The Hitchhiker's Guide To OS/2 - Issue 6
The Hitchhikers Guide To OS/2
- About The Guide
- Here and Now
- SoftViews
- TechnoWatch
- OS/2 Tips
- Trivia Question
- How to Submit
About The Guide
The Hitchhiker's Guide To OS/2
Issue #6
Published On 5/7/94
This guide is meant to give a concise report on current OS/2 events. Any and all contents are solely my opinion or the opinion of the noted author. Read on and I hope you enjoy another issue of the HitchHiker's Guide To OS/2.
Any Comments Regarding The Guide can be directed to:
sdudas@austin.onu.edu
Steve Dudas.
Special Thanks go to Dr. V. Phaniraj for letting me know that wp2ipf/2 exists.
In you haven't guessed that is what this is done with.
Thanks to Kim Kruse Hansen for the great job he has done with this application.
Copies of the HHGOS2 will be available for anonymous ftp from ftp-os2.cdrom.com.
look in /pub/incoming/hhgos2_#.zip
every other Saturday for a new release or look in /pub/os2/2_x/info/newsltr/hhgos2_#.zip For back issues.
The .zip file will contain both a .txt and the .inf version of the HHGOS2.
Here and Now
Wang Vs. Microsoft
It seems that Microsoft may have stolen from more companies than just Stac. Wang Labs, who just came out of bankruptcy, has apparently filed a lawsuit against MicroSoft claiming that MicroSoft stole code from Wang to build none other than MicroSoft's own OLE. I pity MS if Wang has enough evidence to win this, OLE has been an integral part of everything since the early days of MS Windows. Hmm WangSoft, MicroWang....
OS/2 2.2
Well I think there are more rumors than copies sold of OS/2. I have heard everything from coming out next week, to sometime around Christmas.
My current "best" word is sometime late this summer for OS/2 2.2 lite, which is codenamed "warp". One of the reasons for all these dates, may be all the different versions that IBM has planned for 2.2. One version, OS/2 lite, will run in 4 megs of RAM and comes without Windows code, much like OS/2 for Windows. However IBM has heard the cries of how hard OS/2 for Windows is to install and apparently they have completely redone the install program.
Many people have also asked me how OS/2 will be able to run in 4 megs of RAM. From what I understand its not magic, instead the OS/2 lite kernel has been restructured to check the system less. By that I mean it would not check on the load or swapfile size as often. While this will not have any real effect on say a single user, those who run OS/2 servers may be well advised to stick with the full version of OS/2, since their load averages can change at a moments notice. This version of OS/2 is more geared to the user who only wants to run one or two apps, but who also wants the stability OS/2 offers over Windows. Which is perfect for millions of Windows users around the world.
Kudo's to IBM on this one.
Commodore
An sad end to a great little company. Commodore computers, makers of the famous Commodore 64 and the Amiga closed its doors this past week. All operations have been shut down until further notice.
Ultimotion
Ultimotion, IBM's motion video technology, is now available free from IBM. They are licensing the code to anyone who wishes to further develop the software.
IBM CAD/3X
IBM has apparently developed a pretty good OS/2 CAD package that they compare to AutoCAD LT. I am personally not a CAD/CAM guru but IBM is offering the IBM CAD/3X CD for only $99. Most corporations spend thousands every year on CAD so $99 seems very reasonable. For more information call 1-800-IBM-CAD1 Ext 63.
SoftViews
This Weeks review goes to ScreenSaver version 1.2
Written by Siegfried Hanisch, this program is a very functional screensaver. No it doesn't have any let you shoot at Bill Gates or anything, but you can use Deskpic modules, and there are a ton of those. The Screensaver also has options to ignore input from the mouse, very handy if your desk gets bumped a lot, and also seem to take up very little RAM.
ScreenSaver also comes with instructions and sample files on how to create your own ScreenSaver modules. So if you have always had an idea for a great screensaver heres your chance to make it reality.
As with all software reviewed, this program can be found at ftp-os2.cdrom.com in /pub/os2 on the Internet.
TechnoWatch
This is a little technical but I think many readers may be interested to know that a new type of transistor is arriving on the scene. This transistor has your basic, base, collector, and emitter, but it is made of ALL METAL. Kinda crazy but true, from what I have read they can actually spin the electrons on each plate in different directions using magnetic fields, thus giving this device all the properties of the basic transistor.
The upshot for non techy people is that this transistor is 1/100 the size of current silicon based devices and because it is made of all metal it can dissipate much higher amounts of heat. Mass production of these devices may be a few years off but they could be as major a player in tomorrow's computer as fiber optics is in todays. Now if only we could get a PowerPC built with these.
OS/2 Tips
Adding Fonts to OS/2
Many people complain that OS/2 looks "ugly" when you install it, and you know what they are right. IBM is doing its part by adding 3-D icons and some nice new colors, but you can do a lot of things to spruce up the desktop after you have installed it. Here is how to add some fonts to the system. By the way, these fonts can be used for the text below icons and really any system text, not just in your word processor.
- Get the font files, many fonts can be found on the internet at ftp-os2.cdrom.com in /pub/os2/all/fonts
- Open the Font palette in the System Setup folder
- Select Edit, and then add, now specify where the fonts are on your hardrive.
- Select where the fonts should be stored and then select add.
Trivia Question
The weeks question is:
Why did Phillipe Kahn name his company Borland?
The answer to last issues question was of course Brian Kernigan.
How To Submit an Article
Please Include the following Information in all submissions.
- Your full name
- email-address
- Date article was completed on.
- A ONE sentence summary of the article.
- Articles must be in a zipped file. The text should be contained in a single ASCII text file. All graphics should be in the .bmp format and may be in 256 colors. About 300 x 300 is a good size.
- All submissions can be sent to sdudas@austin.onu.edu.
** I am unable to return any copies of articles sent to me **
