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WINMAGIC
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1994-09-08
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Windows Magic
by Carl Dolmetsch
In the constant battle to make the PC increasingly "User
Friendly" we have moved from command driven systems, to menu driven
systems, to the graphical user interface. Among the most popular
of the graphical user interfaces is Windows. Windows is not only
easy to use, but is also a wonderful solution for performing more
than one task at a time. However, Windows still requires a set of
steps to move from one application to another. That's where
Windows Magic from WinWear comes in.
Windows Magic is a set of utilities that operate in the
Windows environment. They include a resource monitoring utility
(Resource-It), a disk monitoring utility (Disk-It), a print managing
utility (Print-It), an applications manager (Get-It), and an exiting
utility (Exit-It). It also comes with a large icon library. The
fundamental premise behind Windows Magic is that Windows CAN be made
easier. It does this by overlaying Windows' Program Manager with a
personally controlled set of options. These options include the
ability to minimize all of your program groups, yet still retain
maximum control over running them. You do this by moving your
favorite applications into a new group called "Favorite
Applications." A toolbar allows you to set this group as an "always
available" group. It shows up as a "Radio" button bar. Entry into
any of these programs then requires only a single button click.
Once in any Windows-based application you can move to any
other application directly without going back through the Program
Manager by using the "Get-It" option. This option is displayed as a
grasping hand that is always visible in Windows applications. Other
utilities include the ability to monitor the status of your
computer's resources. This monitor is modifiable and has the
capability of sending an alarm if your computer has exceeded any of
the thresholds you set. It also has a continuously available print
capability.
Installation is through a standardized setup routine run
from Windows. Once the files are installed, Windows Magic allows
you the option of replacing all of your group icons with custom
icons. It even provides you with a selection of 3800 icons to
choose from! A pull down menu from the Windows Program Manager then
allows you to customize the look and feel of your desktop.
From reading the above, one might easily think that Windows
Magic is the be-all to end-all Windows navigation and management
solution. Not necessarily. It does take some getting used to,
however. I found that it added a needless layer of complexity to an
already simple system. Because it sits on top of Windows, it takes
longer to fully load the system than Windows alone. For those who
manage their own displays, the results from Windows Magic take some
getting used to (reorganization of groups and icons). Also, because
Windows Magic overrides your Program Manager, certain Windows
functionality is lost. I found it very disconcerting that Windows
Screen-Saver does not work when Resource-It is turned on. Also, if
you have more than one printer connected such as a Fax-Modem,
changing from the default to secondary printers leads to changes in
the Print-It setup which then carry through to your next session.
At one time I received a "driver not found" message when I tried to
change printers. This was a message that I have never received
before and have to conclude that it was initiated by Windows Magic.
The on-line help for Windows Magic doesn't offer the extensive help
found in other Program Manager replacements. For some of the more
complex changes you'll need to refer to the User Manual.
WinWear
14150 NE 20th St., Suite 346
Bellevue, WA, 98007
(206) 635-0856
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| 3D Realms Presents, Blood, A Shareware 3D Game to the Max! |
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|_________________ _________________ "Welcome to the |
| ~-. \ i\___/; / .-~ nightmare! Horror |
| ~-. \ / o o \ / .-~ rears its many heads |
| > \\ W // < in this eerie |
| / /~---~\ \ spine-tingling |
| /_ | | _\ action adventure. |
| ~-. | | .-~ Suddenly, all of the |
| ; \ / i subconscious and |
| /___ /\ /\ ___\ conscious evil in |
| ~-. / \_/ \ .-~ humankind's minds |
| V V has spawned macabre |
| manifestations all |
| "I know I won't bite at blood!" over the planet." |
| Buffy the Bat Coming From |
| 3D Realms soom . . . |
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