conversion), HyperAccess/5 for communications, KWQ/2 1.1 for retrieving and
saving messages.
And thanks to Mike Silverton for helping with some of the editing this month.
+-------------------------------------------+
|Letters To The Editor |
+-------------------------------------------+
Editor's Note
Time to reach into the ole mailbag or unpack a few notes from our
network mail packets. Remember you can contact us (Craig Swanson or
Dave Sichak) by writing us at:
San Diego OS/2 User Group
P.O. Box 13346
San Diego, CA 92039-3346
Or use email on Fidonet or Internet:
SAN DIEGO OS/2 USER GROUP ORGANIZER
Craig Swanson
Fidonet: 1:202/354
Internet: Craig_Swanson@f354.n202.z1.fidonet.org
EDITOR
Dave Sichak
Fidonet: 1:202/354
Internet: Dave_Sichak@f354.n202.z1.fidonet.org
CompuServe: 74670,724
Allen Henton
Dear Craig,
BTW, this bulletin board "OS/2 Connection, you wouldn't happen to
be affiliated with that in any way would you? :) (I know, I know).
I've tried to call that famous number several times at all times of
the day and only get a busy signal. Why don't you use that fine
American telephone company and a few more lines? :)
Oh, and I did find that SDIN9301.ZIP... GOOD job! I take it you're
the editor, eh? Well it seemed very informational. You might want
to consider having a column in there that tells all of us "not so
up to date types" of the current "big name" applications out there,
and when and what new ones are going to be available.
I for one would sure like to know. And it might even help to get
some of those people out there who are considering OS/2, to give it
a longer look if they know what's available. For instance, I just
found out this weekend that WordPerfect for OS/2 is available, and
apparently has been for quite some time.
Allen Henton (1:202/335)
Fidonet OS2
Origin: Deep Cove BBS
White Rock, B.C.
Canada
(604) 536-5885 (1:153/915)
We hear you loud and clear. We're trying to find a source that we
can tag onto the INF version. Perhaps I can add on the Fall 1992
Comdex listing of vendors that displayed their OS/2 products at the
IBM OS/2 display in the May INF version.
Richard Hinton
Dear Dave,
Just downloaded from Hobbes your OS-2 newsletter in the INF format.
Your club seems to be most structured I have seen, so far. Would
like a subscription, but your details seem vague. I've seen your
name on the OS2 echo, but I'm not familiar with the FIDO addressing
system. But I do subscribe to OS2FIDO. I can also be reached at
1:115/653 (South of Border BBS) but I like the Lansing OS-2 BBS.
Anyway, I would like a subscription, please drop me a line, love
your INF files......
Richard Hinton
Received via Netmail
ged17rl@uxa.ecn.bgu.edu
Hopefully this will reach you via INF and I'll try and post
something in the Fidonet OS2 area. You can request a copy of our
newsletter by sending a stamped, self-addressed envelope (current
costs of mailing are 75 cents) to our PO BOX which you can find on
page 16 of the hard copy or in the San Diego OS/2 User Group area
of the INF versions. As for subscriptions, we have to first do
some organizational tasks for our group. We hope to make an
announcement in the next month or so.
Robert Montgomery
Dear Dave,
Your OS/2 viewable INF newsletters are wonderful and read in
Milwaukee.
Robert Montgomery
Fidonet TEAMOS2
Origin: Fernwood
OS/2 files via HST DS
(203) 483-0348 (1:141/209)
Constantly amazes me where the INF files end up. The INF files can
now be found on CompuServe, too. However, due to the file name
constraints there and my inexperience, too, you can look for
"SDIN93.ZIP" for the February issue and "SD9303.ZIP" for the March
issue. Many thanks for the kind words, too.
John Quoziente
Hello Craig,
I'm not sure if this is the place to ask this question. However,
got this number from the Frequently Asked Questions List. It
mentioned to leave you a message if anyone would like to
distribute the newsletter in their hometown.
I run a BBS in Southgate, Michigan and would like to distribute
the newsletter on my BBS. It also is an OS/2 BBS dedicated to
supporting the OS/2 platform. If this is OK, let me know. I'll
call back in the future. Thanks.
John Quoziente
Sysop of Inside Technologies BBS
(313) 283-1151
We'd be more than happy if you choose to distribute the ASCII and
INF versions of our newsletter on your BBS. In fact we were
hoping sysops would do this. If you would like to photocopy and
distribute the printed version, that would be OK, also, unless we
change our policy on free duplication of the printed version.
Rollin White
Dear Dave,
What program(s) do you use to put together the Inf version of the
newsletter? Any chance they are on one of the PDK's? Any chance
the March issue is in INF format yet? I "loaned" my March paper
copy to someone and have had a hard time getting it back :)
Rollin White
Via Netmail
1:103/132
Now that will teach you to leave our golden prose laying around.
How's the INF file done? The text file (or *.ipf file used by the
IPFC compiler in the OS/2 PDK CD ROM) is created mainly from EPM,
the OS/2 Enhanced Editor after conversion to ascii text by
WordPerfect. It's a lot of work for now, but some coding / tags
are reusable. I use the cut and paste routine for repetitious
commands. I tried a shareware program called HelpEdit, but it
seemed too similar to doing WP macros and I didn't want to pay $75
for the real version. The demo version didn't even allow me to
edit more than one page of text. The new PDK has something called
HyperWrite, which I'll soon try. For now, creating an INF file is
not too swift.
+-------------------------------------------+
|Stolen Taglines |
+-------------------------------------------+
Ah, when I do the newsletter and browse the messages, my eyes
wander down to those prolific pearls of pontifications known as the
tagline. Amazing what people can come up with when they're forced
to be succinct and brief, eh? And how about some new OS/2 taglines
to go along with the new 2.1 version? -- Dave
Communism is like a mouth on a lollipop.
Not tonight honey..I have a modem.
Do Not Disturb; I'm playing with my Mental Blocks.
The door is Baroque; please wiggle Handel.
Just when you got it all figured out: An UPGRADE!
Air conditioned environment - do not open Windows.
That's not a Bug, that's an Enhanced Feature.
"We've done Win apps..but we didn't inhale." - P. Kahn
My parents looted LA and all I got is this lousy tagline.
Windows - The best 8mb solitaire game around.
Your Zip file is open...
Smith & Wesson: The original 'point-and-click' interface.
Radioactive halibut makes great fission chips.
A waist is a terrible thing to mind.
How DO they get Teflon to stick to the pans?
Taco Bell is NOT Mexico's phone company.
Up and Running - OS/2 2.1
+-------------------------------------------+
|Tips, Tricks & Ideas |
+-------------------------------------------+
Run Windows in an OS/2 DOS Box
OS/2 Trashcan???
OS/2 Trashcan??? Another Idea
OS/2 Reminder - Maximizing Windows
OS/2 Window - Turn Off the Help Bar
WordPerfect for Windows 5.2 Problem Solving
Better Way to Read Icon Labels?
WPS Idea - Icons in Borders Only?
}}} Run Windows in an OS/2 DOS Box
Vince Coen
Original Fidonet Area: OS2wps
Date: 03-26-93
Origin: Air Applewood
Gateway to Essex:
HST+DS * +44-279-792300
(2:440/103)
Crossposted in:
WINDOWS_UK
OS2BEGIN
OS2BBS
OS2DOS
OS2VIDEO
OS2WPS
If you're interested: Look for a file named WINOS231.ARJ which allows OS/2 v2.0
users to run MS windows 3.1 via a Dos Box in all screen modes with the same
attributes as used in Win 3.1, i.e., SVGA 800*600*16/256 etc. It's very good,
try it. It's available at all speeds to 16k8.
}}} OS/2 Trashcan???
Melissa Woo
Orignal From:: Netmail to Dave Sichak
Original From: 1:233/4.100
Editor's Note: When other computing platforms seem to have a good
idea, it somehow crosses the boundaries to other platforms. The
Macintosh "Trashcan" is one of them. Here's a couple of approaches
for OS/2.
Here's a neat trick which may or may not interest you - a way to create a Trashcan
ala Macintosh, complete with an "Empty Trash" option on the popup menu.
1. Create a new folder object on the WPS by opening the Templates folder
and dragging out a folder template with mouse button 2.
2. Open the settings notebook for the new folder.
3. Choose the General notebook tab.
4. Replace "Program" in the Title field with "Trash"
5. Replace the default icon with a nice trashcan icon (some nice icons can
be found on BBS's and Internet anonymous ftp sites).
6. Open up your favorite editor and create the following batch file,
called TRASHIT.CMD.
echo y | del "c:\OS!2 2.0 Desktop\Trash\*"
7. Be sure to substitute the correct drive letter and subdirectory if
necessary.
8. Create a new program object for TRASHIT.CMD by opening the Templates
folder and dragging out a program template with mouse button 2.
9. Enter the correct path and filename for TRASHIT.CMD on the Program page
of the settings notebook.
10.Put a " " (without quotes) in the Parameters field.
11.Click on Settings tab.
12.Make sure there are checkmarks in the OS/2 Window, Start Minimized,
13.Close on Exit boxes.
14.Go to the Window tab and click on Hide Window.
15.Go to the General tab and enter a name for TRASHIT.CMD if desired; close
settings notebook for TRASHIT.CMD.
16.Return to the settings notebook for the Trash folder and choose the
Menu tab.
17.Add a menu choice to the Trash folder's popup menu called "~Empty
Trash" (the same instructions as per page 19 of the March newsletter
regarding adding items to the WPS popup menu); close settings notebook.
Voila! Files can be dragged into the Trash, and if one needs to retrieve a
file, just open up the Trash folder and get it. In order to empty the trash,
use mouse button 2 to get the popup menu, and choose Empty Trash. The
contents of the Trash subdirectory should be deleted in the background.
However, if one has previously done the "hold SHIFT, click maximize button" trick
on an OS/2 windowed command line session, a window will open, then close on the
desktop when the Trash is emptied, and there doesn't appear to be a way to
prevent this.
I'm sure there is a more elegant way to write these instructions. This was my
project for today, and it seems to be working okay so far. It only works with
certain objects, however, such as the stuff dragged from the Drives object.
In case someone wants something that acts as a trashcan, but will destroy all
objects in it on command, an idea might be to create a trashcan template. One
could drag out a trashcan template, and when one wants to destroy the objects in
it, choose Delete from the popup menu, and the trashcan along with all of the
objects in it will be deleted. One can then drag out another trashcan template
to replace the one that was just deleted.
}}} OS/2 Trashcan??? Another Idea
Richard Flathmann
Reply To: Harv Millman
Original Fidonet Area: OS2WPS
Origin: Fernwood - OS/2 files via HST DS
(203) 483-0348
(1:141/209)
HM-> This message was from PETE
HM-> NORLOFF to ALL, and was forwarded
HM-> to you by HARV MILLMAN.
HM-> It is VERY VERY easy to get OS/2
HM-> to imitate a Macintosh trashcan.
HM-> First, drag a folder template to
HM-> the desktop and rename it Trashcan.
HM-> Second, attach a trashcan icon
HM-> to it. You can drop icons etc. in
HM-> it and open up the Trashcan to
HM-> drag them back. Nothing spectacular.
HM-> Just a folder.
Thanks to you Pete for bringing it to my attention! This is an excellent idea
to a long standing problem of mine!
Ya gotta love this OS/2 thing, it just keeps getting better!
}}} OS/2 Reminder - Maximizing Windows
Knox Cameron
Original Fidonet Area: OS2WPS
Reply To: John Poltorak
Origin: Prophet BBS
Western Sydney, Australia
(3:54/54)
JP> Unfortunately I can't remember how
JP> to open text windows maximized.
JP> It's some combination of mouse buttons
JP> and shift/alt/ctl keys but I can't seem
JP> to stumble across it. Can anyone
JP> remind me?
Shift click on the maximize button of a text window.
}}} OS/2 Window - Turn Off the Help Bar
Doug Azzarito (1:202/335)
Original Area: OS2
Original To: Jon Lind (1:202/354)
Origin: Silicon Beach
(305) 474-6512
USR DS (1:369/68)
-> I have HELP OFF in my autoexec.bat
-> file so that I don't have that stupid
-> bar in my VDM sessions. How can
-> I turn it off automatically in my OS
-> sessions? Thanks.
Take the "$I" out of your prompt (in CONFIG.SYS). For my prompt, I use:
PROMPT $D $T$_($R) [$P]
It ends up looking like:
Tue 4-27-1993 10:17:52.81 (0) [D:\os2]
The (0) is the RETURN CODE from the last command. This is very useful when I'm
writing .CMD files - if I want to handle error codes, I can experiment.
Let's say I have a .CMD that uses PKUNZIP. I want the .CMD to know when the file
I want to extract isn't in the .ZIP file. If I type the PKUNZIP command, I see
the prompt change to (11), so I know in my CMD file, I can just check for the
return code of 11.
Just another helpful hint.
}}} WordPerfect for Windows 5.2 - Problem Solving
Greg Wust
Original Area: Comp.Os.Os2.
Origin: Orphan Board West
fido <-> unix gateway
(1:202/723)
|> Okay, it's me again with WordPerfect
|> 5.2 for Windows (come on, OS/2
|> version!)! I had everything working
|> just fine, and decided to try the 2.1
|> beta, so I backed everything up and
|> re-partitioned my drives to run
|> the Boot Manager, and select which
|> version to run, but now WP and
|> Grammatik are at it again. This
|> time when I try to run Grammatik
|> from WP, it tells me "WPWPGM5.DLL
|> Not installed. Cannot run Grammatik."
|> Now, the DLL IS in the WPWIN
|> directory, AND it is pointed to by the
|> config.sys and autoexec.bat, so what's
|> wrong!? Thanks for any help!
|> Bill aka w-chase@tamu.edu
Bill,
Your WIN.INI and any other ini's got lost or reset when you
installed the 2.1 beta so the lines that indicate the location and
existence of the DLL's are missing. Need to reload ini's from the
backups (be careful as WinOS2 from 3.0 and WinOS2 3.1 WIN.INI's are
not compatible) under a different name or directory and copy the
relevant info over.
Or, reinstall WP in the new OS/2.
Greg Wust
SAS Institute Inc Publications Programmer
SAS Campus Drive
Cary, NC 27513
sasghw@unx.sas.comGreg Wust
Original Area: Comp.Os.Os2.
Origin: Orphan Board West
fido <-> unix gateway
(1:202/723)
}}} Better Way to Read Icon Labels?
By Robert Montgomery
Reply To: Dave Sichak
Original Fidonet Area: Net202_Os2
Origin: OS/2 Connection @ La Jolla, CA
(619) 558-9475
(1:202/354)
I just realized a "trick" in OS/2; stumbled upon it actually. I have a nice
thatched, dark blue background for my desktop bitmap. But I had a small problem
with reading the icon labels, as they were darker than I wanted.
Solution? When you do the settings for the desktop, chose solid white as you
desktop color and then select your favorite background bitmap, the icon
lettering on your desktop will be the solid color you selected before the bitmap
for your desktop. Very nice and easy. Hope it works for others.
WPS Idea?! Icons in Borders Only?
Terry Bowden
Reply To: Richard Flathmann
Original Fidonet Area: OS2WPS
Origin: IBM NZ Ltd Gateway
Auckland, New Zealand
(3:772/20)
I'd like to be able to arrange the icons around the borders of my screen. How
about being able to open a rubber band box on the whole screen, and requesting
an automatic arrangement of desktop icons in the area outside that box?
Or maybe a set of rubber banded boxes, placed where I want them, within which the arrangement will occur?
I'd also like some method to sequence these in my own priority sort sequence and
enable me to assign a sort sequence of say 10 to all tools, 20 to all folders of
apps, 30 to all 'favorite programs', 40 to all printer devices, 60 to all
folders of data, etc, etc.
Then I'd request "arrange" to sequence them within preferred boxed areas on the
desktop with a best fit algorithm. The boxes are then removed, as they were
only arrangement guides.
Editor's Note: Just thought I'd try to stir up an idea for someone with a
programming background...
+-------------------------------------------+
|OS/2 User Group News |
+-------------------------------------------+
NOCCC OS/2 SIG Birthday Success
OS/2 2.0 Birthday a Capitol Affair
Fresno OS/2 SIG 2nd Meeting a Birthday Party
New OS/2 User Group in Chicago
}}} NOCCC OS/2 SIG Birthday Success
Rollin White
To: Janet Gobeille
April 26, 1993
Original Fidonet Area: Teamos2
Origin: Computer Education Services BBS
(1:103/132)
The NOCCC OS/2 SIG's OS/2 2.0 One Year birthday party was a smashing success!
We had over 30 people attend (in a room designed for 25), including the club's
president! The cake was devoured before I was done with my introduction.
Our scheduled presenter could not make it to our April meeting so we had plenty
of time to discuss OS/2 and it's future. We also dedicated a large part of our
time to rediscovering the basics of the WPS.
At the end of the afternoon we raffled off the gifts you were kind enough to send. The T-shirts did not arrive until the day after, but they will be distributed to the members at the next meeting. BTW, a number of members (myself included), mentioned
that sticky pads and maybe a mouse pad might be nice small raffle items for the future (hint, hint).
Thanks for helping us have a great April meeting! Sundial Systems will be here
during May to present Relish.
}}} OS/2 2.0 Birthday a Capitol Affair
Patrick Zilliacus
To: Janet Gobeille
April 17, 1993
Original Fidonet Area: Teamos2
Origin: OS/2 Shareware BBS
Fairfax, Virginia
(703) 385-4325
(1:109/347)
You asked for a report from our "Happy Birthday OS/2" SIG meeting, which was
held last week. We set an attendance record (of at least 65 persons, which just
about filled up the meeting room at 51 Monroe). There was also a lady and a
gentleman from Boca in attendance (they were in the Dee Cee area for FOSE).
We also ran out of t-shirts! I think that you'll be hearing from Rod Wright on
this subject.
After the birthday party, we had Lotus Development give demos of the new OS/2
versions of 1-2-3, Freelance and Ami Pro. They also said that OS/2 versions of
Lotus products will not cost more than a certain ISV's Window's based products
located in Redmond, Washington - hooray!
Thank you Janet, and thank you IBM.
}}} Fresno OS/2 SIG 2nd Meeting a Birthday Party
Sandeleh Francis
To: All
Original Fidonet Area: Teamos2
sfranci@caticsuf.csufresno.edu
Origin: OS/2 Shareware BBS
Fairfax, Virginia:
(703) 385-4325
(1:109/347)
Last night we had our second OS/2 SIG meeting. It was a smashing success even
though all the publicity I had arranged fell through. We had over 12 people
there but only half of them were members of the general group; the rest heard of
the SIG meeting elsewhere.
The cake was wonderful (so they say) and we had a great time and gave away a lot
of good gifts.
There is nobody in IBM in Fresno that has anything to do with os/2. This means
the guy who was helping us did it purely from the goodness of his heart. I
mentioned the "OS/2 day at Egghead" to him very briefly and he said to get back
to him after I pitched the eggduudz. This may turn out to be a viable idea here
in Fresno.
}}} New OS/2 User Group Chicago Area
Dwight Cannon
To: James Schmidt
Original Fidonet Conference: Teamos2
Origin: GREATER CHICAGO Online!!
(708) 895-4042
(1:115/895)
As I had stated at the last user group meeting in Deerfield, a new user group will be starting in Elgin. It will be called the Western Suburban Chicago OS/2 User Group (WSCOUG). We will be meeting for the first time June 8 at 900 N. State St. (Route 31,
about a mile south of the tollway), Elgin at 6:00 p.m., and I would appreciate it if you could make it. I think it is important that we
maintain a linkage between our user groups. Bill Cook recommended we get
together about that matter, but I'm sure you'll agree it will provide mutual
benefit.
+-------------------------------------------+
| OS/2 User Group Directory |
+-------------------------------------------+
User Group Introduction
We try to list known OS/2 User Groups whenever we get the information.
Of course, we can't be responsible if the information proves to be
unreliable -- you, the reader are our best source of this information.
And we're learning of more and more OS/2 user groups across the
country and even around the world every week. It's been slow, but we
have made some contacts and we may be able to exchange information and
articles in the future. If you're travelling and have some free
time, stop in on one these meetings. If you know of another OS/2
user group, drop us a line and we'll mention them. Remember, we'll
list them all in the INF file each time. And thanks!
Australia - Glen Waverly
Victorian OS/2 Developers SIG
Contact: Jon Wright
5 Brighton Street
Glen Waverly, Victoria 3150
Australia
CompuServe: 100032,776
Ontario - Bailieboro
Kawartha Computer Club
Contact: Cedric Silvester
RR #1
Bailieboro, Ontario
Canada KOL 1B0
Note: OS/2 SIG is part of the KCC
Phone: BBS -- (705) 748-0023
Quebec - Montreal
Montreal OS/2 Users Group
Contact: Gilbert Lefebvre
IBM Tower
10214 Peloquin Avenue
Montreal, QC
H2C 2J8
Canada
Meets: 7:00pm, 3rd Wednesday
Phone: Voice -- (514) 382-9858 (evenings)
Netmail: Programmer's Quest 1:167/110
The Montreal OS/2 Users Group held their first meeting on February
17. Gilbert reported that their first meeting had over 70 persons
in attendance. They're real happy to see the interest in OS/2.
Please note that this group does not expect to meet during June,
July and August.
Saskatchewan - Regina
Regina Saskatchewan OS/2 User Group
Contact: Robert Shiplett
Cooperators
1920 College Avenue 5W
Regina, Saskatchewan S4P 1C4
Canada
United Kingdom - Gloucestershire
International OS/2 User Group
Contact: Mike Gove
Barton House
Cirencester
Gloucestershire GL7 2EE
UK
Phone: - +44-285-641175
Phone: - +44-285-640181 (FAX)
Phone: - (UK) 0285-641175
Note: - Also home to OS/2 Solution Centre
South Africa
OS/2 User Group of South Aftrica
P.O. Box 875
Halfway House
1685 South Africa
Sweden
Swedish OS/2 Users Group
The Cruiser BBS, +46-8-704 9438
California - Fresno
Fresno OS/2 SIG
(Fresno PC Users Group)
Contact: Sandeleh Francis (209) 229-0473
Contact: Rod Jessen (209) 323-9849
Meetings at:
1425 Shirley Circle
Clovis, CA 93611
Meets: 7:30pm, last Monday
Phone BBS -- Wild Side BBS (209) 226-3476
Phone BBS -- Clovis Connection (209) 229-3476
Sandeleh Francis reports that their very first meeting will be held
March 29. They are a part of the Fresno PC Users group which meets
the first Monday of the month at the Ramada Inn at Hwy 41 and Shaw
Avenue in Fresno at 7:30pm.
California - Huntington Beach
Orange Coast IBM PC Users Group
OS/2 SIG
Contact: Dave Lorenzini
17632 Metzler Lane, Suite 211
Huntington Beach, CA
California - Los Angeles
Los Angeles OS/2 Users Group
Contact: Paul Duncanson
3008 Texas Avenue
Simi Valley, CA 93063
Phone: (805) 584-6721
Meets: 3rd Thursday @ 6:30pm
IBM
21041 Burbank Boulevard
Woodland Hills, CA
California - Sacramento
Sacramento OS/2 Users Group
Contact: Charlie Kotan
IBM
400 Capitol Mall
Sacramento, CA
Meets: First Wednesday @ 7:00pm
Phone: - (916) 641-4007
CompuServe - 70110,254
California - San Diego
San Diego OS/2 User Group
Contact - Craig Swanson
P.O. Box 13346
La Jolla, CA 92039-3346
Meets - 7pm on 3rd Thursday
Meets at -- IBM @ LaJolla
8845 University Center Lane
San Diego, CA 92122
Phone - Voice -- (619) 587-5955
Phone - BBS -- (619) 558-9475
The San Diego OS/2 User Group has participated in the San Diego
Computer Fair in which over 18,000 people attended over a three day
weekend last September. This group has started an OS/2 newsletter
with the goal of providing information to not only OS/2 users but also
to others who are interested in learning more. Our aim is to also
develop the newsletter so that it becomes a community effort among the
OS/2 user groups and SIGs.
Past meeting topics have included presentations by IBM's Ultimedia for
OS/2; Lotus demonstrating beta versions of 1-2-3 and Freelance
Graphics for OS/2; an introduction to REXX, demo of the
December OS/2 2.1 beta along with Visual REXX; Eddie
Miller, one of the authors of "OS/2 2.1 Unleashed"
sharing insights into the OS/2 mini-applets; and, local OS/2
developer Jeannine Wolf discussing the OS/2 Config.SYS
file and providing tips.
In April, the feature presentation is from DeScribe Corporation on
their 32-bit Word Processor for OS/2 and local OS/2 consultant Paul
Moore will explain the program he is developing to run on an OS/2
computer that will control tube mill and bending machines. And of
course, a birthday celebration for OS/2 2.0's first birthday.
California - San Francisco
Bay Area OS/2 User Group
Contact - Guy Scharf
Software Architects, Inc.
2163 Jardin Drive
Mountain View, CA 94040
Meets - 4th Monday @ at IBM Mountain View
Phone - Voice -- (415) 948-9186
Connecticut - Enfield
New England OS/2 User Group
Contact: Dave Pinard
145 Candlewood Drive
Enfield, CT 06082
Phone: Voice -- (203) 954-1872
Phone: BBS -- (203) 763-1674
Connecticut - Darien
Darien OS/2 Users Group
Contact: Steven J. Palmer
75 Rings End Road
Darien, CT 06820
Delaware - Wilmington
Delaware Valley OS/2 Users Group
Contact: Chuck Gaglia
1120 Webster Drive
Wilmington, DE 19803
Florida - Boca Raton
OS/2 Users Group of Boca Raton
Contact: Doug Azzarito
Meets at:
PC Systems Store
2855 S. Congress Avenue
Delray Beach, FL
Meets on 2nd Thursday of the month at 7pm
Phone: BBS -- (407) 997-2235
Phone: Voice -- (407) 276-2945
Florida - Tampa Bay
Tampa Bay OS/2 User Group
Contact: Paul Wylie
M. Bryce & Associates, Inc.
777 Alderman Road
Palm Harbor, FL 34683
Phone: Voice - (813) 786-4567
Phone: FAX -- (813) 786-4765
Meets: - 1st Tuesday @ 3:00pm.
Meets at:
IBM
3109 W. Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevard
4th Floor
Tampa, FL
Illinois - Chicago
North Suburban Chicago OS/2 User Group
Contact - James R. Schmidt
Meets - William M. Mercer, Inc.
1417 Lake Cook Rd.
Deerfield, IL 60015
Meets - 5.30pm Tues preceding 3rd Thurs.
Phone - Voice -- (708) 317-7485
Indiana - Fort Wayne
Fort Wayne OS/2 User Group
Contact - Stephen Gutknecht
Fort Wayne, Indiana
Meets - Central Soya on Cook Rd.
Meets - 7pm, 2nd Tuesday
Phone - Voice -- (219) 484-0062 (Bus. Hrs.)
Phone - BBS -- (219) 471-3918
Indiana - Indianapolis
Indy OS/2 Users Group
Contact: Jay Schultz
350 E. New york Suite 300
Indianapolis, IN 46204
Phone: Voice - (317) 634-8080
Louisiana - Baton Rouge
Baton Rouge OS/2 users Group
Contact: David Arbour
16726 Bristoe Avnue
Baton Rouge, LA 70816
Phone: - (504) 753-9637
Massachusetts - Boston
Boston Area OS/2 User's Group
(BCS)
Contact: Marcia Gulesian (508) 369-3918
Meetings at:
IBM Boston Computer Center
One Copley Place
Boston, MA
Meets: 7:00pm, first Tuesday
Meeting location is near Back Bay and Copley train stations. From
the Mass. Turnpike East, exit 22 (Copley Square Lane) - first left
onto Dartmouth St. Next left onto Huntington Ave. Enter COPLEY
PLACE PARKING on left. Parking is free when you spend $5 and have
your parking ticket validated in any restaurant or store at Copley
Place and enter the garage after 5:00pm.
Upcoming events:
April 6
High Performance Word Processing with OS/2 -- WordPerfect and AmiPro
for OS/2 will be the subjects of the meeting. The technical profile
and end-user features of these two new word processors will be
discussed and illustrated through live demonstrations. Compatibility
with E-mail and FAX's will also be examined.
May 4
NETWARE for OS/2 - Meeting will include live demo and in- depth look
at new features such as NetWare Directory Services (NDS), which is a
global-naming scheme and distributed directory of users.
Michigan - Grand Rapids
West Michigan OS/2 User Group
IBM
2900 Charlevoix Dr. SE
Grand Rapids, MI
Minnesota - Minneapolis
Minnesota OS/2 User Group
Contact: Marcus Krumpholz
IBM Building
650 Third Avenue South
Minneapolis, MN
Meets last Thursday each month
7:00pm - 10:00pm
Voice: (612) 869-7956
BBS: (612) 379-8272
ISV's wishing to do a presentation can contact Marcus Krumpholz at
(612) 869-7956. Registrations for meetings are requested and can
be done by calling (612) 397-6444 and then asking for course code
"OS2". The IBM building is shared with First Bank on Third Avenue
south between South Sixth Street and South Seventh Street. Parking
is recommended at Northstar Center (1 block west), Pillsbury Center
(1.5 blocks north), Hennepin County Government Center (diagonally
across street) and Court Park (2 blocks north).
Topics scheduled:
Apr 25 Describe 4.0 / Mary Serock
Mar 25 OS/2 System Management (CID, SPM, etc.) / IBM
Apr 29 Lan Server 3.0 / IBM (tentative)
May 27 Netware for OS/2 / Novell
Jun 24 OS/2 Development / IBM (tentative)
Nebraska - Omaha
Omaha OS/2 Users Group
Contact: Joe Peterson
7724 Fort St.
Omaha, NE 68134
New Jersey - West Orange
Northern New Jersey OS/2 Users Group
Contact: Jason H. Perlow (201) 224-7605
Meetings at: IBM
300 Executive Drive
West Orange, NJ
Meets: 7:00pm, second Tuesday
INFO: Phone: (201) 325-5600
First meeting will be held March 9. This group is affiliated with
the Westchester OS/2 Users Group.
New York - Westchester
Westchester OS/2 Users Group
Contact: Craig Smith (914) 686-9828
Meetings at:
IBM
2000 Purchase Street
Purchase, NY
Meets: 7:00pm, second Tuesday
INFO: Phone: (914) 697-6000
Westchester was instrumental in getting IBM's OS/2 featured on the
PBS Computer Chronicles show in March. They have also designed a
series of special OS/2 weekend seminars on OS/2 software
development that begins in Mid-March at IBM in Harrison, NY. In
January, Stacker for OS/2 was premiered to the public. Corel
Systems also demonstrated their full line of products for OS/2 and
hints at upcoming projects.
North Carolina - Durham
Triangle OS/2 User Group
Contact -- Steve Gallagher
IBM Building
4800 Falls of The Neuse Road
Room 5074
Durham, North Carolina
Meets -- 7.30pm, 3rd Tuesday
Phone -- Voice -- (919) 254-5637
Internet -- sjgalla@vnet.ibm.com
Ohio - Akron
Northeast Ohio OS/2 User Group
IBM
3 Cascade Plaza
Akron, Ohio
Contact: Gary Smiley
Phone: (216) 630-3565
CompuServe: 75600,1737
Ohio - Cleveland
Cleveland OS/2 User Group
IBM
Bond Ct. Building
2nd Fl
E. 9th St.
Cleveland, Ohio
Pennsylvania - Erie
Computer Users of Erie
OS/2 SIG
Contact: Tom Kuklinski
3928 Sassafras Street
Erie, PA 16508
Phone: (814) 866-5396
Phone: (814) 898-2905
Tennessee - Knoxville
East Tennessee PC User Group
OS/2 SIG
Contact: Arnold Sprague
808 Fairfield Drive
Knoxville, TN 37919-4109
Texas - Dallas - Fort Worth
Dallas-Forth Worth OS/2 User Group
Contact - Toby Pennycuff
CompuServe ID - 70007,6267
1211 Wilshire Blvd.
Arlington, TX 76012-4623
Meets at:
American Airlines HQ
4255 Amon Carter Blvd.
Arlington, TX
Meetings - Time and dates not listed.
Wisconsin - Madison
Madison OS/2 Users Group
Contact: Tom Ender or Donn Tolley
2703 Rolling View Rd.
Stoughton, WI 53589-3386
+-------------------------------------------+
|OS/2 News & Developments |
+-------------------------------------------+
Up and Running OS/2 2.1!
Gerstner Gives OS/2 Thumbs Up!
70,000 Copies of OS/2
New OS/2 Column in Federal Computer Week
NT Highlights(?) Part 1
NT Highlights(?) Part 2
OS/2 Phone Poll Winner
}}} Up and Running OS/2 2.1!
From: Albert Shan (1:202/335)
Original Fidonet Area: OS2
Origin: The Idle Task...
(604) 275-0835
Richmond British Columbia (1:153/905)
IBM Personal Software Products (PSP) Division will hold dual news conferences in
New York and San Francisco on May 18, 1993 concerning OS/2.
New York
May 18, 1993
11 a.m. ET
Marriott Marquis
Astor Room
1535 Broadway
New York, NY
(212) 398-1900
Host: Lee Reiswig
President (PSP)
San Francisco
May 18, 1993
8 a.m. PT
Fairmont Hotel
California Room
950 Mason
San Francisco, CA
(415) 772-5000
Host: John Patrick
VP, Sales & Marketing (PSP)
Highlights:
Presentation/demo by IBM technical and marketing executives; announcements by
industry-leading companies. Q&A sessions on both coasts immediately following
the announcement. One-on-one interview opportunities with IBM executives and
leading industry executives. Software and hardware demonstrations from top
industry vendors. Expect the full announcement on GA date, availability, and
pricing on OS/2 2.1.
}}} Gerstner Gives OS/2 Thumbs Up!
Original From: Joe Meakin (1:202/354)
Original To: Craig Swanson
(1:202/354)
My prayers have been answered! The following post has been posted throughout
(...and I mean THROUGHOUT!) Compuserve. It's probably heading your way on the
Fido echoes as you read this, too. (It was cited from a well-known TEAMOS2
member -- Vicci Conway - 76711,1123)
Lee Reiswig asked us to publicize this message from Lou Gerstner.
"Lee, I'm hearing there are questions about IBM's commitment to OS/2 based on
reports of my upcoming meeting with Bill Gates. That's just nonsense. I'm
meeting with many people in our industry -- customers, partners, and competitors
-- as well as many within IBM, to get acquainted and to get a sense of the
industry and of IBM. For someone to assume that I'm negotiating product
strategies in these meetings would be a serious mistake. I'm not doing that.
My job is to get the right people in place and give them the support they need to
compete. When I reviewed your plans with you and your team, I was impressed
with the progress you've made and where you're heading. You and your team have
the lead on this and my support in moving forward. Good luck in your
announcement next week."
Lou
}}} 70,000 Copies of OS/2!
Carl Forde
April 21, 1993
Original Area: comp.os.os2.advocacy
Origin: OS/2 Connection
(1:202/354)
From INFORMATION WEEK of April 19, 1993 (pages 62, 64)
Information Week reported that it had learned that the Social Security
Administration would ink a contract for 70,000 copies of OS/2, one of the
largest single purchases of an operating system ever. And cited as an
endorsement that seemed certain to give OS/2 a badly needed market boost.
And it seems the deal couldn't come at a better time for IBM, which recently
announced plans to make available OS/2 Version 2.1.
Information Week also reported that evaluators of the latest test version of OS/2
2.1 stated that IBM delivered on the promises made last December. Those
included a 32-bit graphics engine, the ability to easily run Windows 3.1
applications, and faster performance.
The IS chief at Royal Bank of Canada in Toronto was quoted as stating "We've found
it stable and a lot faster than 2.0." Also quoted was Joel Shulman, automation
specialist with Farmers Insurance Cos. in Los Angeles, "IBM is listening to its
customers. IBM needs (several) shots in the arm, (including) a robust upgrade
and the Social Security contract to build some momentum for its upcoming
showdown with NT."
}}} New OS/2 Column in Federal Computer Week
From Christopher Rodgers (1:202/335)
Original Fidonet Area: OS2
Origin: OS/2 Shareware BBS
Fairfax, Virginia
(703) 385-4325
(1:109/347)
Federal Computer Week, a weekly trade magazine catering to the Federal computer
community has agreed to initiate a new column DEVOTED TO OS/2! Unlike other
publications attempts, this column will be written by an experienced OS/2 user
and network administrator (me!).
The premier of the column, entitled "The OS/2 Guru" was published in the April
12th issue. Current plans are for the column to run every other issue (once a
month).
As with any publication, the success of the column will be determined by reader
response. If you receive Federal Computer Week and enjoy seeing POSITIVE,
HONEST, coverage of OS/2 then I'd encourage you to write and let them know. If
you are not a FCW subscriber, but appreciate any publisher willing to devote a
column to open and honest OS/2 reporting, I'd encourage you to write FCW and
let them know you appreciate their support.
If you have any specific ideas for a column or a product to review, I may be
reached via the OS/2 Shareware BBS or IBM's National Support Center BBS in
Atlanta. Comments, suggestions, and letters of encouragement can be addressed
to:
Editor
Federal Computer Week
3110 Fairview Park Drive, Suite 1040
Falls Church, Virginia 22042-4599
}}} NT Highlights(?) Part 1
Howard Fragner (1:202/335)
Original Area: OS-DEBATE
Original To: David Bannister (1:202/354)
Origin: Look through the Windows and you'll see OS/2.
(2:201/201.12)
> I meant that any non-windows application
> that requires VGA under NT will not
> run on my system. This is not to say
> that everyone is having this problem
> I am.
You're in good company. Two weeks ago I visited a briefing at Microsoft Sweden
meant to convince exhibitors to load NT onto their demo machines for the
Stockholm PC World Expo. They meant to show DOS compatibility but they only
managed to show how hard it is to run DOS graphics on NT.
But the real highlight came after the presentation. After showing the slides,
they told us they had been running NT all evening, and that the slides we had
seen were displayed in PowerPoint running on NT. He made a joke that NT really
worked and switched to the program manager to load some of the NT applets. NT
then crashed. It seems that showing slides for two hours pushed NT to it's
limits.
We were warned several times about running NT on machines not powerful enough were
told to use a "fast 486" with AT LEAST 16 megs of RAM and at least 200 MB HD.
However, budgets must have been tight, so very few machines actually had NT
running. I guess most of those CD-ROMs are now on the Shelfware Hall of Fame.
IBM on the other hand provided floppy disks with the very latest OS/2 beta (6.506)
in Swedish(!) and HP, Nec, Copam, Commodore, WordPerfect and several other
vendors had it on display.
But, Sweden wrote that NT was on display in several booths while OS/2 could only
be seen in IBMs booth. What magic does Microsoft do with the press?
}}} NT Highlights(?) Part 2
Jim Flannery (1:265/7)
Original Area: OS2
Posted in OS-DEBATE
Posted by: David Bannister (1:202/335)
Origin: OS/2@Manassas In Mono Enhanced STEREO
(703) FOX-0-OS2
(1:265/101)
I went to a Windows NT *DEMO* today at Random Access. There were about 100 people in attendance, and the Microsoft reps weren't pleased with our response.
First, their slide show was done in Microsoft Power Point, but they had to run it under Windows 3.1. Seems it won't run under NT. We weren't impressed.
The networking being included is a nice touch. Unfortunately, not many people use Microsoft LanManager any more. NT doesn't connect to Novell yet. It DOES have TCP/IP, so at least you can connect to a UNIX host, if......
The presenters showed off their multi-tasking. Clicking on several icons, the
programs started loading, until Procomm for Windows started. They forgot that
they didn't have a modem attached. Seems that if you lock up an app in a
"Win-16" session, that locks up not only that session, but the entire Win-16
Subsystem.
"No problem with a multi-tasking operating system, we'll just close out the
window." Unh unh. They couldn't close out the window, or open another. He
tried to shut down the system....and couldn't open the menu to get to shutdown.
"There's always the power switch," he said, hitting the big switch.
I asked, "Does NT have lazy-write?" "Yes." Well, I guess if you had any other
programs running, you just lost a lot of mission- critical data, then?" Yup,
the Microsoft representative confirmed.
DOS windows were another problem. You can't load your favorite VDMs like in OS/2
or UNIX. You're STUCK with the stripped down version of DOS 5.0 that comes with
NT. I pointed out that developers might like to open several versions of DOS on
the desktop to test their code under 3.1, 3.3, 4.0, 5 and 6, which both OS/2 and
SVR4.2 will allow you to do. "Any way of doing this with NT?", was a question
posed. "No," came the reply.
Another person asked about disk compression. "That would violate the security
feature," was the response we received.
Not everything was negative. On the plus side, they served coffee and donuts, and
gave away keychains in the form of a mouse, with a little red LED inside, "So
you can find your keyhole in the dark." Funny, Toyota puts a light INSIDE the
keyhole. I drive a Toyota, and I drive OS/2, and I drive UNIX. My wife will
Let me start this review by saying that my $18.00 is on its way out the door!
I just downloaded a VERY nifty utility that I have a feeling I will get VERY used to in a very short time. This
utility is 9Lives, and it offers OS/2 users 8 additional desktops on which to place their running applications. You
can choose to have your desktop icons show up on each virtual desktop, or have an 'expanded' desktop, and your
icons will only show in the upper left corner 'desktop.'
When looking at the 9Lives window, you are presented with nine squares, in a 3x3 arrangement. Small
representations of all running programs are there, and can easily be dragged from one "desktop" to another.
Switching desktops is as easy as clicking (or using the keyboard arrow keys for non-mousers!) on the desired
desktop.
Options include the ability to have the 9Lives window stay visible or go away after a switch is made. It is always
accessible from the Window List. One glitch does seem to be that you can't get the Window list with the mouse
on your virtual desktops when you've selected "enormous desktop mode", but Ctrl+Esc works just fine.
<note added a couple of hours later:>
I must have done something goofy, Ctrl+Esc and the desktop menu now works fine
on any of my virtual desktops, so I take back my glitch statement. I'm leaving
it in there in case it was a program bug that others run into, they won't
think they're nuts <g> <end of added note>
The author mentions a few kinks he has left to work out, but I haven't really run into anything besides the Window
List thing yet...There are many options available, and I have yet to try all combinations, but the ones I have tried,
I LIKE!
Try this out, and if you like it, I heartily recommend registering this piece of shareware. At $18.00 it's a bargain -
it's nice to see some good OS/2 utilities coming out, they need all the support they can get <preachy mode off>
+-------------------------------------------+
|Views & Opinions |
+-------------------------------------------+
Don't Be A Caveman
Want An OS/2 Version for CMS?
}}} Don't Be A Caveman
By Jason Perlow
Original Submitted by Author
Westchester (NY) OS/2 User Group and
Northern New Jersey OS/2 User Group
Ten million years ago, when Grok stepped out of his cave, looking for a woolly
mammoth to club for dinner, he employed a primitive strategy we refer to as
single-tasking. Grok, unable to run and swing his club at the same time, had to
engage in each of these activities in turn to catch his dinner. It was time
consuming, and as often as not, the dinner escaped. Usually however, Grok killed
enough food for himself and his small family. The personal computer users of the
1980's were a lot like Grok.
The world of personal computing in the mid-1980's was fairly straightforward for
the IBM PC compatible user -you ran one application at a time, and that was it.
If you had to run your word processor, you did what you had to do, exited to DOS,
and then started up your spreadsheet, telecommunications program, or whatever else
you were using. The software ran, PERIOD. You didn't need anything more
complicated than DOS and your favorite menuing and utilities packages to get by.
Meanwhile, back in the stone age, Grok was not a happy Neanderthal. As he became
more ambitious in his hunting and went for more kills, he soon saw the need for
better weapons. Realizing he could sharpen the front of his club, he developed the
spear.
:artwork name='e:\wp51\borders\grok-1.bmp'.
Likewise. around 1982, Intel Corporation sharpened its own weapon and called it
the 80286. More of a refinement than a revolution, it had the ability to address
memory above 640k and was somewhat faster. Basically, it was the same club but a
lot sharper.
Grok, not satisfied with killing the same animals, aimed for larger prey. The
spear was able to kill more animals at a faster rate, but a spear could only kill
a single beast at a time. Grok comparatively priced employing more men with more
spears and developing a new, but far more powerful weapon. It was true that the
development costs of the weapon would be enormous, but the return on the
investment was potentially much greater. Each hunter with his own spear could fell
as many as 2 to 3 beasts per hour, but the new weapon could obliterate an entire
herd with one shot. So Grok decided not to hire his friends and instead developed
the assault tank.
Something similar happened in the computer industry. Powerful processors vastly
superior to the previous generation were developed. CPU's such as the 386 and 486
processed faster, could run in a special 32 bit "protected mode" and were capable
of addressing vast amounts of RAM.
Even with the assault tank, Grok soon found he had a problem. The device was
wonderful for killing great amounts of beasts, but Grok was the only one who knew
how to operate it. He had to perform the tasks of driving the tank, loading the
shells, aiming the turret and firing the cannon all by himself. Now, as every good
hunter knows, we must have a battle plan for hunting and killing beasts. Grok was
a master builder, however he was a horrible tactician. He had this fantastic
weapon, but its effectiveness was dulled by the fact that only he could operate
it. He could only perform one task at a time, and was incapable of bringing
others in to help him. Later he built even greater and more powerful weapons, like
the jet bomber and SDI, but nevertheless his inadequate battle plans reduced their
effectiveness.
The PC user again ran into similar problems to Grok. DOS, the PC's "battle plan"
remained largely unchanged through several revisions. It was improved to use
larger hard drive partitions and allow access to memory above 640k, but only
through add-ons called "DOS extenders." A few big software companies got
together, and designed a standard by which programs would address this additional
memory, called VCPI, or Virtual Control Program Interface.
If you wanted to use a program that could use this memory, you needed to put a few
new drivers in your CONFIG.SYS. Simple enough? Nope. Along with the DOS extenders
you needed memory managers, which you had to buy separately, that correctly loaded
the DOS extenders and device drivers into upper memory and expanded memory, so
that you would have sufficient application space left in conventional memory to
run your normal programs. Learning to manage memory was about as pleasant as
being eaten alive by a rabid Tyrannosaur, as Grok would probably say.
Managing memory wasn't the only shortfall of DOS. Another problem was that you
truly couldn't take advantage of the new 32 bit processors, because DOS was only
a 16 bit operating system and it locked the CPU into a emulation of the older
8086es and 8088's to maintain compatibility with programs that were designed for
the 8086-88 instruction set. Basically, you were running your brand new 386 or
486 as a really fast 8086. Your PC's resources were being underutilized, if not
completely wasted altogether. Like Grok, the PC user and his overly simple battle
plan called DOS was forever incapable of performing multiple tasks at once. In
other words, DOS was unable to drive the tank, load the shells, aim the turret and
fire the cannon all at once. Like Grok, a computer, and ultimately the computer
user, could only achieve one of these things at a time.
Additionally, every time you bought a new software package, it had an entirely
different user interface. There was also the problem of exchanging data between
various software programs, and that you could only run one program at a time. This
frustrated a great deal of people.
Grok was able to compensate for his lack of personnel by rigging elaborate Rube
Goldberg networks of pulleys and line to the control stations of his new weapons,
so he could operate all off them from one position. On the tank this was fairly
effective, but as he progressed to the Jet Bomber and his SDI system, his rigging
would tend to foul and get tied in knots, sometimes paralyzing him until he could
get it untied.
Microsoft Corporation developed a rigging and pulley system called Microsoft
Windows, a environment that would make personal computing tremendously easier from
an interface standpoint and would allow you to "multitask" several programs at the
same time. However, only programs written exclusively for the Windows environment
could benefit by multitasking. DOS programs run under Windows were "Task
Switched", as opposed to Windows programs which were "Time sliced". Only DOS
programs running in the foreground continued to process, while those in the
background were halted. Windows programs could simultaneously exchange
information with other Windows programs (DDE and OLE) and competed for time with
the CPU. For most of the people out there with relatively simple needs this
worked pretty well, until software became more complicated.
If, for example, you tried to format a floppy disk and run a high-speed
communications program at the same time, chances are your system would slow down,
your modem would lose sync with the communications program and you would lose your
communications session. Worse, your system would crash altogether because Windows
didn't prevent running programs from invading the allocated memory space that
another program was running in. If you were running a program that was especially
CPU intensive or I/O intensive, such as a large spreadsheet macro or a multimedia
application, you would find yourself waiting. A large print job would also tie
up the system.
There was NOTHING that you could do about these problems, because Windows was
limited to running under DOS, an operating system that hadn't changed
fundamentally for over 10 years. What is the frustrated caveman to do?
The solution is, of course, to run your computer on an operating system that is
capable of utilizing your system resources in the most efficient way possible.
Until recently, there wasn't such a system. Now there is.
THE FUTURE OF IBM COMPATIBLE PERSONAL COMPUTING: THE MONOLITH ARRIVES.
IBM and Microsoft were aware of the functional limitations of DOS back in the mid
1980s when they started developing OS/2. When OS/2 1.0 was released in 1987, it
was positioned as the successor to DOS. It solved many of the memory management
and multitasking problems of DOS, and from a functionality standpoint it was
superior.
The only problem was that its DOS compatibility was mediocre. Like DOS, it was
also a 16 bit operating system, but it was designed to support some of the more
advanced capabilities of the 286. It also only ran well on IBM PS/2 equipment,
which was its major shortfall. By version 1.3 it had a graphical interface nearly
identical to Microsoft Windows, called Presentation Manager (PM).
However, only a few applications were written for PM, because by the time OS/2
marketing got under full swing Microsoft Windows began to get very popular, and
the rest is history. OS/2 enjoyed a niche market where large corporations
required a stable platform to run internally developed applications to perform
mission-critical tasks that DOS was not suited for.
In the late 1980's IBM took over OS/2 development from Microsoft and began a
project to revise OS/2 for the newer 386 family of microprocessors.
OS/2 2.0 is a 32 bit operating system that runs in 386 protected mode. It is
capable of true multitasking, and runs DOS and Windows programs. If you have OS/2
installed on your system you don't need DOS or Windows - they are built into the
system. You don't need any memory managers or DOS extenders or disk caching
programs, because these too are built into the system. OS/2 2.0 also runs 32 bit
and 16 bit OS/2 programs, many of which have been released recently or will be
released shortly.
OS/2 supports HPFS, the High Performance File System, which in many ways is
superior to DOS's FAT system because it supports 256 character filenames and is
speedier at handling file intensive operations. The FAT support under OS/2 is
also enhanced because it has been re-coded for 32 bit file access under OS/2.
DOS programs run differently under OS/2 than under native DOS. OS/2 2.0 closely
emulates DOS 5.0, but it reports the version of DOS to programs as version 20.0,
for upward compatibility. When a DOS program is run under OS/2, OS/2 creates a
protected region in memory, called a Virtual DOS Machine (VDM), with the exact
amount of conventional, extended and expanded memory specified to run the program,
and loads the device drivers as specified.
You can load an unlimited number of device drivers in an OS/2 DOS session and get
up to 512 megabytes of memory per session. OS/2 essentially simulates a full-blown
IBM PC for every VDM that is created. If you run out of physical RAM for a
particular DOS session, OS/2 provides "virtual" memory, by enlarging the system
swap file as needed. You can tune the settings of a VDM for practically every
low-level aspect of the DOS operating system, should you run into a particular
compatibility problem or need to fine-tune the performance of a particular
application.
The best thing about a VDM is should a program crash, it doesn't hang your system,
only the VDM it is running in. Therefore, simply terminate the application, and
restart it. A side benefit is that DOS programs running under OS/2 are less
susceptible to viruses because a DOS virus can only contaminate the VDM it is
running in. If a virus is detected in a VDM, you terminate the VDM and the virus
is history.
Windows applications run much like the way DOS applications run under OS/2. A
specially modified version of Microsoft Windows, called Win-OS/2, is provided with
OS/2. WIN-OS/2 runs within a VDM, and under version 2.0 of OS/2 it provides
Windows 3.0 Standard mode compatibility. Should you have a Windows program that
uses Enhanced mode of operation, it will not run. This is not a problem as it
would seem, because very few Enhanced mode applications are on the market. This
problem is rectified under OS/2 2.1, which should be ready for release by the time
this article is printed. OS/2 2.1 provides Windows 3.1 enhanced mode emulation,
with full Windows multimedia support. Windows 3.1 sessions under OS/2 2.1 are
provided with 64mb of DPMI memory by default, eliminating the need for end users
to fine-tune their system.
Like Windows, OS/2 2.0 uses a Graphical User Interface (GUI). Unlike Windows,
however, OS/2's Workplace Shell is object-oriented and uses both mouse buttons
when working on the OS/2 desktop. The left mouse button is used for launching
applications, selecting dialogs and manipulating interface tools. The right
button is used for drag and drop operations, and is also used to change settings
for objects on the desktop. The OS/2 desktop is very easy to customize to
personal preference. Those familiar with HP's Newwave, Norton Desktop, the NeXT
and Macintosh System 7 should feel right at home.
OS/2 2.X solves many of the problems DOS presents and provides an excellent level
of reliability, but at a certain cost. OS/2 needs a 386sx based computer to run,
and requires 4mb of RAM to operate. Realistically, a 25 Mhz 386 with 8mb of RAM
is more than adequate for an entry level OS/2 system. The more physical RAM the
better because OS/2 will perform less memory swapping. Fully installed, with on-
line documentation, DOS and Windows support and with all the "applets", OS/2 uses
around 32mb of disk space. Strip off most of the applets and the on-line
documentation and you can pare things down to around 18mb or so. Considering that
you have full DOS and Windows support included, this is not much sacrifice when
you consider the DOS extenders and other utilities you need to maintain a
comparable DOS and Windows based system.
Besides system resources, you need to consider the issue of hardware
compatibility. OS/2 supports virtually every printer on the market, and defaults
at VGA support for all systems. With the OS/2 2.0 Service Pack and OS/2 2.1, IBM
provides for about 80 percent of the video card market for higher resolution
screen drivers. If you don't have a high resolution driver for your video card's
chipset, you may have to run under VGA compatible mode until one is written.
Many video card manufacturers are developing OS/2 PM screen drivers as of this
writing. Drivers for the ATI, Trident, Tseng, Cirrus, 8514 compatible, XGA and
Generic SVGA mode chipsets under the OS/2 2.0 Service Pack, which is available
free from OS/2 users groups and minimal cost from IBM. These drivers will come
with OS/2 version 2.1. Most tape drive manufacturers are now have OS/2 versions
of their tape backup programs, and other third party companies are developing OS/2
tape backup software. If your tape drive manufacturer does not support for OS/2,
you may have to back your system up under DOS.
OS/2 supports Adaptec and Future Domain SCSI adapters natively, in addition to a
"generic" SCSI driver which runs on many host adapters. IBM is planning to ship
OS/2 2.1 with Multimedia Presentation Manager, which provides support for CD-ROMs
from various manufacturers, such as Sony, Texel, NEC, and Toshiba. Other CD-ROM
readers may work with these drivers because these readers are more or less the
industry standard.
If your drive is not under the supported CD-ROM list as of OS/2 2.1's general
availability, contact your manufacturer. Audio Cards that are 100 percent
compatible with the various Creative Labs SoundBlasters (with DSP chips revision
2.0 and above) and Media Vision's Pro Audio Spectrum 16 will work with MMPM.
While OS/2's DOS compatibility is very good, it is not all-inclusive. OS/2
provides DPMI, EMS and XMS memory to DOS applications, but older VCPI
applications will not run under OS/2. Some of the more recent computer games,
such as Ultima 7, Commanche and Strike Commander, are very hardware intensive
and use proprietary memory management schemes. For these games you have to
shutdown OS/2 and reboot the computer to use native DOS. You also cannot run
programs that make direct calls to the hardware - some programs use special
low-level routines to bypass DOS, such as tape drive and disk management
programs. These will not run.
Finally, there is the issue of disk compression. OS/2 is incompatible with DOS
6.0's DoubleSpace system, and cannot recognize Stac Electronics' Stacker
partitions as of this writing. However, an OS/2 version of Stacker that
supporting FAT partition compression is under testing, and will be released by
the time OS/2 2.1 ships. Proportional Software is shipping an OS/2 compression
product (DCF/2) that works on FAT and HPFS partitions.
OS/2 is a robust and powerful operating system for the 1990's, and is backward
compatible. If your hardware supports it, seriously consider a switch. If you
need a mission critical platform for software development and communications,
and you need true multitasking, definitely consider a switch. OS/2 may
intimidate you at first by the plethora of capabilities, but is unlikely to
disappoint you.
Author's Note: The Northern New Jersey OS/2 Users Group meets every second Tuesday of the month at:
The Essex Room, International Business Machines Corporation, 300 Executive Drive, West Orange, NJ (201)325-5600.
Inquiries about the users group should be directed to Jason Perlow at (201)
224-7605.
}}} Want An OS/2 Version For CMS?
Harv Millman (1:202/335)
Original Fidonet Area: OS2HW
Origin: GREATER CHICAGO Online!!
(708) 895-4042
(1:115/895)
If you are of the letter-writing persuasion, that's a way you can make your views on OS/2 software for the Colorado line of tape backups known to the President of Colorado Memory Systems.
In your letter, I suggest you consider the following guidelines:
One:
Your letter must make a business case for CMS to devote resources to OS/2 software development. For example, GOOD OS/2 backup software can help CMS to sell more hardware to OS/2 users.
Two:
It is pointless to discuss the Sytron SyTOS+ deal through CMS, or SyTOS's
performance, or the $99 price. This decision is ancient history, and puts the
focus in the wrong place. See item 1.
Three:
List (in general terms) the desirable features you'd like to see in the software: EA and HPFS support, long filenames, a command-line restore program for trashed disks, QIC-40/80 tape format, ability to read backups produced by the DOS TAPE program, suppo
rt for the full line of drives and adapter cards, etc.
Four:
Suggest what you consider to be a reasonable price for this software. Even
thought the DOS TAPE software is "free", consider that this is a new market for
CMS, and that there are many more DOS systems than OS/2 systems. Being able to
recoup some part of the costs of this program is a realistic consideration.
Five:
State what you know to be true about the OS/2 market for the product: the number of OS/2 systems in use (NOT the number of copies of OS/2 shipped); your estimate of the quality and support of competing products (if there are others than SyTOS+), etc.
Six:
State whether or not you would buy such a product. (If not, why are you writing?)
Write to:
Mr. John Boose
President
Colorado Memory Systems, Inc.
800 S. Taft Ave.
Loveland, CO 80537
I've been told (by someone who is in a position to know) that OS/2 users can get
their needs met much more quickly if we write to Mr. Boose, and make these needs
known to him. Are you willing? (Yes, I'm going to write.) Thanks!
+-------------------------------------------+
|Seminars, Conferences & Meetings |
+-------------------------------------------+
OS/2 Device Drivers Conference - San Jose
IBM PSP Technical Interchange - Orlando
OS/2 Course Offered at Univ. of Missouri - St. Louis
Egghead & OS/2 2.1 - Free Seminars!
OS/2 LAN SERVICES - Basic Workshop
OS/2 LAN SERVICES - Advanced Workshop
}}} OS/2 Device Drivers Conference - San Jose
Original From: Albert Shan (1:202/335)
Original Fidonet Area: OS2
Origin: The Idle Task...
(604)275-0835
Richmond British Columbia
(1:153/905)
Learn the latest, detailed information about developing device drivers for
displays, printers, storage, LAN, multimedia, and input devices!
Learn the latest tips and techniques! These in-depth interactive sessions are
designed to help you develop device drivers for OS/2 faster and better than ever
before. This conference offers serious technical information for serious OS/2
developers. You won't get this kind of information anywhere else!
CONFERENCE HIGHLIGHTS
General & Elective Sessions Featuring
Display Drivers
Printer Drivers
Multimedia Drivers
Input Device Drivers
Feedback Forum
Q & A Info Center
Bonuses, Collectibles & Raffle Items
REGISTER EARLY & SAVE!
Registration fee is $795 per person if you register by 6/21/93. After 6/21,
registration fee is $895. Plus, $100 off for every additional attendee from the
same company.
For registration or exhibit information call (800) 872-7109 in the U.S.A. &
Canada, or (508) 443-4990 outside the U.S.A. & Canada. Details for
accommodations, reservations, agenda etc. are forthcoming.
}}} IBM PSP Technical Interchange - Orlando
Original From: Albert Shan (1:202/335)
Original Fidonet Area: OS2
Origin: The Idle Task...
(604) 275-0835
Richmond British Columbia (1:153/905)
Formerly Known As The OS/2 Technical Interchange
If you missed IBM's standing-room-only OS/2 Technical Interchange last February
in Phoenix, here's your opportunity to catch the next wave of exciting
technological advancements. Mark your calendar for August 29 -September 2, 1993.
The conference kicks off with a keynote speech by Jim Cannavino, IBM Senior Vice
President and General Manager of Personal Systems. Mr. Cannavino will provide
insight into the corporate strategies of IBM personal software and hardware
technologies.
Next, you're free to participate in interactive elective sessions focusing on the latest in OS/2, LAN Systems, 32-Bit Graphics, Object Oriented Programming,
Multimedia, Pen, Database, and Communications. You take your pick and select your own schedule.
And if that's not enough, also offered are in-depth OS/2 and LAN Computer Labs -
where you'll receive "hands-on" experience. The Labs, staffed by IBM expert
developers, give you the opportunity to hold frank, one-on-one discussions on how you can productively apply PSP products to achieve outstanding results.
You can also visit the extensive exhibit area highlighting both vendor hardware
and software products that exploit PSP products. Don't miss the latest in
innovations and technology!
Conference registration is only $795 per person if you register by 7/15/93. After 7/15, registration is $895. All registered attendees will receive special
bonuses, participate in valuable product raffles, and take part in receptions and a special event.
Register early by calling 1-800-872-7109 in the U.S.A. and Canada. Outside these areas, please call 1-508-443-4990. Details regarding agenda, accommodations, reservations, etc. are forthcoming.
Seats are still available for the OS/2 and IBM LAN Systems Technical Interchange
in Toronto June 21 - 25, 1993. For details call 1-800-661-2131 in the U.S.A and
Canada. Outside the U.S.A. and Canada call 1-416-946-1100.
}}} OS/2 Course Offered at Univ. of Missouri - St. Louis
Phillip Wilson
Original Fidonet Area: Teamos2
Origin: The OS/2 Woodmeister
(314) 446-0016
(1:289/27)
Hey folks, I just received a nice surprise. At the University of Missouri-St.
Louis they are teaching an OS/2 2.0 Commands and Installation class. The class
is (6.5 hours) The class is taught by the Continuing Education-Extension in
conjunction with the College of Arts & Sciences and the School of Business
Administration. I found the info in their Spring/Summer 1993 class schedule.
In a message dated 04-28-93, Dave Sichak said to Phillip Wilson:
DS> Any idea what they're charging for
DS> such a class? Wonder how many
DS> will turn up? Inquiring minds need
DS> to know.... :)
Dave, I do believe they are charging $135 for the class. I do not know how many
people enrolled. I live about 120 miles from St. Louis now and my wife pitched
the brochure. The phone number for the University of Missouri - St. Louis is
314-553-5000. I would imagine you would ask for the Continuing Education
department to get more info.
}}} Egghead & OS/2 2.1 - Free Seminars!
Received from IBM via NetMail
Date: Mon, 10 May 93 16:26:48 EDT
Egghead's FREE Smarter Computing Seminars for software products began featuring
a section about OS/2 2.1 last Friday. IBM reps will be demonstrating OS/2 2.1
somewhere between 10:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. each day of the
seminar.
The current schedule follows:
Chicago, May 12
Rosemont Convention Center.
9291 W. Bryn Mawr
Rosemont
Secaucus, NJ May 13
Meadowlands Hilton
2 Harmon Plaza
Secaucus
Seattle, May 18
Seattle Sheraton
1400 6th Avenue
Seattle
Orlando, May 20
Marriott International Drive
8001 International Drive
Orlando
Minneapolis, May 20
Airport Marriott
2020 E. 79th Street
Bloomington
Dallas, May 26
INFOMART
1950 Stemmons Freeway
Dallas
Vancouver, BC, May 28
Trade & Convention Center
999 Canada Place
Vancouver
New York, NY, June 8
Palace Hotel
455 Madison Avenue
New York
St.Louis, June 10
Holiday Inn Clayton
7730 Bonhomme Avenue
Clayton
Washington DC, June 10
Marriott
1700 Jefferson Davis Highway
Arlington
To register for a seminar, or request additional information, call 1-800-EGG-5569. Customers who register may win an IBM PS/2 Ultimedia system valued at $3635.00, bundled with OS/2 2.0.
Editor's Note: Now why would a seminar featuring OS/2 2.1 offer a chance
to win a system with OS/2 2.0 on it?? I couldn't resist the needle....
}}} OS/2 LAN SERVICES - Basic Workshop
Received from IBM via NetMail
Date: Mon, 10 May 93
WHAT'S NEW? Establish a solid base of knowledge and experience by
attending OS/2 LAN Services: Basic LAN Administration Workshop - G4360.
This course, offering hands-on labs, is now available at locations around the
country. The May/June schedule is provided below.
ABOUT THE COURSE:
Gain an understanding of the LAN environment using OS/2 Server 2.0/3.0 and related products. Anyone responsible for the daily operations of OS/2 LAN Servers will benefit from this class which imparts fundamental information and skills necessary to admini
ster servers and requesters. Topics covered include basic LAN concepts, terminology, hardware, and software.
