===========================================================================
                               WORKBENCH 3.1
  Harry V. Runge                                    haviru@cup.portal.com
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To begin, I've been using DOS 3.1 a little under a month and in some
areas, I find it a strange animal.  The two in particular on my system
(see below) are the PALETTE and the OVERSCAN Editors.  Let's take each in
turn.
     
When PALETTE is run, I get two choices: 8-color or 4-color.  Under DOS
2.1, I had a 16-color palette and under DOS 3.1 with Directory Opus 4.11,
DOPUS still offers a 16-color palette.  Toss in another variable, I'm
experimenting with Dan Fish's ColorSaver, a more than magnificent
alternative to the PALETTE editor, which not only presents a 16-color
user-customized palette option but also the option to save any number of
custom palettes.  I don't understand why the 8-color limits were set as
they were.  Get ColorSaver; put a lot more color on your workbench.  As an
afterthought, one can use the Colorwheel button in PALETTE but I find it
thoroughly confusing when the colors don't come out as I anticipated.
     
Now the OVERSCAN is even stranger.  I run the editor and it shows several
dimensions, minimum and max (724x482) but when hitting either edit button,
the screen goes to HIRes-noninterlace halving the vertical dimension from
482 to 241 in graphics and the same in text(202).  Then I ran the
SCREENMODE editor and came up with a 640x400 interlaced display with a
Visible Size Property of 706x404 and again 16-colors.
     
Overall, I'm thoroughly happy with DOS 3.1; the main reason I upgraded was
so that I could run AMosaic when I get all the programs and
jargon/acronyms straight in my head.  I was some worried that my favorite
programs would become cripples or coffin residers under the new DOS.
Ergo, the following:
     
     
     What Runs: (with caveat)            What Crashes: (Guru #'s)
     ========================            ========================
     
     Directory Opus 4.11                 Checks & Balances 
     Battle Chess                                   (8000 0004)
     Geotime_M                           AmiGlobe v.992
     Moontool 030                                   (8000 0004)
     Poing - all versions                           (8000 0008)
     SimEarth HiRes
     QuarterBack 6.0
     FinalWriter 3.0
     BaudBandit 2.1
     Quarterback Tools 1.5
                 (warm reboot advisable before running)
     AmiCheck 1.35
     AtomClock *
     Pagestream 3.0f
     AdPro 2.5
     DPaint IV
     Garshneblanker 020 V36
     Microfiche Filer 2.0+
     Tools Daemon 2.1a
     ColorSaver 1.18
     Pinball Fantasies (needs CHIPVBR)
     Schedule Pro
     Implode 4.0
     MaxiPlan 4 --> Not fully tested; boots OK

Note 1: Checks & Balances crashes only when I tried to print a report.  I
called the company and they were aware of the problem and working on it. 
They told me that it was peculiar to the A-1000 only but did not mention
any specific configuration.
              
Note 2: Amiglobe crashes no matter how I configure with either non-FPU or
FPU program versions.  I tried with CHIPVBR and MMU running plus one or
the other independently.  MUI 2.3 is run on startup and in the background.
AmiGlobe looks like a super program, an educational tool needed badly.  I
could used some help here.
                                   
Plea: I sure wish a developer would pick up on the MicroFiche Filer and
update it.  It is unique in its area and serves me well for a database for
special uses; recipes, pics and the like.  It was a 1988 copyright and
still runs.  Wish all programs were this well written.
     
     * Updates my battery backed system clock automatically from
       the startup-sequence on the first day of each month by
       dialing (modem) the Naval Observatory atomic (cesium, I
       think) clock here in nearby Washington, DC; you know, Al
       Bore's residence.
     
One final comment: This is subjective only, but it appears that all
programs seem to execute more quickly than under any previous OS's.  I'll
update the list as I use programs that I own but haven't run as yet.  If
anyone wants to add to this list, go ahead.  Suggest however that you
quantify your specific system as I've done.  At the risk of starting a
"Can You Top This Contest" I venture to say that if it runs on my much
hacked-up hybridized rig, it will run on any non-AGA Amiga out there.  I
now have set up my titanium 3/4 inch thick armor-plate shield in front of
the modem and have .357 SW Model 19 at hand to repel all attacks!!!  I
don't claim to be 'dirty' but I'm working on it.  8<:()
     
BTW I'm still using the A-1000 Amiga (ca mid-'86) souped with the
Rejuvenator and the CSA Derringer (25 Mhz 68030 with ECS and 2MByte
Agnus); SysInfo tells that I'm running 89% as fast as the 25 Mhz A-3000. 
The internal floppy is now external; it is the original, assembled in
1985.  Also I modified a PC Clone tower to accept two 3.5 floppies and two
Quantum HD's 52 and 170 MBytes respectively.  At the end of the floppy
chain is a 5 1/4 Amiga Drive (1020 ?; it's been so long I've forgotten). 
Ram consists of 2 Meg Agnus, 2 MBytes 32 Bit from the Derringer and 2.5
MBytes Fast.  DOS is 3.1 with ROM.  I just recently added the FlickerFixer
(Microway) and a MAG Monitor (15DXF).  The combination now gives, with
overscan, a flicker-free 724 x 482 display. 
          
     Please contact me at any of the following:
     
     INet--> haviru@cup.portal.com
     Portal-->haviru
     Snail Mail--> Harry V. Runge
                   1423 Green Run Lane
                   Reston, VA 22090 - 3928
                   (703) 437-7488