179 lines
9.0 KiB
Plaintext
179 lines
9.0 KiB
Plaintext
RAndY s RumOR RaG
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September 1993
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PHOTOCD TALK
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A couple of months ago, I slammed the DOS version of Kodak s
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PhotoCD Access software. I recently acquired the Windows version
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and, while being basically the same thing, it seems to work better
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in Windows.
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I see this package as a basic conversion tool. You can't
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print from it or do any editing with Access. Basically, you use it
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to convert to a format you can import into another program.
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For the first time since converting to a local bus system, I
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installed the True Color driver and the images are gorgeous.
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Unfortunately, the performance hit is substantial.
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Kodak is still having trouble establishing PhotoCD as
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something the average consumer will buy. Too many of them don't
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understand that a compact disc can contain photographic quality
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images. Besides not understanding the technology, the consumer-
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level PhotoCD players are way over-priced. If they can get them
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down under $150, the medium will catch on.
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Computer people, however, are going nuts over PhotoCDs. I did
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a piece in last month's RaG about Corel planning to have 100 theme-
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oriented PhotoCDs by the end of the year. I've even seen an ad for
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an adult PhotoCD.
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The quality of the images is outstanding - the possibilities
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are incredible. In the beginning PhotoCDs were restricted to 35mm
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images, but now the technology is there for up to 4x5 format. I
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haven't seen any of these yet, but based on what I've seen of the
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35mm PhotoCDs the larger format should be outrageous. If you
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haven't seen a PhotoCD, you owe it to yourself to check it out.
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MS-DOS 6.2
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Get ready for an update to MS-DOS 6. Two alleged problems
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have plagued DOS 6 since its introduction earlier this year.
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Users have complained about losing data with SmartDrive s
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write-behind caching. This is a feature which can be disabled, but
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the only way to lose data is to shut your machine off too soon. I
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don t see how this can be blamed on software when the user is at
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fault.
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The primary complaint has been random problems with
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DoubleSpace. I have done quite a few DOS 6 installations, some
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without but mostly with DoubleSpace. I have had NO problems -
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nada, zero. Those experiencing problems can usually be attributed
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to user error or strange hardware configurations.
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Microsoft will be taking care of these complaints with a
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release to be called 6.2 (avoiding name confusion with IBM s DOS
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6.1). Users will be given the option of disabling write-behind
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caching as the default setting with SmartDrive. There will be a
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new feature to un-install DoubleSpace more easily and a protective
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layer making it safer to use. Memory requirements for DoubleSpace
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will also be reduced..
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The release of this update is anticipated for this fall, and
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will be available free through CompuServe or for a minimal fee
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through the channel.
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ScanFix is a new diagnostic technology which can be used as a
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stand-alone module or launched from your AUTOEXEC.BAT file. It
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will scan for damaged clusters and other disk problems before
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DoubleSpace runs.
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Also, a check-summing algorithm will validate the integrity of
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DoubleSpaced data structures and code. If the sums don't change
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from a baseline, it writes to disk. If the checksum changes, the
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system will halt and won't write to disk. The performance of
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Defrag will be enhanced even for compressed drives.
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The interactive boot feature will be enhanced to allow users
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to step through AUTOEXEC.BAT line by line. Copy overwrite
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protection will warn users not to unintentionally overwrite
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existing files.
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CYRIX UPGRADE
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The 386DX is not dead yet. Cyrix recently released their
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Cx486DRx2 chips to breath new life into 386DX systems.
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This new chip uses internal clock doubling technology,
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operating at twice the speed of the 386 chip it replaces. Support
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for 386SX chips is expected later this year, but there are no plans
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to support the 386SL.
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All you do is pop open your computer, remove the 386
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processor, and snap the new chip into place. A self-stick heat
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sink is then attached. You need to run a software utility to
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enable the internal 1K cache, but it unloads after doing its thing
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and there is no RAM loss.
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The list price for the 16/32MHz version is $299, the 20/40 and
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25/50 versions are priced at $349 and $399 respectively.
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NEWS IN YER FACE
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The effects of the Sumitono Chemical Company fire linger on
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with no definite signs of relief. As you recall, this factory
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produced 60% of the epoxy resin supply used in chip manufacture.
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There was some epoxy resin in the pipeline to last manufacturers
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for months, but prices jumped almost instantly. Some US firms are
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discussing getting into this business, but profits are slim and
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require volume sales.
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It is estimated that it will take Sumitono at least a year to
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rebuild.
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A federal judge recently ruled that resellers must stop
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selling Quattro Pro which infringes on Lotus Development's
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copyright.
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Affected products include Quattro, Quattro Pro 1.0, 2.0, 3.0,
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4.0, 4.01, and SE. A new version which does not infringe on Lotus
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copyrights, Quattro Pro 5.0, will ship by the time you read this.
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Rumors are flying about an IPO from WordPerfect. Many in the
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industry feel that this could be one of the largest microcomputer
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software deals of the decade with estimated stock sales of over
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$100 million. The groundwork has been laid, but WordPerfect
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executives are not saying anything yet.
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Corel is planning to acquire Ventura Publisher, Ventura
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Database Publisher, and related technologies. Maybe they'll get
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the quirks out and make it a first-class Windows product.
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Interesting - did you know that Novell has not upgraded to
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Version 4 of NetWare internally? And they have no immediate plans
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to do so. What does that tell you?
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WordPerfect 6.0 for Windows is still ontrack for a 4th quarter
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release. The Tables feature will contain advanced spreadsheet
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capabilities including formulas, numerical cell formatting,
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automatic recalculation, data fills, and named ranges. You'll also
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have a full charting module with 3-D, surface, line, area, bar, hi-
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lo, "exploded", and "exploded pie" charts. WordPerfect will
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finally get collapsible outlining, automatic bullets, irregular
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text wrap around graphics, border options, and a more WYSIWYG
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display (headers and footers showing on the screen).
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PC PHOTOGRAPHER
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Since I've been a photographer for almost 27 years, I take
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interest in the melding of computer technology and the art of
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photography.
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Kodak has a program called PC Photographer which teaches the
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basics of photography. You can learn about how shutter speeds and
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f/stops work, different films, and much more.
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The program has horrible EGA graphics, but they're good enough
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considering the program sells for about $30.
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You can adjust the controls of your electronic camera or put
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it in program mode just like a real one. You also have your choice
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of lenses and film to photograph one of several static and "action"
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scenes. Your film is "developed" and prints are placed in an
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electronic album. You can peruse the album and see the settings
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your pictures were taken at as well as get a commentary on how you
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did.
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There is instruction for using a light meter and a stand-alone
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database provided detailed information on Kodak products.
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Kodak has always had excellent instructional materials and for
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thirty bucks or so I guess this isn't a bad deal. The graphics are
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poor and after you take a picture, it defaults back to an
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electronic dummy-proof camera (I hate idiot-proof cameras).
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But if you want to learn about photography while using your
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computer, this may just be the trick.
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Well, that's it for this month. Not much happening, partly
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due to Comdex coming up. Nobody want to talk. Catch you next
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month...
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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 local BBS's, GEnie,
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and America Online as well as in Modem News.
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In case anyone cares, RAndY's RumOR RaG is produced on a 486-
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50 with 8 megs of memory, Diamond Stealth Pro VESA VLB (1 MB), 105
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MB Toshiba IDE hard drive, Teac 1.2 MB and 1.44 MB floppies, Pro
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Audio Spectrum 16 running a Hitachi 3750 CD ROM drive, Sceptre SVGA
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display, Microsoft mouse, WordPerfect for Windows and transmitted
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through a US Robotics HST 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 |