OS/2 Shareware BBS: 32 Periodic/32-Periodic.zip/mmouga94.zip/mmouga94.txt

Text File | 1994-09-30 | 100KB | 1,929 lines

MMOUG August 1994 Newsletter

August 1994
Volume 2 Number 8

The views expressed in this newsletter are not necessarily the views held by
the MMOUG or it's members. Don't agree with something you've read here?
Write and tell us about it!  If you have any contributions, please upload them to area
18 of the WoodMeister or send them to me via Internet at [e-mail].  If
you work for the State of Missouri and have access to DISOSS, you can send them to
POOLMWV at DSSHOST.

MMOUG September Minutes

Attendees:  Dayton Shepherd, Penny Shepherd, Michelle Wilson,
Randy Wilkerson, Phillip Wilson, Christopher Walters, Woody Sturges,
Marilyn Holbrook, Robert Tufts, Mark Espinoza, Scott Brodbeck, David
Keisker, Brenda Bakota, Ben Hoffman, Gerri Jeffery, Jim Casstevens,
Noel Bummens, Ken Evans, Steve Gramblin, Gary Pool, Randy Wright, Joe
Woodwell

Business Meeting:

Gerri Jeffery reported that DeScribe will be coming to our October
meeting and Pinnacle to our November meeting.

Ben Hoffman reported that IBM is letting us use a phone mail drop for the
MMOUG.  The number is 314-636-0805.  It will be checked by the officers
for messages several times a week.  We need to publish the number.

We have $805.89 in the bank.  Gary Pool volunteered to chair a committee
to look for a place for the Christmas Party. (editor's note: Hunh?
I did?)

Gary Pool is now Professionally Certified for OS/2 and LAN Server Admin.
He will report on the OS/2 Technical Exchange in the newsletter.

Presentations:
Michelle Wilson from IBM demo'ed the OS/2 Warp II beta.  Joe Woodwell
representing Lotus demo'ed the Smartsuite for OS/2.  A user group price
for Smartsuite can be arranged.

Information Officer Input/Output

Welcome to the Mid-Missouri OS/2 Users Group Newsletter.  I've put
in a welcome because there may be some new readers this time.  Hank
Henderson has agreed to make this available on the OS2BBS.  Thanks,
Hank.

One of these days, I'm going to pursue getting a common place where
User Group Newsletters from all over the country can be found.  The
PCC BBS was an excellent location for a while.  User Groups could
obtain an 800 number for their officers, so there was no direct cost.
Right after I uploaded our first newsletter, they ceased this
practice.  I wonder if it was cause and effect?

There are supposed to be a lot of UG Newsletters on CompuServe, but
I'm too poor to afford that.

This month you are reading a long newsletter.  I typed
up a report of everything I experienced in Atlanta at the OS/2
Technical Update -- complete with pictures.  If you are reading the
skimpy, one-page, paper version of the newsletter, you need to dial
up a BBS and download the INF version.

For those of you who don't like my casual, erratic, conversational
form of writing -- it will seem even longer!

The Mid Missouri OS/2 User Group just received a voice-mail number:
314-636-0805.  Gee, I almost typed vice-mail number.  No, it's not one
of those 900 numbers.  However, we will be trying to make this number
known so that members of the user group can assist folks who are just
starting out with OS/2.  Talk about your public servants!

To tell the truth, I am tired of writing.  This issue is
huge.  So I ain't gonna say nothin' more.

gp

The Dog House

Shoot, I forgot all about the Dog House!  Fortunately I have a
little program tucked away that looked like it was pretty interesting.
I haven't had a chance to test it myself, though.  As you know, a
sorted CONFIG.SYS can sometimes cause your machine to boot a little
faster.  Scott's program will sort your CONFIG.SYS.  Remember --
always back up your CONFIG.SYS and have a bootable floppy disk
ready -- just in case something bad happens!

SORTC.CMD
:lines.
/* Created by Scott Trosien of Livonia, MI - 9-1-94                */
/* Tested using the Warp2 beta                                     */
/* Please do not alter the above lines unless authorized by author!*/
/* Please report any problems/bugs to DEV4447 at OS2BBS-IBMLINK.   */

/* To use the output of this program, simply redirect it to a file */
/* (i.e. SORTC >CONFIG.NEW)                                        */
/* Please be sure to verify your config.sys was converted properly */
/* before rebooting!                                               */

/* WARNING WARNING WARNING WARNING WARNING WARNING WARNING WARNING */
/* DO NOT redirect it to CONFIG.SYS  (i.e. SORTC >CONFIG.SYS)      */
/* This will likely trash your CONFIG.SYS                          */
/* This will create a backup named CONFIG.SRT which will hold      */
/* a copy of the CONFIG.SYS prior to this utility processing it.   */

"@Echo Off"
call RxFuncAdd "SysLoadFuncs", "RexxUtil", "SysLoadFuncs"
call SysLoadFuncs
/* Initialize base variables */
    IFS.0 = 0
    BASEDEV.0 = 0
    DEVICE.0 = 0
    SET.0 = 0
    CALL.0 = 0
    RUN.0 = 0
    IOPL.0 = 0
    DEVINFO.0 = 0
    MMOS2.0 = 0
    TCPIP.0 = 0
    REM.0 = 0
    DOSDEVICE.0 = 0
    MISC.0 = 0
    DO i = 1 to 9
        CONTROL.i = ""
        PERF.i = ""
        ERROR.i = ""
        DOS.i = ""
        END

/* Main Code Group */
"Copy C:\CONFIG.SYS C:\CONFIG.SRT >nul"
"TYPE C:\CONFIG.SRT ║RXQUEUE"
DO i = 1 to QUEUED()
    PARSE UPPER PULL currline
    SELECT
        WHEN "IFS" = LEFT(currline,3) then do
            IFS.0 = IFS.0 + 1
            var = VALUE("IFS."IFS.0,currline)
            END
        WHEN "BASEDEV" = LEFT(currline,7) then do
            BASEDEV.0 = BASEDEV.0 + 1
            var = VALUE("BASEDEV."BASEDEV.0,currline)
            END
        WHEN "DEVICE=C:\OS2\MDOS" = LEFT(currline,18) ║ "DEVICEHIGH" =
LEFT(currline,10) then do
            DOSDEVICE.0 = DOSDEVICE.0 + 1
            var = VALUE("DOSDEVICE."DOSDEVICE.0,currline)
            END
        WHEN "DEVICE=C:\MMOS2" = LEFT(currline,15) then do
            MMOS2.0 = MMOS2.0 + 1
            var = VALUE("MMOS2."MMOS2.0,currline)
            END
        WHEN "DEVICE=C:\TCPIP" = LEFT(currline,15) then do
            TCPIP.0 = TCPIP.0 + 1
            var = VALUE("TCPIP."TCPIP.0,currline)
            END
        WHEN "DEVICE" = LEFT(currline,6) then do
            DEVICE.0 = DEVICE.0 + 1
            var = VALUE("DEVICE."DEVICE.0,currline)
            END
        WHEN "SET" = LEFT(currline,3) then do
            SET.0 = SET.0 + 1
            var = VALUE("SET."SET.0,currline)
            END
        WHEN "RUN" = LEFT(currline,3) then do
            RUN.0 = RUN.0 + 1
            var = VALUE("RUN."RUN.0,currline)
            END
        WHEN "CALL" = LEFT(currline,4) then do
            CALL.0 = CALL.0 + 1
            var = VALUE("CALL."CALL.0,currline)
            END
        WHEN "IOPL" = LEFT(currline,4) then do
            IOPL.0 = IOPL.0 + 1
            var = VALUE("IOPL."IOPL.0,currline)
            END
        WHEN "DEVINFO" = LEFT(currline,7) then do
            DEVINFO.0 = DEVINFO.0 + 1
            var = VALUE("DEVINFO."DEVINFO.0,currline)
            END
        WHEN "REM" = LEFT(currline,3) then do
            REM.0 = REM.0 + 1
            var = VALUE("REM."REM.0,currline)
            END

/* OS2 Control variables */
        WHEN "PROTSHELL" = LEFT(currline,9) then do
            CONTROL.1 = currline
            END
        WHEN "LIBPATH" = LEFT(currline,7) then do
            CONTROL.2 = currline
            END
        WHEN "SWAPPATH" = LEFT(currline,8) then do
            CONTROL.3 = currline
            END
        WHEN "COUNTRY" = LEFT(currline,7) then do
            CONTROL.4 = currline
            END
        WHEN "BREAK" = LEFT(currline,5) then do
            CONTROL.5 = currline
            END
        WHEN "CODEPAGE" = LEFT(currline,8) then do
            CONTROL.6 = currline
            END

/* OS/2 Performance */
        WHEN "THREADS" = LEFT(currline,7) then do
            PERF.1 = currline
            END
        WHEN "PRIORITY_DISK_IO" = LEFT(currline,16) then do
            PERF.2 = currline
            END
        WHEN "TIMESLICE" = LEFT(currline,9) then do
            PERF.3 = currline
            END
        WHEN "BUFFERS" = LEFT(currline,7) then do
            PERF.4 = currline
            END
        WHEN "DISKCACHE" = LEFT(currline,9) then do
            PERF.5 = currline
            END
        WHEN "MAXWAIT" = LEFT(currline,7) then do
            PERF.6 = currline
            END
        WHEN "MEMMAN" = LEFT(currline,6) then do
            PERF.7 = currline
            END
        WHEN "PRINTMONBUFSIZE" = LEFT(currline,15) then do
            PERF.8 = currline
            END
        WHEN "PRIORITY" = LEFT(currline,8) then do
            PERF.9 = currline
            END

/* OS/2 Diagnostics and error control */
        WHEN "AUTOFAIL" = LEFT(currline,8) then do
            ERROR.1 = currline
            END
        WHEN "PAUSEONERROR" = LEFT(currline,12) then do
            ERROR.2 = currline
            END
        WHEN "TRAPDUMP" = LEFT(currline,8) then do
            ERROR.3 = currline
            END
        WHEN "TRACEBUF" = LEFT(currline,8) then do
            ERROR.4 = currline
            END
        WHEN "TRACE" = LEFT(currline,5) then do
            ERROR.5 = currline
            END
        WHEN "SUPPRESSPOPUPS" = LEFT(currline,14) then do
            ERROR.6 = currline
            END
        WHEN "DUMPPROCESS" = LEFT(currline,11) then do
            ERROR.7 = currline
            END
        WHEN "REIPL" = LEFT(currline,5) then do
            ERROR.8 = currline
            END

/* DOS */
        WHEN "PROTECTONLY" = LEFT(currline,11) then do
            DOS.1 = currline
            END
        WHEN "SHELL" = LEFT(currline,5) then do
            DOS.2 = currline
            END
        WHEN "DOS" = LEFT(currline,3) then do
            DOS.3 = currline
            END
        WHEN "FCBS" = LEFT(currline,4) then do
            DOS.4 = currline
            END
        WHEN "RMSIZE" = LEFT(currline,6) then do
            DOS.5 = currline
            END
        WHEN "FILES" = LEFT(currline,5) then do
            DOS.6 = currline
            END
        WHEN "LASTDRIVE" = LEFT(currline,9) then do
            DOS.7 = currline
            END
        WHEN "BREAK" = LEFT(currline,5) then do
            DOS.8 = currline
            END

/* Miscellaneous Commands */
        OTHERWISE
            MISC.0 = MISC.0 + 1
            var = VALUE("MISC."MISC.0,currline)
            END
        END

/* Begin ouput of data */
If IFS.0 \= 0 then say "REM *** Installable File Systems ***"
do i = 1 to IFS.0
    say IFS.i
    END
If IFS.0 \= 0 then say
say "REM *** BASE Device Drivers ***"
do i = 1 to BASEDEV.0
    say BASEDEV.i
    END
say
say "REM *** DEVICE Drivers ***"
do i = 1 to DEVICE.0
    say DEVICE.i
    END
say
say "REM *** Environment Variables ***"
do i = 1 to SET.0
    say SET.i
    END
say
say "REM *** OS/2 System Control ***"
do i = 1 to 9
    If CONTROL.i \= "" then say CONTROL.i
    END
do i = 1 to DEVINFO.0
    If DEVINFO.I \= "DEVINFO.I" then say DEVINFO.I
    END
do i = 1 to 9
    If PERF.i \= "" then say PERF.i
    END
do i = 1 to 9
    If ERROR.i \= "" then say ERROR.i
    END
say
say "REM *** DOS Subsystem Control ***"
do i = 1 to 9
    If DOS.i \= "" then say DOS.i
    END
do i = 1 to DOSDEVICE.0
    say DOSDEVICE.i
    END
If RUN.0 \= 0 ║ CALL.0 \= 0 then do
    say
    say "REM *** RUN and CALL Statements ***"
    END
do i = 1 to RUN.0
    say RUN.i
    END
do i = 1 to CALL.0
    If CALL.i \= "" then say CALL.i
    END
If MMOS2.0 \= 0 then do
    say
    say "REM *** Multimedia ***"
    END
do i = 1 to MMOS2.0
    If MMOS2.i \= "" then say MMOS2.i
    END
If MMOS2.0 \= 0 then do
    say
    say "REM *** TCP/IP and/or Internet Access Kit ***"
    END
do i = 1 to TCPIP.0
    If TCPIP.i \= "" then say TCPIP.i
    END
say
If MISC.0 \= 0 then say "REM *** Miscellaneous Statements ***"
do i = 1 to MISC.0
    say MISC.i
    END
say

Scott E. Trosien -- Ford PTF - Dearborn, MI    DRBN005--STROSIEN
IBMMAIL:USFMCLN2   OS2BBS:,DEV4447

If you have any neat REXX programs, please upload them to area
18 of the WoodMeister or send them to me via Internet at [e-mail].  If
you work for the State of Missouri and have access to DISOSS, you can send them to
POOLMWV at DSSHOST.

REBOUND -- Off the Boards

                     ▄▀▀▀▄ █   █ █▄ ▄█
                     █   █ █ ▄ █ █▀█▀█
                     ▀▄▄▄▀ ▀█▀█▀ █   █

       <══════════ The OS/2 Woodmeister ══════════>
               Overview of downloadable files
                      [phone]
      FIDO Node 1:289/27    1200/2400/9600/14400 D/S
       <══════════════════════════════════════════>


(Thu Sep 29 05:30) Last 1 months newest of a total of 2873 files (513 MB)
                   Maximum privilege shown: Disgrace
                   Newest: ANONFTP.ZIP dd  9-28-94 (avail:  9-28-94)
                   Date flag: new on this system since: * = 1 week, + = 1 month

Filename     Area  Size   Date    Description
──────────── ──── ───── ───────── ─────────────────────────────────────────────
32CSET4.ZIP    12  221K  9-13-94+ BinkleyTerm/2 32bit compiled for 486
                                  computers
AF_SDK.ZIP     24   70K  9-01-94+ AccuFax SDK. Scalable Fax software - this is
                                  single user example/demo (works).
ANONFTP.ZIP    16   15K  9-28-94* INformation on anonymous FTP
ANS000.ZIP     12  221K  9-26-94* Answering machine app for modems with
                                  ROCKWELL chipsets.  This is a beta
AUTOBP.ARJ     21  287K  9-21-94+ Automatically change bitmaps for each  new
                                  boot
BDAYS.ZIP      24    2K  9-06-94+ Paradox sample to calc number of business
                                  days between two dates.
BERNLL.TXT      4    4K  9-16-94+ Instructs how to load Bernoulli drivers from
                                  floppy in ISA and MCA machines
BLUE2SAL.ZIP    9   25K  9-23-94* Blue Diskette to Salmon Diskette conversion
                                  utility.
BORLAND.ZIP    59  128K  9-01-94+ Listing of Borland BBS
CENVI2.ZIP      6  329K  9-16-94+ CEnvi v1.009 - C Interpreter/batch/automater.
                                  CEnvi implements the Cmm advanced scripting
                                  language
CERT94.ZIP     11  859K  9-28-94* OS/2 LEngineer and LAN Server Engineer sample
                                  tests and information.
CHARON40.ZIP   16  482K  9-28-94* Some sort of mail gateway
CI210B.ZIP     12 1131K  9-06-94+ CopyIt/2 for DOS and OS/2: Premier server
                                  control software for BBS Operators.  'ROM
                                  support, fax, archiving, etc
CLRQWK11.ZIP   21  169K  9-01-94+ ***************************** * ColorQWK 1.0
                                  for Windows! * *       LITE version        *
                                  *   Requires VBRUN300.DLL   * * QWK for
                                  Windows
COMM56.ZIP     21    7K  9-21-94+ Windows COMM driver replacement.
CONTROL2.EXE   24  477K  9-01-94+ Chicago (WIN 4.0.will.be.around.someday) code
                                  and EXEs for some control functions.
CRON214.ZIP     9   99K  9-20-94+ Cron/2 for OS/2 - client/server timed
                                  execution of applications
CRYNWARE.ZIP   32  284K  9-06-94+ Clarkson Ethernet TCP/IP drivers
DIAMDEMO.ZIP   15  501K  9-13-94+ Working demo of BMDp/Diamond - 32bit
                                  graphical data analysis program
DOSUP9.EXE     32  494K  9-09-94+ Latest DOS Netware drivers
DTR500.ZIP     24   53K  9-01-94+ Data Table Reporter for PAradox with SOURCE
                                  CODE
DWNSRT60.ZIP   12  236K  9-06-94+ Maximus CBCS DOWNload file SORT and List util
                                  v6.0
ETELR20A.ZIP   15  465K  9-06-94+ Version 2.0 of E-Teller - a bank and credit
                                  card manager
EUROPE.TXT      4    3K  9-20-94+ Announcement of the first European OS/2
                                  Developers Conference
EWAN102.ZIP    16  197K  9-06-94+ E-Mail for Internet
FADE.ZIP       24   13K  9-06-94+ Face from one UiObj to another in Paradox/Win
                                  - WAY COOL
FILEB188.ZIP    9  234K  9-06-94+ FileBar v1.88 - util for OS/2 2.x,
                                  application launch facitily.  Uses less mem
                                  than WPS
FINF096.ZIP     9   25K  9-07-94+ FindINF version 0.96 by Dale Hackemeyer.
                                  FindINF searches for INF files and creates
                                  icons for them using their title. 32-bit PM.
FLEETB90.ZIP   12  393K  9-07-94+ FleetStreet v0.90wb for OS/2 2.x PM. Flexible
                                  and powerful message reader for Squish and
                                  *.MSG bases
FLEETB95.ZIP   12  486K  9-13-94+ FleetStreet beta .95 - Flexible and powerful
                                  message reader for Squish and .MSG formats
FM2_207.ZIP     9  468K  9-28-94* FM/2 v2.00 An OS/2 2.1+ PM 32-bit
                                  file/directory/ archive maintenance package
                                  with plenty of bells and whistles -- a Swiss
                                  army knife for
FOSS10B4.ZIP   12  260K  9-28-94* The latest release of FOSS - an OS/2 based
                                  BBS
FSTAR99D.ZIP    9  695K  9-08-94+ FileStar/2 v0.99d - OS/2 File Maintenance
                                  Util.  Drag and Drop, Point and Click, etc
FW1040.EXE     24   34K  9-21-94+ Paradox for Windows examples from Informant
                                  Mag
GADGET1.EXE    24  436K  9-01-94+ Chicago (Win 4.0.wish.we.had.stuck.with.os/2)
                                  examples of various gadgets with sample code.
GTAK240.ZIP     9  464K  9-16-94+ GTAK v2.40 - great SCSI tape drive backup
                                  software
HANCOCK2.ZIP    1   19K  9-04-94+ Full text of Hancock II amendment and the
                                  Moody Report, an analysis of H2's impact on
                                  Missouri. PLEASE READ!!!
HLPCOL.ZIP     21   21K  9-01-94+ Change your HELP colors in Windows - MUST
                                  HAVE
HNGMN120.ZIP    8  225K  9-15-94+ HangMan v1.20 - reproduces classic hangman
                                  for OS/2 PM
HPDF_103.ZIP    9   15K  9-22-94* OS/2 HPFS defragmentor
IBMRTLGO.ZIP   14  350K  9-15-94+ Raytraced IBM logo 1024x768x(64&256)
IBMWARP.ZIP    14  442K  9-27-94* Very aggresive WarpII logo in several formats
INETTECH.ZIP    1  175K  9-26-94* Highly Technical Internet info: SLIP, PPP,
                                  TCP/IP, UUCP, M.O.U.S.E....
INNDOC.ZIP      1    3K  9-26-94* Discussion about obtaining NetNews feeds
INOTES.ZIP     21  129K  9-26-94* Windows INOTES App. Sort of a super notepad
                                  and cardfiler. Interesting idea
INSTEZ12.ZIP   24  147K  8-30-94+ Another Windows installation PRogram
IPFBLD.ZIP      6  604K  9-09-94+ Full featured demo of IPF Builder.  Cannot
                                  save the IPF files it creates, however.
KONSTR1.ZIP     6  177K  9-20-94+ Programming language (?).  Docs in German.
KWQ12G.ZIP     12  216K  9-13-94+ KWQ Mail/2 v1.2g - 32bit multithreaded QWK
                                  message reader for OS/2 PM.
LORA235S.ZIP   12  886K  9-07-94+ Lora BBS v2.35 - OS/2 BBS and Mailer
LORAINF.ZIP    12  121K  9-07-94+ Lora files from 128/67
LOS240B3.ZIP   12  704K  9-07-94+ Lora BBS v2.35S service update
LOS2DOC.ZIP    12  179K  9-07-94+ Lora BBS documentation in WordPerfect format
LS40DEMO.ZIP    1  591K  9-28-94* Demo of LAN Server version 4.0 (FREE d/l)
ME2_099.ZIP     9  378K  9-20-94+ Editor for OS/2 PM - integrates nicely with
                                  MR/2.  Floating toolbars, uses MR/2's
                                  dictionary, etc
MFILE120.ZIP   12  127K  9-27-94* MaxFile/2 v1.2 0 text based FILES.BBS
                                  manager.  FILE_ID.DIZ import, more
MMOUG994.ZIP    1  254K  8-30-94+ Mid-Missouri OS/2 User Group September
                                  Newsletter in INF and TXT Formats.
MORTBK10.ZIP   15   30K  9-27-94* Mortgage Workbook v1.0
MR2_206.ZIP    12  248K  9-01-94+ Latest version of MR/2 QWK message reader.
MR2_208.ZIP    12  249K  9-09-94+ Latest version of MR2 QWK message reader
MR2_209A.ZIP   12  253K  9-22-94* Latest version of MR2 QWK message reader.
MSDOJ.TXT       1   28K  9-20-94+ Full text of the Microsoft consent decree
NEF200.LZH     12   70K  9-09-94+ NEF: A new echo files distribution system
NMFW12AE.ZIP   21  398K  9-01-94+ New Menus for Windows -- ****EXCELENT****
                                  replacement for Program manger menu. Has
                                  Motif, Openlook-type interface. MUST SEE!
NSUITE1.ZIP    16  921K  9-13-94+ NetSuite for OS/2 - contains LATIMES nntp
                                  newsreader, LA Gopher, LA FTP.  Req's IBM
                                  OS/2 TCP/IP
NSWCH2.ZIP      9   11K  9-28-94* NoSwitch V2.0 - OS/2 Switch-list utility
                                  ----------------------------------------
                                  Allows Alt+Esc to bypass specified programs.
                                  Useful if
OBACK208.ZIP    9  133K  9-13-94+ OBackup - system settings backup - demo that
                                  expires after Jan '95
OP101A.ZIP      4  282K  9-16-94+ OS/2 Personal Hypermedia Magazine - Aug '94.
OP102B.ZIP      4  444K  9-16-94+ OS/2 Personal Hypermedia magazine.  Published
                                  by Allen-Hamilton publishers
OP102C.ZIP      4  589K  9-20-94+ Hypermedia magazine #3
OS2DB2.ZIP      9   20K  9-28-94* A shutdown command that will also disconnect
                                  DB2/2 client server databases.
OWM_ALL.TXT  LIST  323K  9-28-94* All files on the OS/2 Woodmeister
OWM_ALL.ZIP  LIST  117K  9-28-94* All files on the OS/2 Woodmeister
OWM_NEW.TXT  LIST   15K  9-28-94* New files (last 30 days) on the OWM
OWM_NEW.ZIP  LIST    6K  9-28-94* New files (last 30 days) on the OWM
P202.ZIP       12  127K  9-09-94+ Free 32-bit file transfer protocol.
                                  Z/Y/XModem for async, named pipe and Telnet.
                                  Contains a DLL for use in your own apps
P203.ZIP       12  127K  9-27-94* Freeware 32bit file transfer util for OS/2.
                                  Z/Y/YG/X for async/pipes/TCPIP
PCN2LM25.EXE   32   19K  9-06-94+ Drivers for ancient IBM PC Network adapters -
                                  works with faster Netware servers
PFAQ31.ZIP      6  197K  9-16-94+ Programmers FAQ
PITALK21.ZIP   21  382K  9-12-94+ Addition to Plugin.  Adds sounds to ALL
                                  events, talking clock, etc.
PLUGIN21.ZIP   21  446K  9-12-94+ Add-on for Program Manager (win 3.1) Quite
                                  handy if you just need a few extras: easy
                                  icon additions, groups
PMIX11.ZIP      9   57K  9-27-94* A Sound mixer utils for the PAS16
PMSNDX10.ZIP    9  441K  9-08-94+ PMsndX - PM based program to convert sounds.
                                  Includes tools for special effects, editing,
                                  playing of samples, etc
PMZPR12.ZIP     9  596K  9-16-94+ PM Zipper v1.2.  ZIP, UNZIP, drag & drop,
                                  checkout, etc
POPGATE.ZIP    16  141K  9-23-94* POP3 format usenet gateway
PROP_T.ZIP     24   18K  9-06-94+ --- no description available ---
REXXVIM.ZIP    13  142K  9-28-94* A VIM toolkit for REXX!  RexxVIM allows Rexx
                                  to inmteract with VIM enabled apps like
                                  cc:Mail and Lotus Notes
RIBBLE.ZIP      8   90K  9-27-94* PM based Boulderdash type game
RIBBSRC.ZIP     6  177K  9-27-94* Source code for the Ribble game
RMXBETA.ZIP     9  833K  9-27-94* Remote execution for OS/2.  With this
                                  package, an app can be marked so that it's
                                  output may be moved to a different computer
SIO131.ZIP      7  172K  9-06-94+ Latest SIO comm drivers from Ray Gwinn v1.31
SL_FAQ03.ZIP   16    8K  9-28-94* Draft OS/2 and SLIP FAQ
SOUP12.ZIP      1   14K  9-26-94* Document about SOUP, a format for netnews DL
SQED097.ZIP    12  540K  9-15-94+ SquishEditor v.97 Squish/,MSG/etc reader
                                  supports drag&drop, etc
SSOK.ZIP        9  170K  9-16-94+ Additional modules for screen saver
                                  (SSAVER.EXE)
T2BBS501.ZIP   12   32K  9-28-94* TIC to BBS - a Tic manager
TCPBTDSK.ZIP    4    6K  9-20-94+ Instructs for creating boot disks w/ plain
                                  TCP/IP on them
UQWK18.ZIP     12  141K  9-28-94* QWK, SOUP, and ZipNews message manager
VIEWALL.ZIP     9  380K  9-20-94+ Util to view all .INF files in a simple
                                  manner
VL131.ZIP       9   34K  9-08-94+ VLaunch, VIEW launcher for .INF files.  Will
                                  search for INF files and keep them in a
                                  'bookshelf'
WA0725.EXE     24  140K  9-06-94+ Paradox/Win samples from informant magazine
WARPFT01.DSK   97 1840K  9-15-94+ Warp beta-2 Footprint Works - 1 of 4
WARPFT02.DSK   97 1840K  9-15-94+ Warp beta-2 Foorprint Works diskette 2 of 4
WARPFT03.DSK   97 1840K  9-15-94+ Warp beta-2 Footprint Works diskette 3 of 4
WARPFT04.DSK   97 1840K  9-16-94+ Warp beta-2 Footprint Works diskette 4 of 4
WDIR2081.LZH    9   37K  9-08-94+ WackyDir v0.81 is a colorful replacement for
                                  OS/2's plain DIR command.  Allows color,
                                  sorting, extension coloring.  Supports FAT
                                  and HPF
WFWPTP.EXE     21  337K  9-01-94+ Windows for Workgroups Point-to-Point. Remote
                                  control of WFWG. From MS FTP Siet for WFWG
                                  only.
WINELM.ZIP     32  254K  9-22-94* Windows Internet e-mail app with MIME support
WINUP9.EXE     32  631K  9-09-94+ Latest Win Netware drivers
WISESW.EXE     24  350K  9-01-94+ EXCELLENT!! Installation util w/ compression
                                  - gens a single EXE! Script drivem, quite
                                  powerful. Working demo
WMC53.ZIP      21  460K  9-01-94+ Windows Multiple COnfigurations
WN4M110.ZIP    21  772K  9-01-94+ wInformant 1.10:  Uninstall, INIEdit & More!
                                  Improved Uninstall removes DLL's & DOS apps.
                                  Seven powerful Windows utilities in one. Fi
WUBENCH.ZIP    21  233K  9-23-94* Windows USer Mag benchmarks. Worth looking at
XFERP100.ZIP   32  131K  9-22-94* EXCELLENT Internet tools for managing the
                                  myraid variety of compression/encoding apps.
                                  Supports UUCP, MIME, more! A MUST HAVE
YRN2_055.ZIP   16  187K  9-23-94* News reader for Usenet news...maybe more?
YRN2_070.ZIP   16  463K  9-07-94+ PC Yarn v0.70 beta. Suite of programs to use
                                  and store USENET news and mail offline.
ZIPCTL.ZIP      9  350K  9-24-94* zip control; pm front end for freeware
                                  versions of zip and unzip.exe  (very nice)
                                  v2.1
ZOC196B.ZIP    12  529K  9-26-94* Latest ZOC Beta: REGISTERED OWNERS ONLY!!!
                                  Will not work on non-registered versions of
                                  Zoc. Easy upgrade and code runs beautifully.


  ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
         List created with DOWNSORT 5.5g by Rob Hamerling
               on Thu Sep 29 05:30 under OS/2 2.9
  ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════

Humor

Once upon a time, in a kingdom not far from here, a king summoned two of
his advisors for a test. He showed them both a shiny metal box with two
slots in the top, a control knob, and a lever. "What do you think this
is?"

One advisor, an engineer, answered first. "It is a toaster," he said. The
king asked, "How would you design an embedded computer for it?" The
engineer replied, "Using a four-bit microcontroller, I would write a
simple program that reads the darkness, from snow white to black. The program
would use that darkness level as the index to a 16-element table of
initial timer values. Then it would turn on the heating elements and
start the timer with the initial value selected from the table. At the
end of the time delay, it would turn off the heat and pop up the toast.
Come back next week, and I'll show you a working prototype."

The second advisor, a computer scientist, immediately recognized the
danger of such short-sighted thinking. He said, "Toasters don't just
turn bread into toast, they are also used to warm frozen waffles. What
you see before you is really a breakfast food cooker. As the subjects of
your kingdom become more sophisticated, they will demand more
capabilities. They will need a breakfast food cooker that can also cook
sausage, fry bacon, and make scrambled eggs. A toaster that only makes
toast will soon be obsolete. If we don't look to the future, we will
have to completely redesign the toaster in just a few years."

"With this in mind, we can formulate a more intelligent solution to the
problem. First, create a class of breakfast foods. Specialize this class
into subclasses: grains, pork, and poultry. The specialization process
should be repeated with grains divided into toast, muffins, pancakes, and
waffles; pork divided into sausage, links, and bacon; and poultry divided
into scrambled eggs, hard-boiled eggs, poached eggs, fried eggs, and
varous omelet classes."

"The ham and cheese omelet class is worth special attention because it
must inherit characteristics from the pork, dairy, and poultry classes.
Thus, we see that the problem cannot be properly solved without multiple
inheritiance. At run time, the program must create the proper object and
send a message to the object that says, 'Cook yourself.' The semantics
of this message depend, of course, on the kind of object, so they have a
different meaning to a piece of toast than to scrambled eggs."

"Reviewing the process so far, we see that the analysis phase has
revealed that the primary requirement is to cook any kind of breakfast
food. In the design phase, we have discovered some derived requirements.
Specifically, we need an object-oriented language with multiple
inheritance. Of couse, users don't want the eggs to get cold while the
bacon is frying, so concurrent processing is required, too."

"We must not forget the user interface. The lever that lowers the food
lacks versatility, and the darkness knob is confusing. Users won't buy
the product unless it has a user-friendly, graphical interface. When the
breakfast cooker is plugged in, users should see a cowboy boot on the
screen. Users click on it, and the message 'Booting UNIX v. 8.3' appears
on the screen. (UNIX 8.3 should be out by the time the product gets to
the market.) Users can pull down a menu and click on the foods they want
to cook."

"Having made the wise decision of specifying the software first in the
design phase, all that remains is to pick an adequate hardware platform
for the implementation phase. An Intel 80386 with 8MB of memory, a 30MB
hard disk, and a VGA monitor should be sufficient. If you select a
multitasking, object-oriented language that supports multiple interitance
and has a built-in GUI, writing the program will be a snap. (Imagine the
difficulty we would have had if we had foolishly allowed a hardware-first
design strategy to lock us into a four-bit microcontroller!)."

The king wisely had the computer scientist beheaded, and they all lived
happily ever after.

Author - Unknown.

OS/2 Tips 'N' Techniques

Here's one I picked up in Atlanta while standing in a line.  When your
PC hangs so hard that you can't do a CTRL+ALT+DEL, try a CTRL+ALT+NumLock+NumLock.
The latter is the key combination to do a dump.  When it prompts you for
the dump diskette, you should be able to do a CTRL+ALT+DEL.  It still
leaves the disk dirty, but it saves the power hit.

Threads

"Threads" are a collection of posts that may be of interest to individual
readers.

PM Assistant

Utilis Inc. announced that PM Assistant Version 2.0, an integrated
suite of six OS/2 utilities, is now available.

PM Assistant Version 2.0 provides hot-key access to your applications,
window placement, keyboard macros, task scheduling, screen saver and
password protection.  All six utilities are fully integrated to provide
execution of complex or routine command sequences from your OS/2
desktop with a single keystroke or the press of a button.

The utilities can be used independently or combined to execute powerful
compound macros.  For example, you can launch your favorite word
processor, insert a standard closure in a document, print, save and
forward the document to another user all with a single keystroke.
Using the window placement utility, you can minimize, maximize or move
one or more windows to pre-defined positions.  Several arrangements can
be defined to make your desktop more task oriented.

And, speaking of task oriented desktops, PM Assistant makes it
possible for you to set up macros for other users to enable
them to execute complex tasks without really knowing how.  This
ensures proper execution and maximum productivity even by your
employees who are still in a training or transition mode.

Using PM assistant's task scheduler, you can execute specific macros
or command sequences at any given or recurring time.  This unattended
program feature is ideal for stress testing applications since it can
execute macros indefinitely and in random sequence.  And, since it is
running under OS/2's pre-emptive, multi-processing framework, PM
Assistant's task scheduler can initiate background processes or
programs while you continue to use PM Assistant macros in the
foreground.

PM Assistant is appropriate for all OS/2 users, since it allows each
user to automate and customize OS/2 applications according to
individual preferences.  It is easy to use, as it does not contain
a programming language.  All utilities are configured with dialog boxes
and by pointing to the application to act on.

PM Assistant runs on OS/2 versions 2.0 or greater and is available from
Utilis for $129.00 and from resellers.

Utilis is a member of the IBM Developer Assistance Program.  For more
information, you may contact them at:

Utilis Inc.
P.O Box 367.
Redmond, WA  98052
Contact: Tom Snyder
[e-mail]
Phone: [phone]
Sales: 1-800-745-7757

PL/I Trivia

I know absolutely nothing about the PL/I programming language, but
I thought that this was an interesting post I saw on the OS2BBS:

PL/I has _zero_ reserved words.

    IF IF = THEN THEN
      ELSE = 0;
    ELSE
      THEN = IF;

is a perfectly valid PL/I construct.

Weird, ain't it?

Personal Netware on OS/2

This is a copy of an original message posted on the Internet in the
Newsgroup COMP.OS.OS2.NETWORKING.MISC.  It is provided FYI & FYE.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Do you want Personal NetWare on OS/2

[e-mail]                     Keith L. Breinholt at Novell, Inc.

Please help.

We in Engineering and Support at Novell feel that there is a real need for
Personal NetWare on OS/2.  However, Marketing keeps telling us that there is
not enough market for such a product.  I know better but I need numbers to
prove the point.

Please send email to [e-mail] with the following information:  Your
Name & phone# or email adress, Your Company name,  Number of potential
licenses in your company, and a Reasonable price to pay

Other information that we will be looking for is any features that you
want/need in PNW for OS/2.  Would an update to PNW for DOS fill the need if
you can run PNW in a regular Global DOS session?

Thanks for your help.

Keith L. Breinholt
___________________________________________________________________________
[e-mail]

"If you're not part of the solution, you're part of the problem."
"I speak only for me...and then only occasionally."

Thoughts on OS/2 Application Development

John Schaeffer of AIMs posted the following on the OS2BBS.  AIMs is the company
who is going to bring you Galactic Civilization for OS/2.

Because of some of the discussion that has gone on about AIMs doing future
development of OS/2 games, I thought it was time to discuss a plan to help OS/2
become number one by helping OS/2 development. First I need to lay the ground
work as to why OS/2 applications and games suffer from a dearth of development
capital.

Every line of code that goes into a possible commercial OS/2  product must be
paid for. This payment can come from three different sources (the term
developer is one or many people or companies):

1) Sweat equity. The developer eats beans and pays for the development
   from past savings.

2) Internal capital. The developer pays for the development from internal
   funds from past successful products. Also termed cash flow.

3) Venture capital. The developer obtains funds from outside his own area to
   fund the project. This can be another part of the same company or from outside.

Most OS/2 applications have been financed by the first method. This is usually
the method take by an individual or a small group. This is how Lotus and others
got there start before small income streams from 2 and large investments from 3
kicked in. Many other successful companies in the computer area used only 1 and
2. It is rare for a startup to receive venture capital. Most venture capital is
invested in companies and people that have a track record.

Most new development comes from companies and people that have prior products.
The primary capital for these developments comes from internal capital. OS/2
developers have trouble developing this capital source for a number of reasons:

1) The size of the OS/2 market.

2) The orientation of the OS/2 market towards shareware. Current OS/2 users
   look first to shareware because of the lack of OS/2 retail applications.

3) Piracy. AIMs studies have indicated that the software piracy rate is higher
   in the OS/2 area than any other operating system. UNIX a very close second.

4) Market distortion. IBM Direct (see prior append) and other some other IBM
   sales channel reduce the cash flow to developers.

Venture capital is almost nonexistent in the OS/2 area. One of the major reasons
is DeScribe. DeScribe was not a perfect word processor but was and is superior
to the OS/2 offerings of WordPerfect and Lotus. IBM effectively acted as a
venture capital provider to WordPerfect and Lotus. This put the venture people
backing DeScribe in a bad position. Further development could not be financed
internally because of lack of cash flow. Further venture investment would be up
against well financed competition that was also backed by IBM. In this case
venture funds dry up for DeScribe. I am not arguing that DeScribe would have
been a success, I am stating that DeScribe never had a chance to get into the
game because of certain actions by IBM. To top things off, the IBM person
responsible for this disaster in the word processing area for OS/2 was rewarded
for his efforts. The final result for this reward? A company - DeScribe - that
is fighting for its life. An abandoned OS/2 word processor - WordPerfect. And a
poor port of a Windows word processor that is releases behind the company's
window product.

AIMs has a number of investors that are begging to invest in games. Please
note I said games not OS/2 games. I has been made very clear to me by investors
that not one penny of their money will be allowed to go into OS/2 games. One year
ago, everyone of these investors were anxious to get into OS/2 games. Now I
must finance all OS/2 development out of cash flow. Because of the reasons
above, I can accept a lower or possibly negative return on internal development
in OS/2 or move to other investments. All OS/2 developers face this problem.
Many that are sticking with OS/2 development will be out of business soon if there
is not a change.

What can be done to reverse this trend? Sorry, Wayne, you and other OS/2 true
believers can do very little except for what I outline below. There must first
be a recovery of faith in OS/2 software as a good investment. This can not be
done by OS/2 users, OS/2 developers, OS/2 retails, TeamOS/2 - it must be done by
IBM itself. Some of the steps IBM is already starting - but not all. These first
steps must be carried to completion, not abandoned partially finished. Here are
recommendations to IBM:

1) Reform IBM Direct:
     a) Put IBM Direct on a direct payment basis with developers. This will
          improve cash flow immediately allowing for increased internal
          investment by existing developers.
     b) Make IBM Direct be business like. Sign agreements with developers to
          retain developer's information within a limited - need to know -
          group.
     c) Reform IBM Direct so they can accept OS/2 product before in it is
          shipping.
     d) If a, b, and c all can not be done; remove all OS/2 products, that are
         not IBM's own development, from IBM Direct. Short term this will hurt
         developers but long term it will help developers and hurt IBM
         Direct.

2) Get IBM out of the business of funding ports of existing products. This is
     just money down the rat hole. In games it is even worst. I can speak to
     this from experience since I attempted to port an existing game and lost.

3) Get rid of the people in OS/2 who created this porting nonsense to begin with.
     Their continued presence makes venture investors very nervous. No
     reasonable outside investor will put up money for OS/2 development when
     IBM is sitting on the sidelines looking like a 500 kilo gorilla.

4) Forget about getting the companies that are heavy into DOS and Windows to
     port or produce software for OS/2. They are not going to kick their cash
     cows for the sake of OS/2. You need developers that are hungry to be the
     next big success in the market and have talent. Find them and sell them on
     the idea that OS/2 is the vehicle to do this. Do not sell them on what a
     great technology achievement OS/2 is. This is true but that and 50 cents
     will get you coffee. The developer must be profitable to raise capital.

5) DO NOT FUND ANY OUTSIDE OS/2 DEVELOPMENT. Help them sell and place their
     product,  but do not poor free money into developers. Investors know this.
     Money with no expectation of return produces terrible products.  IBM should
     not be in the game of picking winners and losers. Leave than to the
     professional investor. IBM's job is to provide an environment not investment.

6) Help developers learn how to sell their product. Most good to great OS/2
     developers know how to produce a program. They do not know how to package
     it or sell it. Better skills will help these developers attract investment.

7) Hire some people at all levels that are not afraid to hear or deliver bad
     news. IBM has the reputation, well deserved, of shooting messengers that
     deliver bad news. Investors are not dumb, they know if IBM will not listen
     to bad news, OS/2 is in terminal trouble. If OS/2 is in trouble, investment
     in OS/2 developers is in trouble. Investors know the environment and market
     a company is in is more important than the product.

8) Straighten out the service and support. Investors are not going to invest in
     OS/2 developers if OS/2 is viewed as a problem. Service and support also
     needs to understand that they are in the customer relations business as well
     as service and support. The whole idea is to design this area so that the
     customer has the minimum hassle. There are two things service and support
     need to do:
     a) Find some managers that have dealt with customers. This is no place for
          on the job training. Put people with field experience in positions of
          responsibility. A person who has spent years in a staff position is
          learning the job at the expense of both IBM and the customer.
     b) Stop assuming the customer is dumb. VM, MVS, etc learned years ago the
          customer has some intelligence. Service, support and most importantly
          fix strategy should be based on this principal. To repeat it - the
          customer is not dumb.

9) Establish an OS/2 wholesaler. Some organization that is equivalent of Ingram,
     IE, etc. but does not have the anti OS/2 bias. Because of the current bias
     of just about every wholesaler to non IBM OS/2 applications, this probably
     will have to be a startup. It should not be IBM owned but given the lack
     of other capital to start this IBM would need to be creative.  Not gifts but
     assistance in financing would be the best. The new wholesaler would be
     able to provide type 2 (as above) capital to OS/2 developers.

10) Consider providing financing to establish an OS/2 oriented venture capital
       group. Once again this should not be run be IBM, but IBM would need to
       provide financing assistance - not gifts - to get this started. IBM
       should not be running this. IBM needs to get out of the game of picking
       winners and losers in the OS/2 product areas. Let investors pick.

11) Above all get all of IBM out of the business of picking winners and losers
       in the OS/2 product area. This includes every area of IBM from giving money
       to certain developers to making your developer support people act as
       adults. There have been too many situations where developers have been
       forced to follow IBM's line to obtain support. An investor does not like
       his investment controlled by outsiders.

12) Learn the power of electronic media. BBS, Internet, etc. are very powerful
       forces. If IBM does not learn to work with them constructively, IBM will
       learn their destructive potential. This media, of its very nature, tends
       to move to extremes unless closely monitored. Do not try to hide IBM's
       warts on electronic exchanges. In fact admit to them.  Get the people on
       your side. The best way to do this is to be truthful and honest in all
       electronic dealings. If IBM stinks, say so and say what you will do to
       make it smell better. If you try to call a skunk a rose, you will die as
       road kill on the information highway.  Investors, at least the ones I
       work with, monitor the nets for early warning of potential problems and
       opportunities.  A strong image of IBM as a truthful and honest player on
       the electronic media will encourage investors, at least the ones I know.

As I said to begin these recommendations, IBM is working on some but not all.
Confidentiality agreements with IBM prevent me from saying which ones. The
proper people in IBM know what they are doing.

OK, IBM, here is the basis of a plan to get OS/2 development moving and kick
Windows95 before it can even get off the ground. IBM be creative forget the old
rules -- use OS/2 technical superiority to start creating new rules.

Are there any customers, developers or IBM'ers who believe in doing this? If so
let the IBM executives know. If you don't have time to write your own, copy this
and send it to PSP and IBM corporate executives. Let them know that there are
ways to break the mold of the past and get OS/2 on top. The way is through OS/2
developers.

John Schaeffer  Internet:[e-mail]
                 AIMsBBS:801-572-6353  8-n-1  2400 to 14400
                     Fax:[phone]
                  OS2BBS:DEV1024@Hone82
             Information:801-572-4018

A Completely Subjective Look at the OS/2 Technical Update

I'd better give a word of warning about what you are about to read.
For several years, whenever I would go on a trip, I would take
copious notes about my experiences, thoughts and feelings.  Upon my
return, I would type up the tale.  I have followed the same pattern for
this subjective look at the OS/2 Technical Update.  This is NOT your
ordinary report of a business trip.  This is the tale of the highlights
of a business trip as perceived by a warped mind.  You are about to
enter . . . the Highlight Zone.

Saturday, September 10, 1994

I'm preparing to go on my first big trip paid for by the state.  Our
group usually tries to be pretty tight with the budget when it comes
to spending the taxpayers' dollars.  We try to make darn sure we get
our money's worth out of whatever we do.  When I hear of someone else
from another agency going on a trip for a technical update, I'll jokingly
say that the Department of Social Services will let me look through the
window of Computerland -- as long as it's after hours!

I have a credit card that will give me air miles for so many dollars
charged -- I think you get 1 mile for every $3,000,000,000 charged,
judging from my last bill.  I had gotten it originally to help pay
for going to my son's playoff games.  Benedictine College in Atchison,
Kansas missed being NAIA Division II national champions by about 2
inches his freshman year (1992).  Two inches to the right and the
football would have gone through the goalposts.  Findlay of Ohio won.
After the 1993 season, even though BC was ranked number 1 for a while,
I decided we wouldn't need to save air miles for the national playoffs
anymore.  Therefore, I had just enough air miles for my wife (Pam) to
fly to Atlanta with me.

We left home at 8:30 Saturday morning.  Pam wasn't too happy with our
luggage and by leaving so early, we thought we'd have time to stop in
Independence and buy some.  Our flight was not until 2:30 p.m., and the
folks at MarkAir recommended being there an hour early.  It ordinarily
takes about 2.5 hours to get to Kansas City from Jefferson City.  This
was not ordinary, however.  Road construction at the Rocheport bridge
and close to Kansas City forced traffic to a crawl.  Although we made
it to the airport in ample time, there was no time to spare for buying
luggage.  Thank you Highway Department!

We travel this way almost every week in the Fall for football games,
but I noticed a billboard I had never seen before: Catfish Live - Dressed.
Yeah, but then what would you do?  Take 'em out for a movie?

We arrived at KCI and parked the car in the cheapest parking lot we
could find.  Checked in, waited for an hour, and took off for Atlanta.
The flight was an hour and forty-seven minutes.

We arrived in Atlanta, went to the train that transports passengers
from the concourse to the main terminal, and proceeded to the Alamo
car rental agency, where I had reserved a car.  I was pleased to
see Jim Crapenhoft there, from the Department of Highway and
Transportation.  The line was huge.  Apparently all of the other
rental agencies had run out of cars.  We discussed forgetting the car
rental and taking the bus to our hotel, but being unfamiliar with the
layout of Atlanta, decided that it might be imperative to have a car.
What a mistake.  Our wait in line was 13 minutes longer than our
flight, the hotel was within walking distance of the convention center,
and Atlanta has excellent public transportation -- the MARTA.  That
was a waste of taxpayer money.  If I go to Atlanta again, I won't
worry about car rental.

I was rather nervous about driving in Atlanta.  I'm just a country boy,
and seeing six lanes of traffic coming together, with exits on the
left and the right was a bit disconcerting.  Pam kept telling me to
slow down, but trying to be aware of the signs made it difficult for
me to keep an eye on the speedometer.  I think the speed limit was 55,
but even at 60 it felt like I was crawling with the traffic cruising
around me at 70.  We made it to the hotel without incident, however.

The Hard Rock Cafe was only a couple of blocks from our hotel, and
since we had only stopped for souvenirs at the one in Honolulu while
on our honeymoon, we decided to have supper there.  There was a half
hour wait before we were shown to a table.  I don't mind admitting, I
was getting very tired of lines by this time!  The menu said you
hadn't "really" been to the Hard Rock unless you had a "Pig Sandwich",
so that's what I had.  It was OK.

We returned to the hotel for the night.  Although I was tired, I
watched "Rising Sun" on HBO.  We don't have HBO at home, so I figured
I would take advantage of it at the hotel.

Sunday, September 11, 1994

I got up in time to go to church at nearby Sacred Heart.  Pam looked
pretty content sleeping, so I figured she could go to a later service
when she woke up.  I could tell by the address in the phone book that
it had to be close, but I wasn't exactly sure where to find it.  I
took my best guess, and had about given up, when I looked up and
saw the spires.  If I had looked up when I began my journey I would
have been there already!  I wasn't too late.

Although the OS/2 Technical Update was not to begin until 1:30, I
arrived at the convention center at 10:00 a.m.  After the delays in
lines I had faced yesterday, I decided that being early would not be
a handicap.

Thankfully, because of being early, the line at the registration booth
was relatively short.  And who was in line in front of me?  Michelle
Wilson -- IBM's PSP representative from the Jefferson City Office.  I
knew she was going to be there, but I thought it would be much more
difficult to run into someone that I knew!

As we walked away from the registration area, I noticed one fellow
with distinctive features -- a grey beard, a round belly, wearing an
OS/2 t-shirt and OS/2 suspenders!  I had never seen OS/2 suspenders
before and pointed them out to Michelle.  I noticed him several times
throughout the day.

We just started down the escalator to pick up the rest of our
registration materials when we saw Jim Crapenhoft again!  Gee, it's
easy to find people in here!  After we grabbed our registration
material, we went outside so I could take a picture.

Because I was so early, I saw in my map that there was a study hall
for people to brush up on different areas for the Certification
testing.  Unfortunately, it was located about as far away from the
testing area as possible.  When I got there, I was informed that they
had already begun the certification testing at 9:30 that morning!

I asked the fellow in the study hall the best way to approach taking
the test.  He recommended just taking them to see how well I did, and
if I failed, use the report to concentrate on the areas of weakness.
In retrospect, I wish I had used another approach.

It didn't take me long to beat a path to the testing center to sign
up.  Drat, if I had realized they were starting early, I could have
possibly had two of the tests under my belt by now!  Without much ado,
I was soon in the testing center, taking "Installing and supporting OS/2".

The certification tests are all computerized (developed as a Windows
program -- yechhh.  Why didn't they use one of the visual REXX programs?).
There were about 50 machines in the testing room attached to a server,
which in turn was connected to an external database that tracks who
has passed what tests.  When the test is completed, you are shown a
bar graph to show the score needed to pass and your score.  It then
prints out a graph of which areas were weak.

A passing grade for the first test was a 73%.  I got (gasp) a 70%.
Ooooooooh, dang it.  If I had gotten one more question right!  It was
a hard test.  I had several questions on OS/2 1.3 and OS/2 2.x
coexistence that I think I probably got wrong.

The candidates were only allowed to take one test at a time, due to the
popularity.  I had been under the impression that once you got in there,
you could test to your heart's content.  So I signed up for the next
one on the list: "Using and Customizing OS/2".

While I was waiting to have my name called, Michelle encouraged me to
sign up to give feedback the next day on the testing process.  A bribe
of a great t-shirt was offered to the first 100 to sign up.  It was the
OS/2 logo superimposed above the word Chicago and the Chicago skyline.
Underneath were the words: OS/2.  Been there.  Done that.  On the back
it says "Not just up and coming -- up and running!"

While I was playing around with that and listening for my name, Frank
McKenney cam up and introduced himself.  Frank and I have exchanged
a few messages on the OS2BBS, and that was another advantage for going,
to meet these people I have only met electronically.  Unfortunately,
at that first meeting, I was still a little shell-shocked from having
failed a test about OS/2 and probably just mumbled incoherently.  Although
at some point I was able to get a picture of him and Michelle.

"Using and Customizing OS/2" put me back in harmony with the world.
a 76% was needed to pass and I received an 86%.  I found out later
that some folks didn't like this one because it wanted to know, for
example, what keystrokes to use to accomplish a function.  Since my
mouse seems so far away, I've memorized most of the keystrokes to
navigate OS/2.


Fortunately I saw Frank again after that test and I was able to say
say something a little more coherent.

Unfortunately, the testing caused me to be a few minutes late for the
first session that I wanted to attend: "Netview DM/2 (Basic)".  Because
of my lateness and because of test-induced stress, it took me a while
to settle into what was being discussed.  I must have really been
stressed because two lines of my notes are indecipherable scrawls (of
course, my handwriting isn't the easiest to read in the best of times).

One of the most important things that I learned was that LAD/2 will
be distributed with LAN Netview DM/2 within the next 18 months.  LAD/2
(which I will discuss in more detail later) allows easy setup of
DM/2 distribution disks.  That's pretty exciting, considering that
LAD/2 lists for about $4000 today!

Netview DM/2 is supposed to check disk space before it tries to apply
new software.  I asked the presenter if it were true that if a machine
had a lockup screen displayed that it would cause a distribution to
fail on a client machine.  I had heard this from an IBMer whom I
consider a fairly reliable source.  The presenter said that she had
never heard of such a problem.  Rats.  I guess when we finally get it
we will just have to test it out.

Several of the audience indicated some dissatisfaction because each
one of IBM's products have a different procedure with CID, DM/2 and
response files.  The presenter said that they are encouraging all
development units -- indeed, all developers, to use a product called
Software Installer, so that they will all have a similar look and feel.
As one fellow remarked, all the capability of CID and DM/2 is great,
but you have to be a PhD to use it!

After this, I proceeded to "LAN Server Tips 'N' Techniques I".  This
had some very useful information.  I became a little more familiar
with local logon.  I do not have DB2/2, and so I have never needed to
worry about local logon.  In fact, we do not have local user-ids
defined on most machines here.  However, some folks, particularly
the folks in the Database Administration Group, do have DB2/2, so I
will have to get together with them to see if I can make their life
a little easier.

Another tip is to reduce NetBIOSRetries from the default of 8 to 1.
This saves 3.5 seconds per NetBIOS name added on each client.

Other tips for logging on weren't applicable to us.  One was not to
run the messenger service, but I like to use it to notify folks on the
LAN if we need to do something drastic in the middle of the day.
Another is to set multilogon to YES, but we have already made that the
default.  We can set logonwarnings to none to suppress warnings, and
we can issue the logon command with a "/r" option so that the PM
error dialog won't pop up, saying "messenger service will not start"
when someone logs on at another location.

Some folks have tried to create icons at our place for network resources.
The presenters recommended that if someone were doing this, they should
make shadows, not copy.

About halfway through the presentation, a gentleman sitting right in
front of me made a comment to the presenter.  With a start, I turned
to the fellow to my left:

"Who is that?"
"I don't know.  Some IBMer."
"Isn't that Tom Gordy?"
"Yeah, they said it was Tom something."
"He's the one who developed the CNFGLS30 spreadsheet!!"
Blank look.

The fellow to my left was obviously unimpressed.  I, on the other hand,
was very impressed.  If I knew half of what Tom knows about LAN Server
tuning . . .

When time came for a break, I introduced myself to Tom.  We had exchanged
several messages on the OS2BBS and I was able to take a very unflattering
picture of him!  After it was developed, I didn't think it was too bad.

As I strolled down the hall, I wanted to say hi to Janet Gobeille,
whom I knew would be preparing for the Team OS/2 session that I also
wanted to attend.  However, I felt I would be doing the state more of
a service by attending the second session of the LAN Server TNT.  Janet
is also a frequent poster on the OS2BBS.  In the course of our brief
conversation, she mentioned that Jack Hiatt (another poster on the
OS2BBS, the PC BBS, and all around OS/2 guru) had been down at the
Team OS/2 room.

I went to the Team OS/2 room and asked if Jack Hiatt were in there.
No, someone replied, but he's standing right over there in the hall.
Remember the guy I saw at registration that had the OS/2 suspenders?
That was Jack Hiatt!  He was busy conversing with someone else at the
time, and I needed to get back for the next session.  I had already
seen Jack several times that day, so I knew I'd be able to find him
again.

OK, I'm back in session.  Excuse me if the following paragraphs are
somewhat disjointed, but my notes are disjointed.  If I remember
correctly, people kept asking various questions that interrupted the
flow of the presentation.

In the next session, someone asked about limits under LAN Server.
Apparently 16,000 users can be defined to NET.ACC.  The DCDB, however,
only replicates 1000.

Under LAN Server 4.0, the command line and the GUI will be able to do
the same things.  In version 3.0, some options are available only at
the command line, while other options are only available from the
Full Screen Interface (FSI).  Rexx Support will be included in the
Productivity Aids.  I'll have much more on LAN Server version 4.0 later.

After the session, I wandered back to get a picture of Janet for
inclusion in the newsletter, and ran into a motherlode of famous folks
from the OS2BBS: Janet, who is the driving force behind team OS/2; Bob
Holmes, a frequent poster on the OS2BBS and whom InfoWorld and PC Week
regularly quote whenever anything happens in the world of OS/2; the
aforementioned Jack Hiatt; and Hank Henderson, a displaced Missourian from
the St. Charles area, formerly in charge of the OS2BBS and currently
developing the famous World Wide Web that is the heart of the Internet
connection that will be available with OS/2 version 3.0.  I was able
to get some great pictures of these folks.

I had to accuse Bob Holmes of breaking my camera!  Try as I would, it would
not take a picture of him.  I think the batteries were starting to go.  When
the shutter finally clicked, I'm afraid it probably looked like something you
would see in a post office or on a drivers license.  I guess I'll find out in
a day or two when the pictures are developed.

I had promised Pam that I would go back to the hotel to meet her when
the meetings were over, so I did.  We went to the store following some
directions that were printed out from a kiosk.  Very easy to follow.

Upon our return, I went to the OS/2 awards presented by OS/2 Professional
Magazine.  There was a very nice buffet provided (I wish I had known there
were going to be eats before I purchased supper), a jazz band, and a cozy
atmosphere for 1000 people.

Edwin Black, the editor of OS/2 Professional, was the Master of Ceremonies.
There is a media award that they present, usually to someone in the trade
press who promotes OS/2.  In warming up to announce the winner, he stated
that this person had taken great pains to promote OS/2, had discovered it
on his own, had done so much for OS/2... Some wit piped up, "Bill Gates!"
No, it wasn't Bill Gates, but I had predicted the winner three times to
the disbelief of everyone at our table until Edwin finally confirmed --
Howard Stern.

The award for software marketing went to SoftTouch (Gammatech Utilities).
The Team OS/2 award went to Timothy Sipples (author of OS/2 Frequently
Asked Questions, found on all the OS/2 Bulletin Boards).  They played a
synthesized orchestral arrangement of "Concerto for OS/2" by Peter
Hayes.  It was OK, but it would have been enhanced by a multimedia
presentation, rather than just listening to the music.

The best hardware for OS/2 went to Parallel Storage Solutions, who make
a parallel port tape backup and using the same machine, can actually do
a first time install of OS/2.  CA-Realizer took the best development tool
award.  The best application went to Describe 5.0.  The reader's choice
award went to Lotus' Ami Pro.  The One-Up Corporation won something, but
I didn't write down which award it was.

One of the speakers told a story of a woman who had described her business
strategy as going from Windows to Windows NT to Windows95 and asked for
his opinion.  He said it was just like back home where they had a fellow
who was a veterinarian and taxidermist -- either way, you get your dog
back.

Oh gosh, this is embarrassing.  The OS/2 Professional award went to the
man who had started the OS/2 Vendor Council.  I couldn't quite make out
the name that was announced.  I believe they said it was Tony Carrera.
Tony, if you see this and I've butchered your last name -- sorry!

The IBM Executive Achievement Award ("sometimes known as the oxymoron
award", quipped one of the presenters) went to Lou Gerstner.

After the awards, prizes were given away, the most noteworthy being two
dual-pentium 90 Mhz PCs.  Alas, my name was not drawn.

Jim Crapenhoft had met some people who were not going to the Six Flags
night on Monday, and so they gave me their ticket to give to Pam.  However,
they were parked far, far away under the Omni.  On the way back, I tried
to take a shortcut and became somewhat bewildered.  Fortunately, I ran into
Peachtree street and was able to find my way back.  My usual fifteen minute
walk to the hotel became a thirty minute walk.

The worst thing about walking in downtown Atlanta is all the panhandlers.
I felt guilty for not assisting, but I was accosted about a dozen times a
day.  Finally, after three days, I learned not to look up and not to smile
in order to avoid a confrontation.

Monday, September 12, 1994

Pam had the idea of getting up early enough to go to church again this
morning.  My notes were at the bottom of the page at this point and it
looks like I said, "Pillow head back to soone cam idly west to GWCC."
Oh well, it probably makes as much sense as some of the other things I've
written.  Ten minutes later . . . Oh, I finally figured part of it out!
The pillow hurt my back so I didn't sleep well and had to get up at 6:00
am.  GWCC is the Georgia World Convention Center.  I guess I said I walked
there.  Listen -- deciphering these notes is not an easy job!

The first thing I did when I arrived at the Convention Center was to
"cash in" a receipt for a "fanny pack".  It could have been redeemed at
the OS/2 awards the night before, but I was in such a rush, I left it
in my hotel room (as well as my two drink tickets -- two scrawny little
glasses of soda cost $3.00!).  I thought it would come in handy at the
Six Flags night.

I then went to the ballroom to hear the keynote speaker, Ellen M. Hancock,
IBM Senior VP and Group Executive.  I had the best seat in the house --
next to the exit.  It wasn't that I didn't want to hear her, but the
primary reason I received approval to attend was for the certification
testing, and I wanted to be sure I could get out quickly and be in line
early.

The session started off in grand style, there was a short movie talking
about the future of technology, hosted by none other than Patrick
Stewart, A.K.A. Jean-Luc Picard, captain of the Enterprise in Star
Trek, the Next Generation.  At the end of the movie, he said something
to the effect, "I would now like to introduce you to someone who is
helping to pave the way to the next generation of technology:  Ellen
M. Hancock."

Pretty neat.

She began by saying that she was happy that everyone got here safely
and was not delayed in Chicago.  Her presentation was scripted in
conjunction with a multimedia presentation that would flash pertinent
information on screens in the background.  Wally Casey (I hope I spelled
his name right) demoed the Internet product that will be included in
the new version of OS/2.  I think that's really going to be a big
boost for OS/2.  In fact, one reviewer in InfoWorld or PC Week stated
that it would be a bargain just to buy OS/2 for the relatively inexpensive
Internet Connection and excellent GUI front end to the Internet.
Everyone is already making the Internet and the Information Superhighway
synonymous -- that could be a great marketing boost.  The average home
PC buyer wants to be on the Information Superhighway, but (NO, despite
my love of puns, I will NOT make one of those stupid "highway" puns)
doesn't know how to get connected.  IBM is making it very easy.

I was sitting on pins and needles waiting to get down to the testing
area, so I left a little early to beat the crowd.  Unfortunately, the
server had crashed the day before, so everyone who was in the testing
room at the time would get a chance to go first.  Others had skipped
the keynote address completely and had already signed up.  So I had
quite a wait before me.

At that particular hour, there were no conferences that would be
particularly beneficial to me, so I decided to go down and see the
exhibits at Networld-Interop.  I was afraid that I would not be able
to make any time to see them.

My first stop was at the Cabletron exhibit.  They had a virtual
reality theater.  Since I had never experienced virtual reality before,
this seemed like the perfect opportunity, particularly since it was
early in the morning and there was not much of a wait.  Our leader
told us that it was the largest virtual reality theater and that it
had been featured on CNN.

The "theater" held about 20 seats.  On the back of each seat was a
helmet that had a viewing screen and speakers encased within it.
When we had all been briefed, we were instructed to put on the helmets.
The virtual reality "experience" was a trip through one of their hubs.
She had encouraged us to look up, down and to the sides, so I did.  It
was neat, but there was a lot more virtual than reality.  When our
"trip" was over, she said that she always liked to pick the person who
was most creative in trying to view the experience.  I was the winner.
That would have been great if I had gotten a prize, or if I hadn't
noticed that an 8 year old boy was the winner at another session.  Hey,
I was just trying to get the full experience.

I looked around at a few of the other exhibits, but I have to admit,
I was overwhelmed.  This country boy had never seen so many products
and vendors at one place!  I wandered around like a bumpkin in a city
for about an hour, before deciding to check on the status of the testing.

The server had crashed again!  So the people who had started yesterday
when the server crashed still were not finished with their tests.  They
were taking no more sign-ups for testing today.  By the time I had
gathered this information, the next session had already started.  The
one that I had penciled in was "LAN Netview Management Utilities".

I was not as enthused about this, because we already had the product
and it's fairly easy to use and configure.  However, when the presenter
said something about editing the user's CONFIG.SYS, my ears picked up!
We were not able to directly do this!  I asked her to elucidate, and
was disappointed to find that her solutions for doing this were no
different than ours -- either run a REXX program to update it, or
copy it to a shared drive, edit it, copy it back.

Something I nearly forgot about!  It's possible to create an entry
in the SYSLEVEL file for non-IBM products.  I've got to look into
this further.  Currently, in reporting files that it finds on a user's
machine, it will report the date and time.  It's up to the administrator
to know what versions those correspond to.  In the third quarter of
next year, it will apparently add a database, so that it will report
what version of software, rather than just date and time.  LMU will be
shipped with Netview for OS/2.  Hmmm, that might change our purchasing
plans.

There is supposed to be a CSD released for LMU at the end of September
that will have some enhanced functionality: User defined security by the
administrator, an Enhanced GUI -- that will allow you to save the
options you have set up.  If you want, you can add a bitmap to the
background.  I did that for our print server (added a bitmap of the
floor plan with the printer icons placed in the appropriate positions)
but boy, did it slow down that window coming up!  I finally disabled
the bitmap.  Maybe it'll return if Warp brings it up faster.

Let's see, there is also supposed to be new hardware supported by the
Vital Product Data, the number of characters to alert Netview has been
increased from 44 to 100.  The scheduler is now multi-threaded.

At noon, I went to check the testing situation again.  The server
still was not up.  Since my pace had been slowed down, it seemed like
a good time to grab something to eat.  I'm trying to fill my eyes and
brain with everything that is available here, so filling my stomach
takes on less importance.  I certainly don't want to waste the time to
go off-site to find a place to eat, but the prices are exorbitant here!
$7.00 for a personal pan pizza and a soda!  And the state only allows
$15.00 per day for meals.

As I was strolling down the hall, I came upon Michelle Wilson, who was
speaking to someone from the One Up Corporation.  I busted in on the
conversation and we discussed the Smart program.  I recognized him as
being one of the winners of the Lotus SmartSuite on Sunday night.  He
said he had given it away to someone else sitting at his table.  Dang.
I should have sat there!  Not only that, but the lady sitting next to
him was the winner of one of the Pentiums!  That's where I should
have been sitting!

My next appointment was one for which I had volunteered.  The folks
in charge of the testing wanted some feedback on the tests.  Well, I
always like to get in my 2¢ worth, so I was ready.  I was a little
disgruntled with the tests, primarily because of the situation with
the servers, which I knew was beyond their control, and because I was
still shocked that I had failed any sort of test about OS/2!

If I was disgruntled, the other folks in my group were downright steamed!
As I've mentioned, the tests are geared towards what is being taught
by Drake.  Come to find out, I was not the only one who failed.  A
large number of people were failing.  Opinions were along the same line --
it's a trivia contest; it should be open book; it should test real-world
knowledge, not book-l'arnin'; it should test knowing where to go for
answers.  Everyone was ripping the test.

As I heard their arguments, however, I think they were like me --
shocked at having failed any test about OS/2.  The fact of the matter
is, I didn't think the tests were that bad.  The certification tests
are there to ensure that there is some sort of standard.  If someone
is weak in a particular area because of lack of experience or
knowledge, it needs to be exposed.  I, for example, did not know the
best configuration for OS/2 1.3 and OS/2 2.x.  There are some folks, I
guess, for whom that is a concern, so it's good that this area of
weakness was exposed.

On the other hand, I'm pretty fortunate.  I can sit down and read
something like the class notes, and remember a good chunk of what I read after
one sitting -- and it will last for a fairly long period of time.  My
wife is always amazed at how quickly I can learn something for a class.
On the other hand, there is a penalty for the peculiar type of memory
I have -- "Where did I put those keys?"  "What was that name?"  "I was
supposed to stop by the store!?"  She's pretty amazed by that, too!

After our feedback session, I approached one of the IBMers and told
him that I was really distraught.  I had received permission to come
to this because of the testing offered, and now I was unable to take
the tests, because of the hardware failures!  He escorted me back to
the testing room, found me a seat, and told me to go ahead and take
as many tests as I could.

Weeeellllll, all right!  I took Advanced OS/2 Support, OS/2 Performance
and Tuning, and OS/2 LAN Administration I.  I passed Advanced Support.
72% was needed to pass.  That's what I got.  I received a 63% on
Performance and Tuning (needed a 73%) and a 57% on LAN Administration
(needed a 69%).

I was discouraged.  Nearly half the time was gone for the week.  I had
wanted to take a total of 9 tests to become an OS/2 Engineer and a
LAN Server Engineer.  At this point, I had passed only 2 tests!  Had
I known in advance how difficult it was going to be, I would have
changed my strategy and studied before attempting the tests.

Because of my extended testing, I was unable to get back to the hotel
at the time I promised Pam, so I called her and told her I would meet
her as she walked toward the Convention Center.

After we met, we proceeded to the area near the Georgia Dome where the
busses were loading.  There was a surprisingly small crowd that went
to Six Flags.  I saw Jim Crapenhoft and David Moskowicz, but that was
about it.  Bob Holmes told me the next day that he had seen me there,
but I had not spotted him.  Of course, I was really impressed by the
film stars I met there!  That Bugs Bunny -- what an actor!  And the
angst shown by Wile E. Coyote -- Tim Robbins would be envious!

The food provided was excellent!  We were talking to some of the
employees who asked it how it was, for Six Flags itself provided the
buffet, whereas usually they had it catered in.  The deserts were
fantastic.  My favorites were the petite-fours and the little
cream puffs.

Pam is a roller-coaster fanatic, and I am roller-coaster frantic!  The
last time I rode a roller-coaster, I was so scared I used language I
didn't know I knew.  So, despite her pleading, we rode no rides together.
She did ride something.  I think it was called "The Wheel".  If it had
been warmer, we would have done Thunder River.  I like the water rides.
Because we're primarily soft drinkers, we gave our drink tickets to
some folks who were brave enough to get soaked riding Thunder River in
the cool evening.

There was a pretty silly skit about "Bad Bob" returning to kill the
sheriff.  My favorite line occurred after Bad Bob spit about 15 feet
into a spittoon.  The sheriff commented that that was pretty good.  Bob
replied, "I was a member of the Salivation Army."  OK, I'm a sucker
for a good pun.  If that's not an oxymoron.

Since I was sitting in the front row, Bad Bob threatened to shoot
me.  With my shaved head and beard, I suppose I did have unique
features which qualified me as a victim.  Now that Fall is here,
however, I'm letting my fringe return to keep my head at least
slightly warm.

The skit was followed by more drawings.  I didn't win anything, but
neither did Melissa Driver.  Why do I remember that name?  You had
to be present to win.  Her name was drawn.  She wasn't there.  The
prize?  Another dual 90 Mhz Pentium.

We left shortly after the drawing.  I was worn out.

Tuesday, September 13, 1994

I got up early so that I could be in the front of the line for testing.
My morning was pretty straight forward.  After signing up, I went to
Study Hall to bone up on the Installing Manual.  After only 10 minutes,
I was called up.  I had barely cracked the notes, but I guess it was
sufficient.  A 73% was needed and I received a 75%.

I signed up again and studied for the Performance and Tuning test.  The
line had grown, so I had better than an hour to study.  Unfortunately,
that was a pretty popular manual, so I only got to look at it for about
half an hour.  The results were exactly the same as the Installing.

I signed up again for the LAN Server Administration.  Again, I had better
than an hour to study.  The primary reason I had more time was because the
server crashed again.  Nothing too serious -- someone tripped
over the cord and unplugged it!  Since more people were going for OS/2 Engineer
certification, I had full access to the manual.  A 69% was needed and I
received a 78%.

I finished all of these tests a little after 1:00 pm.  Official pins
had just come in, so I was able to walk away with two pins classifying
me as a certified OS/2 Engineer and a certified LAN Administrator.  I
took 8 tests, 3 of which I would not have been able to pass without
access to the training manuals.  Tests are $100 each, and classes are
nearly $1000.  I had the manual for one of the tests back at work, so
I figure it would have cost $2800 to accomplish the same thing in
Kansas City, not counting meals, transportation and hotel bills.  The
entire trip to Atlanta, including everything. was about $2000.  So I
figure this saved the state about $2000.  It would have been more if
I had not made some bad judgments.  I shouldn't have rented a car in
Atlanta, and rather than driving my car to the airport and paying
parking, I should have taken Tiger Express, which costs about $25.
That would have shaved about another $350 off of the cost.  That's
what I'll do the next time!

I could have taken some more tests to prepare for the LAN Server
Engineer, but there just was not enough time to complete the
certification before it would be necessary to leave.  In addition,
I was pretty stressed out by this time.  Pam was getting tired of
me coming to the hotel and worrying about those tests!  So, I
decided for the remaining 24 hours I would go to conferences and
exhibits!

There was a little area cordoned off for folks attending the Update
to relax and smoke.  While I was relaxing during the lunch break,
I struck up a conversation with a fellow from Germany.  IBM was
going to have something similar over there, but it was 2000 marks
more.  Since he worked for Lufthansa (I think that's how it's spelled),
it was cheaper for him to fly over here.

I knew that OS/2 was popular over there, because there is a lot of
shareware that I've seen that's come from there. ZOC and SCHEDULE
come to mind, and I think ZIPME.  He said that IBM has struck a deal
with a company similar to our Packard-Bell to preload OS/2.  I wish
they could strike a deal like that with Packard-Bell here!

After I left there, I finally ran into Hank Henderson again.  I had
hoped to see him at Six Flags, but he was at a Spencer F. Katt party.
Drat, I had hoped to get wind of a Spencer party, just to say that I
had been there.  Oh well.  I scribbled in that I also got to see
Jack Hiatt and Bob Holmes again.  I've been seeing Frank McKenney
all over this place!

Speaking of the Katt, this might be a good time to spread my own
rumors.  Let's see... I've heard that the Katt himself is really
himselves.  A group of 5 or 6 writers handle the gossip duties, one
of whom is Jim Seymour.  There is talk that a new national LAN
Systems User Group may be forming that will be able to have input
to IBM similar to GUIDE or SHARE.  The OS2BBS could be undergoing
a change in management and saying bye-bye to BEST.  And when OS/2
version 3.0 is announced in October, a certain captain with a pate
similar to my own will be making an appearance.  Make it so.

I felt better about failing tests after talking to Jack Hiatt.  As
I've mentioned before, Jack is a general all-around OS/2 guru who
answers many questions on the OS2BBS and the PCC BBS.  One particular
test, he needed a 72%.  He got a 69%.  Took it again.  69%.  Took it
again.  69%.  Took it again.  67%.  I'm not lying when I say you have
to know your stuff in all areas.  Those tests are hard.

I went down to the Networld-Interop exhibitions and wandered over
to the IBM exhibit.  They were just getting ready to do a demo of
LAN Server 4.0, so I grabbed a chair and a PC and prepared to see
what it would do.  The presentation only lasted half an hour, but
it was enough to knock my socks off!  Instead of a Public Application
folder, there is now a Network Application folder, which will handle
DOS, OS/2 and Windows Applications.  The Domain Icon looks like a
little castle.  Users, Groups, Network Applications and other
resources can all be created using Drag and Drop.  Talk about EASY!
Icons can be associated with a particular Network Application.
Almost anything that can be done on the screen can be done at the
command line, and anything that you can do on the command line can
be done on screen.  This was not the case with LAN Server 3.0.  Some
options could only be done from the command line, and others could
only be done from the Full Screen Interface.  In addition, there is
a NETGUI for DOS, that comes up with a very attractive GUI for the
DOS interface.  It received Best of Show.  I was knocked out.  We
have already started rolling out 115 LANs for our MACSS project, but
I would really, really like to be shipping out 4.0 rather than 3.0.
On a scale of 1 to 10 for ease of administration, I'd give Netware a
1, LAN Server 3.0 a 2, and LAN Server 4.0 a 9!  WOW!

I hurried from the exhibit hall back upstairs to the conference.  I
rushed into LAD/2.  There was a lot to like about LAD/2.  Earlier
I had commented that one person had said a person needed to be a
PhD to do CID.  LAD/2 eases the CID process, as well as DM/2.  It's
possible to contract with IBM to install and train LAD/2.  It will
automatically generate response files for various CID enabled
products.  It will generate the CID CMD file, it can customize
desktops.

My concern is that when an update comes out for a product, LAD/2 has
to be updated.  They responded that they usually came out with updates
for LAD/2 about a month after a product was released.  They are
encouraging IBM and Independent Vendors to use Software Installer so
that there is a common look and feel for installation for all products.
During the first year, the upgrades for LAD/2 are free, then it starts
to cost to upgrade.  LAD/2 is $4995 per server.  Cough Cough.  Whoops,
I misread a flier.  They had the cost for installing with LAD/2 as
$695, but they were talking about people hours, compared to trying to
set up CID or DM/2 by hand.  LAD/2 is supposed to be included with
DM/2 in about 18 months.  Drat, we're going to be getting DM/2 pretty
quickly.  To get LAD/2 now or not to get LAD/2 now, that is the
question.  Whether 'tis nobler to face the slings and arrows of setting
up DM/2 or to use LAD/2 must give us pause.

After the LAD/2 presentation, the day was officially over.  All that
remained was the Birds of a Feather sessions.  I went down to check
it out.  Hank was going to do a presentation on the World Wide Web,
but because of technical problems that he had been battling all week,
he was not going to be able to do a live demo.  I felt like a deserter,
but I was just so tired, I did not attend, but headed for the hotel.

Unfortunately, when I got to the hotel, I found there was no rest for
the wicked.  Pam wanted to go to the "Underground".  Someone had
mentioned on the OS2BBS that it was one of the places to go.  It was
interesting, in that there was a streetlamp there with a hole in it,
caused by a civil war cannonball.  There were a lot of little shops.
We ate at a fish place there, bought a few souvenirs from the Coke
plant across the street, and rode the MARTA back to our hotel.

Wednesday, September 14, 1994

I had packed my bags the night before, so I took everything but one
bag to the car.  I also took the car keys, so Pam had to check the
one bag at the front desk, since we had to be out by 11:00 a.m.  In
retrospect, I wish I had spent another night so that I wouldn't
have been so rushed on the last day of the conference and I possibly
would have had a chance to see a little bit more of Atlanta.

I went back to the convention center, and as my first stop, I returned
an evaluation form.  They were bribing folks to return them by
offering a commemorative t-shirt.  It worked.  I returned mine!  While
I was standing in line, I heard something of a tip.  Someone was saying
that if he gets hung up and can't CTRL+ALT+DEL, he'll do a
CTRL+ALT+NUMLOCK+NUMLOCK.  When it prompts for the Dump diskette, he'll
do a CTRL+ALT+DEL.  It still leaves the disk dirty, but it saves the
power hit.

After waffling among "Customizing and Using the WorkPlace Shell", "LAN
Distance", and "Lotus OS/2 Development Directions" I finally decided
to go to the "LAN Server Administration Hands On Lab".  I was
disappointed.  I picked up a few more things which I'll discuss
shortly, but the technical knowledge of the presenter was minimal.  I
think I had more information imparted in the half hour I spent at the
exhibit than in the hour and fifteen minutes spent in the lab.
Unfortunately, I didn't have an evaluation form.

They were also very paranoid.  I wanted to check out the new configuration
tool that is included in LAN Server 4.0.  As soon as I brought it up,
someone came running up to dissuade me from looking at it, since it
was partially disabled.  Well heck, can't I even get an idea of what
it'll look like?

One tool that I learned about was that in the new version there will
be a productivity aid that will let you convert the DCDB to a DB2/2
database, make changes from the DB2/2 database, and import it back
to the DCDB.  I'm not exactly sure of the advantage of this, unless
there is something that could be done programmatically against the
database easier than using the other tools provided.

I also found out that the Chess game can be played across the network.
It's too bad I don't care for chess.  How about a scrabble game?

Something else that I saw (totally unrelated), was that when they
were at an OS/2 prompt, they'd issue "START EPM", so that they would
still have the command prompt.  Now I knew you could do that, and I
had seen someone else doing it recently, but it's just not a habit I
had formed until after this trip.

On the whole, I was really disappointed with this session.  Perhaps I
would not have been if I had not seen the exhibit.

While I was taking a break, someone came up to me and saw my certification
pins, which I had proudly attached to my shirt.  "I have new respect
for you," he said.  "I've had to take one test three times now."  I'll
admit: I puffed up.

My next session was "Avoiding Common Problems and Problem
Determination with CM/2".  It was awfully informative, but I was
freezing to death.  Everything has been cold in here.  Before I left,
I wanted to pack a Mid-Missouri OS/2 User Group sweatshirt.  It is the
coolest OS/2 sweatshirt I've seen, custom made for us.  The OS/2 logo
is airbrushed on the front, with 2.1 airbrushed underneath.  On the
back is the name of our user group done in green with black shading.
I like showing it off, but I figured, "A sweatshirt, in Atlanta?  No
way!"  In the Conference Center it felt more like Alaska than Atlanta.

Back to CM/2.  I've written and re-written this trying to make it
interesting.  But I can't.  This stuff is dry, I'm just going to
list every sentence in my notes.  That way, if you're not interested,
you can just skip over the list.

With VTAM 4.2, it is possible to do asynch dial-in with CM/2 version 1.11.
The Message Reference and Problem Determination Guide are not installed by
default.
If the wrong Token-Ring address is given, check the Message Log Formatter.
Whenever you go into the Message Log Formatter, there is always an ominous
message: "Warning -- Data May be Lost".  I've never lost any data, but
I always figured it was a matter of time.  I was relieved to find out
that message is absolutely meaningless and they want to get it removed.
If Alert=Yes in the Message Formatter, there will always be a dump.
The Message Console is like the Netview console.  It is sometimes
useful for CMVERIFY, to ensure everything is going OK.
Routing alerts, refer to chart.
PMDSPLAY displays the active configuration.  Oh, Oh.  Bad handwriting.  It
either says "Display will slow everything" or "Display will show
everything".
Useful for testing command line utils.
CMEMUL is on the Productivity Aids Diskette and will start and stop 3270
and 5250 sessions.
ACSTRACE starts trace services.
CMPD gets everything to send to support.
ACS2501 error usually means to check the Logical Links display.

Whew, wasn't that interesting?  If you're not into CM/2 -- WAKE UP!!

After that class, it was time to break until 1:00 pm.  At 1:00 pm, there
was only one conference that looked interesting: The Lotus Smart Suite
for OS/2.  Since Pam had been booted from the hotel at 11:00 a.m. (and
stay out!!), I had made arrangements with someone who was not able
to come to the conference at all today to leave me her badge last night.
That way Pam could be admitted to see all of the Networld-Interop exhibits.

The identification cards were really neat.  They all looked something
like a credit card, so if vendors wanted to put you on their mailing
list, they just ran it through a scanner or made an impression.

Much easier than business cards.  We threatened our benefactor by telling
her that Pam was going to go from booth to booth letting vendors run
her badge!  By November she would be flooded with junk mail!

At this point, my notes stopped.  So everything from this point on is
strictly from memory.  So anyway, I told Lou Gerstner, "Lou, I don't
care how much you offer me, I like working for the state."  Oh, oh!
I could get into trouble relying on my memory.

As I mentioned earlier, there were so many exhibits, it was overwhelming.
Pam wanted to stop at almost every exhibit, and I wanted to hurry on to
see the exhibits I had not yet seen.  Somewhere there was an exhibit
with folks dressed up like Star Trek characters.  I never did find it.

We stopped longest at the Lotus booth.  We decided to see the Lotus
Organizer presentation, although we accidently sat down at first in
the section that was demonstrating Notes Express.  I wish in retrospect
that we had stayed there.  Not only because they were giving away a
copy of Notes Express to everyone who sat through the demo, but
because it was over about 10 minutes before our presentation and
was probably more interesting.  Oh well.

Shortly after that, it was time to head for the airport.  We arrived
in plenty of time, returned the rental car with no problem, although
there was quite a line of returning cars, and flew out on time.

We arrived at KCI at about 7:30 p.m., and made it back to Jefferson
City about midnight.

All in all, a successful, informative and tiring trip!

Next MMOUG Meeting

Next month's MMOUG meeting will be held in Columbia on Wednesday,
October 19, 4 pm at:

Boone County Electrical Cooperative
1414 Range Line
Columbia, MO 65101

From Jefferson City:

Take Highway 63 North to Interstate 70.  Go West on I-70 to the
Range Line Exit.  Go South on Range Line less than a block.  Boone
County Electrical Cooperative is the first building past the
restaurant.

                                                   N
                              I-70              W--|--E
 __________________________________________________S_________________
|P                                     |R                          H|
|R       Boone Co.  Electical Coop.  X |A                          W|
|O                                     |N                          Y|
|V                                     |G                           |
|I                                     |E                          6|
|D                                     |                           3|
|E                                     |L                           |
|N                                     |I                           |
|C                                     |N                           |
|E                                     |E                           |

We will have a representative from Describe show us the latest and
greatest from version 5.0 of their award-winning word processor.

Annual membership fee for the Mid Missouri OS/2 Users Group is $30.00 US.
Purchase Orders are accepted.  Please make your check payable to MMOUG and mail to:
MMOUG, P.O. Box 30654, Columbia, MO.  65205-0645
Thank you for your support.

The Mid-Missouri OS/2 Users Group is a non-profit corporation who's dedicated purpose is to aid and
facilitate the education and communication between individual computer users, different computer
groups, and the general public.

The Woodmeister BBS is the official Bulletin Board of the MMOUG.  A copy of the Bylaws is
available for downloading from the Woodmeister BBS (314-446-0016).

For assistance with OS/2, call our Voice Mail at 314-636-0805.