CD-ROM Aktiv 1/CDA1_96.ISO/novell/tapnews.141

Text File | 1995-10-24 | 22KB | 469 lines

________________________________________________________________________
TAPCIS News                     28-Sep-95                           #141

                              IN THIS ISSUE

NEWS ABOUT TAPCIS

   When Changes & Fixes Are Needed
      -- Problems Resolved with ZD Net and "Requested page not found"
      -- Tymnet users need temporary fix for T6COM.EXE
   Replacement BQUOTES.SCR for Stock Quotations
   Are You Using an IBM XT or Other 8088/8086 Machine?

COMPUSERVE NEWS

   New Name, Lower Pricing for ZiffNet
   KEVIN & KELL Online Comic Strip
      -- Available in the TAPESP Forum, Lib 2/Goodies!

TIPS FOR TAP

   Turn Screen Echo Off to Improve Online Performance (and save money!)
   Quick Release Your Messages
   Recommended files
      -- TAPSPELL.ZIP Spelling checker for TAPCIS 6.0
      -- UNDELETE.SCR Undelete CompuServe Mail

EDITORIAL

   Will TAPCIS 5.43 Be Updated?

COMPUSERVE HAPPENINGS

   Member Disability Survey

NETWORK NEWS

   Lower Surcharges for CompuServe Israel

FORUM NEWS

   New CIS: Forums:
      Agriculture Forum (CIS:AGFORUM)
      Apogee Forum (CIS:APOGEE)
      Association Vendor Forum (CIS:AFORUM)
      Broderbund Online Forum (CIS:BBFORUM)
      ETV Forum (CIS:ETV)
      Internet France (CIS:INETFR)
      IBM Internet Forum (CIS:IBMINET)
      Kids Students Forum (CIS:STUFOC)
      Software Marketing Forum (CIS:SWSHOP)
      UK Information Technology Forum (CIS:UKIT)
      UK Vendor A Forum (CIS:UKVENA)
      Windows Users Group Network's Forum (CIS:NTWORK)
      Women's Wire Forum (CIS:WWFORUM)

   CompuServe Forum Changes:
      Holistic Health Forum (CIS:HOLISTIC)
      Pet Products Forum (CIS:PETPRO)
      UK Communications Forum CIS:UKCOMMS)
      UK Computing Forum (CIS:UKCOMP)

Purpose:  To help create an online community that demonstrates the best
          that human beings have to offer.
________________________________________________________________________

--- NEWS ABOUT TAPCIS ---

Publisher's note: TAPCIS 6.0 is the current version; you do not need to
read the following article or get a temporary fix version of T6COM
unless you use Tymnet. The following article describes how we handle
updates and fixes, using some recent examples.

                      When Changes & Fixes Are Needed

Recently, ZD Net (aka ZiffNet) introduced a new "TOP" menu. This menu
used a different structure and prompt than the menu that was used
before. TAPCIS 6.0 could not log in if the MAIL forum was held (H) in
the Out box. Also, scripts and services that went through the TOP menu
would not execute.

To address this problem as it evolved, "fix" versions of T6COM.EXE were
made available. However, ZD Net has now restored the old menu. Seems
there were other problems with the menu... such as the formatting of the
text... and it wouldn't let you log off!

In another case, there was a period of a day where every time people
logged into CIS, they would see an error message "Requested page not
found!". This also was a CompuServe bug. Fortunately, TAPCIS 6.0 was
able to automatically work around this problem and continue normally.

However, customers logging into CIS through the Tymnet network are still
experiencing some problems sending and receiving MAIL. Apparently, the
Tymnet/CIS link is somehow dropping the linefeed character in certain
places. This has been identified as a Tymnet/CIS problem; it is not
something that is TAPCIS specific. We are working with CIS to have it
fixed; in the meantime, those people using Tymnet can use a temporary
replacement T6COM.

***   If you are using or plan to use Tymnet, you must update your
      version of T6COM at this time. Download T6COM.ZIP and unzip it
      into the TAPCIS directory, replacing the old copy of T6COM.EXE.
      This file is available in the registered users Library 9 of the
      TAPCIS Forum, as well as Lib 3/Pre-release in the free TAPESP
      Forum (to be used by Extended Service Plan members to download the
      revision free of standard connect time charges).

Problems such as the ZD Net change, the Tymnet incompatibility, and the
"Requested page not found" spurious error message are frustrating for
everyone. Our policy in such cases is to work with CompuServe to see if
a fix is coming and how long will it take them to implement the fix. We
will post a status report and a "pre-release" or "fix" version as
appropriate. If the problem is a permanent one that TAPCIS will need to
work around, we will release an official update to address it as quickly
as possible.

If a problem affects a broad range of TAPCIS customers and is likely to
last for more than a day, we will send out a special bulletin to the
TAPNEWS mailing list. If you are not a participant in the Extended
Service Plan (and therefore do not receive TAPNEWS directly), you will
want to monitor Message Section and Library 16/TAPNEWS in the forum
where we also post such status reports and new version notices.

We do expect to publicly release 3-4 new versions of TAPCIS for DOS over
the next year. At least one of these will be mandatory, due to changes
coming in CompuServe's forum software.

               Replacement BQUOTES.SCR for Stock Quotations

CompuServe changed the stock quote area that used to be called "Basic
Quotes" to a new area called "Current Quotes." Stock quotes are no
longer free as they were under basic services. Instead, they are based
on connect time.

Using the replacement BQUOTES.SCR script found in Lib 1/TAPCIS of both
the TAPCIS and TAPESP Forums, you can have TAPCIS 6.0 get stock quotes
for as many ticker symbols as you want, for as low a cost as possible.
Remember, you will need the new BQUOTES.SCR; the version of that file
shipped with TAPCIS 6.0 will no longer work.

            Are You Using an IBM XT or Other 8088/8086 Machine?

We discovered an incompatibility between the T6COM online module in 6.0
and IBM XT and other 8088/8086 class computers. The fix for this
requires a separate version of T6COM for those machines. If you need
this version, please drop us a MAIL message. We'd like to gauge the need
for this version, since it is highly likely that future versions of
TAPCIS for DOS will require a 80286 (IBM AT) or greater system.


--- COMPUSERVE NEWS ---

                    New Name, Lower Pricing for ZiffNet

ZD Net and ZD Net/Mac are the new names for ZiffNet and ZiffNet/Mac.
Although the ZD Net and ZD Net/Mac membership fee remains at $3.50 per
month, the hourly connect-time charges have been reduced to match
CompuServe's new pricing plan. The $9.95 per month standard CompuServe
membership fee includes five hours of free connect-time, with additional
time billed at $2.95 per hour. A $24.95 plan that includes 20 free hours
with additional connect-time at $1.95 per hour is available for those
that use the service more frequently (GO CIS:CHOICES). Free hours may be
used on ZD Net.

Beginning October 1, 1995, ZD Net and ZD Net/Mac members can access
Computer Database Plus without any connect-time surcharges. The first
five documents members download each month will be free of charge as an
added benefit. After that, additional articles will cost only $1 each.
This pricing only applies to ZD Net and ZD Net/Mac members.  CompuServe-
only members will continue to pay the $15 per hour surcharge and up to
$2.50 per article. To check your current billing plan, GO CIS:CHOICES.
Questions about the new rates should be posted in Section 5/ZD Net
Changes in the ZD Net Support Forum (CIS:ZDHELP). To access ZD Net, GO
CIS:ZDNET. To access ZD Net/Mac, GO CIS:ZMAC.

                       KEVIN & KELL Join CompuServe

Meet Kevin, a middle-aged professional rabbit who runs the Herbivore
Forum on CompuServe. Kell, his wife, is a wolf, a professional predator
for Herd Thinners, Inc. Kevin and Kell met and fell in love on
CompuServe. KEVIN & KELL is the first comic to be syndicated in
cyberspace. It will be available in CompuServe Forums, just like the
funny pages in a newspaper.

Bill Holbrook is the creator of KEVIN & KELL. His "On the Fastrack" has
appeared in hundreds of papers for over 12 years. He also writes and
draws "Safe Havens", both for King Features Syndicate. Stop by the
Funnies Forum and you can talk with Mr. Holbrook (CIS:FUNFOR).

KEVIN & KELL is carried by over 40 different forums on CompuServe,
including the TAPCIS Extended Service Plan Forum, Library 2/Goodies,
where ESP members can download the strip free of standard connect time
charges. We will be making available the prior week's worth of comics
all at once on Saturday.


--- TIPS FOR TAP ---

Turn Screen Echo Off to Improve Online Performance (and save money!) ---

   Watching the information as it flows to and from CompuServe is fun.
   It gives you a sense of how fast the information is being exchanged.
   However, this data is now coming in so fast at modem speeds of 14400
   and above that echoing the text to the screen can slow down your
   online session!

   Especially when you run TAPCIS in a window, you want to turn off this
   screen echo to save online time and money. You can do this at any
   time during the online session by pressing [Ctrl+E], which toggles
   the echo off and on. To turn the echo off by default, use Setup |
   Parameters | Connect, and uncheck the [_] Screen echo box. In certain
   circumstances, this can double or triple the throughput.

Quick Release Your Messages ---

   When you are writing a new message or reply using 6.0 and the
   internal editor, you can quickly release the message for posting by
   pressing [Alt+R] (which is a shortcut for [F7] from the editor, and
   then pressing the [Release] button in the dialog). Two other useful
   editor quick keys are [Alt+H] to hold the message and [Alt+D] to
   discard the message.

   Around our company, we use a macro to sign and release a message.
   From the editor at the bottom of a message (before you sign your
   name), press [Ctrl+F10]. Then type your signature, and press [Alt+R]
   to release the message. Press [Ctrl+F10] again. You might save the
   signature & release keystrokes under "2". Then, when editing the next
   message you want to sign and release, simply press [Alt+2]. You must
   use the "2" across the top of the keyboard, not the one on the
   numeric keypad.

   By the way, it is called "releasing" rather than "sending" because
   the message is released for posting the next time TAPCIS connects to
   CompuServe. We'd like to offer another button in a future version to
   "Send" the message immediately, starting or utilizing an online
   session in the background to deliver the message right away.

Recommended file: TAPSPELL.ZIP - Spelling checker for TAPCIS 6.0 ---

   Would you like to use a spelling checker with TAPCIS 6.0's editor?
   Download TAPSPELL.ZIP, use PKUNZIP to extract the files into your
   TAPCIS working directory, and then use [Alt+K] when you have finished
   writing a message to do the spell check.

   Registered users can download TAPSPELL.ZIP (192K) from Lib 9/
   *Registered users (TAPCIS Forum). ESP members can download the file
   free of connect time charges from TAPESP Forum, Lib 1/TAPCIS. There
   is no extra charge for the use of this spelling checker with TAPCIS
   6.0. The dictionary and spell check programs require 381K of disk
   space. See T6SPELL.INF once you unzip the files for more information.

Recommended file: UNDELETE.SCR - Undelete CompuServe Mail ---

   Here is a simple script that will "undelete" your CompuServe Mail.
   When TAPCIS sets the MAIL options online, it tells CompuServe to keep
   deleted messages around for a few days by activating the undocumented
   "RETAIN" feature (see TAPNEWS.101 in Lib 16/TAPNEWS). If you want to
   undelete your mail, you can use the UNDELETE ALL command when
   interactive in MAIL, or execute the UNDELETE.SCR script.

   First, download the script from Lib 2/Scripts & tools of the TAPCIS
   Forum and place the file in your Scripts directory. To execute the
   script automatically during the next online session, use Other |
   Special actions [Sh+F4], choose 'Execute script', specify the script
   name UNDELETE.SCR, and choose MAIL as the forum. Use Connect | Out
   box [O] to execute the script. All available CIS Mail will be
   restored. How long a particular deleted message is archived by
   CompuServe is quite variable. You should not count on this feature
   keeping mail for more than a day or so.

   The next time online, all the undeleted MAIL will be in your mailbox
   (up to a maximum of 100 messages). You might want to use Setup | Mail
   to tell TAPCIS to "Scan all" rather than reading everything. Then you
   can mark the mail headers, use [E] to erase the ones you don't need
   to read again, and [R] to read those that you do.


--- EDITORIAL ---
                       Will TAPCIS 5.43 Be Updated?

One of the reasons that TAPCIS 6.0 took so long to develop is that we
could not "build" upon the programming that had been done in TAPCIS
5.43b. The old version of TAPCIS was written in Pascal, using certain
techniques that made it fast and compact, but very difficult to revise
and extend. It had reached a point where even minor changes would likely
require major internal restructuring.

It makes some logical sense to try and maintain TAPCIS 5.43b for those
customers running on slower or memory limited machines, for those that
prefer the 5.x approach, and for those that have not had the time or
inclination to learn 6.0. Unfortunately, that isn't an option from a
practical standpoint.

Already the "short" library catalog listings do not work in 5.43b, due
to a significant CompuServe software change in the listing format.
Adapting to such changes in the 6.0 programming code is straightforward
(short listings work fine in 6.0). Such is not the case with 5.43b.

We are aware of a long series of enhancements and changes coming from
CompuServe over the next year that will increasingly render TAPCIS 5.43b
obsolete or even unusable. Some of these changes are simply impossible
to retrofit into TAPCIS 5.x. Therefore, we intend to focus our update
efforts on TAPCIS 6.0 for DOS and Windows.

We cannot give you a timeframe for when 5.43b will stop working. We will
try to communicate that news to you via this newsletter and the forum
when the time comes, but how much notice we can give usually depends on
CompuServe's *actual* implementation schedule, and when we are allowed
to discuss forthcoming changes publicly (and they don't always allow us
to tell you as much in advance as we'd all like).

It is this situation that makes us nervous when people say that they
will wait to upgrade until they are forced to do so. If you start now to
learn 6.0, you can continue to use 5.43b for your daily work, and to ask
questions in the TAPCIS Forum. If you wait, you may be forced to learn
6.0 at a time when it may not fit your schedule conveniently. It is up
to you, of course. We just want to make sure you are aware of what is
"coming down the info highway" over the coming months.

Rick 76701,23
TAPCIS Publisher


--- COMPUSERVE HAPPENINGS---

                         Member Disability Survey

If you are physically challenged or have a physically challenged person
in your household who uses the computer you might want to take a few
minutes of your time to take the Member Disability Survey (GO
CIS:MEMSURV). With your feedback and ideas, CompuServe will learn how to
make its Information Service easier to use.

--- NETWORK NEWS ---

                  Lower Surcharges for CompuServe Israel

CompuServe Israel has reduced communication surcharges to $15 per hour
for all access speeds and added 14.4 bps access. For more information on
the reduction, call CompuServe Israel at [phone] or GO CIS:LOGON
for CompuServe log-on instructions and telephone access numbers
worldwide.

--- FORUM NEWS ---

                              New CIS: Forums

Farmers, ranchers and others interested in agriculture and rural living
can discuss grasses, grains, livestock, dairy operations, youth
programs, and cooperatives in the Agriculture Forum (CIS:AGFORUM).

Press releases, editors, and utilities for Apogee and 3D Realms action
games are available in the Apogee Forum (CIS:APOGEE).

The American Home Business Association and the United States Taekwondo
Union are two of the associations participating thus far in the
Association Vendor Forum (CIS:AFORUM). Section 22/Other Associations is
available for the participation of all others who have not yet
registered for support in the forum.

Hints, tips, and support for Broderbund products such as Alien Tales,
Math Workshop, Amazing Writing Machine, Prince of Persia, and Spelunx
are offered in the Broderbund Online Forum (CIS:BBFORUM).

Have a favorite television show? ETV Forum (CIS:ETV) is the place to go
to discuss the show with other members. Sections for late night TV,
sitcoms, prime time dramas, court TV, commercials, the Emmy Awards,
cartoons, music television, and home shoppers give anyone that watches
TV a place to hang out.

Ask questions or comment on IBM Internet products for MS Windows 3.1,
the OS/2 V2 Operating System platform, Web Servers, or the MS/DOS
Operating System platform in the IBM Internet Forum (CIS:IBMINET).

Internet France (CIS:INETFR) is a French language forum specializing in
the Internet, but also covers culture, politics, and questions about
France.

The Kids Students Forum (CIS:STUFOC) is designed for kids up through 12
years of age. Places to visit in the forum are HomeSchool World, Lets Be
Friends, When I Grow Up, Computer Magic, and The Silly Place. In
addition you will find academic topics including Art and Music, Reading
and Writing, Arithmetic and Math, Science and Health, and Social
Studies.

The Software Marketing Forum (CIS:SWSHOP) offers product information,
feature and function descriptions, company information and ordering
instructions for Autoskill reading and math products, Intechnica
literacy products, Sinper TM/I Spreadsheet products, and PAL/MED
products including patient care information, administration systems and
revenue tracking.

The UK Information Forum (CIS:UKIT) covers all aspects of UK Information
Technology including Windows, Windows 95, OS/2, DOS, graphics,
multimedia, games, UK specific computers like Acorn and Amstrad, and
Telecoms including mobile phones with online support from Hutchison
Orange.

Pace Modems, Apex Data, US Robotics UK, Psion Dacom Modems, Traveling
Software, Western Systems, Datasoft, Eden Group, and Secure Computing
support their products in the UK Vendor A Forum (CIS:UKVENA).

Setup and configuration of NTWorkstation and related hardware and
software issues are discussed in the Windows Users Group Network's Forum
(CIS:NTWORK).

Resources, information, and conversation about women's health, fitness,
careers, finance, and politics, are the focus of the Women's Wire Forum
(CIS:WWFORUM).

                         CompuServe Forum Changes

The Holistic Health Forum (CIS:HOLISTIC) has been renamed the Natural
Medicine Forum (CIS:NATMED). The forum offers an online resource for
learning preventive measures to stay healthy, non-Western methods of
healing and health care, healthy eating, living longer, and even
holistic pet care.

The Outdoors Network (CIS:OUTDOORS) is expanding to seven forums. The
Great Outdoors Forum (CIS:OUTFORUM) is the original home for outdoors
related information and images. It contains sections and libraries on a
wide range of outdoors topics including camping, skiing, nudism, caving,
metal detecting, and other topics not covered in the various Outdoors
Network specialized interest forums. Those special interest forums
include: Fishing Forum (CIS:FISHING), Hunting Forum (CIS:HUNTING),
Cycling Forum (CIS:CYCLING), Firearms Forum (CIS:FIREARMS), Scouting
Forum (CIS:SCOUTING), and Earth Forum (CIS:EARTH). A Skiing Forum will
open soon.

The Pet Products Forum (CIS:PETPRO) has split into Pet Products A Forum
(CIS:PVENA) and Pet Products B Forum (CIS:PVENB).

UK Communications Forum (CIS:UKCOMMS) and UK Computing Forum
(CIS:UKCOMP) have closed. Two new forums have opened to take their
place, UK Information Technology (CIS:UKIT) and UK Vendor Forum A
(CIS:UKVENA).

                Quotes of the Day From S9/Registered Users

"The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of
comfort or convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and
controversy." --Martin Luther King Jr.

"The greatest power is often simple patience." --E. Joseph Cossman

"We too often love things and use people when we should be using things
and loving people." --Reuel Howe

________________________________________________________________________
TAPCIS News is a publication of Support Group, Inc., the publisher of
the CompuServe access program "TAPCIS 6.0". TAPCIS(R) is a registered
trademark of Support Group, Inc.

If you have questions or want more information on TAPCIS, please contact
us via CompuServe Mail or:

Support Group, Inc.,          Phone 1-800-USA-GROUP (872-4768)
Lake Technology Park,               1-301-387-4500  (9am to 5pm Eastern)
McHenry, MD 21541 USA           Fax [phone]
CompuServe 74020,10             TDD 1-301-387-7319  (Answering Machine)

Suggestions for future TAPCIS News issues should be directed to:

Richard P. Wilkes 76701,23    Bonnie R. Thomas 75300,2444
Editor/Publisher              Managing Editor

         Entire contents Copyright (c) 1995, Support Group, Inc.
               CIS:TAPCIS Forum, file TAPNEWS.141, Lib 16.