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Software Vault - The Gold Collection (American Databankers) (1993).ISO
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WINBOX32.TXT
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1993-05-30
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The Window Box
by John Martin, Madison PC Users Group Windows SIG Leader
New things
New things that are available on the market for the Windows user are
becoming more and more like Star Trek. This past weekend I was able
to attend the Detroit Softteach, sponsored by one of my suppliers.
There were hardware and software vendors showing off their wares by
putting on 45-minute demonstrations and sales pitches of their
products.
Remote Control
One of the most interesting, and for myself, useful products is by
Island Systems. Remote Control is similar to some of the other
connection software, with one major difference; this one has neat
stuff like security and virus checking that separates it from the
others in the category. The security for this system is what many
network supervisors look for in products that allow outside access
to their networks. Some of the security measures are intruder
detection and lockout of these nasty little creeps that are known as
hackers(1). For those not familiar with this plague, they are the
second weirdest people that I know, the weirdest are those who
create computer viruses.
What this product does is allow you to call your work computer from
home or the field, and it functions as if you were sitting at your
keyboard. Once connected, you can lockout the keyboard, mouse,
and/or the monitor so no one sees your password or what you are doing.
For myself, the ability of remote support is the most important and
impressive feature. It would allow me to solve my clients' problems
without making on-site service calls. I could also help clients with
Windows configuration problems in a few moments, as opposed to a few
hours. Remember, it takes a lot longer to explain what you are
supposed to be clicking on than to do the clicking yourself.
AutoDesk
Another manufacturer that had something impressive was AutoDesk.
They presented their retail products Generic CADD, 3D Concepts for
Windows, and AutoSketch for Windows. I admit I was an AutoCAD bigot.
I thought the only worthwhile CAD should cost thousands of dollars
and need months or even years to learn how to operate it. AutoDesk
introduced me to three packages that have changed my mind. They
are easy to learn and incorporate most of the power of major league
packages, but at a lower cost, and the system requirements are not
as costly either.
Generic CADD 6.0 requirements are: IBM/PC/XT/AT or compatibles,
640K RAM, DOS 3.0, CGA monochrome or better, math coprocessor, and
a mouse or trackball is recommended. There is support for
dot-matrix and laser printers, and pen plotters. The requirements
for Auto Sketch for Windows and 3D concepts for Windows system
requirements are the same for Microsoft Windows Version 3.1
IBM
OK, you all that know me -- I seldom stop from taking shots at Big
Blue. Well, they put on a very impressive show and locked up
OS/2's newest version due to be released in a few weeks. Needless
to say, it was hard to control myself since I had just spent the
last half hour listening to how much better and error tolerant this
package is than Microsoft Windows. The complex thing that they were
doing was changing the default font for the Program Manager. From
what I could gather from other attenders, locking up was a normal
problem. Does this sound like an UAE? To me it does. Hey, IBM,
before you pan a competitor's product, you better make sure that
your package runs better. I heard that you crashed your system in
at least six of the 16 sessions you conducted. I believe that
Windows 3.0, which was really tipsy, could perform better than
yours did during the conference.
Power
On the lighter side, I was once again reminded of the importance of a
properly configured power supply or UPS (uninterruptable power
supply). Those $6.98 power strips do not quite cut out the spikes,
surges, or sags. The better power strips will come with a guarantee
attached to the box. The guarantee will replace electronic equipment
that is damaged by electric line problems that the strip fails to
correct or inhibit. The amount of the guarantee depends upon the
cost and reliability of the protection device. The dollar amounts
run from $1,000 to over $10,000.
Those inexpensive hardware or discount store protection devices do
not come with any guarantee other than that if the device fails to
protect your computer, the company will replace the power strip.
Oh person(!), what a guarantee. They will replace a $6.98 piece of
equipment, and you can replace thousands of dollars of computer
equipment out of your own pocket. My recommendation is to take
your power strip into your favorite computer store and have the
technician compare what is inside the case of your $6.98 power
strip with a good quality protection device. Then you make the
decision. Is your computer worth a few dollars more for the
protection, or is your computer worth the protection that a $6.98
power strip will offer.
Fonts
If your forte is fonts, there is a neat little package for
customizing fonts. TrueType Effects for Windows, by Micro Logic,
makes the best of your TrueType fonts. According to the literature,
you can create thousands of special effects. The price on this
package is not bad either.
Frame Maker
Last but not least was a Windows word processor/desktop publishing
package called Frame Maker. This product looks and acts like my
favorite package, but does one flashy thing that made me go ooh-aah.
It will not only allow you to typeset complex formulas, but it can
actually solve it for you (ooh-aah).
Manufactures mentioned:
TrueType Effects for Windows is from:
Micro Logic Software
1351 Ocean Avenue
Emeryville, CA 94608
(510) 652-5464
Reachout Remote Control is from:
Ocean Isle Software
49 Royal Plain Boulevard
Vero Beach, FL 32960
(800) 677-OCEAN
Generic CADD, AutoSketch for Windows and 3D Concepts for Windows are
from: AutoDesk Retail Division
11911 North Creek Parkway South
Bothell, WA 98011-9914
(800) 228-3601
UPS systems are from:
American Power Conversion
132 Fairgrounds Road
West Kingston, RI 02892
(800) 800-4APC
OS/2 is from:
Big Blue
International Business Machines
(800) 3-IBM-OS2
Windows is from:
Microsoft
(800) 426-9400
(1) Hackers are the humanoids that relish in the thought of breaking
through your's, or any other computer's, security and causing
disruptions or erasing and changing of programs and data.