Here's what the critics are saying about Performance PLUS!
In the February issue of OS/2 Magazine - Performance PLUS was reviewed along with the industrial strength Performance Monitors. The review is a very positive one best described by the conclusion.
"Performance PLUS's modifications provide an excellent starting point for further performance tuning... Even if you need a high-end performance monitoring tool, I'd recommend getting a copy of Performance PLUS The additional utilities and the manual included with Performance PLUS make it a very useful package."
In the Federal Computer Week the OS/2 Mechanic says:
My immediate reaction was "Wow, these guys should change their name from Clear and Simple to Clean and Simple" since each utility is amazingly easy to use, is presented using the OS/2 Presentation Manager GUI, and features simple menus which add to the program's overall clean appearance.
Performance Plus gives you an "insider's view" of OS/2's myriad of system settings without overwhelming you with options and vague statistics on obscure internal system parameters.
...the average OS/2 user will appreciate the time and frustration it will save.
From the review of Performance PLUS V3 written by Geoff Hollander, Mail Pouch. The review concludes:
"The Performance PLUS tuning and utility kit is a definite must-have for both OS/2 novice and power user alike."
In the Feb, 1995 issue of the SWIPCC Inc. Journal, reviewer Andrew Gnoza states:
"I guarantee you'll come away knowing more about OS/2 from just scanning the book." "...IBM should buy the rights to this software and package it with OS/2."
In the May, 1995 Computer Connection - Monthly newsletter of the Rockland PC Users Group, reviewer Bill Chess states:
"The book alone justifies the price of the $40 utility package. You don't have to know much about OS/2 to profit from this package, but at the same time there is real meat here for the experienced user. The programs automate performance tuning and aid one's general understanding of OS/2 ...I recommend Performance PLUS as an extremely worthwhile addition to anyone's OS/2 toolkit."
1 9 9 5 E D I T O R C H O I C E A W A R D - O S / 2 M A G A Z I N E
Performance PLUS V3 was one of only 11 products chosen in 1995!
Award Criteria
Appropriate for use by a significant number of OS/2 Magazine readers
Found to be technically excellent and a good value.
Widely used and recommended by typical OS/2 Magazine readers.
Typify the value-added advantages of using OS/2.
Clear & Simple, Inc. P.O. Box 130 West Simsbury, CT 06092
Tel (860) 658-1204 Fax (860) 651-0354
PERFORMANCE PLUS V3
A Tuning Kit and Utilities for OS/2 Warp & 2.x
Designed for all OS/2 users. Performance PLUS simplifies POWER tuning for all OS/2 users. Simplified GUI interface makes tuning a snap. The Optimizer features a one button click to easily apply the recommended settings, but also lets you tinker with each setting to fine tune your system.
Extensive, context sensitive online help screens - "Teaches as you tune!"
DOS/Windows application tuning is new with this release. Drag a DOS or Windows program to the Performance PLUS DOS BlackBox, then select categories with a click. The DOS BlackBox creates an icon on the desktop with the optimum settings - it's that simple! BlackBox supports the OS/2 migration database of DOS settings and lets you tinker with the 55 individual DOS settings. It even clearly explains the meaning of all the parameters_with_impossible_ names like VIDEO_8514A_XGA_IOTRAP and MEM_INCLUDE_REGIONS.
More than tuning, this new release of Performance PLUS has utilities that simplify viewing OS/2 Bitmaps; Saving the WorkPlace Shell Desktop; Resetting Icons: Creating a single emergency boot diskette or partition; Monitor Swap file growth; Setup automatic file backup; Map your disk drives, and more!
Read on - view the sample screens and see the power and simplicity of Performance PLUS V3!
OPTIMIZER - this is all of the performance oriented Config.Sys parameters on a single screen! Newly updated for OS/2 Warp V3 the utility recommends values based on processor type, memory and clock speed. Recommendations vary by resources and by OS/2 version. Every field on the GUI page has a help panel associated with it - so it "teaches as you tune." All values are validity checked as you enter - so, tinker without fear of getting an invalid Config.Sys parameter. Or just click on one button to Set the Optimizer recommendations.
DOS Black Box - This utility, new to Performance PLUS helps you optimize the settings of your DOS/Windows applications. Just drag your DOS program to the BlackBox. Check 1 to 5 categories (Text, Graphical, Windows, Communications, Game, or Multimedia) and press the apply button. Your DOS/Windows program is placed on the desktop with the right settings applied. - Its that simple! Supports search of OS/2 migration database, and allows you to tinker with the 55 DOS settings - ilustrated with clear explainations.
SIMPLE COUNT - Simple Count is a simple measurement tool. New graphic design with a visually attractive appearance, features graphs of the statistics and displays bitmaps to measure video speed. Run before and after every tuning effort.
STATS - The reporting tool of Performance PLUS V3. Stats graphically displays the data collected by SimpleCount showing percent improvements (or decreases) in measured performance. Quickly identify performance bottlenecks.
VIEWBMP - Simplified OS/2 Bitmap viewing. Drag & drop up to 6 OS/2 bitmaps to the viewer for super-quick display. Additional drops will round-robin replace previous bitmaps. Click on one of the displayed bitmaps and a larger window pops up. Great for quick viewing of a the disk full of bitmaps included with Performance PLUS.
A great timesaver!
OS/2BOOT creates a single emergency OS/2 boot diskette or an emergency boot partition (new with V3). GUI front end for this rewrite from Performance 2.1 it detects the version of OS/2 from V2.0 through Warp V3. producing a single boot diskette and an optional second utility diskette that includes CHKDSK, Format, ATTRIB, FDISK and with Warp TEDIT (tiny editor).
AUTOSET is another timesaver. This utility creates program objects for your OS/2 Startup Folder. SimpleBAK, a utility from Performance 2.1 is one candidate. SimpleBAK searches directories for new or modified files and automatically makes backup copies for you at startup. AutoDsav (Automatic Desktop Save), when activated with AutoSet, puts a program into the startup folder to periodically (like once-a-week) save a copy of your Desktop. AutoSet will also simplify turning off HPFS Lazy write, for those systems that need maximum data integrity. (not recommended for performance reasons).
MAP (Disk MAP) is a simple utility that displays storage information about your disk partitions. Display includes Drive ID, Partition type (FAT, HPFS, CD-ROM), Total Space, Free space, Percent free, and Label. Graph the data with a single click to quickly identify free space. Run Map in the background to monitor space usage. Double-click on a drive-id to get directory space used.
SEESWAP - Small PM utility to monitor Swap file growth. Don't let a fragmented Swap file rob your system performance. Displayed at the upper right corner of the screen (or minimized) the SeeSwap monitor will check the Swap file for growth, display the values, and pleasantly beep when the size changes. With a single mouse click have SeeSwap update a new initial swap size for you.
DESKSAVE does just that - saves a copy of your OS/2 desktop - whenever you want. Save to a floppy diskette or a fixed disk partition. New GUI interface keeps you informed of copy status.
There's even more! Several command-line utilities from Performance 2.1 are included in V3 including the favorite ELIMDIR - deletes an entire directory structure with a single command; FREE - super quick display of volume free space; EASpace - calculates use of Extended Attribute space; MMD - make multiple level directories with a single command; and SetICON - for easy changing of icon associations.
PLUS - CPU MONITOR PLUS Very Lite by Bon Ami Software features real-time monitor!
All this PLUS a bonus diskette packed with spectacular OS/2 format bitmaps -
many designed by the OS/2 Evangelist David Barnes.
******* Written by Tony Pereira *******
*** 1994 OS/2 Pro of the year - OS/2 Professional Magazine ***
* * * * * Accredited by IBM I.V. LEAGUE * * * * *
* * * * * Recipient of IBM OS/2 Software Developer's Award! * * * * *
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