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Randys Rumor Rag 1994 04
RAndY's RumOR RaG
April 1994
CHICAGO UPDATE
I hear that Microsoft is having trouble deciding how to
package Windows 4 as they prepare to release a new beta.
Apparently they've floated trial balloons to see the desirability
of several versions which require different system resources
(versions which require more than the currently suggested 386 with
4MB).
Said one independent software vendor, "They're having
difficulties fitting what they want into 4 megs and making their
date, so their strategy is to have a mixture of components - here
is a minimum set that will fit in four megs and here's an add-on if
you want more."
Microsoft denies that this is a strategy, saying that offering
different versions of Chicago for different footprints is "not a
packaging strategy that's under consideration."
Most OEMs are skeptical that they can get Chicago in less than
8 megs without leaving out some features.
---------------
NEWS IN YER FACE
Hewlett-Packard will release the LaserJet 4 Plus at less than
$1,800. The new printer will increase printing speed from 8 ppm to
12 ppm, be powered by an Intel i960 processor, and offer the PCL5
language at 600 dpi.
---------------
They're having trouble getting OLE 2.0 to work right. Testers
report that their machines come to a "virtual halt" when trying to
embed documents from one application to another. Says one
consultant, "The bottom line is that you need at least a 486-50
with 12 megs of RAM to get anything near acceptable."
---------------
Intel is has unveiled plans to get into the game market. Look
for some possible titles by the end of the year which will take
advantage of higher-powered processors. Look for improved graphics
and communications capabilities.
---------------
Microsoft is scrambling to ship MS-DOS 6.21 which has
DoubleSpace and backup compression removed. Delays are expected,
but nothing serious.
---------------
Aristo-Soft has a package called Talking Icons which includes
a cheater's version of Minesweeper and Solitaire along with other
talking Windows utilities.
---------------
WinFax Pro Version 4 will test an installed modem for
compatibility and capability. Attaching documents is as easy as
dragging and dropping with cover sheets being able to use multiple
fonts within a block of text. A spell checker is included. Right
mouse button support is included as is a query-by-form feature for
speeding up phone book searches. The dialog boxes have been
redesigned for greater consistency.
---------------
Intel bought billboard space across from Apple headquarters
which suggests that Apple customers think before buying a computer
using the PowerPC chip.
---------------
Compaq will put Ethernet on their motherboards by using chip
sets from AMD.
---------------
Look for Microsoft to soon offer Foxpro 2.6 for $99 with a
$19.95 upgrade for existing users. This new Foxpro will run dBase
IV code.
---------------
LIVE OR MEMOREX?
Look for Memorex to jump into software in a large way
beginning in April. The new titles will be sold through
"nontraditional software accounts" such as drug stores and grocery
stores. Prices will list from $9.99 to $14.99.
Initially there will be 25 titles with as many as 100 by the
end of the year. Titles will include things like self-help,
personal productivity, edutainment, and games. The software is
fully licensed, not shareware.
Support will be provided through 900 number access with
callers getting the first half-minute free and paying beyond that
point.
---------------
GOODBYE AMERICA ONLINE
I need to let you know that I have cancelled my subscription
on America Online.
Back in the fall of 1991 I got a call from the guy who runs
the PC section of America Online. He had seen the RaG and had
gotten requests for it. He asked if it was alright to make the RaG
an official part of America Online and I said that was fine. In
return, I was to receive 10 free hours of usage per month with no
monthly fee.
A few months later I turned off my long distance service
because the #$%&@&* modem was costing me too much money. America
Online has no 800-number service and I was unable to call. After
about a year, the complementary subscription was not renewed and
repeated communication with my contact person failed to re-
establish it.
Meanwhile, I was getting charged $11.95 each month. Well, I
got tired of being nicked $12 every month for something I was not
using. I have therefore cancelled my subscription.
I do not mean to criticize America Online, except that they
still do not have 800-number access. I have no complaint with
their graphical interface or with what is carried on the service.
For $12 a month it is not a bad deal - certainly superior to Prah-
duh-gee.
In the disclaimer section at the end of this issue I have
included the phone numbers for two local BBSs where you can obtain
the current issue of the RaG if you wish to do it that way. I have
had lots of requests from readers wanting to know where they can
get current issues. For your information, the RaG is published the
first weekend of each month.
---------------
MORE NEWS IN YER FACE
As you may have noticed, IBM has been fond of using Star Trek
names for beta projects. For example, Ferengi was what is now
known as OS/2 for Windows. Seems the folks at Paramount who own
the rights to Star Trek feel that their legally protected names
have been exploited.
---------------
In other IBM news, there are two beta projects underway and
industry analysts are unsure of what s going on. I've mentioned
the development of OS/2 2.2, but there is another project code-
named Warp which is a small operating system kernel that will run
OS/2 reliably on a 4 meg PC. These appear to be separate
developments and the question is - will these be separate upgrades?
---------------
WordPerfect has a project, code-named Envoy, which will allow
users to view and annotate documents even if they do not have the
software that generated the files. Both Mac and Windows versions
will be available. They have problems using the name Envoy since
there is already a product with that name already, but it will get
worked out.
---------------
The recent ruling against Microsoft concerning data
compression may have an effect on the upcoming Chicago. Some say
that it will ship without DoubleSpace, but Steve Ballmer said,
"There is and will be compression in Chicago, and [Chicago] will
come out on time."
---------------
Word is that Novell, WordPerfect, and National Semiconductor
are negotiating a low-end bundled network solution. This bundle
would include WordPerfect Office, Personal NetWare, and cards and
hubs from National Semiconductor, and cables and easy-installation
guidelines.
The bundle is a month late due to hardware glitches (that
means that the cards don't work).
---------------
Have you heard about the internal Microsoft memo, allegedly
penned by Bill Gates, which states that there will be no reason to
buy an Apple once Chicago is released?
---------------
Novell has pushed back the expected ship date for the release
of NetWare 4.1 beyond the deadline for its special upgrade
promotion. They had planned to release Version 4.1 by the summer,
but will instead release a maintenance release of Version 4.01 in
June which will include bug fixes and patches.
---------------
Microsoft recently demonstrated that Chicago will work with
NetWare, assuring resellers and others that past incompatibilities
will not be repeated.
Speaking of Microsoft, look for Access 2.0 to hit the shelves
soon. It will support OLE custom controls which lets third party
developers plug "applets" into Access applications. There will
also be more than 30 Wizards, input masks to validate data as it is
entered, support for cascading updates and deletes, customizable
tables and queries, and Wizards for mail merge.
---------------
Novell recently outlined a plan for a micro-kernel based
operating system to be released in 1997.
---------------
NEW PIRACY FRONTIER
So you probably think that nobody is going to copy a CD, yet
a company was recently busted for just such a practice.
U.S. Customs officials recently seized move than $200,000
worth of phony CD-ROMs as they arrived in San Francisco from Hong
Kong. Among the counterfeited discs were six titles from The
Software Toolworks including "The San Diego Zoo Presents The
Animals".
Apparently there were misspellings on the copied discs like
"IBM PC & Compatibes" and "Sandiagozoo".
Officials also found illegal merchandise in the Utah offices
of C-88 International.
---------------
THE BIG MERGER
You've no doubt heard by now about the Novell-WordPerfect-
Quattro Pro merger. Novell has merged with WordPerfect and the
Quattro Pro division of Borland.
To me, this makes excellent sense. The stock market thinks
otherwise, however. Novell's stock went down when this was
announced. But I'm sure Borland could use the $145 million their
being paid for Quattro Pro.
Look at it this way, you've got the Number One word processor,
a spreadsheet that has kicked Lotus' butt since the beginning,
combined with the top network system and an operating system. Can
you see the killer applications suite here?
Time will tell the tale. I think it's a good move for all
involved.
---------------
DIAMOND IN THE ROUGH
In past issues, I have spoken of Diamond products and even
endorsed them. A situation has developed recently which requires
that I qualify my remarks.
Last summer I bought a Diamond Stealth Pro VLB when I upgraded
to a local bus motherboard. The card performed well until about
December. I started getting lines appearing on the screen and
pieces of characters were missing.
I talked to the people at Diamond Tech Support and we decided
to try upgrading the card's BIOS. That didn't make a difference so
they sent me a new card (after I returned mine). The new card
worked as it should for about a week - at which point it started
acting like the original card.
After talking to Diamond Tech Support, it was determined that
the card was too slow for my computer. You see, I have a 50MHz
machine and the VESA spec only goes to 40MHz.
In fairness, Diamond offered to upgrade me to a Viper (which
is an excellent card) for a few extra dollars, but could not
guarantee that it would not suffer the same fate as my original
display card. I decided not to take the chance and asked for a
refund. They sent me a fax that they did not offer refunds for
their cards. They offered to repair or replace the card if it was
defective, but that was it.
So, I called my supplier from where the card had been
purchased - but they could not even return the card for credit
because it was outside of their 90-day warranty.
I now have a display card which, to the best of my knowledge,
is not defective but won't work on my computer. I did not know of
the limitation in bus speed before I bought the card but it looks
like I'm stuck with it.
I normally do not try to sell stuff through this publication,
but if any of you are interested in the Diamond Stealth Pro VLB,
please contact me. As best as I can determine there is nothing
wrong with the card - but you can't use it reliably on a machine
faster than 40MHz. See my number and address in the disclaimer at
the end of this issue.
---------------
GETTING IT
Some people have contacted me and asked where they can get the
newest issue of the RaG. There are two local BBSs which will
always have the current issue. Check out:
COMM-1 at (206) 532-7952 (9600 baud)
Hangar 18 at (206) 538-0382 (14.4)
I also maintain an conference on Hangar 18 (#101) called "The
Facts of Life", which is a forum for discussion of social and
political issues from the conservative point of view. Locally I'm
considered to be just to the left of Hitler - the Rush Limbaugh of
computers.
---------------
NEXT MONTH
I hope to see the interim release for WordPerfect for Windows.
It should be released any day now. I hope it fixes the problems -
I'd hate to have to switch to Word.
Other than that, I can't think of anything new coming down the
pike so we'll just have to wait and see. Catch you later...
=================================
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 486-
50 with 8 megs of memory,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, 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
