402 lines
20 KiB
Plaintext
402 lines
20 KiB
Plaintext
RAndY's RumOR RaG
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May 1992
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Much of this month's issue will be devoted to the two new
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software products hitting the market in April - that's right,
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Windows 3.1 and OS/2 2.0. The computer press has gone to great
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lengths to convince us that these are earth-shattering products,
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but you know who to depend on for the real truth (snicker).
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The door is wide open for software vendors with many planning
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both Windows and OS/2 versions of their products. Micrografx,
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Lotus, Borland, and WordPerfect have all decided to play in both
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environments.
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Don't look for OS/2 to make a huge dent in the marketplace.
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Microsoft has an incredible head start and I doubt that they'll
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make any major mistakes. From where I sit, the hardware demands of
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OS/2 are still too steep to become as huge a success as Windows has
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become. Support from those writing applications will also be
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necessary to keep OS/2 alive. IBM has spent big bucks on this and
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they're probably going to have to eat a lot of it. My money is on
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Windows NT to come out on top.
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---------------
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SALES DEPT.
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For a limited time, Windows 3.1 will be bundled with ATM and
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four Type 1 fonts on all orders from Ingram Micro (a large
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distributor).
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IBM is pushing OS/2 in advertisements in trade publications
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with the slogan: "Starting today, everything computers have ever
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done, they will do better". They claim it will work on a 386SX -
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yeah, right.
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---------------
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CLONE WARS
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Cyrix planned to introduce a 486-compatible processor
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(Cx486SLC) at Comdex. Availability is uncertain, but Cyrix says
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the new 25MHz chip is designed for system manufacturers. They say
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that Cyrix will introduce a retail version of the chip to upgrade
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386SX systems to 486 performance levels at PC Expo in June. They're
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also working on a similar product as a replacement for the 386DX,
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giving system performance on the same level as a 40MHz 486.
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Cyrix officials claim the Cx486SLC is aimed at the notebook
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market, but could be also aimed at retail markets since it's pin
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compatible with a 386SX. Tandon, Zeos, and MicroSlate have
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announced plans to use the new chip in future designs.
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Cyrix development plans will proceed despite a lawsuit filed
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by Intel claiming patent infringement.
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---------------
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QUOTES, ETC.
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Borland head honcho, Philippe Kahn recently noted that
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Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates is "trying to eat our lunch" in
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reference to the success of "Silence of the Lambs". In a slightly
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veiled threat, Kahn went on to say: "I know Bill well; I wouldn't
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quite say he's a friend, but I guarantee we'll have him for
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dinner."
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Meanwhile, Microsoft is making everyone mad with their ads
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deriding WordPerfect for Windows, Borland languages, and Lotus
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spreadsheets.
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Bill Gates was recently asked about OS/2 at a New York PC
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users gathering and said, "I don't spend much time talking about
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OS/2. We have experience looking at OS/2, because it's very
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similar to what was written many years ago."
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MICROSOFT NEWS
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At the recent Comdex, Mr. Gates divulged Microsoft's strategy
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for operating systems in the future.
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Look for CD-enhanced versions of Office, Excel, Word, Project,
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and PowerPoint. They also intend to ship five new information-
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oriented applications that will only come on CD-ROM.
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Microsoft is planning a unified product that will combine DOS
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and Windows along with "at least two more major versions of DOS"
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designed specifically for 386 and 486 computers. Said Gates,
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"[this] will allow us to move the file system into protected
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memory. We will take the graphical pieces, separate them out and
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call that Windows. Then we will separate out the non-graphical
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pieces and call that DOS. This methodology will support both DOS
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and Windows users." Gates also said that Windows will become a
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tiered product.
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"We will sell a low-priced version of Windows that is with
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today's 3.1, and we will sell a higher-priced Windows product that
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has mail and other products built into it." The installation
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process for this fusing of DOS and Windows should be easier and
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parts of DOS that are replaced by similar but stronger functions in
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Windows could be eliminated. Said Gates, "all that's left of DOS
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when you load Windows is the file system."
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You can also expect to see installable file systems, allowing
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users to choose between the traditional DOS FAT system, HPFS, and
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the forthcoming NT file system, and maybe even the still-in-
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development Object File System.
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COMDEX CUT-UPS
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I hear that both Microsoft and IBM pulled out all the stops
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with their new product announcements. Microsoft clearly outdid Big
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Blue with numerous giveaways - the new Windows logo on everything
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but toilet paper.
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An IBM executive bragged that within 24 hours of Microsoft's
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release of Windows 3.1, they had demonstrated Windows 3.1 running
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under OS/2 2. He also said that within a couple of days he had
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orders for more than 200,000 copies of OS/2.
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Meanwhile, Microsoft's Steve Ballmer was wandering the Comdex
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floor and paused at an IBM OS/2 demo booth. After running Excel
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under OS/2 and making a few keystrokes, he announced that he had
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"hung" the system. An IBM programmer then hit CTRL-ESC and brought
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back OS/2. The crowd applauded and Ballmer moved on.
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Mr. Gates was also seen walking the Comdex floor and when
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asked if he thought IBM had the marketing know-how to make OS/2 a
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success, he quickly responded "the early indications are no."
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NEWS IN YER FACE
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Quattro Pro and Paradox for Windows was shown at Comdex as
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beta copies were being shipped out to testers. According to
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Borland's Lee Phillips, Borland is "absolutely committed" to
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delivering Quattro Pro for Windows by late June.
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Sierra On-Line will make some aggressive moves within the next
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six months in the market for simulators. New flight simulators
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include the Red Baron and Aces of the Pacific. Both of these will
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be available in VGA versions and list for $69.95.
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Lotus has discontinued work on Agenda as well as stopped work
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on a Windows version. Apparently they are close to acquiring a
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Windows-based PIM.
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---------------
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Expect Intel to announce the P24T in early 1993. This is the
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66MHz 586 core, but with a 33MHz external bus and pin compatibility
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with the 486DX-33 (you know, the SX concept). The next P5 chip,
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called the P54C, is due in late 1993 and is expected to have a
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100MHz internal clock speed with a 50MHz bus speed. This will be
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fully compatible with 486DX's and would be the upgrade path for
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today's 50MHz 486DX machines.
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Things have cooled down at Microsoft in the area of databases.
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The anticipated introduction of Cirrus for mid-June now has
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officials saying that beta copies won't go out until mid-summer if
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then. This is all a result of Microsoft's acquisition of Fox.
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DR-DOS 7
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Sometime within the next 12 months, Novell is planning to
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release DR-DOS 7 which will offer multitasking, better integration
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with Netware, and a protected mode option.
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This new version will feature true pre-emptive multitasking as
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opposed to task switching. DR-DOS 7 will incorporate some 386-
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specific instructions, but will not be a 32-bit operating system.
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It will, however, permit certain DOS applications to run in
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protected mode.
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In other DR-DOS news, Novell's Desktop Systems Group has
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released an update to DR-DOS 6 which will be compatible with
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Windows 3.1. (Remember, Novell was not allowed to be part of the
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Windows 3.1 beta test group and many users expressed compatibility
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concerns.) This update is available on CompuServe, Novell's DSG
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bulletin board, and will be sent to registered users by the end of
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this quarter.
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WORD FOR WINDOWS 2/NEWWAVE 4
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I really hated the first version of this program. It left a
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bad taste in my mouth for Windows-based word processors. I
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recently had an opportunity to try out the much acclaimed Version
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2.
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I still hate it. The screen is much too busy. You've got
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icons galore, a ruler, and assorted other crap taking up the screen
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leaving little area to do any typing in.
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I'm sorry, but I think the program stinks. Simplicity should
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be a primary concern. When I look at a screen that is junked up
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with icons and rulers and whatever else they can throw in there,
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it's time for DEL *.*.
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NewWave is something else. When I figure out what it is, I'll
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let you know. Meanwhile, I don't really understand what the point
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is to this software. At least they've trimmed it down so it takes
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up less hard drive space. But it's still slow and requires me to
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use certain file extensions with certain programs (I prefer the
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freedom to select my own extensions, thank you.)
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Although Windows 3.1 is faster than before, NewWave seems to
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do it's best to slow it back down. To HP's credit, they have made
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it compatible with just about any Windows software; you don't need
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software specially written to take advantage of NewWave.
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The nicest thing I can say is that I'm glad they won the
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lawsuit with Apple.
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BECKERTOOLS 3
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Can someone tell me why software companies have to screw up a
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good thing? Does anyone understand the KISS principle?
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I've used BeckerTools for some time. It's a decent utility
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for file and disk manipulations out of Windows - sort of a PC Tools
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for Windows (sorry Central Point).
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What they've done in the newest version is split it up into
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thirteen different modules. Now you've got one module for disk
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utilities (copying, formatting, etc.), another module for file
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manipulations, and so it goes. The screen appearance on each of
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the modules just looks strange. And what used to be a simple
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procedure, now takes time getting used to the interface and how to
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do things differently. The Disk Optimizer (defragmenter) looks
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like it's still a DOS program.
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It's hard for me to describe what they've done to this thing,
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I guess you have to see it. I figured maybe I could use one or two
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modules and let it go at that.
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Nope - this is the first time I have returned a piece of
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software for a refund. This is awful!
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NEW HP LASER SOON
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No one is saying when, but sometime this year (rumored to be
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this fall), Hewlett-Packard will be releasing a new laser printer
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which is similar to the popular Laserjet III. This new model will
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have 600 dpi resolution and support for TrueType. This will be an
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8 ppm printer with 600 dpi capabilities right out of the box.
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Besides support for Windows TrueType technology, it will also
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have a high-speed bi-directional parallel interface.
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CAN YOU HEAR ME?
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Up until now, I've never seen a great need to buy a sound card
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- until I attended a Microsoft Technical Seminar. They played
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JFK's "ask not what your country can do for you..." quote through
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the computer and it sounded excellent. They also demonstrated some
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possibilities that are available with Windows 3.1 and a sound card.
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Now the choice was which one to get. I seriously considered
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a SoundBlaster Pro until I talked to a friend who knew more about
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these things than I did. He suggested the Pro Audio Spectrum 16
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from MediaVision.
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He was right - this is the one to get. You'll pay a little
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more than a SoundBlaster Pro, but it's a more versatile piece of
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hardware.
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This card lets you do true 16-bit sampling at 44.1kHz in
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stereo. It's CD quality coming back out!
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I set my practice amp in front of a 13-cent Radio Shack
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microphone and played the opening lick to "Smells Like Teen Spirit"
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with the ol' Strat. It sounded great! (Well, Nirvana only gets so
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good.)
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You get some great software, too. There's a MIDI sequencer
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that runs in DOS along with some files that let you attach sound to
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Harvard Graphics, Animator, and other presentation files.
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For Windows, there is a large and small mixer along with a
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multimedia mixer. The Pocket Recorder is more versatile than the
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one that comes with Windows.
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TrackBlaster Pro is incredible with 44kHz stereo sound and
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excellent graphics.
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The documentation could be better arranged, and I saw nothing
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in the book about the included software which switches the card
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into SoundBlaster emulation.
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Outside support for the card is weak, but I expect to see it
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happening soon. This a hot piece of hardware - and if you're
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looking to add sound to your system, this is the one to go with.
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The card is SoundBlaster and AdLib compatible, but I found a
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few things that are SoundBlaster specific that would not work. I'm
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still trying to figure out how to play CMF files. Other than that,
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this thing is outrageous!!
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POOR TASTE AWARD
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Logitech is currently running a double-page color
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advertisement for their mice. On the left is a photo of a baby in
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diapers with the caption "Feels Good". The facing page has a
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different baby on it's back, naked, and very visibly urinating with
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a caption stating "Feels Better". The idea is that Logitech mice
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feel better than anyone else's.
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What urinating infants has to do with the feel of a mouse
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escapes me.
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I have a suggestion for a target for these waterlogged
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infants.
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WINDOWS 3.1 IMPRESSIONS
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It's been almost a month now and I've grown accustomed to
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Windows 3.1. On the outside it may be the same, but many of the
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cosmetic changes are welcome.
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I like the consistent dialog boxes. It will be nice when
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ISV's catch up in new releases so that things are most consistent
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between applications.
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The multimedia support is interesting to say the least. This
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feature should sell sound cards and CD-ROMs.
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The speed increase is noticeable. Thanks to the new
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Smartdrive and code changes, I've finally taken the radical step of
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having Windows in my AUTOEXEC file. Whew!!
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Finally, TrueType is wonderful. After using add-on products,
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the speed difference is discernable with this new core technology
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(note the new buzzword). I'm gradually replacing my ATM fonts with
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TrueType counterparts.
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I must fault Microsoft on a couple of points,however. The
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Registration Editor is poorly documented. Only the online help is
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there, there's nothing in the book. You have to buy the Technical
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Reference Manual to begin to make sense out of it.
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The second point is what I consider a slight deception on
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Microsoft's part. One feature that is advertised is drop-and-drag
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printing. You drag a document icon over the top of the Print
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Manager and it prints. A call to the WordPerfect Tech Support team
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suggests that a special Microsoft format must be used to save your
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document for this feature to work. This is not entirely correct -
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see my note below concerning the Registration Editor.
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Speaking of the Print Manager, this formerly worthless utility
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is now actually worth using. The speed is as good as it's going to
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get and so far it's worked quite nicely.
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If you already have Windows, spend the $50 for the upgrade.
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If you've held off because you didn't like the speed or thought the
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environment was too unstable, now is the time to cough up the
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bucks.
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I have been experiencing some difficulties with the Courier
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font that comes with Windows 3.1. I hate Courier, but have to use
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it for writing the RaG, otherwise using a proportional font makes
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the lines too long when I save it as ASCII. What's happening is
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that the ends of the lines sometimes disappear on the screen. If
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I use Reveal Codes, I can see that the text is there, but it's just
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irritating. I've also had a number of other problems with
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WordPerfect for Windows since switching to Windows 3.1. Printing
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is an iffy proposition. Often I get an error message telling me
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that it can't find a couple of DLL's which don't exist. My guess
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is that it's a WordPerfect problem and I hope it will be one of the
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fixes in the soon to be released interim release.
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Also, you'd better spring for the extra $20 for the Windows
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Resource Kit. It has some excellent information on how the whole
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thing works and some nice utilities on a disk.
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DROP-AND-DRAG TIP
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Reading all the hype, you'd think that you can take any File
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Manager document icon, drag it on top of a minimized Print Manager
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icon, and it magically prints.
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That's not really so. WordPerfect claims that your data needs
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to be saved in special "Microsoft-blessed" format for this to work,
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but I've played around a bit and figured out a little of the
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puzzle.
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You need to use the Registration Editor. The file name is
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REGEDIT.EXE and it's probably not installed in any of your groups
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by default. (Use a "/v" switch for the Advanced Editor, but for
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now just use it without the switch so you don't screw things up too
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much.) Documentation in both Windows and the Windows Resource Kit
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is terrible concerning this utility.
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Here's what I've discovered in my trials to get WordPerfect
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for Windows to do drag-and-drop printing. The best I can do is to
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get it to start up WPWIN and load the selected file. I still can't
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get it to take me to the print menu.
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Here's how to do it with WordPerfect for Windows. Fire up the
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Registration Editor. Select Add New File Type under the Edit menu.
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Enter whatever you want for Identifier, up to 63 ASCII characters.
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For File Type, enter whatever description you want to appear in the
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Editor. Under Action, select either Open or Print, the idea is the
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same. Select browse and select the executable file for the
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application you want. Add a "%1" after the filename to serve as a
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wildcard as you would in a DOS batch file.
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If your application supports DDE, check the Uses DDE box and
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fill in the following for DDE Messages. Application and Topic
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should already appear; if they don't, I don't know how to get the
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correct information in there. In the Message box enter
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"[open("%1")]" for the Open option. When selecting Print, enter
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"[open("%1")][print()][close()]". Under the heading of DDE Message
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when Application Is Not Running, enter the same information except
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substitute "quit" for "close". No quotes, of course. Now when you
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drag the icon over the Print Manager, it will at least start the
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application and load the associated file. Make sure your data
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files are Associated in the File Manager, too.
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NEW AMI DIAGS
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American Megatrends has produced a new update of the AMI
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diagnostic program. The program was designed for in-house testing
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of motherboards beyond simple burn-in. The software has a new
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color graphical interface which checks the motherboard,
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peripherals, and memory, giving a graphical representation of
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memory errors. The program can also display an image of the
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motherboard with problems highlighted.
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It is assumed that the computer can boot DOS, but if that's
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not the case, a separate board/software product lets a second
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computer test another which can't boot DOS.
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The program reads CMOS setup information and tests disk drives
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through extensive benchmarks. You can also set the disk interleave
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and block bad disk tracks.
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The suggested price is $149.
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---------------
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NEXT MONTH
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Look for reviews of Excel 4.0, Facelift for Windows 2.0, the
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interim release of WordPerfect for Windows, hopefully Sierra's new
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Pinball (for Windows) and who knows what else ...
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=================================
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DISCLAIMER
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RAndY's RumOR RaG is published on a monthly basis by AINSWORTH
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COMPUTER SERVICES and is available on various BBS's, GEnie, and
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America Online as well as in Modem News.
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In case anyone cares, RAndY's RumOR RaG is produced on a DTK
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386-33 with 16 megs of memory, Cyrix Fasmath co-processor, ATI VGA
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Wonder+ card (1 MB), 105 MB Toshiba IDE hard drive, Teac 1.2 MB,
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360K, and 1.44 MB floppies, Sceptre SVGA display, Microsoft mouse,
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WordPerfect for Windows and transmitted through a US Robotics HST
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Dual Standard modem.
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Opinions expressed are those of the author. Comments should
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be addressed to Ainsworth Computer Services on GEnie, America
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Online, phone, analog mail, or whatever method makes you feel good.
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AINSWORTH COMPUTER SERVICES
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605 W. Wishkah
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Aberdeen, WA 98520-6031
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(206) 533-6647
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GEnie Address: RAG
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America Online: RumOR RaG |