OS/2 Shareware BBS: 32 Periodic/32-Periodic.zip/tmb0198.zip/TMB198.INF

OS/2 Help File | 1998-01-09 | 460KB | 669 lines

ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 1. Welcome Team OS/2 ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

                                    Team OS/2

Hello everyone, and thank you for looking at this months Team Brief.  I hope
you enjoy it, and that it proves to be of benefit to you also.

Each night and day I scan the Web, OS/2 sites, magazine articles, and most
anything that I can find about OS/2.  This takes a lot of time, and for the
most part is very fun, a hobby that I enjoy enormously.

This is December and January's together.  This makes a year and two months that
the Team Brief has been published and put out to OS/2 sites and those who have
wanted it by e-mail.  For the most part anymore, it is sent to download sites
such as Hobbs, AOL, Delphi, Compuserve, and other OS/2 BBS's.  I am sad to
report that Prodigy is still not at this time letting me upload the Team Brief.

They stopped receiving it after Juanita Mosher and others at the OS/2 Club
Support were let lose along with restructuring of Prodigy and OS/2 support.

I started out with OS/2 2.0 and it came with Prodigy installed, and on it was
also the OS/2 Club and the PS/1 Club,  both these sites I grew to love, and
could be found on them every night.  Always something to learn, always exciting
news about OS/2 and how to make this or that work, cheating programs to run
with more power and taking them places they where never meant to go<smile>.

I am very happy to be a part of Team OS/2,  and this last year of making the
Team Brief, has proven a good way to still support OS/2 and those who use it.

One day,  I will once again demo the system that runs with power and the one
that I care for with an inner force,....ok, I'll stop getting geeky on you, but
I do like and miss giving those computer store demos, with all the give aways
and such<g>.

I am going to review the past year of the Team Brief, with some of its
highlights, and artwork.  How ever we will still give you some new things to
look at too.

For starting off, I am going to tell you who I am again, what I do for my real
job to make a living, and how I started using OS/2 and then becoming a Team
OS/2 member.  This takes us back to some of the first issues of the Team Brief.

As I told you in the Jan97 Team Brief, my name is Daniel Goggia, and I am the
Bridge Structure Supervisor for a government agency.  We build bridges and
other structures,  I help design some, and on site at constructions too.

In the winter, my job comes with a lot of danger during floods, as safety
inspections and emergency work take top priority.  This makes for 20hr days and
risk to my crew and myself for the safety of the public.  But I enjoy and find
my job very exciting, to say the least<smile>.

I now use Windows NT 3.51 and PC Dos 7, and OS/2 Warp 4 on my work computer.  I
run AutoCad 12 for windows now, but we are moving to 14.  Most the time I am on
the OS/2 side,  but for the Pontis program, a $20,000  bridge program, I use
Windows NT.  Pontis is a very powerful data, cost matrix, deterioration mode,
very complex, how to spend your money on what bridges effectively program<g>.

My first computer was a PS/1 486 33mhz 8mb ram with OS/2 2.0 pre-installed.
And to tell you the truth, we purchased it for the wife and children.  But when
we got it home, they didn't know what OS/2 was,  we had thought it was windows
and dos in a fancy shell<smile>.  So the children and wife yelled for help,
from me, who didn't even know about dos or windows. This gave me an advantage
as it turned out.

I read and learned OS/2, but the rest of the family was stuck with why does
this not look like dos or windows, why does this not work.............<g>.  So
we took off OS/2, and put on the PS/1 software, which was PC DOS 5 and Windows
3.1,  this gave me a real let down after I had learned OS/2.

Since I was using the computer now more then the rest of the family, it was not
long before I put OS/2 back on, I just put in a section for the family to use
(boot manager) so they could have their fun and I could run instead of walk.

Soon I upgraded to OS/2 2.1 and then 2.11.  By now I had solved some sound
problems and had joined Team OS/2 at IBM, Janate Gobille called and welcomed me
aboard.  This started my new hobby and real adventure in the world of
computers.

Years pasted, and after IBM changed their way of supporting Team OS/2,  it left
me with a lot of energy that was going no where, so I started the Team Brief,
and now I am hoping to improve on it, and have others join me, by sending in
what they can to contribute.

The future for the Team Brief is for me bright,  it is for all users and Team
OS/2 members who want to use it as a means of art, thought, comments, or their
review of a program they like or dislike.  And for a place we can team-up for
projects.

                               Some Past Thoughts

We lose OS/2 magazine.

A letter campaign to Creative Labs to support OS/2 still.

We see slow down in Team OS/2 at Prodigy and more important, at IBM.

With the Feb97 brief, we add more art.

The letter writing to Creative goes on.

We talk about the new Unleashed book.

We start writing to Miller Freeman, to save OS/2 Magazine.

A tip for getting OS/2 2.1 apps to work in Warp 4.

extended attributes is found ( POSSI ).

We improve our format and art work.

Team OS/2 on the Web is lost.

We start better reviews.

ATI cards tips.

We improve our pictures and reviews.

May97, we get OS the clown at closing, and start our first game.

Tips on IDE, Team OS/2 web site comes back.

Game winners.

Dedicated session tips.

EPM editor tips.

We improve with sound and pictures, Sept97.

We see we for got to change our Aug97 date in Sept.

Tips for sound, winos2.

We find we have room for much more improvement.

That was a very quick look at this last year, we will have more, but lets get
on with the rest of the Team Brief for this month.  Thank you for getting the
Team Brief, please enjoy it.

You can jump to tips with the button:

                                End This Section


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 2. What's New Or Up And Running ! ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

What's New And News For Review.

                                      X-it

I had fun this month, after my surgery and week stay in the hospital, trying
out a program called X-it, from CodeSmith.  A program I found very easy to run,
and a work place shell enhancement tool that rates a TEN.

I installed this program from the Chorus/2 software package you can purchase
from BMT MICRO and Indelible Blue for around $49.00.

Instead of reviewing the package as a whole, I found X-it program and another (
next review ) Matrix, to be the two top programs in this software package.  You
may like others included, but my review is just going to cover the two
mentioned.

                      Starting With The Install As A Whole

The install program opens the window above, and you must highlight the options
or programs you want to install.  See the bmp below for highlighted picks.

Note the white lines around choices, and also the buttons at the bottom menu
are now active.  Letting you choose to install or un-install a single program
or all of the programs.

Some time ago, I did a review on X-File. So now I find myself doing a review on
a program called X-it. Also some other utility features found in a program
called Chorus for OS/2.

This can be found at BMT Micro a web site location where you can find many
different and very good OS/2 share ware programs. As well as other powerful
software developed for OS/2.

Installing this package was very carefree, almost to easy. In fact I thought
that I had made a mistake when the install was done in less then 15 seconds.
But it was just fine and the first thing I wanted to do was look at X-it.  I
had heard about it but never looked at or tried it.

                               The Makers Of X-it

Clicking on this program, brought up a little square box, with five buttons on
it. The buttons are Suspend, Terminate, Help, Options, and About.  The first
button I wanted to press and see was Options.

                      Option Button Brings Up Window Below

Options:

Under options you can select the  title bar buttons options. Setting if they
are inabled or not, giving left mouse button or right mouse button options.
Along with what action will be taken, this was odd to me. Until I started
opening up folders on my desktop.

Yes low and behold, on every folder that was opened including on my  EPM editor
( which I was using to do this review on ) now had new buttons to the left and
right sides.

But one thing that made me fall in love with this program, and one that would
be just dandy by itself. Meaning that I would purchase this program just for
this reason,is the second page of settings called More Title Bar Options.

In here, I explored the clock settings, and at first saw the clock appear at
the lower left of my desktop. With time, seconds, date.  Now this I did not
really care about, since on top of my task bar, I already had a clock. But now
comes the very neat part, I played with the settings and set the clock and
other button functions to be on folders.

There was now a clock with date, time am or pm seconds, on any folder I would
open even the EPM editor.  As seen above.

I now opened programs, and on the main title bars of all the programs was the
same fast function buttons that showed up else where.  Now with one click I
could shut down a program or roll up the program to the title bar, this was
very nice. It came in handy when I needed to see under a folder that was open
or the EPM editor, very nice.

                      EPM Editor Rolled Up To Main Menu Bar

From this main title bar menu, I could even change the options of X-it
settings. While the program itself was minimized.  All this from a click on the
button in the main menu bar, another powerful feature.

X-it alone would be a very good buy. It gives you a more powerful system and
lets you be more productive by saving time on some of your simply task. This
product is from the makers of X-File, CodeSmith Products, makers of fine
software for OS/2.  Although I did not really care to use X-File. Once using
X-it and exploring it, I will gladly pay the fee to keep it. X-it enhances the
system that much.

In fact I think OS/2 should of been built this way the first time
around<smile>. It would give OS/2 that much more leap over its competitors.
Giving its lead as a power system even a greater distance.

Suspend: Let's you suspend X-it

Terminate: Shuts X-it off.

Help: Obvious.

About: Gives you the makers name.

Another feature that was very well thought of was an exception list button.
This gives you the ability to now have X-it not work.  With any program you
choose. For example, say you do not want it to be on your QikBac program
because it has a clock already.  Or you just don't like having other things on
the main title bar.

You could then write QikBac.exe in the list window, and X-it would not run
itself with this program. This feature makes X-it a very user friendly, option
fun, program.

When opening Word Perfect 5.1 in a windowed session. I now had the time, date,
and other functions in the main menu.  You can see this below. Note the little
icon button with the F for full screen.  This was really nice.

                       Word Perfect 5.1 In Window Session

The following screen shots take a look at the help window.  Plus other option
functions that are in X-it.

                                      Help

                                More Options Menu

                               Popup Menu Options

On a scale of 1-10 of how programs rate, I give this one a Must Have " TEN ".

End X-it Review

                                     Matrix

Now if you like games, here is one that can keep you busy for a while, Matrix.
And it is very fun, even when you lose.  Which I do a lot, as a matter of fact,
the first time I won was during this review and taking screen shots.

Below is how this game looks when you first turn it on.  It has nice colors
that can be change from the the options menu.  Even the design can be changed
to circle or a star.

                                  Options Menu

The Game Begins

As you can see above, Hal is on his way to beating me again, as he usually
does.  Being new to the game makes it hard to win <smile>.

Other Options Above And Below

With the game in full swing, the unbelievable has happened, I get ahead of Hal.
I cheer and yell out I'am ahead and excitedly keep moving.

                                   I Pass Hal

Now I almost jump up, while I yell out I did it, I did it.  But at last I
remember,  no one is here right now except me.  The wife and kid are down town
to the shoping mall.  Then a sigh of relief falls on me, I have screen shots.
Yes they will have to belive the screen shots.

The maker of this game has done a very good job, putting a lot of options into
it.  But more important they have put a lot of fun into it.  And to give honor
and credit where it is due,  please see the last screen shot below.

If you ever look into getting this game,  I rate it fun, and think you will
too.  I have to get back to play now or I mean work.  So this review is
over<smile>.

End Matrix Review

 If You Have A Program Review, Or Request, Let Me Know.....

Send it [e-mail].

                                End This Section.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 3. Main Brief ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Team OS/2, we are going strong and moving with us is the next generation of
users of OS/2.  You can see the new activity at the OS/2 web sites.  Even more
companys looking into Java based programs, which will help OS/2 Warp also.

Lets look and see what is happening out there in the world of OS/2.  What
direction is it moving, and where do we want it to go? To see what is happening
with OS/2, one must look into publications, at web sites and listen to those
who use and program for OS/2.

I have looked at the many different sites and even at IBM support site for PCUG
and Team OS/2.  It looks very slow, but we are moving.  Everyone is catching up
with time off, family gatherings, and the end of the year can't believe it's 98
shock<smile>.  Me,  I am recovering from a second surgery on my spinal cord in
my neck,  it is going slow, and pains me to do this Team Brief.  Thats way I
have had to put two together.

Clearly the biggest look into the future of OS/2 is the reports on WarpStock.
And if you have not seen any of them,  they are all very good.  Even plans for
WarpStock 1998.  In short, the software developers who attended were amazed at
the amount of people.  Not only that but those who were there, had the most
upbeat attitude and greatest support of OS/2.

Yes all of you who are using OS/2 are to be commended, because you have the
intelligence to see and know the difference between skunk junk and a real
system that gives stability and power.

The power we have as users is very strong, the problem is one has to know how
to use or capitalize on that power.  Let me explain what I mean by that.  You
the user of OS/2, have needs and likes.  With those needs and likes comes your
search for software and its use.

Whether the software be your operating system or applications to run on your
system.  This gives you some power through economics,  when you demand or
purchase software.  If you purchase OS/2 based software, instead of running all
of your old windows and dos applications only,  it gives developers of new
software a good reason for further development.  That being they will be paid
for trying to make a living writing code that you will use.

If you do not like the program, take the time to write and let the developer
know, and let them know why.  If you do like the program, it is even more
important to let them know, and again why, along with some " I would also like
it if..........{ideas are always helpful}.

As individuals we have small power, but as user groups or a large massive
number, we have tremendous strength and power to accomplish a great deal.  This
brings me to a point.

If we want us, the users of OS/2 to have leverage in and with what happens to
OS/2,  we must do it together.  We need to be united in this effort, in our
support for each other as well as for OS/2.  This can be done best if we belong
to a PCUG.

Perhaps the most powerful thing we can do, is belong to a powerful organized
society that promotes OS/2 and its users.  If you belong to a user group, that
is good. But more of you and your group is needed if we want to make the
biggest impact.  It is my thought, that all users of OS/2 who want to support
its further development, needs to belong to the Phoenix OS/2 Society.

I am not saying that your PCUG is not any good, far from it.  My vision is that
if we can all group together with one voice, we can be heard even inside those
sound proof IBM walls.

Why have I suggested the Phoenix OS/2 Society?  Because they are in place, and
by far one of the largest membered groups known to me.  If the user base were
to join this group, think of the membership then.  Think of the power it would
have when it spoke to developers, even maybe IBM.

I am a member of Team OS/2, you will find my name in the list that IBM put out
in its Team OS/2 News Letters some years ago.  You can still download the list
that IBM had from OS/2 sites.  I was even a member of Team OS/2 on the web
before it went down last year.  As yet, the new site has not yet given one the
ability to sign up.

But think about it, if all users {this takes in every one and all PCUG, Team
OS/2 Members} belonged to a main frame or network, that was pushing for the
advancement and future of OS/2, just think of our flexibility, our voice.  I
think heads would turn faster at IBM then they do now.

Last year I found out about the Phoenix OS/2 Society like many of you, when the
OS/2 Magazine went out of publishing.  The Team Brief ran a review of their
magazine extended attributes.  At that time I encourage those who could to
join.  I am now suggesting that if most of us who use OS/2 do so,  we could
become more organized in our efforts together.

The Society publishes a very good magazine that you receive if you join at the
annual $30.00 level.  You can also join at the non-subscribing level for
$10.00, a very low cost for what we could accomplish.

You can write them at:

Phoenix OS/2 Society Inc

5515 N 7th St

Ste 5-133 Phoenix

AZ 85014-2585  U.S.A

Let them know you would like to join and help in making the future of OS/2
brighter faster.  You can even call them by voice mail or at their web site.
Phone [phone].  Web at http://www.possi.org.

If the increase was all users high, we could then appoint a task team that
could devote high focus time on projects advancing OS/2.  It's a dream that I
have,  but I hope that with some thought, you would join and make it happen.

Are you planning something ? Do you have a tip ? Maybe a story ? Some code to
share ? If you do........please send it in to me at [e-mail] and at
some point I'll share it in the Team Brief. Thank
you......................................................

                                   End Section


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 3.1. Team Brief At A Year ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

                                 The Team Brief

It all started just over a year ago,  I was bummed out over the loss of OS/2
Magazine.  Even worse was that I was missing the Team OS/2 News Letter, along
with those at IBM who were disapearing, those loyal supporters of OS/2.

With all of this going on, and the lack now of support for computer store and
computer show demos, from IBM, I had to do something.  I just didn't know what.

One evening while I was sitting at my computer and looking at past news letters
from Team OS/2, it hit me.  If no one else is going to carry on the news
letter,  I'll start putting one out.  Only it will be of smaller size, just a
small brief.

And so the name was thought of and given to this new form of a Team OS/2 News
Letter.  This is how I could support OS/2, and help other out there who like
me, missed the news about OS/2.

I wanted to give it something more, art, art that would be from computers done
by others as well as myself.  Comments and stories, reviews from the average
user, tips and help.  Yes, something that Team Members and Users of OS/2 could
join in making.

It has been a wonderful year, full of hard work by myself and those who have
contributed, though it has not been many,  I really thank those of you who
have.  Several times in this past year, I have thought of giving up and letting
the Team Brief go into the sunset.  Just as others have done,  yet another loss
for those who truely love and use OS/2.

This is something that could happen this year, as I look at the downloads and
the incoming mail,  this will tell if there is interest or not in the Team
Brief.

All the art last year was done by Daniel Goggia ( thats me ),  some of the
pictures and bmps were from others.  So if you like making art with your
computer, please send it in, but it should be OS/2 orientated.

Art From Past

                              We Adopt OS The Clown

I would like to thank everyone that takes the time to download the Team Brief
each month,  but would also like to hear from more of you, on your likes and
dislikes of OS/2, and even the Team Brief.

You can write me e-mail at [e-mail]  or you can even get in touch with
me at snail mail at

Danny=G

P.O. Box 1564

Magalia Ca. 95954-1564

I hope to hear from more of you, and have even more contributions from a
greater number too.  See ya in the Brief!!

End Section


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 4. Ideas And Tips ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

                                 Tip Section !!

                                  More ATI News

IBM has written a driver for ATI's Mach64 chip set. The file you want to look
for is  named mach64.zip. It can be found on IBM's online device driver site.
It unzips a readme.txt,  a disk image named mach64.dsk. You'll have to use
loaddskf.exe for creating the disk image.

At reboot or your computer,  go into your cmos, and find the setup program that
will let you turn OFF all Advanced Power Management functions. You should then
be able to install ATI's drivers. After this is done, don't forget to turn your
advanced power management back on.

end ATI Drivers

                             Back Pack CD-Rom Drive?

Masemuni, a gentleman having problems installing drivers for his Micro
Solutions backpack cd-rom drive solved his problem.  With the help of the tech
at Micro Solutions.

This is how he did it, he writes:

I first loaded the drivers Micro Solutions has at their web site for
downloading.  After this I called to get help in getting a drive assigned, I
did load the backbpack software, the only problem left to solve by the tech was
the drive assignment.

I opened the  system folder, then system setup, then device driver install not
device install as their instructions stated.  Also, after device driver install
one gets a window on installing from a: to c:. With a change selection for each
drive directory, well at first I didn't change anything and got a NO PPF MSG.
So I opened up the a: drive and got 3 directories, one of which was os2.

So I went back to os2 device driver install and in the window that displayed a:
and c: with change options. I clicked on change for a: and highlighed os2. Then
for the c: drive highlighted the bpcdrom dir {back pack cd-rom drive }, which
for some reason was in my file manager.

Then I proceeded to load the disk.  Oh yes,  when I booted up, I was asked for
a bpcdrom.add file which was on the disk, and somehow I loaded that file. Now
when I turned my set on I was told that the backpack cdrom  could no be found.

That is where the tech and I started from,  making the changes to drive
assignments.  Oh yes, I did load the 1st os2 diskette I made.  Out of the 21
that I copied in the selective install part of the os2 system setup window.

Drive Assignment

We solved the problem. Using the f1 key {at bootup} to get to startup files
{cmos}( some would hit Del key ) then turning on set we went to parallel port
assignments, then changed from port 1 to port 2.

The micro solutions guy said there is a conflict with the hex assignment of
port 1 and their backpack. Then in the config.sys file we added a NOEPP after
the backpack add line.

This did it, but not for me, because my backpack parallel port connection to my
computer was loose. The above solution did not work at first, so we went to dos
to see if dos still worked, and it didn't, so he had me check my connections,
found the computer end not sound, firmed it up, looked at file manager, and saw
my d drive showing.  Switched to os2, checked file manager and saw the d drive
showing.

Asked the tech how I could have done all that in os2 without one on one
telephone coordination. He said that Micro Solutions is coming out with more
details on os2 installation on their web support line, because os2 gives them
the biggest trouble.

given by Masemuni

end BackPack Cd-rom

Do you have a favorite tune-up item you like, send it in and share with others
your thoughts or ideas, [e-mail]. This ends the tips for this Team
Brief Hope they are of some help.

                                   End Section


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 5. Closing Until Next Time ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

                                  OS The Clown

The rumors of last month about IBM not having OS/2 anymore where just that, but
IBM is looking into other directions (as always), but is still supporting OS/2
and its development.

Above was the opening of my closing statement last Team Brief.  For very good
reasons this is by far more true now then at that time.  The different vendors
at WarpStock, and the response to them at that time have given a big push, and
highted everyones excitement.  Both for the development and use of OS/2.

This is 1998, and last year we had rumors and leaks for OS/2 Warp 5.  Is it any
closer then before?  Well there is still news leaking out of the hallways and
cubicals at IBM.

Different rumors say maybe by June, while others hint by later fall.  Maybe a
beta program to the public as soon as March?  All rumors but very exciting!

I guess we will have to wait and see.  I have not added any of the fix packs
for Warp 4, don't get me wrong, I have them {except fix 5}, I just have not
loaded them.  I am thinking of getting fix five with the install from cd rom.
I just can't remember if I will need the previous fixes first?  They were
talking about changing the way they did fixes, so you would have to stay in
line or not stay in line.  Any one know for sure?

I will leave this question in, if no one else answers it, I will next Team
Brief.  I am going to close this Team Brief, with a very heart felt thank you,
to all of you, and especially those who have taken the time to be part of what
it takes to be Team OS/2,  sharing your thoughts and tips, trials, stories,
your fun and suggestions.

                                Thank You!!!!!!!!

                             Closing Is Hard To Do !

                                GO TEAM,,,,GO...

                  See ya, Keep it hhhhuuummmmiiiiinnnggggggggg

                         End Team Brief For Dec97{}Jan98


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 5.1. Readme ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

This is just a readme that will be with all future Team Briefs.

The Team Brief is a Team OS/2 News Letter put in a brief format.  What it is
trying to attempt is to give a view of both Users of OS/2 and Team OS/2
Members. It has been published since 1996, with the first one in November of
that year.  The first real format of the Team Brief followed the following
month, December.

It will strive to cover issues, thoughts, tips, pictures, and what is happening
in the world of OS/2.

Since Team Brief 10/97, we have had sound added. To have the sound work, you
must have the IPFE_VSM.DLL in your DLL directory in your OS/2 directory, or one
that is in your PATH statement.  If you do not have this DLL for sound, you
will get a brief error message at startup of the Team Brief.  Just close the
message and do not be concerned about it.

You can get the IPFE_VSM.DLL from downloading the tmb1097.zip file.  This is at
AOL, Hobbs, and other OS/2 BBS's.  Simply copy the DLL to your DLL directory
and thats it, you will now hear the sound in the Team Brief.

If you can not find the DLL file, please write me e-mail and I will be happy to
send it to you, [e-mail].  Or if you have trouble installing it to
your directory needed.

Daniel Goggia {Danny=G Team OS/2 POSSI} is the editor of the Team Brief, and
also writes for it along with others who contribute to it, and all are welcomed
to do so.  Daniel is a Bridge Structure Supervisor for a government agency, and
has been working with OS/2 since version 2.0, and has been with Team OS/2 since
version 2.1.  He is also a hobby programmer {QikBac} and loves helping others
with OS/2 and the like.

Please send your tips, stories, thoughts, likes, dislikes, reviews, questions,
or pictures and art, to [e-mail].

                                 End This Readme