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Randys Rumor Rag 1993 04
RAndY s RumOR RaG
April 1993
WINCIM - WAOL
I've never subscribed to CompuServe for a variety of reasons.
Having watched people us it, it looks extremely complicated and
confusing to navigate the system.
A while back, they came up with a DOS-based front end which
shielded the user from command prompts, similar to GEnie's Aladdin
program.
Windows freaks can now use WinCIM, a Windows-based version of
the CompuServe Information Manager. Since I don't subscribe, I
haven't been able to use the software but I have looked at it. It
appears to be very well done. There are provisions for doing time
consuming tasks off-line (such as creating or responding to mail).
The program only costs $25 and you then get $25 of credit on the
system. It's a good deal and will get one more piece of DOS
software off your system.
America Online subscribers also have new Windows software
available for accessing the system. The America Online Windows
version is quite colorful and offers similar functionality to
WINCIM. You can write mail offline and even customize one of the
pulldown menus for the areas of the system you visit frequently.
AOL charges $3 for the software and it's certainly worth it.
---------------
NEWS IN YER FACE
WordPerfect 5.2 for OS/2 is now in the beta testing stage and
is scheduled for a second quarter release. This will have a
feature set similar to the Windows product and will take advantage
of multi-threaded background printing, drag and drop, and Workplace
Shell integration. The company continues work on WordPerfect 6 for
OS/2, which will be a 32-bit multi-threaded product that is highly
integrated with the Workplace Shell.
---------------
In other WordPerfect news, word has it that they're going to
kill off PlanPerfect. Domestic sales have slowed to a crawl and
more than 40% of the user base is overseas. The company sees no
need to upgrade the product but will continue to support existing
users.
---------------
Microsoft is working on an update to Access already. Due out
in the spring, the new release will feature an increase in the
maximum database file size, direct connectivity to FoxPro data,
direct access to Oracle and Sybase SQL Server databases, and
improvements in Word for Windows mail-merge capabilities.
---------------
Subscribers of GEnie now have the option of 800 number access.
For just $6 per hour, call 1-800-362-1296 and the number for 9600
baud is 1-800-847-5260 (regular 9600 rates).
---------------
Looks like the Pentium will finally see the light of day. It
is due to be released by the time you read this, but don't expect
to see systems until early summer. Meanwhile, Intel is planning a
$1 billion plant for "next-generation" microprocessors with the
winning site to be announced in July.
---------------
Microsoft may be hot with Windows, but one of their DOS
products needs help. Word for DOS sold only 289,000 copies in
1992, behind #2 Wordstar with 335,000 and #1 WordPerfect with more
than 1 million copies shipped.
---------------
Compaq is planning a multi-processor server with architecture
that will accommodate up to SIX PENTIUM processors! It will start
with four processors and be upgradeable to six by 1994.
---------------
BIG DOS 6 ROLLOUT
Microsoft is gearing up for the rollout of DOS 6 (as this is
published) to the tune of $7 million. This will be the largest
single product rollout in the company s history.
A special "60 Days to Upgrade Your World" promotion will mean
a suggest retail price of $49.99 until May 31. DOS 6 will ship in
six configurations: an upgrade, a multi-license pack, and 3-, 10-,
18-, and 100-pack units.
Retailers are wondering if they can achieve the same success
as they did with DOS 5 because it is not a technological leap from
DOS 5.
Although Microsoft and Stac Electronics remained engaged in
litigation over disk compression technology, the integrated
DoubleDisk technology will remain in the product (the dispute is
over a compression optimization facility).
---------------
MORE NEWS IN YER FACE
The second beta version of Windows NT has shipped. New
features include fault tolerance, built-in file, print services and
user-level security. They've also added TCP/IP including 32-bit
mail and scheduling based upon MAPI.
---------------
Apple's John Scully recently announced that he is not
available or interested in becoming chief executive for IBM.
---------------
Media Vision has released an enhanced version of the Pro Audio
Spectrum 16 card which adds voice recognition of 300 words, a
microphone, and new bundled software. The voice recognition
software, ExecuVoice, lets users control Windows through voice
commands. Audio compression and decompression (4:1) has been
added. MIDIsoft Recording Session (Windows-based sequencer) and
Sound Impressions (professional digital editing package) are also
being bundled with the card.
---------------
WordPerfect and IBM recently decided to exchange technology
and collaborate on development projects to improve interoperability
between workstation products and operating systems.
---------------
Who's designing the tasteless ads for computer stuff lately?
Last year we saw the tacky Logitech advertisements with a urinating
baby - now Video Seven is doing it.
New advertisements for Video Seven's video accelerator show a
side view of a computer urinating into a cup. The copy suggests
that the card is so fast you may have to take a special test.
It's not cute - it's tasteless. Enough already...
---------------
Owners of Media Vision's new ProMovie Spectrum should contact
Media Vision if they have not received an addendum to the owner's
manual. Seems that the original manual had the wrong DIP settings
and there are reports of hard drives being erased.
---------------
The "586" designation is not dead just because Intel came up
with the Pentium name. Both AMD and Cyrix will stick with the x86
naming convention, using "586" somewhere in their names. Said Jim
Chapman of Cyrix, "There's nothing wrong with continuing with the
x86 [naming] tradition. We have a 64-bit superscalar processor in
design".
---------------
Who's playing with the numbers in Redmond? Microsoft will
upgrade both Word 2.0 for Windows and Word 5.1 for Macintosh to
Word 6.0 in one big jump.
---------------
Software Publishing is pushing Borland to use their Multimedia
Player technology in their products. Word is that they'll license
Borland for a small fee and stick it to Microsoft for an exorbitant
rate.
---------------
The Commerce Department has backed off the stiff penalties it
proposed in October 1992 against Korean DRAM producers for alleged
chip dumping.
---------------
After congratulating Bill Gates on his engagement, Lotus
executive John Landry joked that Microsoft would do *anything* to
upstage a Lotus event.
---------------
WORD PROCESSOR WARS TO HEAT UP
It's time for another round of DOS word processor wars. It's
been three years since WordPerfect made any major changes to their
flagship DOS product - and Microsoft will soon be upgrading Word
for DOS.
Due to be released June 22, WordPerfect 6 for DOS will include
a graphical user interface, customizable button bars, and pull-down
menus. WYSIWYG editing will also be available when the product
finally ships. Other features include dialog boxes, on-screen fax
capabilities, sound and voice annotation, new font options, and the
ability to have nine documents open on-screen at a time. They will
also include Grammatik which they picked up with the acquisition of
Reference Software. The F1 key will now be help to more closely
conform to industry standards (but you'll be able to specify a
version 5.1 keyboard during installation).
Microsoft will ship a new version of Word for DOS in either
late March or early April. Look for fireworks.
---------------
OS/2 2.1 SOON
IBM is declining to set a firm release date, but sometime soon
you'll finally see version 2.1 of OS/2.
Included in this new release will be support for Windows 3.1,
Multimedia Presentation Manager/2, advanced CD-ROM and SCSI
support, support for more display drivers, an easier installation
process, and the 32-bit graphics engine we've been waiting for.
I have no idea of the upgrade price, but IBM promises to load
the distribution channel before beginning massive advertising.
---------------
SPREADSHEET WARS
Look for another round of spreadsheet wars in the near future.
Beta testers recently received Release 4 of 1-2-3/W (another big
version jump). Included will be a new consolidated WK4 format
containing data and formatting information. That means macros,
charts, and multiple worksheets are stored together and can be
embedded as an OLE object. Another feature is a pulldown bar for
@ functions like Quattro Pro. This new version could ship in April
or May.
Meanwhile, Excel 5.0 is expected to ship in September. This
new version will include a "pivot" feature that lets users see
different data views. There will be a new macro language based on
an internal project code-named Object BASIC. There will be a new
query tool (replacing Q+E).
Borland also plans to update Quattro Pro sometime in 1993.
---------------
PENTIUM NEWS
Intel is working on a version of the Pentium (for release in
1994) which will be a plug-and-play solution on the desktop for
less than $10,000.
Intel plans to ship 10,000 Pentium chips during the second
quarter. They're working on clock speeds ranging from 60 MHz to
100 MHz along with developing a 3.3 volt version and a Pentium-
based Overdrive chip (P24T) for upgrading 486-based computers.
A chip code-named P54M will plug into a new Intel-specified
socket and work in tandem with a Pentium processor. Vin Dahm,
vice-president and general manager of Intel's Microprocessor
Division said that dual processing on the desktop will come next
and Intel is developing onboard multiprocessing features in a new
Pentium chip.
---------------
GOOD NEWS - BAD NEWS
There's plenty of activity at WordPerfect these days. I guess
I should start with the bad news.
WordPerfect Corporation will soon unveil a plan to defray the
cost of their toll-free technical support. WordPerfect executives
recently revealed that they can no longer afford to provide free
support to all customers. They're looking into a variety of
alternatives including fax-back services and putting some of the
burden of support on resellers.
According to company president Alan Ashton, "Toll-free support
is good for simple and intermediate users who have technical
questions, but given the falling prices...can we afford to extend
free support to everyone, including those setting up sophisticated
networks?" Also being considered is weeding out unregistered users
and those with pirated software.
The good news is that WordPerfect 6 for DOS will ship in the
early summer and the shape of Version 6 for Windows is becoming
more apparent.
The Windows product plans to include OLE 2, although
developers are not sure it can be done in time for their self-
imposed deadline of the end of 1993. They're also working on
technology to allow networked users to work on single documents
simultaneously.
You'll see a customizable button bar similar to the Version 6
DOS product. Also to be added are drawing tools borrowed from
their Presentations package. They will also include table and
calculating functions originally developed for the now defunct
PlanPerfect. A WordPerfect executive recently said that
WordPerfect 6 for Windows will have 80% of the functionality that
spreadsheet users depend on.
I hear you should expect an announcement soon of a Quattro
Pro/WordPerfect bundle; details are not yet available.
---------------
FASTER MODEMS
Work on the V.FAST standard for analog modem speeds should be
completed by the year's end with products reaching the market by
early 1994.
Under the current proposal, V.FAST would allow uncompressed
data to be transmitted at 28,800 baud (28.8K per second). When
used with data compression schemes, V.FAST promises to put analog
modems on a par with some digital technologies when it comes to
speed.
Vendors warn that one potential drawback to high speed
transmissions is that the modem can only run as fast at the serial
port it's connected to - so make sure you've got a 16550.
---------------
DIAMOND STEALTH
I've recently sold a few Diamond Stealth VRAM cards to people
hoping to speed up Windows. I finally had the opportunity to
install one myself so that I could see the difference.
This card is based on the popular S3 chip. There is only one
set of DIP switches to set and the documentation is quite thorough
both for that and setting up the software.
The software is installed through a single command. Software
is included for DOS applications that would benefit from faster
video - Lotus, popular word processors, and CAD programs. A
separate disk contains Windows drivers for various resolutions and
color combinations. The Windows drivers were written by Panacea,
the same folks that do Winspeed, so you know they re done well.
So how does it work? Well, it depends upon what you're doing.
Corel redraws were slightly faster, but scrolling text in a Windows
word processor were definitely faster. The cards in Windows games
really fly and moving things around on the screen is definitely
faster.
The question you have to ask yourself is "is it really worth
it?". For me, I think I'll pass. I think a better bet is either
an EISA card or, better yet, VESA local bus. If you have an ISA
bus, this is a good card for displaying 32K colors in Windows.
Expect to pay in the neighborhood of $250.
---------------
DOS 6 HERE
You've heard all the hype over this new release of MS-DOS, how
about some facts?
If you're expecting radical changes or some gorgeous graphical
interface to DOS, you will be disappointed. If you want better
Windows integration, improved utilities, and a bigger hard drive
then this is definitely worth checking out.
The manual that comes with DOS 6 is quite thin compared with
previous DOS manuals. I had to laugh at one section titled
"Upgrading from OS/2 to MS-DOS 6". They have a sense of humor
after all in Redmond.
Installation is simple and intelligent. You have the option
of installing Backup, Undelete, and Anti-Virus utilities for
Windows and/or DOS. Once you've shuffled the disks, the machine
will reboot and you can make sure that everything works OK. Once
satisfied that DOS 6 is working properly, use the DELOLDOS program
to zap your old DOS files.
If you install the Windows utilities, I recommend moving them
into the Windows subdirectory. At the same time, move the
MONOUMB.386 and VFINTD.386 files into \WINDOWS\SYSTEM and update
the appropriate paths in SYSTEM.INI (and PROGMAN.INI for
MSTOOLS.DLL).
Next, you might want to move the expanded files onto floppies
so you'll have them later if you need them. Then you can delete
the unnecessary files like APPEND, SUBST, and the other stuff you
never use. Now run MEMMAKER to optimize your memory configuration.
The machine will reboot a few times and you'll be presented with
information as to what has changed.
All the executable DOS files appear to have been compressed
with PKLite to further reduce hard drive space.
Running DBLSPACE to compress your hard drive is also a simple
procedure. You have the choice of an Express or Custom setup.
Either way, it will take a little while for the files to compress
depending upon how many files are there and what kind of files they
are (some compress more than others). Once the drive has been
compressed, it will run DEFRAG (Norton SpeedDisk) and you'll be
presented with information about the compression. My 105MB hard
drive compressed to 1.7:1.
So, how does it all work? It works very well. The
compression is totally transparent. I can't tell it's there,
unlike running Stacker with Windows (which slows things down
tremendously). The new utilities are much improved and I
especially appreciate two of them. DELTREE deletes subdirectories
and the files in them; MOVE will move files (rather than having to
go through a copy and delete procedure and can also rename
subdirectories). Windows seems to have a little more snap and we
can certainly use that. Those using Stacker and SpeedStor can
convert their stacked volumes to DOS 6 compression. A new option
called Tools is added to the Windows File Manager which gives very
basic information about your disk's compression.
The installation routines are so stable that you can turn off
your computer while it's compressing and it will pick up in the
same place when you resume. Also, any Windows INI files that are
changed are clearly REMarked so you know what changes have been
made.
Pressing F5 upon bootup lets you bypass CONFIG.SYS and
AUTOEXEC.BAT to give you "clean" DOS. Pressing F8 will give you
the option of executing CONFIG.SYS line by line. A new batch
language lets you organize multiple configurations in CONFIG.SYS
with provision for loading items common to all configurations (like
always loading HIMEM, etc.). When using this feature, you'll get
a menu before CONFIG.SYS processes and you can select which
configuration you want to load.
Also appreciated is the NUMLOCK=OFF command for CONFIG.SYS.
The manual is less than half the thickness of a normal DOS manual
because most of the documentation is on disk.
What don't I like about DOS 6? I hate the default prompt of
"$P$G". Fortunately it's an easy thing to get rid of.
I think they should have called this DOS 5.5, but it's still
a significant improvement if only for the disk compression. DOS is
getting better even though it's a slow journey.
---------------
GIMME A BREAK
I had heard this was coming and it arrived just before the
RaG's deadline.
If you're a registered user of a Microsoft Windows product,
you get a Focus on Microsoft Windows magazine from time to time
(usually when they want to sell you something). Included with this
issue is a disk containing the Upgrade Advisor. This software will
examine your computer and check for current versions of a variety
of software.
Running this Windows-based programs suggested I buy some of
their multimedia products as well as Word for Windows (since I'm a
WordPerfect guy).
Also included is a sample of the Visio program and the
TetraVex game from one of their Entertainment Packs. You also get
a special price for upgrades.
Cute but extremely self-serving . . .
=================================
DISCLAIMER
RAndY's RumOR RaG is published on a monthly basis by AINSWORTH
COMPUTER SERVICES and is available on various local BBS's, GEnie,
and America Online as well as in Modem News.
In case anyone cares, RAndY's RumOR RaG is produced on a DTK
386-33 with 16 megs of memory, Cyrix Fasmath co-processor, ATI VGA
Wonder+ card (1 MB), 105 MB Toshiba IDE hard drive, Teac 1.2 MB and
1.44 MB floppies, Pro Audio Spectrum 16 running a Hitachi 3750 CD
ROM drive, Sceptre SVGA display, Microsoft mouse, WordPerfect for
Windows and transmitted through a US Robotics HST Dual Standard
modem.
Opinions expressed are those of the author. Comments should
be addressed to Ainsworth Computer Services on GEnie, America
Online, phone, analog mail, or whatever method makes you feel good.
AINSWORTH COMPUTER SERVICES
605 W. Wishkah
Aberdeen, WA 98520-6031
(206) 533-6647
GEnie Address: RAG
America Online: RumOR RaG
