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┌────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ │
│ │
│ C A R R I E R D E T E C T │
│ │
│ The PC Communications Journal For Every Modem User! │
│ │
│ Issue #5, January 1992 │
│ │
│ │
└────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
Table of Contents:
Welcome and Year End Review ........................ 2
Product Evaluations ................................ 5
Boyan Communications Version 5.0 ............... 5
Potluck ............................................ 8
19 Timesaving Tips for BBS Users ............... 8
Writer's Roundup ................................... 11
Reflections 2 .................................. 11
ByteLine ........................................... 14
Feedback ........................................... 18
Product Information .............................. 18
Advertisements ..................................... 19
Carrier Detect is published quarterly by Michael W.
Crosson. Contents may not be reproduced without written
permission from the publisher. All brand and product
names mentioned in this publication are trademarks and
registered trademarks of their respective companies.
(c) 1992 Michael W. Crosson. All rights reserved.
W E L C O M E
Welcome to the first edition of Carrier Detect in
1992! This seems to be an appropriate time to look back
over some of the major trends and developments of the past
year. Plus, every other publication does this so why
shouldn't we?
1991 - The Year in Review As I See It
* V.32 Modems emerged as the victor in the war of the
high speed modems. HST modems begin their slow death in
the face of their technically superior competitors.
V.32bis modems are released by several manufacturers
including Hayes, Intel and USR.
* QWK type offline mail doors and readers begin to
dominate the offline mail market. By the end of the year
the QWK readers are proliferating and a shakeout seems
eminent in the future. Blue Wave, MegaMail, SilverExpress
and XRS are met with user indifference or resistance.
* Remote Access surges ahead of it's inspiration -
QuickBBS. More and more QBBS sysops seem to adopt the
"too little, too late" attitude concerning the original.
* Many begin to call PC Board, "PC Bored." I take it
this means that many find calling a PCB system an
unstimulating experience?
* Echos, echos and more echos... We seem to be in the
midst of Echomania. Fidonet seems to be bulging at the
seams as the system grows bigger and bigger each year.
Hundreds of echos are now offered on the backbone. Does
this mean more people are messaging on BBS systems or the
same people are posting more? Quoteaholics become a
serious problem in the echos and there seems to be more
off topic messages than ever. Related to this is the
growth of Networks. There seems to be a new one every
week soliciting members.
* Telix 4.0 turns out to be vaporware in the finest Lotus
tradition.
* High Speed Link makes its debut. It seems to be
everything that Bimodem should have been. It is easy to
use and even the pre v1.0 wide release betas are working
well! V.32 and V.32bis modems make it more practical than
ever.
* ARJ makes some headway against ZIP as the preferred
compression method. It reigned as the compression king
for most of the year. Yet, in December PKZIP v2.0 beta
Carrier Detect - Issue 5 - page 2
appeared to take the lead once again. Yoshi continued to
work on LHA but his low key approach stifled its success.
PC Magazine gives LHA a product of the year award.
* Wildcat! 3.0 is finally released to mixed reviews.
Everyone agrees it is a vast improvement, but the
conference scheme they dreamed up is flawed. Security
options galore were added but was it overkill? The lack
of a competent mail tosser hurt business and the 3rd party
Wildmail became known as a "backyard" tosser. Neverthe-
less Wildcat!'s presence in the BBS world grew
tremendously.
* Datastorm's long awaited ProComm v2.0 appears and
becomes a best seller despite many bugs in the original
release. Popular opinion of ProComm in the shareware
world plummets.
* BBS Systems become enstrangled in legal battles with
several phone companies across the US. NY Bell wants to
charge sales tax on shareware downloads (I guess they
assume every time a user downloads a file they register
it... what kind of drugs are they on?). Another of the
little Bells contend that all BBS systems are commercial
operations and try to force all sysops to pay commercial
(read as EXPENSIVE) rates.
* Prodigy comes under attack for allegedly transferring
personal data off of subscribers hard drives unbeknownst
to them. The charges are emphatically denied and
technical explanations are offered.
* Compucom Speedmodems become the center of various
controversies. The company begins to market cheap v.32
modems.
* Maximus v2.0 is released and it's popularity grows.
The price (Free) is right in our sagging economy and it
includes some nifty features like an internal QWK mail
reader.
* Mustang software makes news again as they go on a
buying spree. They buy the rights to the Tomcat! QWK mail
door, the popular Silly Little Mail Reader (QWK of
course), and most significantly Qmodem. I think the
future looks rosy for Qmodem but many feel upset about the
takeover. Part of the backlash was caused by the fact
that Qmodem will primarily become a $99 dollar commercial
program and there will be no more "free updates".
* Telegard 2.7 appears at the tail end of the year and
only Martin Pollard is credited as author. Don't know
what happened to "Martygard." Mr. Pollard claims to have
rewritten over 75% of the code, justifying his sole
Carrier Detect - Issue 5 - page 3
authorship listing. At the same time rumors that the real
source to 2.5i was leaked (things that make you go
hmmmmmmmm?). Martin denounces Telegard sysops and says
there will never be another release. The Telegard Echo is
killed from the backbone.
* 1991 also saw major new upgrades for Boyan, Commo,
HyperAccess 5, Qmodem, and Telemate.
* Riding the Windows wave of popularity, Communication
programs for the GUI became a hot item. Both commercial
and shareware terms for Windows became commonplace.
* Widespread popularity of WWIV still seems to be largely
limited to California.
* Novell in cooperation with Federal Authorities began
intensive sting operations aimed at prosecuting large
pirate bulletin boards across the nation. Systems that
offered Network files for download were especially at
risk.
---
Several new changes to Carrier Detect begin with this
issue. Carrier Detect will now be released quarterly.
The bimonthly release schedule was proving to be too
difficult to meet between work and school. To insure the
quality of the journal I felt this change was necessary.
The low number of reader submissions affected this
decision too. Also, please note my new address and phone
number at the end of the journal.
Sincerely,
Michael Crosson
Carrier Detect - Issue 5 - page 4
P R O D U C T E V A L U A T I O N S
Each month Carrier Detect contains several product
evaluations. Most of these will be software reviews but
from time to time hardware will be discussed as well. The
opinions expressed in Carrier Detect are solely my own or
the respective author of the article. Carrier Detect
strives to be as objective as possible when evaluating
software. Judgments to suitability are made with the
typical modem enthusiast in mind and are not geared toward
the complete novice nor the power user. Exceptions to
this are noted as such in the article.
* Boyan Communications, Version 5.0
Reviewed by Michael Crosson
Pros: Thoughtful little touches abound
Excellent dialing directory and queue
Internal file manager
Cons: Supplied host is simple
Internal protocols are weak
Oh Boy!... The shareware community was graced with a
new release of Boyan last year and it looks to be a real
winner! Justin Boyan's communication package has been
flirting with greatness for years and with version 5, it
may have reached it. Boyan was first released as
shareware in 1986 when Justin was still in high school.
Subsequent releases have since helped to finance his B.S
in Mathematics at Chicago University. Boyan is one of
those stellar shareware success stories. From its humble
beginnings it has blossomed into a robust package with a
thoughtful design. Read on to find out why I like this
product.
The user interface of Boyan is from the influential
ProComm school. The user is presented with a sparse
terminal screen after the program loads. It uses Alt key
combinations to call most functions. For the most part,
the default key assignments are intuitive (E.G. Alt-X will
exit the program), but if some seem strange they can
easily be changed to an alternative key assignment. A
status bar on the bottom of the screen keeps the user
informed about current activities and offers short help
messages. More detailed context sensitive help is
available by using the F1 key.
The dialing directory is one of the strongest points
of Boyan. Each directory can hold 200 entries and you can
have as many dialing directories as you like, although
only one can be loaded at a time. For each phone number
Carrier Detect - Issue 5 - page 5
the following default information can be assigned: system
name, phone number, terminal emulation, script, protocol,
baud, and password. The last connect date is also
recorded. Numbers to be dialed are selected with a light
bar or by typing the number of the entry. Many useful
extras have been built into the directory. Some of these
enhancements include the ability to alphabetize and sort
the directory, print the directory, search for certain
phone numbers and a unique little feature that "Grabs"
phone numbers off the screen and creates an entry in your
directory.
Yet, the most useful aspect of the dialing directory
for BBS fanatics may be the Dialing Queue. Boyan allows
you to tag entries with the light bar and then hit "Q" to
enter the dialing queue. The queue looks similar to the
normal dialing directory but only lists those systems you
want to dial repeatedly until a connection is made. It
keeps track of the number of tries and the elapsed time
for every entry. When a connection is made, Boyan sounds
a loud alarm. The dialing queue found in Boyan is one of
the best I have used and is perfect for connecting to busy
BBS systems.
File transfers can be accomplished with ease when
using Boyan as well, but adding an external protocol or
two is strongly recommended. Boyan includes several
internal protocols, but they are not likely to be used
frequently. Xmodem, Ymodem, Ymodem-G and ASCII are your
internal choices. All of these are older, slower
protocols and none of them allow batch transfers. When
using these protocols, Boyan presents a rather plain
status box and a thermometer type display to aid in
viewing transfer progress from across the room. Again,
several innovative features make file transfers more
convenient than in other packages. Boyan guesses the
filename you are attempting to transfer, and more often
than not, it is correct (not so with many other terms that
sport this feature). Also, a special protocol for
uploading messages is provided. Its use is preferred to
using ASCII since it works better with full screen editors
that use word wrapping. One last little goody is a
feature that checks the free space on the drive before
starting a download, just the thing before transferring a
huge batch, especially if you own a high speed modem.
Without internal Z modem and batch capability, adding
external protocols to Boyan is going to be a necessity for
most users. Not surprisingly then, Boyan has excellent
external protocol support and the process of installing
them is as painless as possible. Boyan allows the use of
ten external protocols of your choice and once installed,
they integrate seamlessly with the rest of the program.
The configuration of DSZ, MPt, Kermit and others are
Carrier Detect - Issue 5 - page 6
predefined. All that is left is for the user to do is
drop the proper .EXE or .COM file somewhere in the
configurable DOS directory.
Boyan contains a internal file manager making the most
common disk and file commands just a keystroke away.
I find internal file managers to be extremely useful
during communication sessions and this one is no
exception. Some of the commands possible from within
Boyan are Copy, Delete, List, Rename, View, Execute, and
Edit. A few of these, such as the List and Edit commands
rely on user definable external support programs such as
Buerg's List, Qedit, or VDE. The file manager also
simplifies batch uploads by allowing you to tag a group of
files for sending to the remote system. Time estimates
for transfers are also readily available.
There is more to the Boyan Communications package. It
contains a powerful macro/scripting language with over 200
commands. The language consists mainly of a backslash
plus two characters and any other information needed to
execute the command following in square brackets. As an
example, \di[602-741-7401] would tell Boyan to dial my
BBS. When you string these types of commands together you
can create complex scripts that perform many different
functions. \zs \di[602-741-7401] tells Boyan to clear the
screen and then dial my system. These scripts support
many variables and can be compiled as well.
Boyan uses scripts to learn log on sequences to the
systems that you call. However, it does so in a fashion
that works well but is unique to Boyan. To learn a log on
sequence, you would first log on as normal. Then using
the excellent scroll-back buffer, you mark the parts of
the sequence you wish to include in the script (typically
all of it). Boyan then automatically inserts the proper
macro commands that will mirror the actions you took to
log on to the system. The system works great most of the
time and if any editing of the learned script is
incorrect, it is easy to alter with a text editor (in fact
Boyan optionally gives you the opportunity to do so right
as you finish learning each script).
Boyan's host mode is also script based. However, I
was not overwhelmed with it's power or ease of use. Basic
functions are available such as uploading and downloading
of files, simple message writing, and chat. Even when I
tried an enhanced Boyan host called Mosthost, things were
rudimentary at best. Let it suffice to say that no one
will ever mistake the Boyan host as a bulletin board
system. If strong hosting functions are your priority, a
better choice is the Telix/Host v4.4 combo or HyperAccess
5 v2.0.
Carrier Detect - Issue 5 - page 7
All in all, Boyan v5.0 is a powerful communication
program that should suit the needs of most. Its
intelligent design makes it a pleasure to use. The
program is highly configurable, although there is a
moderate learning curve involved since most of program's
behavior is controlled through macros. Justin Boyan has
paid close attention to detail in the design of the
program and has automated many of the more mundane details
of communication sessions. Frequent BBS callers should
definitely give Boyan a try; many of its features seem
specifically oriented toward this group. Business users
should also find Boyan an attractive alternative subject
to the following qualifications: exotic terminal
emulations are not important (Boyan only comes with 6),
voice technical support is not necessary (support is given
by BBS only) and a fancy host is not needed. Boyan is
distributed as user supported shareware. Registration of
the latest version is $60 with a typeset manual or $40
without. Corporate site licensing discounts are available
as are user group discounts.
P O T L U C K
This department of Carrier Detect contains articles that
do not neatly fit into the other departments that appear
regularly. Here the articles could be on anything and
will vary considerable in each issue that Potluck
appears.
* 19 Timesaving Tips for BBS Callers
Article by Michael Crosson
Callers to BBS systems frequently complain to sysops
that they do not have enough time to do all the things
they want to online. Sysops on the other hand, are
hesitant to give callers too much daily time for fear that
some users might monopolize the system for hours on end.
It is a dilemma that will probably be around as long as
there are bulletin board systems. This article offers
some tips and tricks for callers to get the most out their
daily time on any given BBS system. If you have ever felt
frustrated with the amount of time your access level
affords you on a BBS, what follows should offer some
relief. And if you are calling long distance, you might
even save some money in the process too!
In no particular order...
1. Use offline mail readers -
Most BBS systems now offer offline mail doors that allow
you to download packets of mail and messages to read at
your leisure offline. On your next call you can upload
Carrier Detect - Issue 5 - page 8
any replies you might have written to the system and begin
the process all over again. There are several
incompatible offline mail systems currently used. The
most popular is the QWK type of mail door. Others include
Blue Wave, Megamail, Silver Express and XRS.
2. Use log on scripts -
Using automated scripts to log onto a BBS can save a
surprising amount of time. Most communication programs
have provisions for easily learning logon procedures.
Learn how to use this feature and take advantage of it!
3. Learn log on tricks -
Many BBS systems have short cuts to log on. A good
example is on Wildcat! BBS systems. On a Wildcat! system
you can enter your first name, last name and password on
the first prompt rather then waiting for each, (E.G.
Michael Crosson SecretPassword).
4. Use fast protocols -
Some protocols can transfer files much faster than others.
A more efficient protocol saves you time and money. Some
suggested fast protocols to try are High Speed Link,
Hyperprotocol, Jmodem, Mpt, and Zmodem.
5. Download the "allfiles" listing -
Download the "allfiles" listing and peruse it offline
rather than searching and browsing for files while
connected to the BBS. Decide what you want to download
and upload in advance of your call.
6. Use advanced file area features -
Advanced file area features save much time and frustration
when selecting files to download. These features might
include file marking, file masking, and wildcards. Few
BBS systems support all of these but nearly all will
support at least one.
7. Download the BBS User's Manual -
Download the User's Manual if available and familiarize
yourself with special features of your favorite BBS.
8. Use hotkeys -
Hotkeys save time and are convenient. They allow you to
select commands without pressing the enter key. Some BBS
systems with hotkeys are QuickBBS, Remote Access, RBBS and
Wildcat!.
9. Use archive viewers -
Ever waste time downloading a huge file only to find out
that it was unsuitable for your purposes? If unsure about
the usefulness of a file, looking at the contents of the
archive and reading a little of the documentation online
can give you a better idea what the program does. Better
Carrier Detect - Issue 5 - page 9
to spend 5 minutes looking through the documentation than
30 minutes on an unnecessary transfer.
10. Use the expert mode -
Once you are comfortable moving around on a BBS start
using the expert mode rather than novice mode. If you
don't need to look at all those menus, why waste time
watching them display?
11. Turn ANSI graphics and color off -
ANSI graphics and color menus take long to display. Shut
them off if time is a concern. The slower your modem the
more you should consider doing this.
12. Lock your comm port -
If you have an error correcting modem or high speed modem,
lock your comm port at 19,200 baud or higher. This will
result in much faster file transfers with many protocols
(including Zmodem).
13. Set file descriptions to 1 line -
Most BBS systems allow you to configure how many lines of
description you want displayed in the file areas. Choose
one rather than 2 or 3.
14. Utilize batch uploads and downloads -
Batch uploading and downloading can save time over
transferring a file at a time. It saves you the steps
required to begin the transfer and lets you leave the
computer unattended longer during the process.
15. Use Avitar -
If you must use color screens see if your communications
program and BBS support Avitar. Avitar screens are in
color but display much faster than traditional ANSI. An
increasing number of terms and BBSes support this new
graphics standard.
16. Newscan selectively -
Only scan the message areas and file areas you are
interested in. Just about every BBS system supports some
form of selectively setting the newscan.
17. Upload files in proper format -
Many sysops want all their files to be compressed with the
same archiver. Some of the possible archivers include
ARC, ARJ, LZH, and PKZIP. If you upload a file in the
wrong format the sysop may delete the file resulting in
wasted time or you may have to wait several minutes while
a conversion utility converts the file to the preferred
archive method.
18. Call late night or early morning -
These are the times when the majority of systems are least
Carrier Detect - Issue 5 - page 10
busy and some sysops give extra time to callers during
these hours. In addition you may find it much easier to
get through to your favorite system at these times. If
calling a long distance BBS rates are cheaper at night and
cheapest after 11pm.
19. If you find that you STILL don't have enough time on
the system, consider using the time bank if the sysop has
install one. Time banks allow you to "bank" time from the
current session for a future one.
W R I T E R 'S R O U N D U P
Writer's Roundup is a department that features
creative writing submissions from readers. Essays,
fictional stories, and poems are examples of the kind of
reading that you might find here. However, each will
share a common theme of computers and communications.
REFLECTIONS 2 (C) 1986-87 by Steve Schneider
(reprinted with permission)
Dateline : The RainForest BBS
Time : 12 AM On a Wednesday
Excitement galore in the household tonight. Nope;
didn't win the daily double but it's close! As time has
passed on The RainForest BBS a need has arisen for yet
another computer in the household. The Radio Shack M-100
was fine for calling other BBSes to stay in touch but for
file work or word processing <as in typing the
bimonthly RainForest newsletter, BIRDS THAT WALK (and
other trees) or the son in high school typing term papers
or special reports..> I, and he, were forced to take
the BBS down at slow hours to utilize the system for other
tasks.
I never did like having to do this. Not only did I
take pride in keeping the system =UP= and though I felt
somewhat justified in typing the newsletter on the system
because it was of, and for, the Members of the BBS, being
the somewhat obstinate (and yes, selfish) system operator
of the BBS I dreaded the system being down for'schoolwork'
and therein lie the battle line twixt son and father for
access to the computer, an Apple //e loaded with printer.
(In the farthest reaches of the psi ability of my somewhat
senile mind I hear the system operators that only do
battle with wives or girlfriends or loneliness snicker
that they =NEVER- have such problems... <sigh> and I'm
Carrier Detect - Issue 5 - page 11
ashamed to admit that, at times, I envy them and their
freedoms..... at times [ worth repeating ] )
Therein lies the rub! Obviously a =THIRD= <gasp!!>
computer was of a necessity to maintain peace in the
household. <Hmmm...obvious doesn't ever mean easy, you
know.> Lest you think my wife runs my household may I
remind all that she only runs my life; =I= run the
household! So when I whispered to my son (and daughter)
to talk up having another computer <but =DON'T= mention
my name..> the subterfuge was in place. I sit back and
huff and puff that three computers (HA!) in =THIS=
household are -not- necessary and here are the two
beautiful little sweethearts with tears in their eyes
sniffling that they can't do their very best without a
system that's available whenever they need to use it.
(Emotion expended by children with moisture in their eyes
is a very powerful elixir).
BAM! You! Yes you, you brute! How dare you deprive the
children of doing their very best in school? (I just
love it when a plan comes together ...hehehehhehe) Who??
Me dear?? You really think that it's in the best interest
of the children to have another computer in the house??
[This is the =BEST= part; being =FORCED= to buy another
computer..... oooooooooooo; how sweet it is! ] I'll start
looking into it right away.... [ RIGHT AWAY!! ]
Well; "right away" turned into a =BIG= project. Do =YOU=
have any idea how many brands and types of computers are
out there? Let me tell you; a bunch! Being weaned on
the Apple, so to speak, I naturally went to what was
available from Apple first. Unfortunately, even with the
advent of the IIgs, I was left wanting. I =LOVED= the
demos for the IIgs but when it came down to the
practicality of the matter I didn't really need sound or
graphics. I seriously considered the //c as well as
another //e....
The problem?? The //c and //e technology was old hat and
my son and I wished to learn more of this mysterious
monster called MS-Dos (or PC-Dos). I firmly believe in
what I've written (notice how I can't bring myself to
say -post-?) on my BBS when the "My computer is better
than your computer" stuff hits the CRT. I think the
=BEST= computer for a 'user' is one that does what he, or
she, expects of it. There is no =BEST= computer... If it
does what you want it to do and you're happy with it,
then you have the =BEST= computer! Actually, I lie a
bit... a CRAY II is the =BEST= computer whether it does
what you want it to or not... (ppffftttt! so there!)
So with demos of Apple IIgs looking beautiful (but not
doing what I need for the buck) I started searching for
Carrier Detect - Issue 5 - page 12
the IBM compatibles. <GASP!!> [ He mentioned IBM on an
Apple subsystem ..........................................
......................... s o w h a t ?? ] I needed
something I (and my kids) could type on, and try a
different programming language on (to stay current with
the real world) and since I couldn't afford the =BEST= IBM
made (which is a COMPAQ; don't let them kid you!) I had to
look elsewhere.... and I did.
I read so darn many magazines my head is still spinning.
I researched and looked and viewed every system made in
the free world and I'm here to tell you that there is
-nothing- out there that does =EVERYTHING= for $728!
Absolutely =NOTHING=!! (As far as that goes; there ain't
nothing on the other side of the curtain either!) Finally
(says I with desperation in my voice) I'll go for price.
Hhmmm; guess what hombre'?? Even true compatibles cost a
bunch of moola. <damn!> As head spins at five
revolutions per hour and I've worn out the Computer
Shopper as well as the last two issues of BYTE Magazine
and then P.C. Magazine I make a decision. =HELP=!!!???!!
I've narrowed it down to seven systems... <geez> The
newspaper and it's Monday business section is there and I
quit. I see that Epson Equity I is $995 (complete) and I
say, "WOW.. neat".
I speed down to the dealer (who also sells IBM, COMPAQ,
and Apple) and soon learn that "due to the special deal,
there is a two week wait, etc,etc" and as is all too true
still in the computer world he was only able to
=CORRECTLY= answer about 50% of the questions about the
Epson system. Would you buy a used Camel this man?) A
friend asks "Have you checked with our (the company I work
for) employee price on our IBM compatible??"
"No", I answer since the last time I checked our price was
about $2800 for the $4000 system.
"Well" he says, "call our telemarketing and check on
today's prices".
I did.... THANK GOD they were out of Epsons! (Does an
AT&T 6300 with 512K and one floppy and a TEN meg rigid
drive plus a color monitor -and- MS-Dos 3.1 as well as GW
BASIC for..... are you ready??)
$1260 <<= put a pucker in the ole purse string?? <Damned
straight!> I lied again earlier, you know. The reason
why I wanted to get into the IBM compatible section is
things like a 30 Meg hard drive (with controller) for
$490... Try getting the same break on our Apples.
I'm still smiling (as I type this out on the BBS Apple
//e). My IBM compatible will be arriving in three weeks.
Carrier Detect - Issue 5 - page 13
It's GREAT!! But I'll never forget my =FIRST= love (and
best love) the Apple. No one ever forgets their first
love..... but how many wound up married to it??
(chuckle... trick question, I know)
I'm =STILL= an Apple BBS sysop.... don't =EVER= forget
it.... not ever! And The RainForest BBS is staying the
way it is. I like it that way. I, however, will be
expanding my horizons.... that's the way life is.
---
Steve Schneider is the System Operator of RainForest BBS
in Cooper City, Florida. He can be reached at his BBS,
(305)-434-4927.
B Y T E L I N E
Fast facts, tips, comments and rumors on all kinds of
computer related topics.
* BYTELINE
By Tom Garcia and Michael Crosson
WORD PERFECT is beta testing a new version of their OFFICE
program. It has been almost five years since that one was
revised or updated. The new one will include their nice
"slim & trim" word processor (Letter Perfect) plus
communications, a basic spreadsheet, database, FAX
program, file manager,
etc.
WINDOWS 3.1 (release version) will not have a REAL MODE is
the latest rumor. One that I find hard to believe..... I
guess everyone and their brother has seen one or another
of the beta versions of 3.1 by now. Each version was
better and the final version (for sale to the public)
should be very well debugged.
WORD PERFECT FOR WINDOWS (everything installed) takes up 9
megs of HD space.
OS/2 Version 1.3 comes on 19 1.44 meg disks. To install a
"base" version (single user) you only use 8 of the disks.
DID YOU HEAR about Borland's demo of QUATTRO FOR WINDOWS
at Comdex? The crowd broke into applause/laughter when the
demo screen lit up with Unrecoverable Application Error.
PsL NEWS arrived (I should have written this up last month
but I ran out of time to do it) and said on page one,
Carrier Detect - Issue 5 - page 14
"Someday virtually everyone will be using Windows (or its
off-spring or future clones.)" If PC MAGAZINE had
tried to shove that down my throat I would have taken
offense but coming from Nelson Ford at PsL I have to sit
up and take notice. He is probably right. Sort of like the
old "DIESELS FOREVER" bumperstickers and patches that the
submarine guys had when nuclear subs first came into the
inventory. It was a losing battle.
PsL has had a new disk of WINDOWS utilities and routines
every month for the past six months now. The flood of
shareware and PD programs has really accelerated since the
introduction of Microsoft's Visual Basic last June. You
can get lots of interesting stuff from PsL such as
WinSpell which Ford calls "The best Windows spelling
checker" (it works inside any Windows application) to
---- WinRoach, "When you close or move a window on the
Desktop roaches scurry from under the window to hide under
other windows."
I THINK YOU CAN STILL get a free sample of PsL NEWS (I
think) by calling 1- 800-242-4775.
PC TOOLS 7.1 is out and all you should have received a
FREE update in the mail by the time you read this. Seems
CENTRAL POINT rushed the release of 7.0 and it was chock
full of BUGS. Call 1-800-445-4178 if you didn't get it.
SPEAKING OF PC TOOLS, I got a free copy of the latest
version with my INTEL 14.4EX MODEM. Not a bad promotion
eh? I already was a registered PC TOOLS owner, but
stopped upgrading after 5.5...the last version without
menu overkill. I think the promo is off but maybe INTEL
has extended it or replaced it with something similar.
I SURE LIKE THE software outfits that put a README file
(or something in the manual) telling what each file is and
does. Like Microsoft MONEY for WINDOWS. I like to delete
files I don't need to save disk space.
TWO WEEKS PASSED and no computer parts in the mail from
Florida. So, I called there and was told, "We have no
record of you having ordered anything from us." Called my
bank and they said my credit card had not been charged....
Guess I'll buy locally, thought I. Called store number one
and was put on hold for a long time. Gave up and called
store number two. I had recently received a flyer from
them (I seemed to remember) which listed controller cards
on sale. "Not here" they told me. Called Fast Micro in
Phoenix. "How fast can you get a controller card down to
Tucson?" I asked. "About a week" was the reply. . . )
UPDATE: Called them again on 4 Dec. to try again to buy
from them. They offered to ship by air but only charge
me for ground shipping. So, I decided to give them another
Carrier Detect - Issue 5 - page 15
chance. It's now 12 December and I have no parts. Called
Florida (800 number) Was put on hold briefly and listened
to a company promo that said, "Order by three PM and we
will get your order to you the next day via over night
shipping." The next time I'm going to order parts from
someone in California that ships Federal express.
MUSTANG SOFTWARE is offering registered Wildcat! sysops
the forthcoming QMODEM 5 at a greatly reduced price.
QMODEM 5 is scheduled to hit the stores before long and
will feature a built in QWK offline mail reader based on
SILLY LITTLE MAIL READER. Retail price is $99 but WC!
sysops can get a copy for $35.
UPDATE Number Two: The parts finally arrived from
Florida's Verticom. Took about 5 minutes to setup and
install the controller card. That confirmed that I have a
bad 1.2 meg floppy drive. Another five minutes to put in
the new drive. Sure glad I have a "flip-top" computer
case. ... The controller ($19) is a four drive job made in
China. It has such good markings on the board that I can
throw away the instruction sheet and will still be able to
reset the dip switch & jumpers five years from now for a
new combination of drives. The sheet is not all that hot,
as in: "The following is some drive blands for you
computer is setting." ... The no-name drive (the ad said
Chinon & maybe it is) ($55) works fine and formats 84
tracks, my normal setup via MaxiForm.
FROM OUR SECRET software testing laboratory in North
Dakota comes the following: "Stacker takes 23K of my
conventional memory. If I had the hardware card as well as
the software I'd lose less memory. Deleted the Stacker
program and not only gained 23K but my system speed
increased noticeably, back to the way it was before
Stacker."
FREE DEMO of Micrografx Designer - 1-800-659-2151.
FREE MEMBERSHIP & software from AMERICA ONLINE (nice BBS
with neat GEOS interface) call 1-800-827-6364, Ext. 5668.
TIMELINE 5.0 demo from SYMANTEC. 1-800-228-4122, Ext.
314P.
THE PRICE CLUB sent a folder on their Positive line of
computers. A 33MHz 386 at $2,999 looks to be about the
same (configuration & features) as a ZEOS that sells for
$400 more. Tax at the price club would run $210. I
don't know what ZEOS shipping charges would be.
INCREDIBLY FAST is what the Price Club sez about their
SONY CD ROM drive (It's probably 340ms or so, the average
CD speed). It is $450 for the internal version and $500
Carrier Detect - Issue 5 - page 16
for an external unit. Five free CD's come with it. It's
installed free in a Positive brand computer if you buy the
computer from them. The ad doesn't mention an interface
card for clone installation, ie., if an interface card
comes with the drive or not.
ONCE I GET a 720K 3.5 inch disk formatted to 1.44megs on
my desktop computer (the 1.44 drive has a switch that I
flip to fool the drive into thinking that the extra hole
in the disk shell is there when it isn't) I can use it in
my laptop at the higher density. Turns out that the only
thing you need the extra hole for is the FORMATTING. After
that it's a free ride.
WANT TO START WINDOWS without the welcome (logo) screen?
Do this: WIN : and make sure there is a space between the
WIN and the colon. Won't start any faster but at least
it's a little different for a change.
FREE DEMO disk of Q&A Ver. 4.0 database program
1-800-228-4121, Ext. 104-D. Upgrade price from 3.0 has
been reduced to $79.
FREE DEMO disk of MATHCAD Ver. 3.0 - 1-800-MATHCAD.
FREE DEMO disk dBFast for Windows 1-800-645-3003. From
Computer Associates.
FREE DEMO of Freelance Graphics for Windows by Lotus.
Call 1-800-872-3387 if you want one.
THERE ARE 15,000 beta testers out there for WINDOWS 3.1
plus a number of others who are "volunteer" testers, ie.,
got their copy some back door way... There is a
compatibility problem when you run WINDOWS 3.1 with DR
DOS 6.0 and I wonder if Microsoft did it that way on
purpose?
WORD 2.0 for WINDOWS tends to crash (itself and WINDOWS)
when checking spelling in 1.1 files that have been loaded
into 2.0. Fortunately, its mostly documents that have
footers, not any others.
SEIKO has upgraded their label printer to the Smart Label
Printer Plus and they have a free demo disk (which I
suppose runs a little movie about the product.) Call
1-800-888-0817. Buy the product by 1/15/92 and get a free
copy of Instant Recall.
F E E D B A C K
I am interested in getting as much feedback as
Carrier Detect - Issue 5 - page 17
possible regarding Carrier Detect and welcome suggestions
or any other comments you may have. If you are a software
publisher or shareware author and want to submit your
program for possible inclusion in future issues you are
welcome to do so. Finally, if you are interested in
writing an article or review, please let me know!
Prospector BBS - The Home of Carrier Detect
(916) 921-9949, 24 hours, 2400 to 14.4K (v.32bis)
First call access to Carrier Detect Related Files and
shareware programs reviewed in the current issue.
Home Mailing Address:
811 San Juan Road #199, Sacramento, CA 95834
P R O D U C T I N F O R M A T I O N
Following is product information for the products
reviewed in this issue of Carrier Detect. If you are
interested in purchasing or evaluating any of the products
please note the publisher's address listed below. In
addition, all current shareware programs featured in
Carrier Detect will be made available to first time
callers on the Carrier Detect Support BBS.
BOYAN COMMUNICATIONS
distributed as shareware
version 5.0
registration - $60 with typeset manual or $40 without
published by - Boyan Communications
P.O. Box 71
Woodstock, MD 21163
Phone Orders: (301) 805-7168
Fax Orders: (301) 805-7168 22#
Support BBS: (301) 730-2917
A D V E R T I S M E N T S
Advertisments cost $15 dollars for a each issue (3
months). If you are interested in placing an
advertisment, please contact me through the US Mail or my
BBS system.
Carrier Detect - Issue 5 - page 18
