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This publication is mailed out quarterly to all MSI customers who have returned their registration cards and who keep their mailing address info up to date. MSI Monitor - A publication for customers of Mustang Software, Inc. Volume 1, Issue IV =========================================================== New WILDCAT! IM The summer of '92 brought a new WILDCAT! release for oper- ating multiple BBS lines on a single PC. The new release is called the "WILDCAT! Intelligent Multi-Port" (IM) as it is used in conjunction with an "Intelligent" multi-port serial card. To produce the new WILDCAT! IM release, MSI teamed up with Digi International, Eden Prairie, MN., the developers of the DigiChannel Intelligent Serial Card. "Our Intelligent Multi-Port version requires the DigiChan- nel 'i' or 'e' series cards," said Rick Heming, Vice-Presi- dent of MSI. "Specifically, we developed this WILDCAT! version using the DigiChannel PC/8e and COM/8i cards." "We are very pleased that Mustang Software has chosen Digi- Channel as the board of choice for WILDCAT!," said Joe Diodati, director of marketing and strategic planning at DigiBoard. "We are confident that with our hardware and their software, users will be able to put together one of the finest BBSs on the market." The new version of WILDCAT! (IM) offers solutions for a variety of applications. As a stand-alone BBS, the system operator (sysop) can run up to eight lines on one 386-based computer. DESQview 386, Quarterdeck Office Systems' window- ing DOS operating environment, and 8mb of RAM is also re- quired in this application. The sysop can create eight DESQview windows, so each caller is independent of the other and can have access to DOS if their security level permits it. Since all of the communications input/output is handled at the DigiChannel level, WILDCAT! and DESQview can easily handle the remote caller, even if each line is using high-speed v.32bis modems locked at 38,400 baud. Quarter- deck Office Systems recently changed their in-house support BBS to WILDCAT! IM to take advantage of the new technology using their products. Solutions For LAN Administrators LAN administrators can also benefit from this new release by installing WILDCAT! on an existing file server. LAN users can log into the BBS locally, just like any normal application, without having to log into the BBS via modem connection. Thus, local LAN users receive all of the same benefits as remote users, including uploading and download- ing files, file attachment to messages, and import and export of prepared text into messages. The LAN administrator can support up to 250 simultaneous users into the BBS. This "Intelligent" solution makes it easy for administrators to add eight dial-in nodes -- they need only connect a 386 or 486 based computer with the DigiChannel card on the LAN and open some DESQview Windows. Mustang has hundreds of third-party utilities and doors written for its popular WILDCAT! BBS. MSI has provided source code and technical notes to major third-party au- thors in order to speed-up the availability of utilities for this new WILDCAT! IM release. DOORWAY, a popular remote control communications program developed by TriMark Engineering, is included with the new WILDCAT! IM product, allowing users to run any normal text- based application from remote. The WILDCAT! Intelligent Multi-Port features a retail price of $799, and is available directly from MSI or through major retail outlets such as Software, Etc. stores. Special upgrade offers are available to prior Wildcat! Registered owners. Call 1-800-999-9619 or 805-395-0223 for details. The WILDCAT! IM requires the DigiChannel Intelligent Card, DESQview 386, a 386/33 (or better) CPU, 8mb of RAM (mini- mum). It will not operate with standard serial cards. DOORS & On-Line Utilities MSI will work with Door authors and will supply documenta- tion and sample source code (in Turbo Pascal v6) for sup- porting the DigiChannel card. With our help, we feel Door authors and other 3rd party authors can easily convert their doors to support this new IM technology. We've estab- lished a new file and message area on our MSI HQ Support BBS (805-395-0650) to assist authors. Performance The DigiChannel offers excellent performance. See for your- self. We're running 8 lines on a 486/33 workstation, con- nected to a Novell LAN, using 8 DESQview 386 windows. All five public HQ nodes (805-395-0650) and the first 3 private BBS nodes are run on the IM workstation. TOMCAT! and our BBSLIST Door have also been converted to run with this IM release. =========================================================== New Name and New Program -- MSI Releases QmodemPro Almost a year after acquiring the Qmodem program from the Forbin Project, Mustang Software, Inc. (MSI), has intro- duced its first major upgrade. QmodemPro is the first com- munications software program to enable electronic mail messages to be received and answered using one integrated program, regardless of the originating E-mail source. The new release carries the new name QmodemPro to emphasize that it is a complete rewrite of the product, the first since the original author and developer John Friel began heading up the MSI Qmodem development team last year. QmodemPro retrieves E-mail, bringing it in to one PC/com- patible environment. The user no longer needs separate programs to handle MCI Mail, CompuServe E-mail, BBS messag- es and other E-mail systems. In addition, QmodemPro can redirect the user's replies to any bulletin board system (BBS), E-mail service or FAX machine -- not just the origi- nal message's source. QmodemPro represents a "rewrite from scratch" of the Qmodem program, according to Jim Harrer, President/CEO of MSI. The company acquired the original Qmodem program from The For- bin Project, Cedar Falls, Iowa, in October 1991. The pro- duct had attracted a large user following through its near- ly seven years of availability as a shareware product. "Our goal for Qmodem has always been to produce an out- standing, mass-merchandised product that could compete on any retail shelf with the major generic communications programs," Harrer said. "In addition, QmodemPro works hand- in-glove with our other retail product line, the WILDCAT! BBS software." QmodemPro offers more than 75 new features compared to Qmodem Version 5, the first version of Qmodem sold under the MSI label, unveiled this past January. Heading the list of new features is an enhanced off-line mail reader. This capability allows users to download packets of mail and then read the contents off-line, significantly reducing expensive long-distance call charges. Both the mail reader and the main program feature full mouse support with pull-down menus and resizable windows. The retail price for QmodemPro with Off-Line Xpress is $99, and it is now available in retail outlets, including all Software Etc. stores. Special offers are available to prior Qmodem registered users and WILDCAT! sysops for a limited time. Please see the accompanying articles for discount details and a feature list. =========================================================== New features for QmodemPro QmodemPro has been re-written from the ground up, and is a significant enhancement to the prior releases. The package includes a new comprehensive 400 page user guide covering both QmodemPro and the new release of Off-Line Xpress (OLX). It is shipped exclusively by Federal Express and each package contains both 3.5" 720K diskettes and 5.25" 1.2M diskettes. Here is a summary of the major new features in QmodemPro: o Full mouse and pull-down menu support throughout the program. QmodemPro also operates at full-speed as a foreground DOS application under Windows in either full-screen or windowed mode. Background communication under Windows is not recommended since DOS programs cannot make use of the Windows COM Services. The dialing directory now supports up to 4,095 entries per telephone book, with an unlimited number of books. o Ideally suited for working with a BBS, the phonebook now includes support for up to four alternate tele- phone numbers per entry. This allows the user to au- tomatically try a different telephone number if the primary BBS number is busy. o Group-dialing support allows users to group-dial tele- phone book entries as one entry. Each group can be set for single-connect or continuous dial. For example, when dialing a group of mail systems, QmodemPro will download mail from one system and automatically con- tinue on to the next entry in the group, if the con- tinuous dial flag is set for the group. If not, it will stop after connection to any one of the group members. o Automatic linking between mail packets created in OLX and phonebook entries. When mail packets are received the Read Mail button in the phonebook becomes avail- able for immediate transfer to OLX. Likewise, when reply packets have been created in OLX for a system, the Send Replies button in the phonebook becomes available. This allows sending all pending replies to multiple systems with a single keystroke. o QmodemPro includes send FAX ability, supporting both ASCII and .PCX files through any Class 1 or Class 2 FAX modem. FAX send integrates with OLX completely making it possible to create and send a FAX and custom cover sheet by simply typing the message to send. If a message is created for a FAX system that isn't already in the QmodemPro phonebook, an entry is automatically created when OLX passes control back to QmodemPro. o MCI Mail and CompuServe E-mail gateway support enables users to retrieve or send messages to these popular E- mail accounts. The dialing, connection and mail trans- fer is automatically controlled via QMGATE, the gate- way to both CompuServe and MCI included with Qmodem- Pro. No longer is it necessary to create and modify script files to connect and process messages with these mail services. Note that CompuServe support is currently limited to E-Mail and does not support down- load of forum messages. o 125 pre-configured modems for fast installation. o Internal protocols include Zmodem, Kermit, CompuServe B+, Ymodem, Xmodem and ASCII. Up to 10 external proto- cols can be added, including bi-directional protocols such as HSLINK and BIMODEM with auto-start capability. o Five new terminal emulations have also been added, including WYSE 50, DEC VT 102, 220, 320 and TVI 925. Off-Line Xpress (OLX) is also completely new for this re- lease and has the following new major features: o Ability to open multiple packets and view multiple conferences at once using new memory management tech- niques and support for EMS, XMS and virtual disk. o No limitations to the size of packets, conferences or message size. o An integrated message editor with spelling checker and 124,000 word dictionary. External editors are also supported. o Full cut, copy and paste between messages, conferences and replies, even across packets. o Ability to save messages to an unlimited number of 'folders' for reading and action at a later time. o Internal address book with full interaction with Qmo- demPro links to CIS, MCI, FAX and other services. o Advanced personal mail handling via an IN BOX with automatic archiving and configurable purging. Personal mail no longer disappears when a packet is deleted. o Redirection of replies and messages to any location, not just the original source system. =========================================================== Special Update Offers Registered users of Qmodem v5.x purchased from dealers or MSI directly, and Qmodem 4.x purchased from the Forbin Project, can purchase the QmodemPro upgrade for only $35 + s/h, provided their registration information is on file with MSI. A special offer is also being extended to registered WILD- CAT! sysops for a limited time. Until December 31, 1992 any WILDCAT! sysop can purchase QmodemPro for only $50 + s/h, a discount of almost 50%. Sysops should note that QmodemPro is the only communication program that supports full processing of off-line mail, including automatic downloading of files attached to mes- sages. Your callers can purchase their own copies of Qmo- demPro below list price from Software Etc. stores nation- wide. To find the nearest store call 1-800-328-4646. Shipping and handling charges for all orders are as fol- lows: Continental U.S. - $10 Hawaii, Alaska & Canada - $15 Overseas- $35 add $5 for all COD orders. Orders are shipped exclusively by Federal Express. Orders can be placed as follows: Call 1-800-999-9619 to order via VISA, MC, AMEX, Dis- cover or COD. Order via FAX by calling 805-395-0713. Mail your order information to us at P.O. Box 2264, Ba- kersfield, CA 93303. Order via our BBS by calling 805-395-0250 (registered lines). Execute the Main Menu choice [O]rders and info. BBS orders must make use of a credit card. For all orders, please indicate your full shipping address, the name of the product desired, and registration informa- tion if taking advantage of an update or discount. Also include a daytime voice phone number in the event we need to contact you regarding your order. =========================================================== The evolution of OLX There is absolutely no doubt that version 3 of Off-Line Xpress, especially when coupled with QmodemPro, creates a significant new mail reading environment. Although many of the features that contribute to this new level of offline power are contained within OLX itself, many are the result of the interaction between the two programs. As the capabilities of QmodemPro and OLX are increased in the future with even additional message gateways and auto- mated capabilities, the stand-alone OLX product will be increasingly unable to take advantage of the extra power, simply because it lacks the sophisticated communication capabilities of its counterpart and its online service gateways. Although we intend to continue the development of Off-Line Xpress, it is becoming increasingly clear that the real evolution of this product will be manifest in its counter- part as part of the QmodemPro package. The point is, if you're considering the purchase of the mail reader alone, we want you to realize that much of the real power of the package, today and even more so in the future, hinges on its use with QmodemPro. We welcome you to take advantage of our no-nonsense money-back guarantee and try QmodemPro and OLX for 30 days and see for yourself. =========================================================== The Test-Drive Tradition Continues As many of you reading this already know, Mustang Software released its first products as shareware. The concept of shareware distribution developed shortly after the release of the first IBM-PC through the efforts of many individu- als. The term Shareware itself was used quite independently during this early period by two of the major contributors to this marketing method, Bob Wallace and Jim Button (PC- Write and PC-File). The first copies of WILDCAT! were placed on BBS systems in March of 1987, while the initial releases of Qmodem were first seen way back in November of 1982. Since then, opera- tional copies of both WILDCAT! and Qmodem have always been available through the shareware channel as standard share- ware or test-drive programs. The latest release of WILDCAT! Test-Drive is v2.6, released in September of 1992. It is based loosely on the successful WILDCAT! v2.55 sold several years ago. WILDCAT! 2.6TD will operate on an IBM-PC, XT, AT, Portable or True Compatible. A hard disk is necessary for proper implementation of all support files. Users of Test-Drive must realize that it is several years behind the current release in evolutionary terms, but is a fully functional system. It is designed as an introduction to the world of BBSing, not as a demonstration of the cur- rent state of WILDCAT! development. The latest release of Qmodem Test-Drive is v4.5TD, released in January of 1992. The Qmodem development team has sched- uled a new Test-Drive version, and expects to begin coding after taking a short break from the 9 month effort on Qmo- demPro. Release of the new Qmodem Test-Drive is tentatively sched- uled for early 1993. Until that time, v4.5TD will remain the only version that can be freely shared with others. Qmodem v5 remains a commercial program that cannot be free- ly copied or distributed. The special upgrade offer pricing is not the equivalent to purchasing a new program license. =========================================================== A Smart DBMS System for Wildcat! Finally a DBMS system for Wildcat! Bulletin Boards Systems. For those of you who are not familiar with a DBMS, it stands for DataBase Management System. Integrated Solutions is scheduled to release Multibase and MultibasePro along with a suite of add-on utilities on December 1, 1992. "We see this product as a long anticipated addition to tools available for the on-line industry." said Troy Getty, C.E.O. of Integrated Solutions. The benefits of an on-line database are almost limitless. Sysops who wish to setup a way to sell products on-line, with an order entry system, or maybe an electronic catalog of various different pro- ducts or services, virtually any kind of data gathering or display of information is available to the sysop. A power- ful questionnaire allows Multibase and Multibase Pro to collect information in any user defined order, remaining fully dBase Compatible. Multibase and Multibase Pro come with several sample databases that in themselves would make a nice addition to any BBS's collection of on-line doors. Multibase has the ability to set up unique forms for view- ing or entering data. With Multibase the sysop can easily design input and display forms with full ANSI capability. We found this to be one of the more exciting features. In testing of Multibase and Multibase Pro we found them both to be far superior to any other on-line information database system on the market. With a record capability of 2 billion per data- base, up to 128 fields per record, each with a maximum length of 254 characters, full dBase field type support, i.e., date, memo, character, numeric and decimal support, you should have all of the room imaginable for gathering or displaying information. We found the search speed to be remarkably fast in our tests. We searched a database of 29,000 records of 4 fields each, without any indexes, searching each field. We used a search that had only one match, the last record in the database (to see the total time to the end of the database) and the speed was an incredible 14 seconds to complete our test search. We compared this search to a regular DOS based commercial database program using the same test set, Multi- base was over two times as fast. Setup by the sysop was a breeze, due partly to the menu driven setup system. A sysop can create even the most com- plicated set of screens easily. Since Multibase is designed for the BBS operator, it com- plies fully with the DOOR.SYS standard. It makes use of specific information such as your BBS's security levels, time limits, and other fields from DOOR.SYS to operate seamlessly in an online environment. We were delighted to find file transfer capabilities, full communications port monitoring and a file structure that is fully dBase III and dBase IV compatible. This single feature makes it even more powerful for the sysop since Multibase data files can be used directly by any number of DOS or Windows based commer- cial database programs. This type of product should have wide range appeal to Wildcat! sysops. Although the official shipping date is December 1, 1992, we found the final beta copy to work remarkably well. "We have the product 99% complete as we are just finishing our beta testing. We're now getting the packaging and distribution systems in place for our December release" said Troy Getty C.E.O. of Integrated Solutions. Integrated Solutions is a Certified Mustang Software Inte- grator (CMSI) who has been providing companies with turnkey BBS solutions for a number of years. They see Multibase and Multibase Pro as another solution to offer sysops who want to collect or display data to users or customers in a pow- erful, yet easy to use way. Multibase will be released as a shareware program, limited only by the number of records that can be added to a data file. Registration of Multibase will be $49 while the en- hanced Multibase Pro with additional utilities will sell for $99. Integrated Solutions can be reached at 800-633-6636 or 714- 780-8860. Their multiline bulletin board is available 24 hours a day at 714-780-5175 and they can also be contacted via CompuServe E-Mail via PIN 70031,2552. =========================================================== QmodemPro in Action -- Using QmodemPro in the Real World A simple listing of the new features in QmodemPro points out clearly that this new release has powerful new capabil- ities. It's not until you begin using it on a daily basis that you realize how easy, helpful and time-saving these features really are. Communications programs all offer pretty much the same options, perhaps with a different twist here and there. They all adequately handle dialing, connection, text entry and file transfer. Most allow you to capture information from a remote source and view it or process it with another application. By contrast, QmodemPro was designed to not only connect you to your destination using the latest technology, but to help you manage and respond to the information you receive and send it back. In this article we'll try and touch on many of the various ways you can use the QWK, FAX and QMGATE capabilities of QmodemPro to make your electronic sessions more productive. If you're a file-chaser and never read messages, read on, you just might get hooked! One of the first features that helps make your connection activities easier and more organized is the new phonebook. Each of the 4095 entries now tracks additional information, including up to 4 additional phone numbers for the system being called. Multiple numbers are handy for calling systems that have several phone numbers that don't automatically roll-over. QmodemPro dials the first and moves on to the second if the line is busy. Each phonebook entry is assigned its own terminal emula- tion, transfer protocol, duplex, key file and device. Pre- viously these were defined for the entire session, and had to be changed whenever a call required it. In order to take full advantage of the message handling facilities built into QmodemPro for a phonebook entry we need to set up some information beforehand. Each entry also tracks User-ID (your login name), Password, Script and most important, Packet. The user-ID and password are used in the login script to allow substitution of your name and password when logging on automatically. The packet name is the main link between QmodemPro and its message manager Off-Line Xpress. Here's how it works. Every QWK message packet downloaded from a BBS has a unique name associated with it. For example, messages downloaded from the MSI HQ BBS arrive in a packet called MUSTANG.QWK. When this message packet is read with OLX and replies are generated they are placed in a reply packet named MUST- ANG.REP. Since QmodemPro now knows the name of the QWK and REP packets associated with each phonebook entry, it can check to see if there are any new packets to be read or new reply packets to be sent. This same technique is used to make it easy to read E-Mail messages from the online services MCI Mail and CompuServe. For example, you can automate CompuServe Information Ser- vice (CIS) E-Mail pick-up by creating a phonebook entry with your PIN in the User-ID field, password, the special packet name CISMAIL and script name CIS. When you dial this entry, QmodemPro invokes QMGATE, its mail manager for on- line services. It takes over the call, performs a login to CIS, gets your new messages and puts them in a packet named CISMAIL.IN. Notice that the packet extension for the packet isn't .QWK since it isn't actually formatted the same way. When replies are created after reading CISMAIL.IN the reply packet generated is CISMAIL.OUT. The main phonebook screen uses the fact that it knows the names of valid QWK/IN packets to turn on or off two addi- tional action buttons, Read New Mail and Send Replies. When the Read New Mail button is available, clicking on the button with the mouse or selecting it with the keyboard shortcut Alt N invokes the mail reader Off-Line Xpress. The Read New Mail button is only available when packets are present that match the packet names for a phonebook entry. Once inside OLX you can review packet messages received from BBS systems, CompuServe or MCI. The flexibility of- fered by OLX allows some wild combinations of cross-post- ing, carbon copies and forwarding. Lets look at a hy- pothetical message session to illustrate just a few exam- ples of the options available. Suppose you only have 3 mail packets, two from BBS systems (MUSTANG and DEWDROP) and one from your CompuServe account (CISMAIL). You might begin reading the MUSTANG BBS packet and come across a message that deserves a reply. After you complete your reply you decide you want to share the infor- mation in it with a friend. The problem is, he never calls the MUSTANG BBS where the message originated. With OLX you select the option to carbon copy the message to him, but put the copy into a packet for DEWDROP BBS that he does call. It's as simple as replacing the packet field with the name of the destination system. You move on to reading your CIS mail and come across a great message to you that you want to share with another friend. The problem is, he doesn't even have a computer! No problem. You select the forward option and when asked for the message header information you address it to your com- pu-phobic friend and pull-up his name and FAX machine number from your OLX Address book. Notice that the packet field in this case is set to FAX, telling QmodemPro that the message should be sent as a direct FAX using your FAX modem. Even if his name and number are not already in your dialing directory, QmodemPro will add it automatically when it sees the FAX packet after leaving OLX. Just before you leave OLX you remember that you wanted to send a message to a business associate's MCI mailbox, but you don't even have an MCI account. You create a new mes- sage to your associate and send it to your CISMAIL packet, but this time you tell CIS to route it to MCI MAIL (Compu- Serve has routes to MCI, MHS, Internet, Telex and even FAX). Your message will be sent in your CISMAIL packet with rout- ing tags telling CIS to send it to your associate's MCI account. While you're at it, why not send a copy to your own FAX machine at work marked as your file copy? Once you return to QmodemPro you'll find that the phonebook entries for MUSTANG, DEWDROP and CIS have a flag indicating that outgoing messages are pending. You'll also find a flagged entry for the FAX machine of your friend if it didn't already exist. By clicking the Send Replies button or selecting it with the keyboard you can send all or se- lected replies automatically. While we've given you a good deal of information on packet handling by QmodemPro in this article, we haven't even begun to touch on other features of QmodemPro and OLX. The ability to cut and paste, check and correct spelling er- rors, and search across packets hasn't even been discussed. The new In-Box and Out-Box that holds all personal mail and replies, even after packets are long gone is another fea- ture that serves as an archive and reference, allowing searches and placement of prior text in new messages. For the file-chasers in the crowd QmodemPro can call out and download or upload files using its new batch file entry window, but don't overlook the fun of automating your mes- sage interaction. With the new capabilities of OLX and QmodemPro you just might find yourself reading more messag- es and downloading fewer files. =========================================================== Show & Tell at ONE BBSCON and COMDEX/Fall '92 The first Online Networking Exposition and BBS Convention (ONE BBSCON) was held August 13-16 in Denver Colorado. Over a thousand BBS enthusiasts in attendance helped to make the show a grand success. MSI was among the 46 vendors participating in the exhibit section, and keyed the presentation on the new WILDCAT! IM version (8 lines, one computer - no problem!). Visitors to the show floor were also the first to see the as yet unre- leased QmodemPro and OLX combination. The reaction to the new product was so positive that the development timetable was revamped to ensure release before the Comdex/Fall '92 show in November. Keynote speaker John Dvorak was in fine form, praising OS/2 and slamming Windows. He certainly has his own way of de- livering an entertaining presentation, and also had some serious comments about the state of the industry. Dvorak co-author Nick Anis Jr, joined forces with Zoom Telephonics in a special awards presentation to pioneering contributors to the field of PC telecommunications. The Technical Excellence Awards in Communications went to twelve pioneers who made special contributions to nurture the communications industry that exists today. We're very proud that our own John Friel was among the recipients for his continuing work on the Qmodem terminal software package. Having John included with other pioneers such as Ward Christensen, Chuck Forsberg, Phil Katz, Tom Jennings and others is indeed an honor. As you read this we will have recently returned from COM- DEX/Fall '92. Comdex has been a yearly tradition for MSI since 1989 when we started with a 10 foot booth and spon- sored our first Comdex party. The last three years have seen our participation in the show expand along with the scope of our yearly party. The Third Annual MSI Sysop Party & Ping-Pong Tournament is expected to surpass all prior years. Over 500 invitations were made available to visitors to the booth to help us launch our Redefining Telecommunications in '93 campaign. Our participation in Comdex is just one way we stay in touch with the industry to strengthen our position as the leader in BBS software, and to continue our challenge in the terminal market. By extending and redefining the scope of terminal software we hope to make telecommunication available to individuals who may never have discovered E- Mail without it. =========================================================== Did you know that... o Each day the MSI HQ BBS takes over 750 calls, and the test-drive programs are downloaded 334 times each week. o The average caller to the BBS is 34 years old and stays on for less than 12 minutes (remember that a lot of folks use off-line mail reading). o MSI has 47 phone lines coming into the main office building, including one that is active 24 hours a day that can tell us the exact location of any Federal Express package shipped the previous day, or anytime during the past week. o The voice technical support department processes an average of 685 voice calls a week. The average call time is about 13 minutes and 25 seconds. o The cost of floor space rental for our 20x20 booth (no display or services) at the 5-day Comdex trade show was $416 per hour. The income from renting your garage at this rate would make you a millionaire in just a little over 14 weeks. =========================================================== A Letter from the President Exactly one year ago I wrote to you about our very aggres- sive development schedule for 1992. I promised you we would "Bring it all together in '92". Today we have delivered on that promise with the shipping of QmodemPro v1.0, OLX v3.0 and WILDCAT! v3.55. This has been a very good year for us. WILDCAT! has taken off with explosive growth. There is no doubt in our minds we have delivered the best BBS product on the market today. We're watching other BBS manufactures copy our Intelligent MultiPort (IM) technology and other features which have put us on top. I assure you, before any of them catch up with WILDCAT!'s impressive feature list, our next generation of BBS Software will once again blow them out of the water. MSI is setting the standard and our competition is simply following us. We were the first to support message - file attachments in .QWK packets and OLX is the first off-line reader which can correctly manage these attachments. MSI is the only software company to own both a communica- tions program (QmodemPro) and a Bulletin Board System (WILDCAT!) which gives us the ability to extend some lea- dership in this industry. Our business plan is sound, our sales are healthy. We're pouring our profits back into R&D so we can push the envelope in telecommunications. I want you to know your selection of MSI was a sound decision, we are not waiting for other people to define communications software for the '90's, we're defining it! We'll continue to hire talented engineers who love this technology as much as we do. We'll shorten our development cycles in order to keep up with this explosive sector of the computer indus- try. It is no secret, QmodemPro is the BBS caller's best friend. I hope you try it; if you do, I know you'll recommend it to your callers. It is a win-win situation; your callers will be more productive and your BBS will be more efficient. For years we have been complaining about users who just call our BBS's and download, download, download. QmodemPro makes it easy for them to grab the mail, read it offline and reply. As more and more of your callers learn about off- line mail reading, you'll see a noticeable increase in message flow and more importantly, better thought-out mes- sages by your callers. Many of you have asked us questions regarding Windows and OS/2. We have started development on porting QmodemPro and OLX to Windows. This is a long and painful process. I can not give you a time estimate this early in its development, but it is safe to say it is still a long way down the road. QmodemPro was designed to work very well as a DOS applica- tion using Windows v3.1. We ship the product with a QMPRO.PIF and QMPRO.ICO file. We also recommend you upgrade your UART to a NS16550AFN which will improve performance under Windows. As I stated earlier, this has been a very good year for our company. We're profitable, focused and having a great time writing software we have all only dreamed about. Your con- tinued support allows us to expand even further and meet your needs as computers get smaller and faster. As the holiday season approaches, let me be the first to thank you for your business this past year and wish you the happiest holiday season. Best Wishes, Jim Harrer President/CEO =========================================================== The MSI MONITOR is published by Mustang Software, Inc. The entire contents are Copyright c 1992 by Mustang Software, Inc., P.O. Box 2264, Bakersfield, CA 93303, U.S.A. Permission is hereby granted to reproduce material con- tained in this newsletter, providing the source is credited and a copy of the publication in which it appears is sent to Mustang Software, Inc., at the above address.