779 lines
39 KiB
Plaintext
779 lines
39 KiB
Plaintext
RAndY s RumOR RaG
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August 1993
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NEWS IN YER FACE
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Here's a new one for you. You've surely seen the coffee mugs
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and pens emblazoned with corporate logos that companies routinely
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give away. Metromedia Communications is selling the PhonePass.
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It's a disposable credit card you give to a client which is good
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for a pre-determined amount of long distance service. The client
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you give it to uses it like a credit card and then throws it away
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when it's used up. You can have your logo printed on the card and
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callers using the card can even hear a customized greeting. Each
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PhonePass is available for 10-100 minutes of long distance time
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($5-$50) and the minimum purchase of cards is $2,500.
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---------------
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Intel is pushing the 486DX2/66 as an attempt to keep users
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away from AMD chips. AMD is due (as I write this) to release a 486
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compatible chip based on non-Intel code.
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---------------
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Microsoft will release a beta of Windows for Workgroups, code-
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named Snowball, in mid August and a new 3.11 version could be out
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by the fall.
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To be an integral part of the product will be IPX and TCP/IP
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protocol stacks. They're hoping to ease the installation process
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and reduce memory requirements. The product will be faster with
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database and disk I/O operations. Another goal is better
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connectivity with non-Windows environments.
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---------------
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WordPerfect has delayed the release of InForms due to
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technical glitches, not a lawsuit from Shana Corp. (which markets
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a forms package called Informed). Shana claims that there is
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customer confusion over the name, but WordPerfect is sticking with
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its plans.
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Expect an interim release of InForms this fall which will
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include support for DDE and OLE 2.
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---------------
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Quarterdeck is hoping that their new upgraded memory
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management software will provide the company with some financial
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stability. Recent releases of DOS have hurt their business
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severely, recently slipping 23.5%.
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---------------
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Here's an interesting new product - PhotoMorph (from North
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Coast Software). Select a starting image and ending image, and
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place markers around the area to be morphed. The software will
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generate an animation. You control the compression and frames per
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second. Included is a runtime version of Video for Windows so you
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can distribute your animation. Several transitional effects are
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also possible. The list price is only $149.95.
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---------------
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Expected to be released in August is the Scanman EasyTouch
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from Logitech. What distinguishes this scanner from others,
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besides its size and appearance, is that it requires no board. It
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connects to the parallel port (with a pass-through connector). The
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different software packages with which the scanner will be bundled
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will be TWAIN-compliant. Suggested list price will be $399.
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Oak Technology will introduce a Windows and OS/2 accelerator
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chip with multimedia capabilities. The chip, called Spitfire, has
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a video port that will accept full-color, full-motion video and
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display it in a window. The Spitfire has a 64-bit data path to
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graphics memory and a series of built-in FIFO buffers for
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maintaining transfer rates of up to 200M per second. There are
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four bit maps that allow Windows and NT raster operations to be
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performed in one step. There is an interface for VESA local bus,
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PCI, and ISA.
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---------------
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Sales of Novell NetWare 4.0 are sluggish. Users are skittish
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about giving up what they've got and some are wary of version
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numbers ending in "0". There are also apparent problems with an
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inability to load Virtual Loadable Modules to launch under Windows,
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bindery emulation difficulties when using third party applications,
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and sluggish login times.
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There was one day recently when *no* support calls were
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received for NetWare 4.
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FREDDY PHARKAS FRONTIER PHARMACIST
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Imagine Leisure Suit Larry meets Blazing Saddles and you've
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pretty much got the idea.
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This new game from Sierra On-Line is very entertaining.
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You're an ex-gunslinger turned pharmacist in the Old West. Someone
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is trying to destroy your town and it's up to you to find out who
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it is and stop them. (HINT: The person you least suspect is the
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guilty party.)
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Along the way you'll encounter lots of interesting characters
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including an Indian sidekick (Eastern Indian), the local Madame,
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and the new Schoolmarm. The sound effects are excellent. In
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addition to the usual background music are interspersed occasional
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sampled sounds (like glass being broken, the crack of a whip,
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etc.).
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The puzzles are challenging and the scenery is very well done.
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There are several places in the game where a sepia-toned image is
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gradually transformed to natural color.
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I wouldn't recommend the game to children, due to
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miscellaneous sheep jokes and flatulent horses (with sound
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effects). The jokes aren't dirty, they're more corny than
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anything.
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---------------
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AND SO IT GOES
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My PageMaker 5 woes continue. After ten days they returned my
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call. Their fix for the problem with old documents was to link
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with the original graphics. Unfortunately I don't have the
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original graphics. I've figured it out that it's the imported CGM
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graphics causing the problem. If I delete the graphics, the
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documents will print. If I replace existing graphics with new
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graphics, the documents will print. Looks like a problem with CGM
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graphics to me. This was confirmed with the Aldus call. They said
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that they were aware of a problem with the CGM import filter and a
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fix was due in the future.
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To compound the problem, imported CGM graphics from Corel are
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flipped upside-down. That makes extra work for me to flip them
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back the way they're supposed to be. I've tried the graphics in
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other programs and they're fine, so that tells me the problem is
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with PageMaker. Again, this was substantiated by Aldus Technical
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Support. Their suggestion was to use the filter from PageMaker4
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and cautioned that there may be other problems using the older
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version.
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What ever happened to beta testing?
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---------------
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MORE NEWS IN YER FACE
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The Sierra Network recently signed a pact with AT&T and
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General Atlantic Partners giving AT&T part ownership in The Sierra
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Network.
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The Sierra Network also aligned itself with Prodigy. Said
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John Williams, vice president of The Sierra Network, "The Sierra
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Network and Prodigy are a perfect fit. We're like the comics
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section and they're like the rest of the paper."
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---------------
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Micronics, a major manufacturer of motherboards, is now making
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motherboards in standard and "green" versions. The board features
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two standard VL slots and an integrated VL-bus IDE controller.
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Micronics claims that energy savings could drop to $12 per year
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compared to $35 for standard systems. Air-conditioning costs could
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be reduced also, because it takes 1.5 watts of cooling energy for
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each watt of electricity consumed by a PC.
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WordPerfect has new DOS-based fax software available which
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lets users fax from within any DOS application. Soon to follow is
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a Windows version which is expected to support OCR and remote
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communications.
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The package was previously sold under the name of
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METZ/ExpressFax and was packaged with computers sold by Dell,
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Megahertz, Zoom Telephonics, and U.S. Robotics under OEM
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agreements.
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Concerning recent announcements of a layoff of 2,500 employees
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by Apple, Jay Leno recently quipped they were achieving their
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longtime dream of becoming the same size as IBM.
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---------------
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I recently attended a WordPerfect product rollout and was
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amazed at the negative comments by resellers concerning Clinton and
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his proposed economic policies. A recent survey by Computer
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Reseller News found a majority of venture capitalists in the
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technology industry fear the Clinton administratin will be bad for
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business. I thought I was the only one who had this figured out.
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Sierra On-Line is scheduled to release a new Leisure Suit
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Larry in November called "Shape Up or Slip Out". Larry gets chosen
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as a contestant on a dating show and, of course, loses. The
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consolation prize is two weeks at La Costa Lotta health spa. I
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hear he's surrounded by women, each with a physical flaw that must
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be corrected. The icon and inventory bars are permanently visible
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and there are scrolling text bars.
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Police Quest IV is also due out soon, featuring photo-
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realistic images. This game was developed by former Los Angeles
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Police Chief Daryl Gates.
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You've probably heard that Sierra is moving their corporate
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offices to the Seattle area. Game development and TSN will stay in
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Coarsegold, CA. Hope Ken and Roberta like latte. Welcome to God's
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country.
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A new screen saver called Coaster has simulations of four
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well-know roller coaster rides from across the country. The
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simulations take the rider's point of view and use digitized sound
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(like the creaking of wood) and graphics. Scenery adjacent to the
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ride changes as the car moves. List price is $59.95 from Road
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Scholar Software and the program will be followed up by one that
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lets you build your own roller coaster.
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Microsoft and an un-named CD-ROM drive vendor are rumored to
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have plans for bundling Windows NT with a drive and SCSI adapter.
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In an unrelated piece of information, I learned that
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Microsoft's Mike Maples' son works for IBM on OS/2. Small world.
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MICROSOFT DINOSAURS
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Dinosaurs have been popular for some time and the movie
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"Jurassic Park" has produced an explosion of interest in dinosaurs
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recently.
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Microsoft has finally released their multimedia excursion into
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the world of Dinosaurs. This CD is extremely well done. The only
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way it could be better is if the dinosaurs could jump out of the
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screen and rip your face off.
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The interface is pretty obvious and easy to navigate. There
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are several animations and a short video from the PBS series, all
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using Video for Windows technology. The accompanying sound is
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outstanding - so get your sound card hooked up through your stereo
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now. Some of the animations are quite graphic, but then so is
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nature. My only complaint is the pro-evolution philosophy that is
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used to explain some things.
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Your kids will love this. There's even a special mode for
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watching a slideshow of images and sound. Since the names for some
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of these creatures are hard to pronounce, there are pronunciations
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throughout the multimedia experience. You can also print just
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about anything that's on the screen including "fact cards" which
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are like trading cards. There are even a couple of screen savers
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included.
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ACCESS 2 WISH LIST
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Although Microsoft's Access Version 2 has not yet reached beta
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testing, they're already compiling a list of features which will
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likely be implemented. (Rumor has it that the program will ship by
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year's end.)
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Look for a graphical relation builder which would simplify
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creation of one-to-many-to-many relationships, table wizards,
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inproved join semantics, faster SQL pass-through, and an integrated
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expression builder function to allow development of complex
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expressions. They're also likely to add Rushmore-like
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optimization.
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EVEN MORE NEWS IN YER FACE
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In case you haven't noticed, DRAM prices have jumped
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noticeably. The price of 1 Meg SIMMs recently more than doubled.
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The culprit, for once, isn't restrictive government regulations.
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Fire recently destroyed the Sumitomo Chemical Company which
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produced 60% of the the world's epoxy resin which is used in chip
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manufacture.
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The Windows word processor wars will be heating up this fall.
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It is expected that Word for Windows will beat out WordPerfect for
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Windows 6 in getting to market.
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Word for Windows will support OLE 2 and also include Wizards,
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background printing, editable print previews, open database
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connectivity, and automatic calculation of tables.
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WordPerfect for Windows 6 will not initially support OLE 2,
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but will have features not found in Word such as expanded
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spreadsheet capabilities within tables. You'll also see the
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Coaches feature from the new DOS WordPerfect.
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WordPerfect reports that in the first few days after the
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introducion of the new DOS word processor they shipped over 500,000
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copies.
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It Was Only A Matter of Time Dept.: I see that someone is now
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offering an adult PhotoCD. Technology marches on...
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What's the difference between Jurassic Park and IBM?
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One's a high-tech theme park for dinosaurs and the other is a
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movie by Steven Spielberg.
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Want another take on this one?
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What's the difference between Jurassic Park and Microsoft?
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One is a high-tech theme park dominated by expensive, nasty,
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hungry, predatory monsters that will destroy anything they can get
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their teeth into, and the other is a movie.
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WARNING: If you got a Publisher 2.0 demo disk from Microsoft,
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be sure it's clean. Reports are that it contains the Forms virus.
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Microsoft confirms the fact and blames it on a third-party
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manufacturer. Clean disks will be sent out. Some wonder if this
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is a ploy to sell more DOS 6 with anti-virus.
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By the time you read this, Microsoft should have released
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Screens, a line of screen savers with collections of photographic
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images from nature, art, and outer space. Using Wizards, users can
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add their own bitmap images to the collections. Genigraphics gives
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users three free conversions for personal photographs with
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additionals costing $8 each.
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The nature series contains 48 images from the Sierra Club with
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a "substantial" portion of the proceeds going to the Sierra Club
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and users get a $10 reduction on club memberships. Let's all hug
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a tree now.
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Also due out from Microsoft soon is Microsoft Arcade. This is
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a Windows-based rendition of the five most popular arcade games
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from Atari - Asteroids, Centipede, Battle Zone, Missile Command,
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and Tempest. The $39.95 package will have sounds digitized from
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the original games and can be played full-screen if desired.
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I hear that Microsoft will release 20-30 consumer titles by
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the end of the year.
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Virus zappers McAffee Associates have signed a letter of
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intent to purchase Buttonware, the shareware kings.
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Corel is going to pass on developing CorelDraw 4 for OS/2.
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Instead, they've decided to develop a common code base to
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streamline development for all platforms. This common API will
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appear in CorelDraw 5, scheduled for a spring 1994 appearance.
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Bill Gates recently slammed Novell saying this regarding
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Novell's role in the FTC investigation, "The only issues that are
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still active are the ones Novell raises to sell more of their
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attempted clone product". Gates said he is "very disappointed" in
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the way Novell fueled the investigation.
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Gates also said, "Novell has stuffed the hell out of the
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channel and only succeeded in confusing themselves anew. They have
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a bifurcated strategy offering NetWare as a file server and Unix as
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an application server".
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---------------
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EIGHT BALLS OF FIRE
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I think they should call this one "Give Me A Break" instead of
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"Take A Break". Sierra started advertising this over a year ago,
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then you suddenly heard nothing about it. I assume they had some
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programming difficulties or something.
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Anyway, it's finally here. Pinball has never been too popular
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on the computer. I think it's because you can't hit and shake the
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machine (this game allows for that - be careful you don't TILT),
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and up until now, computer pinball simulations have been lame.
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Sierra has done an outstanding job with this one. You get
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eight different games featuring themes from their adventure games.
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There are three games from Space Quest, two from Nova 9, one from
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Leisure Suit Larry, Willie Beamish, and the King's Quest series.
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My least favorite is the Willie Beamish one - because there's so
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much going on that it's hard to keep track of the ball.
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Each of the games is different, not just the same game with a
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different background. Each presents its own challenges. It looks
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like they have provided for adding games in the future.
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The action is excellent and as realistic as you'll see on a
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computer simulation. There are tons of music and sound effects,
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supplemented by animated characters who may sometimes come out and
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steal your ball. One of the Nova 9 games has two effects which
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could not be done with a real pinball machine.
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You can have up to four different players and the best part is
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that you don't need a quarter to play. The executable file has a
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variety of icons available to keep your boss from catching you when
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you minimize a game.
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WINSENSE
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Do you have trouble making sense out of your Windows INI
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settings? SoftLogic's Winsense will analyze your system and
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Windows settings, then recommend numerous fine-tuning changes.
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Although the program does a decent job of system snooping I'd
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advise you to be savvy over what some INI options are before
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deciding to change them. The program gives some information, but
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one of the settings it recommended I delete is required for a
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certain program.
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Winsense will likely do the job for fine-tuning your Windows
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configuration, but don't blindly accept it's recommendations.
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PRESENTATIONS FOR WINDOWS
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If you've seen the DOS version, you've seen the Windows
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version. In terms of functionality, they're virtually identical.
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The product ships with some Bitstream TrueType fonts which you
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may find useful. The clipart eats up an enormous amount of hard
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drive space and a full installation takes 24 megs. Like it's word
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processing cousin, Presentations for Windows takes a little while
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to load (even on my 486-50 VESA local bus).
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Creating objects and entering text is easy enough, but I'm too
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used to the way Corel does it. It would take a user of any other
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graphics program a little time to get used to placing, filling, and
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moving objects on the screen. The QuickTutors are helpful, but
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they don't go far enough and are far less elegant than Microsoft's
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Wizards.
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I don't know, it seems like WordPerfect just doesn't get it
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when it comes to Windows programs. This is a good package that's
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probably worth what they're charging for it. But there's something
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about this and WordPerfect for Windows (which I use) which just
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isn't as smooth as a Windows product should be.
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For example, if you mess with fonts at all, you get the
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"Updating Printer Information" message. Although WordPerfect has
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worked to keep this nonsense to a minimum it shouldn't be there at
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all.
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Do what you want to on this one, but I'll stick with Corel.
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---------------
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IBM VS MICROSOFT
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IBM and Microsoft are at each others' throats again.
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Microsoft published a document called "Windows NT and OS/2 2.1: The
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Advantages of Windows NT for Today's Client-Server Computing" which
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contrasted Windows NT with OS/2.
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Here are some excerpts from IBM's rebuttal.
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"The most prominent theme Microsoft stresses throughout the
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document is that the client/server functions needed for most
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customers are "built-in" to Windows NT and Windows NT Advanced
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Server and, therefore, are integrated. Most of the functions,
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however, were actually previously available separately, or are
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still separate Microsoft products that are bundled with Windows NT
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(e.g., the LAN server function in Windows NT Advanced Server was a
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port of the Microsoft OS/2 LAN Manager product plus enhancements)."
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"'Built-in' does not mean products are more tightly
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integrated. Both IBM LAN Server 3.0 and NetWare from IBM for OS/2
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products, for instance, are integrated down to ring 0 (privileged
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kernel areas) of the OS/2 operating system. The fact that Microsoft
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uses the word 'built-in' is much more of a marketing and packaging
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statement than it is an integration statement."
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Another key requirement that Microsoft focuses on is
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"reliability". We agree that this is a major requirement for
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client/server environments. We disagree with Microsoft's definition
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of reliability, which is summarized on Microsoft's chart on page 3
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as "tightly integrated security", "built-in fault tolerance",
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"integrated systems and network management services", and
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"application and system integrity". Removing the words "tightly",
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"integrated", and "built-in", per the discussion above, OS/2 and
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its family of flexible extensions is delivering virtually all of
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what Microsoft is referring to, plus many more important IBM
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exclusives, and IBM PSP has demonstrated or announced products that
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extend our lead as the premier provider of client/server
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solutions."
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"The Microsoft document also has distorted Windows 3.0 and
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Windows 3.1 volumes to emphasize Windows market acceptance. There
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is no dispute that Microsoft has achieved market success with the
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Windows 3.x family, but what is misleading about the document is
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that it uses Windows 3.x volumes when comparing to OS/2's market
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presence, but uses Windows NT's features when comparing product
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lines."
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Given these overall observations, we would like to address the
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statements one by one.
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Microsoft Claim:
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"It [OS/2 2.1] does not run Windows applications as well as
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Windows does."
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IBM Response:
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OS/2 2.1 includes actual Windows 3.1 code to provide Microsoft
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Windows 3.1 functionality and compatibility. OS/2 can also provide
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Windows applications with key client/server features, such as crash
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protection and pre-emptive multitasking, by running them in
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separate Virtual DOS Machines (VDMs). (These are features that
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Microsoft presentations concede will not be supported in Windows NT
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for 16-bit Windows 3.1 applications.)
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Microsoft Claim:
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"Today, OS/2 does not support key Windows features [such] as
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dynamic data exchange (DDE), object linking and embedding (OLE) and
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even cut and paste between separate Windows virtual device machines
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(VDMs)."
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IBM Response:
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Not true. OS/2's public clipboard enables DDE and cut-and-paste
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to work correctly between Windows applications in separate Windows
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VDMs (OLE works correctly between applications in the same Windows
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VDM, which is equivalent to Windows NT OLE support).
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Microsoft Claim:
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"IBM has no single strategy ... long-term, IBM is working on
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eight different operating systems."
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IBM Response:
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IBM recognizes that there is no "one size fits all" strategy when
|
|
it comes to customer computing environments. The number of
|
|
operating systems offered by IBM is a result of our long-term
|
|
leadership in helping customers develop mission-critical systems to
|
|
meet their needs on a wide variety of hardware platforms. The
|
|
breadth of IBM offerings is underscored by a singular commitment to
|
|
serve our customers. On the Intel-compatible platform alone,
|
|
Microsoft has at least eight operating systems supporting their
|
|
strategy: Windows 3.1, Windows for Workgroups, Windows NT, Windows
|
|
NT Advanced Server, Chicago, Cairo, Modular Windows, and Winpad,
|
|
all of which have differences in their application programming
|
|
interfaces (APIs).
|
|
|
|
Microsoft Claim:
|
|
"IBM embraces Windows."
|
|
IBM Response:
|
|
It is true that the IBM PC Company resells Windows, and may also
|
|
pre-load Windows NT when customers request it. IBM recommends OS/2
|
|
and its client/server extensions over Windows and Windows NT
|
|
because it is a superior platform for client/server computing.
|
|
|
|
Microsoft Claim:
|
|
"Key ISVs, such as Micrografx, are halting their OS/2 development
|
|
efforts ... "
|
|
IBM Response:
|
|
This statement is incorrect. OS/2 Professional magazine published
|
|
the following in the May 1993 issue: "PC Week recently published an
|
|
article saying Micrografx was not behind OS/2. On the contrary, J.
|
|
Paul Grayson, Micrografx CEO, says the company has more people
|
|
working on OS/2 than ever before. Grayson says Mirrors is doing
|
|
very well, and they are evaluating new directions for OS/2
|
|
products. Among Micrografx's OS/2 offerings are Designer and
|
|
Windows Draw. Grayson also reportedly attempted to get the PC Week
|
|
article corrected prior to publication, but was unsuccessful."
|
|
|
|
Microsoft Claim:
|
|
"... 25 million customers are using Windows already ..."
|
|
IBM Response:
|
|
While the shipment volumes of Windows is granted, there are
|
|
several reasons to question the number of actual Windows users.
|
|
First, the 25 million number is the number of shipments since
|
|
Windows 3.0. Most users of Windows 3.0 have upgraded to OS/2 or
|
|
Windows 3.1. Second, 60 percent of all PCs ship with Windows
|
|
pre-installed, whether the user intends to use it or not. Last
|
|
October, Windows magazine estimated that only 1/3 of all Windows
|
|
shipments were actually being used.
|
|
|
|
Microsoft Claim:
|
|
"Windows 3.1 leverages existing hardware and software better."
|
|
IBM Response:
|
|
It is a pretty safe assumption that most of the PCs that are
|
|
running Windows 3.1 are 386 or above class machines with 32-bit
|
|
architectures. While Windows 3.1 runs on more existing machine
|
|
configurations, it does not fully exploit the capabilities of those
|
|
machines like OS/2 2.x can, since Windows 3.1 is a 16-bit DOS
|
|
extender running on 32-bit hardware. In addition, there are more
|
|
software packages that run on OS/2 2.1, since it runs DOS, Windows
|
|
3.1, and advanced 32-bit OS/2 applications.
|
|
|
|
Microsoft Claim:
|
|
"... Usage of OS/2 has dwindled. This is because Windows NT best
|
|
addresses customer requirements for high-end operating systems."
|
|
IBM Response:
|
|
Contrary to Microsoft's claims, usage of OS/2 has not "dwindled".
|
|
Shipments of OS/2 2.0 exceed all previous releases of OS/2
|
|
combined, and OS/2 2.1 has had a very positive reception in the
|
|
market and is currently shipping in high volumes.
|
|
|
|
"The assertion that Windows NT best addresses requirements for
|
|
high-end operating systems is subjective and unsupported. A phone
|
|
survey done by Communications Week for their 19 April issue asked
|
|
the question "Which operating system is more strategic to your
|
|
enterprise network: IBM's OS/2 or Microsoft's forthcoming Windows
|
|
NT?" Over 1,400 votes were cast for OS/2, with only 75 cast for NT
|
|
(95 percent to 5 percent)."
|
|
"The primary correction (besides the inaccuracies about OS/2)
|
|
is to include Windows 3.1, Microsoft's high-volume client OS. As
|
|
you can see, it fails Microsoft's own criteria as a client for
|
|
client/server computing. By these criteria, Microsoft's strategy
|
|
might be looked at as a server/server strategy."
|
|
|
|
Microsoft Claim:
|
|
"Windows NT is the most powerful, reliable and open operating
|
|
system for client-server computing."
|
|
IBM Response:
|
|
This statement is subjective and unsupported.
|
|
|
|
Microsoft Claim:
|
|
"NT runs on all Intel 386/486 and compatible CPUs and will take
|
|
full advantage of Intel's Pentium processor."
|
|
IBM Response:
|
|
This is not correct. The recommended minimum environment for NT
|
|
is either a very fast (25 MHz+) 386 or 486 processor with 12 to 16
|
|
MB of memory. International Data Corporation estimates this to be
|
|
only 20 percent of the installed base of PCs. OS/2, on the other
|
|
hand, runs on 386SX or above processors, and requires less memory
|
|
(6 to 8 MB recommended).
|
|
|
|
Microsoft Claim:
|
|
"OS/2 2.x only runs on the Intel x86 platform. IBM claims they
|
|
are porting OS/2 to the Mach kernel, but this means creating an
|
|
entirely new OS, which is a long and difficult project. For
|
|
example, Windows NT took over four and one-half years to develop
|
|
and spent over a year and one-half in large-scale external
|
|
testing."
|
|
IBM Response:
|
|
To compare the development of an OS/2 personality that works on
|
|
top of the IBM microkernel (Mach-based) to the development of
|
|
Windows NT is very misleading. Windows NT was developed from
|
|
scratch to provide complex, high-end operating system functions
|
|
that are not available in the DOS/Windows environment, such as
|
|
multitasking, multi-threading, 32-bit memory model,
|
|
high-performance file system, etc. OS/2 already has all these
|
|
high-end features, and we do not have to "create" an entirely new
|
|
operating system to move them to a microkernel environment. We also
|
|
do not need to "create" the Mach microkernel, which is an
|
|
established code base developed by Carnegie Mellon University, and
|
|
is adopted, approved, and licensed by the Open Software Foundation.
|
|
Microsoft, on the other hand, decided to build the kernel for NT
|
|
from scratch (which they admit is a long and difficult project). In
|
|
doing so, they have also decided to keep their operating system
|
|
proprietary, not truly open to the industry. IBM, on the other
|
|
hand, is in the process of licensing our microkernel technology to
|
|
various industry players.
|
|
|
|
Microsoft Claim:
|
|
"OS/2 2.x does not support multiprocessor systems."
|
|
IBM Response:
|
|
As mentioned earlier, OS/2 currently supports the multiprocessing
|
|
(asymmetric) PS/2 195 and 295 (available today), and OS/2 2.x was
|
|
demonstrated on a variety of symmetric multiprocessing machines at
|
|
COMDEX/Spring '93 and PC Expo 1993.
|
|
|
|
Microsoft Claim:
|
|
"OS/2 does not have integration between 16-bit Windows and 32-bit
|
|
OS/2 applications. In addition, integration features such as OLE
|
|
and DDE do not work between separate 16-bit Windows VDMs. In many
|
|
cases, simple cuts and pastes between VDMs do not work properly."
|
|
IBM Response:
|
|
As stated earlier, OS/2's public clipboard enables DDE and
|
|
cut-and-paste to work correctly between application in separate
|
|
Windows VDMs (OLE works correctly between applications in the same
|
|
Windows VDM, which is equivalent to Windows NT OLE support). We
|
|
also support cut-and-paste and DDE between Windows and OS/2
|
|
applications.
|
|
|
|
Microsoft Claim:
|
|
"This [NT's] complete memory protection prevents errant
|
|
applications from corrupting data, interfering with other
|
|
applications, or damaging the system."
|
|
IBM Response:
|
|
This is not correct. Because NT runs all 16-bit Windows
|
|
applications in a single address space, it is possible for one of
|
|
these applications to interfere with one of the others running in
|
|
that same space. This can happen between 16-bit Windows
|
|
applications under Windows 3.0 and 3.1 in the form of UAEs and
|
|
GPFs, respectively, and can continue to happen under Windows NT.
|
|
|
|
Microsoft Claim:
|
|
"IBM's strategy ... [is to] show that Windows NT is broken."
|
|
IBM Response:
|
|
This is not correct. IBM does not believe that Windows NT is
|
|
broken. It is late, still unavailable, and definitely unproven. We
|
|
do, however, believe that Microsoft's client/server strategy and
|
|
products are not as good as ours, as we offer a more reliable,
|
|
comprehensive, and available set of client/server solutions.
|
|
|
|
Microsoft Claim:
|
|
"IBM has promised these features and others that Windows NT has
|
|
today for the future, but equivalent functionality is still one to
|
|
three years out."
|
|
IBM Response:
|
|
Windows NT is not generally available today, and Microsoft's
|
|
statements do not reflect IBM's priorities or product plans. OS/2
|
|
has a 15-month lead as an available 32-bit operating system, and
|
|
has features Microsoft does not plan to ship in Windows NT 3.1,
|
|
such as an object-oriented Workplace Shell user interface and our
|
|
System Object Model, which incorporates object technology directly
|
|
into the operating system to allow object reuse between different
|
|
object languages. In addition, we have announced delivery for the
|
|
third quarter of 1993, and are beta-testing Distributed SOM, which
|
|
allows object communication and re-use over networks, between
|
|
different languages, and potentially even different operating
|
|
systems (e.g., AIX and OS/2). In addition, IBM has recently stated
|
|
its intent to use OpenDoc technology from Apple for compound
|
|
document integration that will support SOM and DSOM, providing
|
|
application integration across multiple operating systems,
|
|
including UNIX, and across networks (both of which are features
|
|
that are lacking in OLE 2.0 from Microsoft). OpenDoc is
|
|
vendor-independent, and has growing industry support from major
|
|
players, including IBM, Apple, Novell, WordPerfect, and Borland.
|
|
|
|
Microsoft Claim:
|
|
"Windows NT is compatible with Windows 16-bit and MS-DOS
|
|
applications."
|
|
IBM Response:
|
|
We believe NT will be compatible with the high-volume
|
|
applications, but Microsoft will not focus on compatibility for
|
|
lower-volume or home-grown applications. Also, DOS and Windows
|
|
applications that ship with and use a DOS device driver will not
|
|
run under NT without modification unless a new device driver is
|
|
supplied.
|
|
|
|
Microsoft Claim:
|
|
"Windows NT's 16-bit application protection model provides error
|
|
trapping between applications and more importantly provides full
|
|
integration between applications. OS/2's model breaks application
|
|
integration."
|
|
IBM Response:
|
|
The error-trapping mechanism in Windows 3.1 (and NT) for 16-bit
|
|
applications is not the same thing as the true protection that OS/2
|
|
provides for all applications by running them under separate
|
|
processes. Error trapping just notifies the user once the damage
|
|
has been done, and recommends the user reboot (Windows 3.1) or
|
|
restart the Windows subsystem (Windows NT). Also, as stated
|
|
earlier, Microsoft is incorrect about OS/2's ability to support DDE
|
|
and cut-and-paste between Windows applications in separate VDMs,
|
|
and OLE works correctly between applications in the same Windows
|
|
VDM, which is equivalent to Windows NT OLE support. Also, IBM has
|
|
announced its intention to support OpenDoc, which will provide
|
|
compound document integration across multiple operating system
|
|
types, including UNIX, and over networks, which are features that
|
|
OLE 2.0 does not support.
|
|
|
|
Microsoft Claim:
|
|
"Neither OS/2 nor Windows NT runs on [Intel 386 systems with 4 MB
|
|
of RAM]."
|
|
IBM Response:
|
|
This is incorrect. OS/2 does run on 4MB Intel 386 systems
|
|
(although 6 to 8 MB are recommended). Windows NT does not.
|
|
|
|
Microsoft Claim:
|
|
"IBM Asserts: OS/2 2.1 runs Windows applications faster than
|
|
Windows NT on identical hardware ... Windows NT performance is
|
|
equivalent to OS/2 2.1."
|
|
IBM Response:
|
|
Some independent performance tests on Windows NT and OS/2 have
|
|
been described on public bulletin boards that have drawn the
|
|
conclusion that DOS and Windows applications run faster on OS/2
|
|
than on Windows NT; however, IBM has not and will not "assert"
|
|
anything officially until the Windows NT code is made generally
|
|
available.
|
|
|
|
Microsoft Claim:
|
|
"Microsoft has met every development milestone with Windows NT
|
|
and plans to deliver it as promised in Q2 1993."
|
|
IBM Response:
|
|
The following would seem to suggest otherwise:
|
|
MacWeek, 13 July 1992: "NT is on track to ship by the end of the
|
|
year [1992] and is expected to cost less than 500 USD, Gates said."
|
|
Computer Reseller News, 28 September 1992: "Walker says that
|
|
Windows NT will ship during the first few months of 1993."
|
|
Newsbytes, 28 September 1992: "The new date is now 'early 1993',
|
|
with Microsoft officials saying that it 'needs more time to respond
|
|
to customer suggestions for improvements in the Windows NT
|
|
system'." Software magazine, December 1992: "At the ITAA conference
|
|
... Mike Maples, Microsoft's executive vice president, said NT
|
|
would ship in April." InfoWorld, 15 March 1993: "NT could ship to
|
|
customers later than the promised date of 30 June, but no more than
|
|
30 days late, Walker said." Windows World, Spring 1993: Gates said
|
|
in his keynote address that Windows NT would ship within 60 days
|
|
[by 22 July] and that Windows NT Advanced Server would ship within
|
|
30 days of Windows NT [by 21 August]. PC Week, 5 July 1993: "Gates
|
|
also said Microsoft will ship Windows NT by the end of the month
|
|
[July] ...".
|
|
---------------
|
|
|
|
COREL KODAK MOMENT
|
|
Later in August, Corel will release a series of Kodak PhotoCD
|
|
products called "Corel Professional Photos". They plan to release
|
|
more than 40 titles within the next two months and will have
|
|
approximately 100 by the year's end. Each title will have an SRP
|
|
of $49.95. Corel plans to donate $1 for each CD registration to
|
|
Child Find, a charity that locates missing children.
|
|
There are 100 images per disk, all royalty free and compatible
|
|
with both PC and Mac. Included on the disks are utilities to aid
|
|
the user in manipulating and utilizing the images. There will be
|
|
a screen saver and wallpaper flipper utility along with Corel
|
|
Mosaic (visual file manager) and Corel PhotoCD Lab (slide show
|
|
program). There will also be five musical accompaniments to each
|
|
disk along with the excellent Corel-Audio CD player.
|
|
Some of the first titles will include the Arctic, birds,
|
|
churches, insects, lingerie, Porsches, sunrises and sunsets, and
|
|
trees.
|
|
---------------
|
|
|
|
INFORMS
|
|
A lot of people who manage large numbers of forms have been
|
|
waiting for this one for some time. I don't have the time to
|
|
really get into the program, and have no need for such a thing in
|
|
my businesses. (I do have a dealer copy though.)
|
|
I saw the package demonstrated at a WordPerfect rollout and
|
|
the reps put it through its paces better than I could. It's
|
|
impressive.
|
|
Not only can you create forms, fill them in on the screen and
|
|
print them out - but you can link them with any popular database
|
|
format. Forms can be easily distributed throughout a network and
|
|
a QBE feature makes queries easy.
|
|
The electronic signature feature is one WordPerfect is
|
|
particularly proud of. After you electronically sign a form, that
|
|
form cannot be modified using a TamperSeal technology.
|
|
This is a two-part package. Within a corporation, only a few
|
|
people are likely to need the designer module. The filler module
|
|
is the one more people will probably use. You also get the
|
|
standard spell checker, ATM, over 100 form templates, calculations
|
|
with over 120 functions, and Bitstream TrueType fonts.
|
|
If you need to manage numerous forms across a network, this is
|
|
the one that will certainly fill your needs.
|
|
---------------
|
|
|
|
NEW SOUND CHIPS
|
|
Media Vision is now offering OEMs two new chip sets - the Jazz
|
|
and Jazz 16 - with low power consumption for adding sound to
|
|
laptops.
|
|
The Jazz chip set includes the MVD1208 8-bit audio controller,
|
|
the MVA408 8-bit code and the MVA514 mixer. The Jazz 16 includes
|
|
the 16-bit MVD1216 audio controller, the MVA416 16-bit codec, and
|
|
the same mixer used n the Jazz chip set. Each chip set can play
|
|
and record either mono or stereo sound at up to 44.1kHz.
|
|
=================================
|
|
|
|
DISCLAIMER
|
|
RAndY's RumOR RaG is published on a monthly basis by AINSWORTH
|
|
COMPUTER SERVICES and is available on various local BBS's, GEnie,
|
|
and America Online as well as in Modem News.
|
|
In case anyone cares, RAndY's RumOR RaG is produced on a 486-
|
|
50 with 8 megs of memory, Diamond Stealth Pro VESA VLB (1 MB), 105
|
|
MB Toshiba IDE hard drive, Teac 1.2 MB and 1.44 MB floppies, Pro
|
|
Audio Spectrum 16 running a Hitachi 3750 CD ROM drive, Sceptre SVGA
|
|
display, Microsoft mouse, WordPerfect for Windows and transmitted
|
|
through a US Robotics HST Dual Standard modem.
|
|
Opinions expressed are those of the author. Comments should
|
|
be addressed to Ainsworth Computer Services on GEnie, America
|
|
Online, phone, analog mail, or whatever method makes you feel good.
|
|
|
|
AINSWORTH COMPUTER SERVICES
|
|
605 W. Wishkah
|
|
Aberdeen, WA 98520-6031
|
|
(206) 533-6647
|
|
GEnie Address: RAG
|
|
America Online: RumOR RaG |