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───────────────┬─────────────────────────────────────────────┬───────────────
│ Type 2/0 Forum │
│ Edited by Sam (1@4051) │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────┘
Have a comment? Got a beef? Wanna issue long-overdue kudos? Here is the
for it! Send your letters/comments/questions to Sam, 1@4051, for publication
in WWIVNews.
───────────────┬─────────────────────────────────────────────┬───────────────
│ TO: Be or Not TO: Be │
│ By Dawg (1@2121 │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────┘
(The following email was submitted by Dawg (1@2121))
Okay Sam, you asked for it. :) Actually most of what follows I've voiced on
the various SysOp subs in response to not only Sam but many others who have
fought against the inclusion of a "TO:" field. First and foremost I agree
with the number one point made by those people, "Email shouldn't be placed in
a public forum." However, this is far from a perfect world, and WWIV is far
from the only software out there. If WWIV is to achieve any market at all in
the Fido community (which is far bigger than WWIVnet could ever hope to be),
it must conform to the standards of the software that's already out there.
Does that mean those standards are the best? Not hardly, but they are the
established standards, and WWIV/Wfido are the new kids on the block. You might
say, "why do I care if WWIV is Fido compatible?" I asked the same question of
myself, I don't run Fido, so why do I care? I care because it will further
the development of WWIV. If WSS reaches a point that it's no longer making
money developing WWIV, does anyone actually think they'll continue to work on
it? I might point out something that Frank Reid mentioned that I did see as a
good point. There are occasions that "public email" can serve a good purpose.
The C Programming echo is very high volume on Fidonet. If I have a specific
question regarding some code I could post my query there and allow someone to
answer me in public. Yes the answer could've been emailed, but what if I'm
not the only one with that question? The answer could be benefiting many
people, yet with the volume on the echo if it's not "TO" me I might not ever
see it. How many times do you think JAFO or the Asylum group answers the same
question(s) in email? I know I've had it happen quite a bit and none of my
mods/programs are nearly as popular as what they've written. A suggestion
from Andy Stewart (aka Unca Scrooge, author of the many Dreamware doors), over
a year ago was to implement the "TO" field on Fido message bases only. Would
be extremely easy for Wayne to implement and should make everyone happy. If
you aren't running any Fido type networks, you don't have to worry about it,
but the support is there in case you do. Can anyone give me a good reason not
to do this? WFIDO is already being distributed in the accessory packs, so why
do Fido halfway? This to me is a great way to solve things. Will it happen?
Only time will tell, but from this perspective it seems like good business for
WSS to me.
-=■=-
───────────────┬─────────────────────────────────────────────┬───────────────
│ Future WWIV Upgrades │
│ By Pug (WWIVnet 1@11750) │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────┘
Most WWIV sysops agree that WWIV needs to catch up with the rest of the BBS
industry in order to become a major product. However, WWIV always seems one
step behind. After finally receiving a RIP interface, almost a year after
most other BBS software supported RIP, the interface was buggy and didn't work
very well. WWIV still has very limited Internet capability, and NGTRANS
doesn't even have UUCP support.
WWIV has always been somewhat "behind the times." A new release, very soon,
with new & improved menus & prompts, a good RIP interface, a built-in
full-screen editor, as well as better support for Frontdoor would do WWIV
wonders. I have almost no doubt that WWIV will eventually get these things,
but probably not for a couple more years. It needs them now! By the time
WWIV actually receives the updates necessary, there will be a dozen more out
there that it doesn't have yet.
Take a look at any other good BBS software, such as Wildcat. All of them
have built-in full screen editors. We have WWIVEdit, a decent editor in all
respects, but it has to be downloaded separately. It's also not
multitasker-friendly yet. I think WWIVEdit should be incorporated directly
into WWIV, and if that's not possible, at least distributed with WWIV, already
set up in INIT.
Filo's menus have become somewhat old. The menus aren't all that bad, but
compared to some of today's better ones, they aren't much to look at. The
color selection isn't very pretty, either. WWIV needs new menus. WWIV also
needs better capability to incorporate ANSI menus rather than just heart-code
ones. Sure, ANSI menus can be used in WWIV, but how successfully? Scrolling
goes beserk. The menus don't pause properly. I've asked Random if he plans
to add a fix for this in the future, but the answer was that it was too
difficult. At the very least, a feature should be added to incorporate the
30-40 extra pausescr()'s required if you're using ANSI menus. It could be
toggled by an "ANSI_MENUS" variable in WWIV.INI. This would even allow
unregistered sysops to use external ANSI menus properly.
I'm only going to briefly touch upon RIP. It's widely known that hardly
anyone is happy with the way RIP turned out. Problems I've had include it not
detecting remote menus for those with less than 9600 baud modems, crashes
happening even after installing 4.24a, ugly menus, and ANSI scattered around.
It is my opinion that the ANSI prompts shouldn't be visible in RIP mode. I
know the prompts are there to let users see what sub/dir they're currently in,
but can't WSS figure out a way to do this with RIP?
There is also the Internet issue. With the release of NGTRANS, some say that
WWIV has Internet capability. Perhaps it does, but most sysops prefer to use
UUCP, which NGTRANS doesn't have support for. Right now I'm using the Waffle
BBS software to do Internet dial-outs, and then W-UUCP to transfer data with
Waffle. This was one heck of a pain in the butt to set up, but it works
better for me than NGTRANS, and the setup is FREE, not $100 like NGTRANS.
It's my personal belief that WWIV needs software with full UUCP capabilities,
perhaps this should be added to NGTRANS.
Last, but definitely not least, WWIV needs a way to edit keys from WWIV.INI
or something similar. I know a lot of new sysops are turned off by the way
WWIV needs to be registered and recompiled to change ONE simple key on the
main menu. If there were a way to change the functions of keypresses, it
would be a big plus. An idea I had is something like this:
O = LOGOFF
G = GFILES
could be changed to:
O = GFILES
G = LOGOFF
This would be MUCH more flexible! Doors could even be added to the main menu
in ways like:
G = EXT("C:\WWIV\LOGOFF.EXE");
The format I show here is just an idea, but I think it could work.
If you like any of these ideas, e-mail someone at WSS today and push to have
WWIV upgraded soon! Let's have WWIV be a mainstream BBS for once, rather than
second best!
-=■=-
───────────────┬─────────────────────────────────────────────┬───────────────
│ Filo's Mod of the Month │
│ by Filo (1@4000) │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────┘
The Mod of the Month is selected by Filo and represents his choice of what
appears to be the most promising mod posted during the past month on Mod Net
(subtype 2370). UUencoded mods are not considered for selection as part of the
mod of the month due to the difficulty of including them in the WWIVnews. Mods
which involve the use of related files such as ENHANCE.C, or any of the
various COMMON type files are also not considered due to the amount of space
required to include them here. Many of these mods have NOT been tested by
Filo and are selected based on their description as a promising, practical
mod.
This month's selection is written by Papa Bear.
┌────────────────────────────A CEREBRUM RELEASE!─────────────────────────────┐
│ Mod Name: SPV-005C.MOD Mod Authors: Pâpâ ßêâr (1@11579.wwivnet) │
│ Difficulty: ▓░░░░░░░░░ First .... [12/04/92] │
│ WWIV Version: 4.24/a Last ..... [11/13/95] │
│ Files Affected: MMENU.C LILO.C FCNS.H │
│ Description: Ask first and second time callers if they wanna delete their │
│ own accounts after getting a quick look about the BBS... │
│ ALSO: Adds /G for fast logoff. (Some of my users prefer that way...) │
╞═────────────────────────────────────═╤═───────────────────────────────────═╡
│ StarPort Valhalla [ ] - ASV 28.8kbps Home of the SPV mod series! │
└─────────────────────────────────────═╧═────────────────────────────────────┘
>>> OFFICIAL WWIV SUPPORT SITE! <<<
Word of Warning: You installed it, you're responsible! Make back─ups BEFORE
attempting to install this modification! Read all text before beginning.
─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
LEGEND:
== Original code [use this to search on]
++ Add thes lines [mods ALWAYS add stuff, don't they?]
-- Remove these lines [either comment out, or delete altogether]
─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
LONG DESCRIPTION: This one's kinda obvious. If a person doesn't like what
they see about your BBS, well, then, they can delete their own accounts. Helps
keep your user list "uncluttered" by keeping the "one time callers only"
people outta there!
"B" revision:
o Updated code for WWIV version 4.24
"C" revision:
o More code streamlining.
o Added /G for fast logoff
To upgrade: Replace function in STEP 1, redo STEPS 3, 4 and 5
─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
STEP 1: Add this function to the end of LILO.C
// SPV-005C.MOD BLOCK COPY START
void call_again(int mode)
{
char stemp[81];
if (numbatchdl!=0) {
nl();
outstr(get_string(1324));
if (ny())
batchdl(1);
}
if (!mode) {
nl();
prt(5,get_string(28));
helpl=12;
if (!yn())
return;
}
write_inst(INST_LOC_LOGOFF,0,INST_FLAGS_NONE);
if (thisuser.logons<3) {
outchr(12);
printfile("CALLAGAN.MSG");
if (ny()) {
deluser(usernum);
sprintf(stemp,"2%s6 chose to delete their account.0",
nam(&thisuser,usernum));
sysoplog(stemp);
ssm(1,0,stemp);
}
}
if (!mode) {
outchr(12);
if (rip_on())
random_screen("goodbye");
outstr(get_string(29));
pl(ctim(timer()-timeon));
#ifdef RIPDRIVE
rd_coff();
#endif
existprint(get_string(1036));
}
hangup=1;
}
// SPV-005C.MOD BLOCK COPY END
─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
STEP 2: Make a file in the GFILES directory, and call it CALLAGAN.MSG/.ANS
Mine looks like this:
1 Since you've had a small chance to look around the BBS, I'd like0
1 to know if you want to delete this account. (This question is only asked0
1 on your first and second calls ONLY. After that, we stop bugging you. <G>)0
5 ENTER=NO -- I'd like to keep this account. I'll call back soon!0
6 Y=YES and means account deletion. I don't wish to call back.0
─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
STEP 3 : Open up MMENU.C. Replace the entire case 'O': with this
// SPV-005C *REMOVE THIS BLOCK*
-- case 'O':
-- if (numbatchdl!=0) {
-- nl();
-- outstr(get_string(1324));
-- if (ny())
-- batchdl(1);
-- }
-- nln(2);
-- prt(5,get_string(28));
-- helpl=12;
-- if (yn()) {
-- write_inst(INST_LOC_LOGOFF,0,INST_FLAGS_NONE);
-- outchr(12);
-- if (rip_on())
-- random_screen("goodbye");
-- outstr(get_string(29));
-- pl(ctim(timer()-timeon));
--#ifdef RIPDRIVE
-- rd_coff();
--#endif
-- existprint(get_string(1036));
-- hangup=1;
-- }
-- break;
// SPV-005C *REMOVE THIS BLOCK*
++ case 'O': // SPV-005C
++ call_again(0); // SPV-005C
++ break; // SPV-005C
You'll find case 'O': twice, make sure to replace both.
─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
STEP 4: Replace the /O command block in *both* void mainmenu(void) void
dlmainmenu(void) with this one: (two replacements will be made)!
// SPV-005C *REMOVE THIS BLOCK*
-- if (strcmp(s,"/O")==0) {
-- if (numbatchdl!=0) {
-- nl();
-- outstr(get_string(1324));
-- if (ny())
-- batchdl(1);
-- hangup=1;
-- } else
-- hangup=1;
-- }
// SPV-005C *REMOVE THIS BLOCK*
++ if ((strcmp(s,"/O")==0) || (strcmp(s,"/G")==0)) // SPV-005C
++ call_again(1); // SPV-005C
─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
STEP 5 : Add the following line to FCNS.H
== /* File: lilo.c */
== void getuser(void);
== void logon(void);
== void logoff(void);
++ void call_again(int mode); // SPV-005C
Close FCNS.H
─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
STEP 6 : RECOMPILE THAT WHOLE PUPPY!
─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
As always, if you need help, hollar. If you're using this mod, hollar.
This mod is copyright 1992-1995 by Tracy Baker, aka Papa Bear, and is
distributed as freeware. Permission is granted to distribute and post this
mod on BBS systems and online services, provided no alterations are made
(removal of message headers/taglines allowed). This mod may contain some
parts of WWIV source code, which is copyright 1988─1994 by Wayne Bell and
licensed only to registered users of WWIV. Use of WWIV source without
registration constitutes a license violation and could lead to legal
prosecution and certain doom.
Shareware distributors and CD─ROM publishers may not distribute this mod
without express written permission of the Author or WWIV Software Services.
-=■=-
───────────────┬─────────────────────────────────────────────┬───────────────
│ Dear Abby │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────┘
[Got a letter for Abby? Send it to me, and I'll see that she gets it, and that
your letter along with her response get published in the next WWIVNews!]
───────────────┬─────────────────────────────────────────────┬───────────────
│ Technical Section Help │
│ Help with OS/2 │
│ Sam (1@4051) │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────┘
(While surfing the Net, I came across an FAQ that contained many useful tips
and tricks for working with OS/2. I have included the ones I think will be
most-helpful for WWIV Sysops. I am in hopes that some people using Windows 95
will be able to submit a similar article for the next issue of WWIVNews.)
This section covers tips and tricks which affect the system in general.
Topics in this section:
Keeping applications from restarting at boot
Shutting down without a mouse
Rebooting from the command line
Finding settings for original objects
Controlling order of execution in Startup folder
Backing up the *.ini files
Removing device drivers for better performance
Speeding up some IDE drives
Getting memory back from unused caches
Dealing with OS/2 !! SYS messages on boot
Restoring last desktop backup
Viewing *.inf files more conveniently
Using less memory for DOS images
Booting OS/2 in full-screen mode
Completing shutdown
Adjusting your swap file
Loading a DOS device driver into high memory
Fixing "locked" INI files
Determining if you have a buffered UART in your computer
Viewing the Nowhere subdirectory
Backing up INI files in the background
Caching your cdrom drive
Resetting Boot Manager to have no default partition
Booting DOS from a C: partition within OS/2
Resetting the boot record
- Keeping applications from restarting at boot
- When OS/2 is started, it automatically opens applications which were open
during the last OS/2 session. To keep applications from restarting on
boot, you can use either the manual or automatic method.
- Prevent restarting manually:
- To prevent applications from restarting during boot, hold down the Ctrl,
left Shift, and F1 keys at the same time, beginning when the mouse
pointer appears until the icons begin appearing on the desktop. If you
find that disk activity stops, you may have to release the keys and then
quickly hold them down again.
- Prevent restarting automatically:
- Placing the line
SET RESTARTOBJECTS=STARTUPFOLDERSONLY,REBOOTONLY
into your CONFIG.SYS file will prevent any applications which had been
open in the last session from opening, but will allow programs in the
Startup folder to open. (this line may be order-dependent on some
systems).
- Shutting down without a mouse
- To shut OS/2 down without a mouse, press Ctrl-Esc to bring up the Window
List, choose the Desktop, press the Spacebar to deselect any icons, press
Shift-F10 to pop up the Desktop's menu, choose Shutdown.
- Rebooting from the command line
- To reboot OS/2 down from the command line, type SETBOOT /B Note: this
method only works with Boot Manager installed. If you are not using the
Boot Manager, type SETBOOT /IBD:<drive> where <drive> is the
letter of the drive or partition to which you wish to boot.
- Finding settings for original objects
- The settings for all of the objects which were created upon installation of
your OS/2 system are contained in the INI.RC file, located in the \OS2 sub-
directory. Those handy with REXX and the external REXX utils can use the
information contained in the INI.RC file to rebuild the original OS/2
objects.
- Controlling order of execution in Startup folder
- You can control the order in which objects in your Startup folder execute.
Open the Startup folder in either Flowed or Non-flowed view. Drag objects
or their shadows into the Startup Folder in the order you want them to
execute.
- Backing up the *.ini files
- Much of your system's customization is stored in two files, OS2.INI and
OS2SYS.INI. To back up these important files, add the following line to the
beginning of your CONFIG.SYS:
CALL=<drive1>:\OS2\XCOPY.EXE <drive2>:\OS2\OS*.INI
<drive3>:\<path>
where
<drive1> is the letter of the drive in which XCOPY.EXE is found,
<drive2> is the letter of the drive in which the *.ini files are
found, and <drive3> is the letter of the drive in which you would
like to locate the backups of the *.ini files
Note: The 2.11 CSD adds the System attribute to OS2.INI and OS2SYS.INI. In
order for this tip to work, you should use XCOPY's /T /R /O switches at the
end of the CALL command above.
- Removing device drivers for better performance
(contributed by Jack Tan)
- If you aren't using the DOS subsystem, you can improve performance by re-
moving DOS-specific device drivers from loading in your CONFIG.SYS (they
generally begin with the letter V). The same applies to Win-OS/2, HPFS,
CD-ROM drivers as well.
- Speeding up some IDE drives
(contributed by Jack Tan)
- Try adding switches to the BASEDEV=IBM1S506.ADD line:
BASEDEV=IBM1S506.ADD /A:0 /U:0 /SMS
and use /V to see if the /SMS works (/V = verbose). This is supposed to
speed up IDE drives that support this feature; otherwise, it will be
ignored. (note: the switches above affect the first drive on the first
adapter in the system -- for more information on the switches, search for
"basedev" in your online OS/2 Command Reference)
- Getting memory back from unused caches
(from the OS/2 2.1 Technical Reference)
- You can increase available resources by disabling unused caches. If you are
running an HPFS-only system, remove (or REM) the DISKCACHE line in your
CONFIG.SYS file. Similarly, if you are running a FAT-only system, remove
(or REM) the IFS=<drive>:\OS2\HPFS.IFS line in your CONFIG.SYS.
- Dealing with OS/2 !! SYS messages on boot
(contributed by Jack Tan)
- The error message: OS/2 !! SYS01475
OS/2 !! SYS02027
means that the system files can't be found. Try removing any diskettes from
the disk drives. If this message appears when trying to boot from a hard
disk, use SYSINSTX to restore the OS/2 system files.
- Restoring last desktop backup
(contributed by Jack Tan)
- To make the Alt-F1 trick restore your last desktop backup instead of the
(ugly) default, replace the CONFIG.SYS, OS2.INI, and OS2SYS.INI in
\OS2\INSTALL with the files from your last backup. Make sure to save the
original files in \OS2\INSTALL before replacing them.
- Viewing *.inf files more conveniently
(contributed by Jack Tan)
- Here are two tips to make viewing OS/2 *.inf files more convenient:
1. Put several INF files together using a plus sign. On the command line
(or 'Parameters' field of the settings notebook), enter something such as:
e.g., <drive>:\BOOKS\FILE1.INF+<drive>:\BOOKS\FILE2.INF+
<drive>:\BOOKS\FILE3.INF.
The pathnames aren't necessary if the file is in a directory specified by
the HELP environmental variable.
2. You can assign the book names to an environmental variable:
e.g., SET FILE=<drive>:\BOOKS\FILE1.INF+<drive>:\BOOKS\FILE2.IN
F+
<drive>:\BOOKS\FILE3.INF
and execute VIEW.EXE using the variable name (e.g., VIEW FILE).
- Using less memory for DOS images
- When you load a DOS image file (Virtual Machine Boot, or VMB), the entire
diskette image is loaded into memory. Since the files on the DOS image
diskette don't take up much room themselves, much of the memory used for the
diskette is wasted. Therefore, in order to regain memory when loading the
specific DOS session, try using double-density diskettes to make your DOS
images, instead of high-density diskettes.
- Booting OS/2 in full-screen mode
- You can boot OS/2 in full-screen mode, and still retain Presentation Manager
support for multiple sessions:
Change:
SET RUNWORKPLACE=<drive>:\OS2\PMSHELL.EXE in your CONFIG.SYS file
to:
SET RUNWORKPLACE=<drive>:\OS2\CMD.EXE /FS
where <drive> is the drive on which OS/2 resides. Create the file
STARTUP.CMD in your OS/2 boot drive's root directory. STARTUP.CMD should
contain the following lines:
@ECHO OFF
START /FS
EXIT
- Completing shutdown
-If shutdown seems to "hang" at the first shutdown message box, this trick
sometimes works. Press the Ctrl-Esc keys. Wait for about a minute. In many
cases, a dialog box will pop up telling you that the Workplace Shell isn't
responding to system requests, and will give you the choice of clicking on
Enter to end the application, or Cancel. Click on the Enter box. The
shutdown usually proceeds normally.
- Adjusting your swap file
-If you have disk space to spare, you can adjust the default startup size of
your swap file (SWAPPER.DAT) to improve system performance. The default
startup size of SWAPPER.DAT is set in your CONFIG.SYS file with the line:
SWAPPATH=<drive>:\<path> <minfree> <swapsize>
where <swapsize> is the default startup size of SWAPPER.DAT. To adjust
the startup size for better performance, monitor the size of the SWAPPER.DAT
over the course of a normal day's work. A third-party utility for monitoring
swap file size makes this task a bit easier. Note the maximum size that
SWAPPER.DAT reaches during normal usage. Change the <swapsize>
parameter of SWAPPATH to reflect at least the maximum swap file size you
noted (<swapsize> is measured in kilobytes). A word of caution: You
MUST have enough free drive space to use this tip. If the size of the
<swapsize> parameter violates the amount needed for the <minfree>
parameter, your system will not boot.
- Loading a DOS device driver into high memory
(contributed by Xavier Caballe)
- In order to load a DOS device driver into high memory in a particular DOS
Session:
Open the settings notebook for the DOS object.
Choose the Session tab.</li>
Click on the DOS Settings button.</li>
Highlight the DOS_DEVICE setting.</li>
Add 'SIZE=0' (without quotes) before the path and filename for the device
driver to load in high memory. For example:
SIZE=0 C:\OS2\MDOS\ANSI.SYS
In this example, the ANSI.SYS will be loaded in the high memory area (if
available).
- Fixing "locked" INI files
(contributed by Jack Tan)
- If your INI files (OS2.INI and OS2SYS.INI) stop saving system changes, they
may have been marked read-only. To reset the read-only attribute, change to
your \OS2 subdirectory. Type attrib -r os2*.ini at an OS/2 command prompt.
You may have to shutdown and reboot. Note: if using OS/2 2.0, you may have
to boot OS/2 from your installation floppies in order to reset the
attributes.
- Determining if you have a buffered UART in your computer
- A buffered UART (such as the 16550AF chip) is often necessary for error-free
serial communications in a multitasking environment. To determine if your
computer has a buffered UART, open an OS/2 command line session. Type
MODE COM<i>x</i>
where x is the number of the serial port you wish to check. A list of cur-
rent settings for the serial port should appear. If the line
BUFFER=N/A
appears, you do not have a buffered UART. If the BUFFER line contains any-
thing other than N/A, you have a buffered UART.
- Viewing the Nowhere subdirectory
- Note: this trick does not appear to work in OS/2 Warp. Ever wonder what the
subdirectory called Nowhere on your OS/2 boot drive is? The Nowhere sub-
directory is a place where transient objects are stored. Since each dir-
ectory represents a folder, you can view the Nowhere directory, and watch
object appear and disappear in it. Bring up the desktop's popup menu by
clicking once on the desktop with mouse button 2. Choose Find. In the entry
box next to "Folder:" type
<drive>:\
where <drive> is the letter of the drive on which OS/2 is installed.
Click on the Find button. All of the objects in the root directory of your
OS/2 drive should appear in a folder. Open the folder named "Nowhere."
(Note: you may have to open it in Icon view via its popup menu, depending
on how your system defaults are set.) You should see some objects in your
open Nowhere folder. Caution: Do not manipulate any of the objects in the
Nowhere folder! Simply observe! Try opening and closing folders on your
desktop; you should see objects appear and disappear from the Nowhere
folder. When you are done watching the Nowhere folder, close it, then feel
free to delete the Find Results folder, since the objects in it are only
shadows, not the actual objects.
- Backing up INI files in the background
(contributed by Jorge Omar)
- If you would like to backup your OS2.INI and OS2SYS.INI files in the back-
ground during the boot process, create an OS/2 batch file named BACKINI.CMD:
ATTRIB -S <drive>:\OS2\OS2*.INI
COPY <drive>:\OS2\*.BK1 <drive>:\OS2\*.BK2
COPY <drive>:\OS2\OS2*.INI <drive>:\OS2\*.BK1
ATTRIB +S <drive>:\OS2\OS2*.INI
where <drive> is the drive on which OS/2 resides. Note: the ATTRIB
command is only needed for systems running OS/2 2.11 and higher. Open the
Templates folder. Drag off a program template and place it into the Startup
folder. A Settings notebook should open. In the Path and File name box,
fill in the necessary information for BACKINI.CMD. Click on the Session tab.
Place a checkmark next to Start Minimized. Close the Settings notebook. A
variation of the above BACKINI.CMD uses XCOPY switches rather than using
ATTRIB to reset the System attribute. BACKINI.CMD:
XCOPY <drive>:\OS2\*.BK1 <drive>:\OS2\*.BK1 /T /R /O
XCOPY <drive>:\OS2\OS2*.INI <drive>:\OS2\*.BK1
Note: the files OS2.BK1, OS2.BK2, OS2SYS.BK1, OS2SYS.BK1 must exist in
<drive>:\OS2\ before this will run!
- Caching your cdrom drive
- You can adjust the read cache for your cdrom drive. In your CONFIG.SYS, you
can add a switch to the end of the cdrom IFS line:
IFS=<drive>:\OS2\CDFS.IFS /C:<number>
where <drive> is the drive on which CDFS.IFS is located,
<number> is the number of 64K segments used for the cache. The de-
fault is 2, or 128K (2 x 64K = 128K).
- Resetting Boot Manager to have no default partition
(contributed by Jack Tan)
- Boot Manager can boot to the partition from which the system was last
started, but once you select a default partition from which to boot in
Boot Manager, you lose the ability. To reset Boot Manager so that it has no
default value, issue the following command at an OS/2 prompt:
SETBOOT /0:
- Booting DOS from a C: partition within OS/2
- You can create a Virtual Machine Boot to boot real DOS from the C:
partition, rather than the typical floppy boot if you are running a Boot
Manager system with real DOS on the primary (C:) paritition. Point the
Virtual Mahcine Boot at the C: partition by setting DOS_STARTUP_DRIVE to C:.
OS/2 must be installed on a logical drive.
- Resetting the boot record
(contributed by Jack Tan)
- If your boot record should become damaged, you can reset your boot record
by typing the following at an OS/2 prompt:
FDISK /NEWMBR
-=■=-
───────────────┬─────────────────────────────────────────────┬───────────────
│ Classified │
│ Ads │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────┘
A new feature here in WWIVNews is the Classified Ads Department. It's a place
where utility authors can let everyone know about their most-recent offering
to WWIV. This issue is a little skimpy due to negative replies, but look
forward to a more-complete list next time.
(Note to shareware/utility authors: If you would like you products listed
here, please include a *brief* description of them <including registration
fee, if any> and I will be happy to include them in the next issue, due out
around March).
-=■=-
───────────────┬─────────────────────────────────────────────┬───────────────
│ On the Lighter Side │
│ A Compilation by Sam (1@4051) │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────┘
-= Poking Fun at MicroSoft =-
A pilot is flying a small, single-engine, charter plane with a couple of
really important executives on board into Seattle airport. There is fog so
thick that visibility is 40 feet, and his instruments are out. He circles
looking for a landmark and after an hour, he is low on fuel and his passengers
are very nervous. At last, through a small opening in the fog he sees a tall
building with one guy working alone on the fifth floor.
Circling, the pilot banks and shouts through his open window, "Where am I?"
The solitary office worker replies, "You're in an airplane." The pilot
executes a swift 275 degree turn and executes a perfect blind landing on the
airport's runway five miles away. Just as the plane stops, the engines cough
and die from lack of fuel. The stunned passengers ask the pilot how he did it.
"Simple," replies the pilot, "I asked the guy in that building a simple
question. The answer he gave me was 100% correct but absolutely useless;
therefore, that must be Microsoft's support office and from there the airport
is three minutes away on a course of 87 degrees."
Updated slogans for Windows 95
Windows 95 -- Windows 95 -- Plug and *PRAY* O/S
Windows 95 -- Yesterday's technology tomorrow!
Windows 95 -- Windows 3.2... Wow OS/2 2.0 for DOS
Windows 95 -- You start me up. You make a grown man cry.
Windows 95 -- What? You bought it?
Windows 95 -- It's just a DOS shell
Windows 95 -- The biggest thing until Windows 95.1
Windows 95 -- The name that says "Built-in obsolescence."
Windows 95 -- It sucks less
Windows 95 -- Does the same thing; it just looks prettier
Windows 95 -- open for another money-making sequel
Windows 95 -- Copious RAM and storage not included
Windows 95 -- Bring '70s DOS technology into the 21st Century
Windows 95 -- Getting bucks from schmucks
Windows 95 -- Just like MacOS '84
Windows 95 -- Even faster than Microsoft Word 6!
Windows 95 -- Are we done yet?
Windows 95 -- It's just an operating system
Windows 95 -- Better than a Pet Rock
Windows 95 -- A new religion
Windows 95 -- It's still not a Mac
Windows 95 -- Buy OS/2 instead
-=■=-
-= Poking Fun at Intel =-
Q&A: THE PENTIUM FDIV BUG
Q: How many Pentium designers does it take to screw in a light bulb?
A: 1.99904274017, but that's close enough for non-technical people.
Q: What do you get when you cross a Pentium PC with a research grant?
A: A mad scientist.
Q: What's another name for the "Intel Inside" sticker they put on Pentiums?
A: The warning label.
Q: What do you call a series of FDIV instructions on a Pentium?
A: Successive approximations.
Q: Complete the following word analogy: Add is to Subtract as Multiply
is to:
1) Divide
2) ROUND
3) RANDOM
4) On a Pentium, all of the above
A: Number 4.
Q: What algorithm did Intel use in the Pentium's floating point divider?
A: "Life is like a box of chocolates." (Source: F. Gump of Intel)
Q: Why didn't Intel call the Pentium the 586?
A: Because they added 486 and 100 on the first Pentium and got
585.999983605.
Q: According to Intel, the Pentium conforms to the IEEE standards 754
and 854 for floating point arithmetic. If you fly in aircraft
designed using a Pentium, what is the correct pronunciation of "IEEE"?
A: Aaaaaaaiiiiiiiiieeeeeeeeeeeee!
Top Ten New Intel Slogans For The Pentium
9.9999973251 It's a FLAW, Dammit, not a Bug
8.9999163362 It's Close Enough, We Say So
7.9999414610 Nearly 300 Correct Opcodes
6.9999831538 You Don't Need to Know What's Inside
5.9999835137 Redefining the PC -- and Mathematics As Well
4.9999999021 We Fixed It, Really
3.9998245917 Division Considered Harmful
2.9991523619 Why Do You Think They Call It *Floating* Point?
1.9999103517 We're Looking for a Few Good Flaws
0.9999999998 The Errata Inside
The Top Ten Reasons To Buy A Pentium Machine
10. Your current computer is too accurate.
9. You want to get into the Guinness Book as owner of most expensive
paperweight
8. Math errors add zest to life.
7. You need an alibi for the I.R.S.
6. You want to see what all the fuss is about.
5. You've always wondered what it would be like to be a plaintiff.
4. The Intel Inside logo matches your decor perfectly.
3. You no longer have to worry about the CPU overheating.
2. You got a great deal from J.P.L.
1. It'll probably work...
-=■=-
-= A Christmas Song for You Programmers Out There =-
better !pout !cry
better watchout
lpr why
santa claus <north pole >town
cat /etc/passwd >list
ncheck list
ncheck list
cat list | grep naughty >nogiftlist
cat list | grep nice >giftlist
santa claus <north pole > town
who | grep sleeping
who | grep awake
who | grep 'bad|good'
for (goodness sake) {
be good
}
-=■=-
───────────────┬─────────────────────────────────────────────┬───────────────
│ Closing Thoughts │
│ Editor's Notes by Sam (1@4051) │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────┘
Here's an original I wrote just for this issue. Bear in mind I'm not a poet.
Back up your sense of humor before proceeding.
'Twas the night before Christmas and all through the net
The phone lines were waiting, the boards were all set.
The modems were waiting plugged into their jacks
Their sysops awaiting to show of their hacks.
The hard drives set spinning away in their bays
With visions of new uploads coming their way.
The phone finally rang, and I went bizerk
Alas not a caller but just the network
From inside my room there came such a clatter
I sprang from my chair to see what was the matter
I sat in my chair and I turned on the screen
Unpacking local.net, I saw a damn ping.
I muttered bad words as I watched Stripit work
Cleaning this ping sent from some lousy jerk.
I counted my blessing, recalling the past
"It could have been worse- it could have been Kaz." :)
Having been stripped of it's ill-smelling grubs
Network unpacked all it's email and subs
And what to my wandering eyes did appear
A policy for which we've all been waiting years
A present from Wayne sent to all in the net
All but for one, and man did he fret.
His days of wild pinging had come to an end
How long it would till the rules he would bend
Still most all are happy, no longer abused
By the ping-happy sysop who's whining's ensued
But to no avail as Wayne has stood steadfast
WWIVNet once again is a blast.
From all of us out here in WWIVNet
To Wayne and Filo and Jon and the rest
A huge heartfelt Thank You is well on it's way
For stopping the pings from coming our way
And from WSS, to all you in sight
Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night!
-=■=-
┌───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ Closing Credits │
├───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ WWIVNews is an independent newsletter published every two-three months as │
│ a service to the WWIV community of sysops & users. The opinions & reviews │
│ expressed herein are the expressed views of the respective writers, & do │
│ not necessarily reflect those of the WWIVNews staff. Reproduction in whole│
│ or in part is allowed provided credits are given. All rights reserved by │
│ WWIVNews, and all articles are copyright of their respective authors. │
├───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ The source site for WWIVNews is Sam's BBS (409-729-1319 or 729-1418) │
│ WWIVNet Node @4051. Requests for information regarding articles & other │
│ editorial submissions, as well as back issue requests and the WWIVNews │
│ Writer's Guide, can be sent E-Mail to the WWIVNews editor, c/o 1@4051 │
├───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ WWIV and WWIVNet, copyright 1986,1996 by Wayne Bell │
│ Any product or company mentioned or reviewed herein are copyrighted of │
│ their respective owners, creators, and other corporate pseudoentities. │
└───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
..... Did you know that Mr. Spock had not two, but _three_ pointed
ears? A left ear, a right ear, and a final front ear ...