buchanon died, his friend Scott Watson entirely rewrote Red Ryder keeping the manual in a similar humorous style.{{cite magazine |last=Wiggins|first=Robert R.|date=July 1986|title=3-Ring Circuits|magazine=MacUser|publisher= MacUser Publications|issn=0884-0997|volume=1|number=10|pages=68–72, 138}}{{rp|71}} Watson's releases were a standalone Macintosh applications{{rp|152}} programmed in C and the new author expanded features taking into account requests from Red Ryder users.{{cite magazine |last=Bobker|first=Steven|date=January 1988|title=Fixing What Ain't Broke |magazine=MacUser|publisher= Ziff-Davis Publishing|issn=0884-0997|volume=4|number=1|page=15}} The application was distributed as a shareware until version 9.4, starting with release 10.0 in 1987 Red Ryder became a commercial program.{{rp|154}} Red Ryder was discontinued in 1989 (10.3 being the last release) and replaced by White Knight (starting in version 11).{{cite magazine |last1=Wiggins|first1=Robert R.|date=May 1990|title=White Knight|magazine=MacUser|publisher= Ziff-Davis Publishing|issn=0884-0997|volume=6|number=5|pages=106, 110}}{{rp|106}}

Red Ryder was the first Mac telecommunication application to support big screens and choice of fonts. The program emulates several terminals (ASCII TTY (teletype), VT52 and VT100) and supports many file transfer protocols (uploading/downloading using XMODEM, YMODEM or Kermit; downloading using the CompuServe B protocol) with MacBinary file format. The application includes a procedure language and can be controlled by user defined macros.{{rp|154}} Registered users could set up their own Bulletin board system using Red Ryder Host.{{rp|71}} Highly flexible settings allow to use nearly any modem and Red Ryder also offers phone books for often used phone numbers and services.{{rp|156}}

Both Macintosh and general computing magazines rated Red Ryder highly. Commended were its inexpensive price,{{cite magazine |last=Heid|first=Jim|date=December 1985|title=No Static At All|magazine=Macworld|publisher= PC World Communications|issn=0741-8647|volume=2|number=13|pages=86–94}}{{rp|92}} rich settings and features and excellent support (answering user questions by phone).{{rp|156}} However, documentation included only few examples and with so many configuration options Red Ryder was somewhat hard to learn. Commercial release 10 was also not compatible with version 9.x procedures.{{rp|158}} Despite powerful features and popularity among home users, Red Ryder was never successful in the business market, which preferred MacTerminal by Apple or Smartcom II by Hayes.{{rp|154}} By words of an InfoWorld review, Red Ryder "tries to be too many things at once" and "it's not practical for a typical business user".{{cite magazine |last=Arnett|first=Nick|date=March 20, 1989|title=Open Lines of Communication|magazine=InfoWorld|publisher= IDG|issn=0199-6649|volume=11|number=12|pages=S1, S2, S4-S8, S10-S11}}{{rp|S11}}

{{Reflist}}

• [http://archives.obs-us.com/obs/english/books/elecmanu/gh183.htm Electronic Marketing Manual - Chapter 18-3]

{{Terminal emulator}}

Category:Macintosh-only software

Category:Terminal emulators

Category:Discontinued software