Libris Britannia 4/science library(b).zip/science library(b)/INFO/PCCDEMO.ZIP/COMP1.EXE/NEWS.PRS

Text File | 1993-12-20 | 24KB | 374 lines

                                                      ïÇôäÆô ìäûÆ  ╧╧╬╠╬╠╬╠╡
┌─┐      ┌─┐              ┌─┐      │     êφ≤Σδ Φ≥  ≤αδΩΦφµ  αßε⌠≤ ≤τΣΦ±
│ │┌────┐│ └┐ ┌────┐┌────┐│ └┐     │  σε±≤τΓε∞Φφµ     úÜîçⁿ    ÅΣφ≤Φ⌠∞.
│ │├─── ││ ┌┘ │ ── ││  ──┤│ ┌┘     │  Interesting, since they're having
│ ││ ── ││ └─┐│ ───┤├──  ││ └─┐    │  serious trouble  fabbing the 66s.
└─┘└────┘└───┘└────┘└────┘└───┘    │  Look for  a 40MHz  Pentium soon -
                                   │  sub-speed   chips   are   Intel's
      ß√ πα⌡Σ ÷ΦδδΦα∞≥             │  normal    way     of    unloading
                                   │  substandard chips.
  ┌────┐┌────┐┌─┐ ┌─┐┌────┐        │
  │ ┌┐ ││ ── ││ ├─┤ ││  ──┤        │     First there were  14 inch hard
  │ ││ ││ ───┤│     │├──  │        │  drives.  Then 8  inch.  Then 5.25
  └─┘└─┘└────┘└──┴──┘└────┘        │  inch. Then  3.5  inch.   Then 2.5
                                   │  inch laptop drives,  and 1.8 inch
             Φφ≤Σδ                 │  palmtop   drives.   Now   HP   is
           ∞ΦΓ±ε≥εσ≤               │  shipping 1.3 inch  drives.  Their
             Φß∞                   │  Kittyhawk II  is an  actual ₧£îß,
        δα≤Σ≥≤ ±ΣδΣα≥Σ≥            │  ¢ƒ∞≥ τα±π πΦ≥Ω  αßε⌠≤ ≤τΣ ≥ΦⁿΣ εσ
        φΣ÷ ∩±εΓΣ≥≥ε±≥             │  ≤τΣ   α⌡Σ±αµΣ   ÷±Φ≥≤÷α≤Γτ.  It's
        δΣµαδ τα∩∩ΣφΦφµ≥           │  rather interesting to think about
      αφπ ≤τΣ δα≤Σ≥≤ µε≥≥Φ∩        │  - data  for volume,  it's smaller


per meg  than even  16Mbx9 SIMMs,  │  complaints.   The  ADR  clause is
the current  champ.    Of course,  │  usually tacked onto contracts.
most of  the SIMM  is composed of  │     By taking disputes  out of the
circuit    board    and   plastic  │  courts  and  into  private hands,
package, but  we're still talking  │  disputes  are  reportedly settled
about an itty bitty hard disk.     │  faster  and  cheaper  than years-
                                   │  long  court  battles.   Vigilante
   Hey, wouldn't  it  be  nice to  │  courts.      This   may   be   an
put one of these  things in a CD-  │  interesting idea.
ROM and  use it  as a  cache?  Or  │
cache a tape backup, or whatever.  │     Æ⌠φ  τα≥   ≥τΦ∩∩Σπ   Φ≤≥  ûÇüê
                                   │  ûΦφπε÷≥ ΓδεφΣ.  It lets "at least
   Information  Week's   June  14  │  13  currently   shipping  Windows
issue  had  a  short  article  on  │  packages"  run  on  Solaris  2.x.
"αδ≤Σ±φα≤Φ⌡Σ πΦ≥∩⌠≤Σ ±Σ≥εδ⌠≤Φεφ",  │  Hmm... Rumor  has it  IBM will be
otherwise known as  ADR.  Instead  │  using WABI in OS/2 2.2.
of going  directly to  court over  │
contract disputes  and  the like,  │     é√±Φ≈'  ≤±⌠Σ  ₧óá  ΓδεφΣ≥  α±Σ
some  companies  are  agreeing to  │  ≥τΦ∩∩Φφµ.   Oddly, they  list the
private       arbitration      of  │  same price  for the  33 and 40mHz


chips.     Texas  Instruments  is  │  in Doublespace.
selling  the   same  chips,  also  │
available as  DX2s  (boo, hiss!),  │     űΣδΦ∞Φφα±√  ±Σ∩ε±≤≥  εσ  âΣδδ
and   they're   also   selling  a  │  αφπ êüî Åéê-ß⌠≥ ∞αΓτΦφΣ≥ ≥α√ ≤τΣ√
*really*  crippled  486SX  -  one  │  α±Σ ≥δε÷   Γε∞∩α±Σπ  ≤ε òäÆÇ, and
with a 16-bit, 100-pin interface.  │  Intel's PCI  chipset  has trouble
The chip is called the TI486SLC2,  │  with EISA-bus machines.   PCI was
and you  want one  about like you  │  a dumb idea anyway.
want AIDS.  Run  away!  Run away!  │
Oh, and apparently  IT is calling  │     InfoWorld's  October  18 issue
the chip  the  "Potomac,"  a word  │  interviewed  Phil  D.  Hester  of
which  conjures  an  image  of  a  │  IBM. Hester  is  a member  of the
Macintosh with a flush handle.     │  RS/6000 group, and he was talking
                                   │  about  the  Åε÷Σ±Åé   ΓτΦ∩.    He
   îΦΓ±ε≥εσ≤'≥    HAS    RELEASED  │  thinks it's neat  because you can
âÄÆ  á.£. Microsoft claims  it's   │  load all  your programs, graphics
not  a  bug  fix.                  │  acceleration,  data  compression,
Actually, they claim there are no  │  fax, and everything else onto the
provable bugs in  6.0.    6.2  is  │  PowerPC chip since  it has plenty
supposed to fix nonexistent bugs   │  of  horsepower,   and  since  you


don't need  coprocessor chips for  │  is being  done  by IBM.  Hey, I'm
all   these   functions,  PowerPC  │  sure  IBM's  programmers  are  as
machines  can   be  built  cheap.  │  good as anyone's, and IBM already
That's  what   Atari   and  Apple  │  has a  source license  to NT, but
thought    when    they    routed  │  it's strange  just the  same. The
everything   through   the   main  │  column also mentioned Thomson has
processor too. Get flipping real,  │  stopped  building  its  XGA clone
here.   Modern software stretches  │  chipsets,     and      IBM     is
Von       Neumann       processor  │  standardizing   on   S3's  86C928
architecture   to    its   limits  │  accelerator  chip  for  new  PS/2
already; the trend  is to offload  │  machines.  There have been rumors
as much  from the  main processor  │  on the Usenet  for several months
as you can.  Why do you think 486  │  about XGA's immenent demise.
and  Pentium  machines  still use  │
video accelerator cards, anyway?   │     ûΣΦ±π Γα± ≥≤√δΦ≥≤ ï⌠ΦµΦ éεδαφΦ
                                   │  Φ≥ φε÷ πΣ≥ΦµφΦφµ ∞ΦΓΣ.  His three
   IW's  "Notes  From  the Field"  │  button Colani Mouse looks for all
column   rumored   that  îε≤ε±εδα  │  the world  like a  foot, complete
ßε⌠µτ≤  ≤τΣ   Åε÷Σ±Åé  ±Φµτ≤≥  ≤ε  │  with toes deformed from too-tight
ûΦφπε÷≥ ìô,  but the  actual port  │  shoes.  Yuck.


                                   │  tech support people  go to lunch.
   Ç  σΣ÷  ∞εφ≤τ≥  αµε  îΦΓ±ε≥εσ≤  │  At the same time.
≥≤α±≤Σπ  Γτα±µΦφµ   σε±  ≥⌠∩∩ε±≤,  │
either  by  credit  card  or  900  │     Æα∞≥⌠φµ   ÷Φδδ   ßΣ   ß⌠ΦδπΦφµ
number.    Well,  that's  when it  │  Ç∩∩δΣ'≥ Åε÷Σ±Åé  ∞αΓτΦφΣ≥.   They
became  news,  anyway. Apparently  │  may  also   build  IBM's  PowerPC
the   various   weeklies   didn't  │  machines.They    are    *already*
notice  that  Microsoft  has been  │  building some of IBM's ValuePoint
doing  this  for   at  least  two  │  monitors.
years.      Not   that  Microsoft  │
support has ever been worth much.  │     ÅΣφ-ßα≥Σπ     ∞αΓτΦφΣ≥     αφπ
                                   │  ≥εσ≤÷α±Σ  α∩∩Σα±   ≤ε   ßΣ  µεΦφµ
   ûε±π ÅΣ±σΣΓ≤ Φ≥  µεΦφµ ≤ε σΣΣ-  │  φε÷τΣ±Σ Φφ α τ⌠±±√.
ßα≥Σπ  ≥⌠∩∩ε±≤  α≥  ÷Σδδ.    That  │
ought to take  some of the stress  │     î⌠Γτ-δα⌠πΣπ åε éε±∩. Φ≥ εφ Φ≤≥
off   the   Utah   phone  system.  │  δα≥≤ δΣµ≥,  and  has  merged with
Colorado  Memory  Systems dropped  │  competitor Eo, which  is owned by
their  800   numbers,  but  don't  │  AT&T.   AT&T  evidently envisions
bothe placing  your toll  call at  │  some  sort  of  "Personal Desktop
midday, Colorado time - all their  │  Assistant"  product.     Whenever


people  start   explaining  these  │
things to  me, they  always sound  │     îΦΓ±ε≥εσ≤'≥ âÄÆ  á.£ ≥τε⌠δπ ßΣ
like  a  Sharp  Wizard  running a  │  ≥τΦ∩∩Φφµ  ∩±Σ≤≤√  ≥εεφ. Microsoft
crippled  DOS  and  using  a pen-  │  claims  it's   not  a   bug  fix.
based GUI.  I  guess they hope to  │  Actually, they claim there are no
sell  these   things   to  people  │  provable bugs  in  6.0.   They're
who've   never   run   a   *real*  │  full of it.   6.2  is supposed to
computer, and don't know they can  │  fix    nonexistent     bugs    in
get real time management and word  │  Doublespace.
processing    software    in    a  │
subnotebook.                       │     I forget  offhand whether it's
                                   │  Compaq  or  NEC  who  is  selling
   êφ≤Σδ Φ≥  ≤αδΩΦφµ  αßε⌠≤ ≤τΣΦ±  │  "Premia" computers,  but  now ÇÆô
σε±≤τΓε∞Φφµ     úÜîçⁿ    ÅΣφ≤Φ⌠∞.  │  τα≥    Φφ≤±επ⌠ΓΣπ    ≤τΣΦ±    φΣ÷
Interesting, since they're having  │  "űΣ∞∞Φα"  (note  two  Ms  there)
serious trouble  fabbing the 66s.  │  line.    Since  AST  just  bought
Look for  a 40MHz  Pentium soon -  │  Tandy's    computer    factories,
sub-speed   chips   are   Intel's  │  there's   evidence   there's   no
normal    way     of    unloading  │  intelligent life at AST anyway.
substandard chips.                 │


   ìε⌡Σδδ  Φ≥  ≥ΣδδΦφµ  "öφΦ≈ûα±Σ  │  do whatever it  takes to get your
ÅΣ±≥εφαδ  äπΦ≤Φεφ"  σε±  ¥óá  and  │  business.")  IBM is the underdog?
later  processors.    Comes  with  │  IBM is  still one  of the largest
both  DOS  and  Windows emulators  │  multinational corporations in the
too.  Price: $249.  Oddly, the ad  │  world. Sounds like some excessive
didn't    have    any    ordering  │  PR to me.  Cute mutt, though.
information, just  an  800 number  │
for a demo disk - 800-879-6168.    │     öφΦ≈ Æ√≥≤Σ∞ ïαß≥ σΦδΣπ ≥⌠Φ≤ Φφ
                                   │  α ìΣ÷ ëΣ±≥Σ√  Γε⌠±≤ Φφ αφ α≤≤Σ∞∩≤
   êüî    Φ≥    ∞α±ΩΣ≤Φφµ   ≤τΣΦ±  │  ≤ε ≥≤ε∩  πΦ≥≤±Φß⌠≤Φεφ εσ üΣ±ΩΣδΣ√
≥Σ±⌡ΦΓΣ≥ α  δΦ≤≤δΣ τα±πΣ±.   They  │  Æεσ≤÷α±Σ âΣ≥Φµφ'≥ üÆâ/¥óá.    The
offer a disaster recovery service  │  judge denied USL's request for an
(and  when  will  YOUR  office be  │  injunction, saying USL had failed
bombed   by    Iraqui    or   FBI  │  to  demonstrate  a  likelihood it
terrorists?).  The  ads feature a  │  could  successfully   defend  its
puppy  with   an   ascot  jumping  │  copyright.
through a hoop  ("We'll even jump  │
through  hoops   for   you")  and  │   As  you  probably  know,  Novell
attached  to  someone's  trousers  │  bought Unix not long  ago.  In an
("IBM is  the underdog,  so we'll  │  effort  toward  Unix unification,


≤τΣ√'⌡Σ   αδδε÷Σπ    ≤τΣ   ù/Ä∩Σφ  │  ΓδαΦ∞  Φ≥   α  £¥Ü.₧è-ß∩≥  ∞επΣ∞.
éεφ≥ε±≤Φ⌠∞ ≤ε ⌠≥Σ ≤τΣ ≤±απΣ∞α±ΩΣπ  │  Quite a  step up  from 14.4K, eh?
öφΦ≈ φα∞Σ.                         │  Further  reading   indicates  the
                                   │  Hayes  uses  one  of  the  v.Fast
   êσ √ε⌠ Γαφ'≤ ÷Φφ, ≤τΣφ ≥÷Φ≤Γτ:  │  aspirants, with  the bulk  of the
After losing their copyright       │  "speed"  coming  from  on-the-fly
infringement    lawsuit   against  │  data  compression,  like  v.42 or
Microsoft's Windows, Apple is now  │  MNP.   Naturally,  this  thing is
selling  Windows  itself.   Apple  │  going to  barf  on  .LZH  or .ZIP
will   also   branch   out   into  │  files.  What a crock.
software  for   MS-DOS  machines.  │     Remember   the    old   $19.95
Apple  is   also   talking  about  │  Windows  Resource   Toolkit  from
porting their  Macintosh System 7  │  Microsoft?    The  big  snap-ring
OS onto  Intel chips.   Ought not  │  binder  that  held  most  of  the
to  be   that   hard   -  Digital  │  documentation  you  should've got
Research *already* has Apple's OS  │  in the first place?  Well, ≤τΣ ìô
running  on  Intel,  with  DR-DOS  │  ôεεδΩΦ≤ Φ≥  ε⌠≤  φε÷, and  it's a
compatibility too.                 │  cool $109.95.
                                   │
   çα√Σ≥ τα≥  αφφε⌠φΓΣπ ÷τα≤ ≤τΣ√  │     îΦΓ±ε≥εσ≤ αφπ  α  σΣ÷ τα±π÷α±Σ


⌡Σφπε±≥ τα⌡Σ  ßΣΣφ ∩⌠≥τΦφµ  α φΣ÷  │  the last few years.  According to
ß⌠≥  ≥≤αφπα±π   ΓαδδΣπ  Åδ⌠µ  αφπ  │  the junk  mail they  sent me, the
Åδα√. Think  of is  as a severely  │  competitive upgrade  (I guess the
neutered 16-bit  EISA  bus,  or a  │  only kind of upgrade, since there
slightly    smarter    ISA   bus.  │  wasn't  anything  before  6.0) is
Anyway, "Plug and  Play" seems to  │  $199.      Supposedly   a  32-bit
have    entered     the    market  │  compiler,   "visual"  programming
mainstream. Everything from whole  │  with     Blue     Sky's    Visual
computers to  network  boards are  │  Programmer,  SLR  Systems OPTLINK
being  widely  promoted  as "Plug  │  (come to think of it, the package
and Play",  whic ought  to really  │  might be worth it just for that),
confuse things down the road.      │  Intersolv's GUI interface to PVCS
                                   │  version control,  a DOS extender,
   Æ√∞αφ≤ΣΓ τα≥ ±ΣδΣα≥Σπ Æ√∞αφ≤ΣΓ  │  and  a  Borland-esque  Integrated
é++       űεσΣ≥≥Φεφαδ       á.Ü.  │  Development Environment.I have no
Interesting,  since  I  never saw  │  idea of the  quality of code this
1.0 through 5.x.  Of course, they  │  thing generates.   Oh, and it's C
might be counting version numbers  │  and   C++,   has   some   Windows
from  one   of  the   C  compiler  │  utilities,  and  will  supposedly
companies they've  bought  out in  │  compile Windows NT executables.


                                   │  a  coming   upgrade  to  Netware.
   îΓÇσΣΣ - the anti-virus people  │  Now, IBM  owns  a chunk  of Stac,
- signed  a  letter of  intent to  │  but  they're  using  SuperStor in
buy Buttonware,  one of  the most  │  IBM DOS  6.1.   Meanwhile, DR-DOS
successful  shareware  companies.  │  (as Novell DOS used to be called)
Buttonware   has    mostly   gone  │  has bundled  SuperStor since 1989
commercial,      dealing     with  │  or  so.    Getting  to  where you
established software vendors like  │  can't tell the  players without a
Egghead. According to the article  │  program...
in CRN, McAfee intends to go back  │
to the download-and-beg marketing  │     Kevin Strehlo, who has written
plan.    The  whole  thing sounds  │  about  computers  for  many years
extremely weird to me.             │  and should therefore know better,
                                   │  ßΣ∞εαφΣπ êüî'≥ ⌠≥Σ εσ ≤τΣΦ± ε÷φ ä
                                   │  ΣπΦ≤ε± in  PC-DOS 6.1  instead of
   According to  IW,  ìε⌡Σδδ ÷Φδδ  │  using Microsoft's  EDIT  from MS-
ßΣ  ≥τΦ∩∩Φφµ  ìε⌡Σδδ  âÄÆ  í ÷Φ≤τ  │  DOS 6.0 in  his July  5 column in
Æ≤αΓΩΣ±  instead   of  SuperStor.  │  Infoworld.   Strehlo says, "IBM's
Novell  is  also  supposed  to be  │  E  Editor  is  behind  the times,
using code licensed  from Stac in  │  with heavy dependence on function


keys."    That's  what  IBM *put*  │
function  keys  on  the  keyboard  │     Why didn't  I  think  of that?
for.  Take a  look at some of the  │  ìÇÆÇ'≥ ëετφ≥εφ  Æ∩αΓΣ  éΣφ≤Σ± has
original      IBM     programming  │  designed  a   mouse   with  force
documents sometime.  Besides, the  │  sensors  on  the   foot  and  the
picture IW  shows is  listing all  │  bottons.    By  varying pressure,
alt-key commands. And even though  │  the operator can change ballistic
E   does   line   drawing,  edits  │  acceleration or other parameters.
multiple files,  and is generally  │  Might  be  very  interesting, but
more powerful than EDIT, he finds  │  what is NASA going to do with it?
IBM's       use        of       E  │
"incomprehensible."  If he'd stop  │      Back four or  σΦ⌡Σ √Σα±≥ αµε,
and think about  it for a minute,  │  ïεµΦ≤ΣΓτ   Γα∞Σ    ⌠∩    ÷Φ≤τ   α
he'd  realize  EDIT   is  just  a  │  "ßαδδΦ≥≤ΦΓ"  ∞ε⌠≥Σ  driver.   You
special  mode   for  QBASIC,  for  │  enable   it    with   the   BHIGH
which Microsoft  requires special  │  parameter  on  the  command line.
separate  licensing.   Also,  IBM  │  When  enabled,  the  mouse cursor
provides  E  with  OS/2,  thereby  │  moves normally when  you move the
maintaining   a   common   editor  │  mouse slowly.   When you move the
across both operating systems.     │  mouse    faster,    the    cursor


accelerates.   You   could,   for  │  cursor speed when the mouse speed
example,  move  the  mouse slowly  │  goes   past   a   certain  limit.
for  four  inches   to  move  the  │  Whoop-de-doo.   If you've  used a
cursor slowly for  four inches on  │  Logitech mouse with ballistics, a
the screen.   Or  you could flick  │  Microsoft mouse with double speed
the mouse with your wrist, moving  │  seems dead. Fortunately, Logitech
it only an inch or so, and bounce  │  drivers work with Microsoft mice.
the cursor  off  the side  of the  │  Unfortunately, OS/2 knows nothing
screen, sort of like one of those  │  of ballistics,  and  its built-in
toys that looks  like a ping-pong  │  mouse driver is sllloooowwww....
paddle with a rubber ball secured  │
to it by  a rubber band.   When I  │      æΣ∞Σ∞ßΣ±  ≤τΣ   πα√≥  εσ  ≤τΣ
first  heard   of  the   idea  it  │  ∩δ⌠µ-Φφ      Σ∞⌠δα≤ε±     ßεα±π≥?
sounded  ridiculous  -  it's very  │  Microsoft  actually  sold  a Z-80
nonlinear -  but in  practice, it  │  card that would let you run CP/M,
normally takes just a few minutes  │  with  a  specially  modified  and
for people to get  used to it and  │  licensed copy of  CP/M from arch-
love it.  Most mouse drivers have  │  enemy DRI.   Someone else made an
what's   called   a  double-speed  │  8088 board for  the Apple II that
threshhold, where they double the  │  ran MS-DOS.  Now IBM is selling a


board for Micro Channel machines,  │  Eh?   It's right  above the Enter
carrying  an   entire  System/370  │  key  on  any  keyboard  I've ever
clone  on  a  handful  of  chips.  │  seen, on  the  corner,  where you
Compatible with DOS, Windows, and  │  can get to it from the top or the
OS/2,  it   will   let   you  run  │  right side.    Corners  are primo
versions  of   the  VM   and  VSE  │  territory on the keyboard.  "When
operating       systems       and  │  erasing  errors,  even  the  best
applications like  SCRIPT, CADAM,  │  typists must divert their eyes to
and  GDDM.    It  even  talks  to  │  look at the  keyboard, lift their
mainframe  style  networks.    Is  │  right hand  from  the traditional
this far out or what?  "Mainframe  │  location,        strike       the
on a desktop" is here.             │  backspace/erase  key,  and return
                                   │  their   hand   to   its  original
   A   company   called  èΣ√ßεα±π  │  location."  Eh?   Eh?   Does this
Çπ⌡αφΓΣ≥, has  invented what they  │  guy  use   the   special  Martian
call  the  "Erase-Eaze" keyboard.  │  keyboard?  Anyway, they shortened
Quote:      "The      traditional  │  the spacebar  and added  a second
backspace/erase key is one of the  │  backspace key  down  by  the left
most commonly used keys, yet it's  │  Alt key, which  doesn't seem like
one  of  the  hardest  to reach."  │  any  great   improvement  to  me.


Other than that,  it looks like a  │  their  "  ïΦ≤≤δΣ  üεα±π  Åé  ", a
pretty average  101-key goofboard  │  remarkably  complete single-board
with  the  QWERTY  section wedged  │  MSDOS computer.   Lots  of people
off to  the left  and the moronic  │  bought them, mounted  them on top
T-shaped cursor pad.  $72, if you  │  of 1.2Mb  floppy drives  (yes, it
agree with these goofballs.        │  was *that* long ago) and put them
                                   │  and a  power  supply  in  a Smurf
   Remember a  year  or  so back,  │  lunchbox.  I just saw an ad in an
when there was  some talk about a  │  engineering  magazine  -  they're
new,   Φ∞∩±ε⌡Σπ   äêÆÇ  ≥≤αφπα±π?  │  still  around,  selling  16Mb 486
Well,  apparently   something  is  │  boards, complete with VGA and IDE
happening,     because     Burndy  │  or SCSI controllers, still in the
announced they're  making the new  │  5.25 form  factor.   Wouldn't one
connectors.  Gawd,  just  what we  │  of those be nice?  Add one of the
needed   -    another   different  │  1.2  gig  3.5"   hard  drives,  a
connector.                         │  Worldport v.32bis modem, a 2.88Mb
                                   │  floppy, and  you'd probably still
   Speaking of remember, remember  │  have room  for  one  of  the PS/2
Ç∞∩±ε?   Back  five or  six years  │  form factor DAT drives to back it
ago they  ran ads  everywhere for  │  all up with.  Of course, nowadays


it'd have  to be  a Jurassic Park  │  chip should ship  soon.  What'cha
lunchbox.                          │  wanna bet they're  marketed as 75
                                   │  and 99 MHz chips?
   é±Σα≤Σ-Ç-éτΣΓΩ  êφΓ,  of  Salt  │
Lake  City,  UT,  have introduced  │     êüî  Φ≥   αδ≥ε   ≥τΦ∩∩Φφµ  ÿΣ≤
their  new  product,  also called  │  Çφε≤τΣ± ÅÆ/£  -  now  there's the
Create-A-Check.     The  software  │  PS/2 "E". What's an  "E"?  It's a
allows   you   to   print   MICR-  │  486-25  DX2  with  a  16Kb cache,
compatible checks  on plain blank  │  120Mb hard  disk, and  two PCMCIA
white paper.   You  can even have  │  laptop slots in a box the size of
it  print   your  signature  too.  │  a cigar  box.   It  has  a laptop
This should be an incredible step  │  style  active  matrix  LCD  color
forward for hot check writers all  │  screen mounted  on a  pedestal so
over.   How  about  the  new Hot-  │  you have to pray  to it - I can't
Check Writer's Signature Database  │  tell from the  picture if you can
next?                              │  get  the   display   down   to  a
                                   │  reasonable height or not.  It has
   êüî  Φ≥   φε÷  ≥τΦ∩∩Φφµ  ≤τΣΦ±  │  a new  "Quiet Touch"(R) keyboard,
"üδ⌠Σ ïΦµτ≤φΦφµ"  £ƒ/íƒîçⁿ ΓδεΓΩ-  │  with  the  keys  only  about 1/8"
≤±Φ∩δΣπ 486  CPUs.   The 33/99MHz  │  tall.  It looks for all the world


like  the  second  generation  PC  │  difference. What this thing looks
Junior keyboard.  There's a built  │  like,  is  an  old-style  laptop,
in mouse button between the B, N,  │  broken   into   several  separate
and  H   keys,  with   two  mouse  │  pieces.   If you're  gonna have a
buttons under the  spacebar.  And  │  crummy  laptop  screen, keyboard,
a   *separate*   numeric  keypad.  │  and no slots, why  not just get a
What we  have  here  is  a laptop  │  real laptop?
screen on  a post,  a system unit  │
with no  slots  or  drive  bays -  │     Çô&ô   Φ≥   απ⌡Σ±≤Φ≥Φφµ  ≤τΣΦ±
like, no LAN  card, no CD-ROM, no  │  "ÅΦΓα≥≥ε" ⌡ΦπΣε∩τεφΣ≥. It's not a
tape backup,  no  sound  card, no  │  TV  telephone  like  you've  been
nothing -  and a  nerdy PC Junior  │  able to buy for several years now
keyboard.   IBM is  *king* of the  │  - it's  more  like a  hires video
keyboards - why throw the world's  │  FAX.  Anyway, if  I was trying to
best  keyboard  away?    Probably  │  emphasize   an   accurate   video
because they're  complex and have  │  image, I  wouldn't select  a name
lots of  mechanical  parts, while  │  like Picasso. Brrr...  "Jack, why
rubber-dome boards are simple and  │  are  all   the   clocks  warped?"
dirt cheap.    Most  people can't  │  "What?  What?"
type,  so  they  don't  know  the  │


   Remember  when  üεΣΦφµ  jumped  │
into the software  market five or  │     Çσ≤Σ± üε±δαφπ'≥ δε≥≥ Φφ ïε≤⌠≥'
six years  ago  with üεΣΦφµ-éαδΓ?  │  δεεΩ-αφπ-σΣΣδ δα÷≥⌠Φ≤,  a Federal
It had Lotus  and Javelin (anyone  │  judge has prohibited Borland from
remember   Javelin?   Raise  your  │  selling  copies  of  Quattro  Pro
hands) sweating for a while.  But  │  which    infringe    on    Lotus'
Boeing never upgraded  it, and it  │  copyright.  Since   all  previous
faded  away.     Now   Toyota  is  │  versions  of  Quattro  have  been
selling CAD software - the ôε√ε≤α  │  ruled  to  infringe,  Borland  is
éαΣδ⌠∞ ≥√≥≤Σ∞.    Did  these guys  │  preparing Quattro  Pro 5.0.   The
use the same ad firm that came up  │  main  difference   will   be  the
with Intel's  "Pentium"?  Caelum,  │  elimination  of   the  Lotus  123
meet  Pentium.     Pentium,  meet  │  macro convertor.
Caelum. Barf. The two page Caelum  │
article in  Machine Design failed  │     Litigation again:  Financially
to mention  what sort  of machine  │  troubled    ûαφµ  ïαß≥  Φ≥  ≥⌠Φφµ
the software ran  on, or how much  │  îΦΓ±ε≥εσ≤,  claiming  Microsoft's
it costs. I  guess those sorts of  │  Windows OLE infringes on previous
things aren't  real  important to  │  Wang patents.  This ought  to get
non-computer people.               │  interesting ñ