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Randys Rumor Rag 1993 12
RAndY's RumOR RaG
December 1993
NEWS IN YER FACE
Here we go again - another "greener" product. While scanning
the monthly specials from a supplier I noticed a new series of
mousepads. Get 'em now - Rainforest pads. These mousepads have
photographs of rainforests and various plants and animals that live
therein. Included with each mousepad is "an educational booklet
which helps heighten awareness of rainforest biodiversity and
function".
---------------
Seagate is seeking to diversify, looking into tape and optical
drives, flat-panel displays and hardware, and software interfaces
such as wireless and handwriting technologies. To this end, they
have added an investment banker as senior vice president of
corporate development.
---------------
Corel is now shipping Corel Ventura 4.2 for Windows that
includes two CD-ROMs with 600 fonts, 10,000 EPS clip-art images,
and 100 Kodak PhotoCD photos - for a list price of $249.
---------------
IBM is getting ready for a fully functional version of OS/2
code-named Ferengi which is designed to easily install on top of
DOS and Windows as an upgrade to Windows 3.1, letting users adopt
the system without giving up their existing configuration. By now
you know of this as OS/2 for Windows, a brilliant marketing
decision (I'm serious). The price will be in the $50 range and
will require between 15 and 17 disks.
---------------
Hewlett-Packard is whispered to be planning a 16-bit sound
card which will sell for about $150.
---------------
Apple's in-house BBS has a course called "Life After Layoffs",
the only hitch being you have to be unemployed to take it.
---------------
I recently came a cross a new product that is simple,
innovative, relatively inexpensive, and useful - a strange
combination these days.
The product is called "DIP to SIMM". It's a little circuit
board which holds nine DIPs and plugs into a SIMM socket. A lot of
older motherboards used DIPs and it's a shame to throw them away
when you upgrade to a new motherboard. Here's a way to keep your
memory chips and save some money.
You can get the cards for $8.50 or send your chips to the
company and they'll solder them for you for $13.50.
The reborn SIMM is taller than a regular SIMM module, so you
will want to be sure the increased height will not interfere with
any cards, the power supply, or whatever.
For complete information, contact Autotime at (503)452-8577.
---------------
WORDPERFECT PIM
In the first quarter of 1994, WordPerfect will be releasing
CIA (Central Intelligence Access). This is a Windows-based PIM
which makes you enter information only once.
You can have as much or as little information on each person,
place, thing, or whatever through the Outline View. The Outline
View shows how your information is interconnected and lets you
access "tabs" to keep things organized. Updated information in one
tab is automatically updated in related tabs where necessary.
Of course you've got a Calendar View and Address Book View
which let you drag-and-drop appointments and schedule tasks. The
Address Book can be printed in standard day planner sizes.
A feature called Related File Launch lets you access
information in the PIM and automatically bring that information
into any Windows program.
CIA will also be compatible with any pen computer using
Windows for Pen Computing. The suggested retail price will be
$149.
---------------
DOS COLORS REVISITED
Every time they update DOS, I feel it necessary to go through
the routine for changing the default colors. Here we are on
Version 6.2 and they still give us white on black - ugh!
Here is the procedure for changing the default colors; some of
the addresses will be different, but the principle is the same.
Remember, the new color only take effect when you do a CLS.
DEBUG \COMMAND.COM
-RCX
CX BAE5
-S 100 L BAE5 CD 10
22CC:432B
22CC:4337
22CC:435F
22CC:436C
22CC:4370
22CC:4376
-U 4300
-
- Enter U a few times
-
-U
22CC:4366 B406 MOV AH,06
22CC:4368 B707 MOV BH,07
22CC:436A 32DB XOR Bl,BL
-Q
What you're looking for here is the MOV BH,07 instruction.
Remember to hit ENTER twice after the RCX instruction. The address
you get after RCX and the listing when you enter the S command
determines where you start looking for the MOV instruction. Note
that in the example above, the address for the MOV you're after is
4368. Add 1 to that address (whatever you come up with) and then
do the following:
DEBUG \COMMAND.COM
-D 4369 L1
22CC:4369 07
-Q
You should see 07 off to the right, otherwise go back and
search again. When you've found the correct address, do the
following:
DEBUG \COMMAND.COM
-E 4369
22CC:4369 07.
-W
Writing 0BAFB bytes
-Q
After you do the E instruction, debug will return the address
with the "07."; now select the colors you want and enter them after
the period. The first number is the background, the second is
foreground. Don't enter a number larger than 7 for the first
number or the screen will blink. Here's the list of colors:
Black - 0 Grey - 8
Blue - 1 Bright Blue - 9
Green - 2 Bright Green - A
Cyan - 3 Bright Cyan - B
Red - 4 Bright Red - C
Magenta - 5 Bright Magenta - D
Brown - 6 Yellow - E
White - 7 Bright White - F
You may want to change where you start searching from. The
important thing is to look for the MOV BH,07 instruction.
---------------
MORE NEWS IN YER FACE
You may not have heard it yet - that Microsoft co-founder and
Asymmetrix CEO Paul Allen owns 25% of America Online - and now he's
buying up TicketMaster.
---------------
Intel is preparing to ship their first software product, code-
named Miata, in the first half of 1994. Miata is an interactive
file-sharing Windows application.
It lets two users view the same file over a modem connection
and contains tools that let users annotate a document or
spreadsheet being discussed. A "chalkboard" mode lets users jot
notes that can be seen by both viewers. Eventually beta testers
expect to see the product incorporate support for voice and data
communications via the same connection.
A utility known as Jump Start lets Miata users show files to
users who do not have the full version of the software.
---------------
The new OS/2 for Windows will not work with MS-DOS 6 and
Microsoft says it might not work with the next version of Windows
whenever it ships. HAHAHAHA!!
---------------
ENCARTA UPDATE
Microsoft has updated their excellent Encarta product to a
1994 version. Included in the changes is a new interface that is
similar enough to the original, yet somewhat better. It's hard to
describe, but you'll like it.
I can do without the self-serving "Microsoft Home" logo that
comes up every time you start the program. Also some of the
"facts" espoused throughout tend to be liberal in philosophy.
They've added new articles on politics, sports, and a variety
of notable individuals. There is new video of the fall of the
Berlin Wall, native art forms of the world, and much more. There
is an interactive orbit simulation that is pretty cool.
Unfortunately the video is still jerky (too slow fps rate).
There are new audio clips including Maya Angelou's inaugural
poem (if you can make sense of that gibberish let me know) along
with 14 new languages and hundreds of new color photos.
Microsoft says that it's faster, and that's somewhat true.
It's hard to tell if the program is faster or if DOS 6.2's caching
of CD drives is doing the job. Anyway, the combination of the two
make Encarta 1994 and improved product.
Microsoft is charging $79 for the upgrade and that's not bad
for a 29-volume multimedia encyclopedia. I still say that this is
the best multimedia title you'll find - and it's gotten better.
---------------
LIVING WITH DOS
It's been about a month since I switched to DOS 6.2 and for
the most part I like it.
I want to know why Microsoft can't make DISKCOPY use the
memory in your computer rather than the hard drive when copying
high density disks. Jeez, shareware authors have been doing this
for several years now.
I like the commas. It's a lot easier to get a feel for the
sizes of files and subdirectories with them. I also like the
overwrite protection with MOVE, COPY, and XCOPY. Too bad it's
taken them 12 years and 6+ versions of DOS to get there.
I guess it's better than what we've had but it sometimes seems
like they're holding back. How foolish of me to think they'd
produce a DOS that people really want. (Hey, we've got DOS
7/Windows 4 coming next year.) Maybe by the time we get to DOS 7
we'll have an easy way of changing default screen colors (HA).
---------------
PERSONAL STUFF
I've had a number of sysops call lately asking me about using
the RaG on their BBS's. Here's my policy - use it as you wish,
just don't change my words, please. The RaG is usually uploaded to
GEnie on the first weekend of the month. America Online and
ModemNews get it about the same time. If you want to be sure to
have the latest issue, here are some local BBS numbers which carry
it in my area:
COMM-1 (206) 532-7952 9600
Hangar 18 (206) 538-0382 14400
Lightning Rod (206) 289-0971 14400
Techline (206) 249-5372 14400
Regarding mail, I usually log onto GEnie each Friday night.
I haven't been on America Online since February of 1992 since we
don't have a local access node. That may be changing soon and I'll
keep you posted. The best way to contact me is either by phone or
postal letter, the information for both is located in the
disclaimer at the end of each issue.
Finally, I've gotten some electronic mail and a couple of
phone calls taking me to task for expressing views on political and
social issues. These complainers have said that they don't want to
hear about political and social issues in a publication dealing
with computers.
I understand your outrage (I feel your pain?) but I'm not the
one producing "green" computers, pro-animal rights software,
whining about cutting down trees to make paper, or marketing
compact discs extolling the virtues of Robert Mapplelthorpe.
A sysop in British Columbia called the other day and said he
sometimes puts the RaG next to his section promoting GreenPeace -
whew - that's equal time!
---------------
PERSONAL STUFF II
Just for your information, on November 15 I was almost killed
in a car accident. While on my way to a business appointment, I
was rear-ended by a truck doing about 50 mph (I was stopped with
lights on and blinker flashing). My car was demolished and I was
left with three stitches in the back of my head. I'm OK now, but
each day is an adventure with a different part of my body aching.
It's in the hands of lawyers and insurance companies now.
Just thought you'd want to know these things.
---------------
NEXT MONTH
Well, Excel 5.0 didn't make it in time. I talked to Microsoft
and in their characteristically vague manner suggested it would be
closer to the end of December before it was released. That means
you'll have to wait until the January issue.
Not sure what else is around the corner in terms of software.
I may lower my standards and look at Word for Windows 6. I hope to
have the new PC Magazine Benchmarks Tests on CD in time for the
January issue also.
=================================
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, Diamond Stealth Pro VESA VLB (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
