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OS2 Discussion Forum Volume 9206 Issue 05
************************************************************************
OS/2 Discussion Forum Mon, June 29, 1992 Volume 9206 Issue 05
Relevant addresses :
submissions : OS2@BLEKUL11.BITNET (bitnet)
OS2@cc1.kuleuven.ac.be (domain)
subscriptions : LISTSERV@BLEKUL11.BITNET (bitnet)
LISTSERV@cc1.kuleuven.ac.be (domain)
moderator : OS2MOD@BLEKUL11.BITNET (bitnet)
os2mod@cc1.kuleuven.ac.be (domain)
************************************************************************
Today's topics:
New files on LISTSERVer
Dos Settings
dueling guis
Novell Netware and OS/2
Ram disk
OS/2 Benchmarks with Fortran compilers
Patches to 3DMAZE
Feed from the Listearn OS2-L OS/2 Non-Editored Discussion List :
News: CSD, Adaptec, Sales, >16mb RAM
Re: News: CSD, Adaptec, Sales, >16mb RAM
Re: News: CSD, Adaptec, Sales, >16mb RAM
Re: News: CSD, Adaptec, Sales, >16mb RAM
Re: News: CSD, Adaptec, Sales, >16mb RAM
A fix for Wordperfect for Windows "Problems"
Re: Three Questions
Three Questions
New feature for RED/TRICKLE: Subscribing to your favorite files
Re: Three Questions
Getting WIN-OS/2 to run in SVGA 1024 x 768, 16-color
Feed from the Usenet (UUCP/Internet) comp.os.os2.* newsgroups :
Dell selling OS/2 bundled
PC Mag July 92
Watching OS/2; Volume 1, Issue 3.
16MHz 386sx: performance very good !
Re: IBM Announces the Superstore Blitz
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Mon, June 29, 1992, 12:00:00 +0200
From: Moderator of OS/2 Discussion Forum <OS2MOD@BLEKUL11>
Subject: New files on LISTSERVer
This is a list of new or updated OS/2 related files available from the
LISTSERV of the OS/2 Discussion Forum at BLEKUL11.
* New Files from ftp-os2.nmsu.edu
filename filetype Remarks
-------- -------- -------------------------------
ASPIBETA ZIP Beta Adaptec ASPI drivers for OS/2 2.0
DBLMOUSE ZIP New mouse drivers, double the speed of your mouse
GTAK100 ZIP SCSI tape backup for OS/2 and Adaptec host adapter
All new files are ZIP files. Depending on the gateways between BLEKUL11
and your site it might be necessary to specify extra options :
To get the normal ZIP file send the following command to our LISTSERV :
GET fn ZIP
(Where fn is the name of the file you want.)
To get an XXENCODED ZIP file (use this if your gateways have trouble
with binary files) use the following command :
GET fn ZIP f=XXE
To get several small XXENCODED files (use this if your gateways limit
the size of files) :
GET fn ZIP f=XXE,split
Note: Use PKUNZIP -d to unzip !!
These files are distributed AS IS, we can not guarantee anything about
their working.
************************************************************************
* For a complete list of all OS/2 files available at LISTSERV@BLEKUL11 *
* get the OS2INDEX PACAKGE. *
************************************************************************
We still welcome all OS/2 related files for distribution on our LISTSERV.
Send your files to OS2@BLEKUL11.BITNET / OS2@cc1.kuleuven.ac.be
we will arrange everything for distribution.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Fri Jun 26 12:27:44 BST 1992
From: Mike O'Carroll <mike@elec-eng.leeds.ac.uk>
Subject: Dos Settings
Some of these seem to require a complete reboot before taking effect.
One WINOS2 application comes up with an "insufficient memory" message,
except the first time you run it after a reboot. Anyone else experienced
something like this?
--
Mike O'Carroll, Department of Electronic & Electrical Engineering,
The University, Leeds, LS2 9JT, UK
E-mail: mike@ee.leeds[.ac.uk]
UUCP: ...uunet!mcsun!uknet!lena!mike
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Fri, 26 Jun 92 12:00:53 EDT
From: "Loreen Lacy" <LIBEM029@SIVM>
Subject: dueling guis
Did anyone on this list attend the OS/2 vs Windows seminar at the National
Place Marriot in Wash DC yesterday morning? I would like to discuss what
your impressions were if you did. Feel free to respond to me directly
Loreen Lacy
SMithsonian Institution Libraries
Washington, DC
LIBEM029@SIVM
------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: hahne@epas.utoronto.ca (Harry Hahne)
Subject: Novell Netware and OS/2
Date: Fri, 26 Jun 1992 14:51:00 -0400
Can anyone report on experiences with Novell Netware and OS/2 version
2.0? In particular, where can I get a copy of the appropriate netware
requester for OS/2 for Netware 2.2? Will the one designed for OS/2 v.
1.3 work?
Harry Hahne <hahne@epas.utoronto.ca>
------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: hahne@epas.utoronto.ca (Harry Hahne)
Subject: Ram disk
Date: Fri, 26 Jun 1992 14:53:54 -0400
Is there a way to set up a RAM disk with OS/2 version 2.0?
Also, it seems like DOS and windows programs take much longer to load
under OS/2 than under DOS or windows. Is there any way to speed this up?
Harry Hahne <hahne@epas.utoronto.ca>
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Fri, 26 Jun 92 19:35:57 -0700
From: hodges@ampere.EE.UCLA.EDU (hodges@ampere.ee.ucla.edu)
Subject: OS/2 Benchmarks with Fortran compilers
This note provides a series of benchmark tests of relative performance of
some Fortran compilers running under OS/2 2.0. For comparison purposes,
some results run under native DOS 5.0 are also provided. The compilers
used in this benchmark are identified as follows:
MS Microsoft Fortran 5.1.
Watcom Watcom Fortran 77/386 9.0
Lahey Lahey Fortran F77L version 4.01 (DOS compiler).
Lahey32 Lahey Fortran F77LEM/32 version 4.01 (DOS Extender)
Results for compile, link and run are given below for the following:
LINPACK SINGLE Jack J. Dongarra's benchmark linear equation solver
based on LINPACK. This measures the number of MFLOPS
(Million Floating Point Operations per Second) so
that higher numbers indicate better performance.
SINGLE means Single Precision version.
LINPACK DOUBLE Same as above, except Double Precision version.
MAXWELL Solves Maxwell's Equations (Electromagnetics) for a 3-D
conducting body with wire radiator attached.
Mathematically, a complex-valued Fredholm Integral
Equation of the first kind is descretized and converted
into a set of linear equations. A version of LINPACK
modified to handle complex matrices is used. Parameters
were selected so that Matrix solve time does not
dominate over fill time (420 by 420 matrix).
Over the years I have consistently found that LINPACK benchmarks are
about the most reliable general purpose indicator of floating point
performance across platforms. Also, the program called "MAXWELL" is a
good example of a 'dirty' program. This program has evolved over nearly
ten years and has components written by several people. It represents
about 12,000 lines of code with varying programmer styles.
Also, some results are labeled "DEBUG". This means the compiler switches
have been set to provide debug information. (See "COMPILER SWITCHES").
Benchmarks were run on a 20MHz 386 with 387 coprocessor. Machine has
14 Megs RAM and 200 Meg IDE drive.
LINPACK BENCHMARKS (MFLOPS)
---------------------------
COMPILER LINPACK SINGLE LINPACK DOUBLE Norm. Ave.
-------- -------------- -------------- ----------
MS (OS/2) 0.1233 0.1098 1.000
Watcom (OS/2) 0.2784 0.2366 2.209
Lahey (DOS BOX) 0.1158 0.1065 0.954
Lahey (DOS 5.0) 0.1220 Too Big! Too Big!
Lahey32 (DOS 5.0) 0.2605 0.2155 2.042
DEBUG: MS (OS/2) 0.0374 0.0354 0.312
DEBUG: Watcom (OS/2) 0.2086 0.1848 1.688
Notes: 1. "Norm. Ave." is the average of Linpack Single and Double
Normalized to MS Fortran running under OS/2. Thus, Watcom
runs LINPACK benchmarks 2.2 times faster than Microsoft.
2. The Lahey LINPACK DOUBLE executable was 686K. Thus, it will
not run in Native DOS 5.0. It ran in the OS/2 2.0 DOS BOX by
setting DOS HIGH and CGM graphics (Largest program = 713K).
3. The result for "DEBUG: MS (OS/2)" is not a typographical
error. Yes, it is that slow!
MAXWELL TIMINGS (SECONDS)
-------------------------
COMPILER RUN TIME (SECONDS) RELATIVE SPEED
-------- ------------------ --------------
MS (OS/2) 2289 1.000
Watcom (OS/2) 915 2.502
DEBUG: MS (OS/2) 4530 0.505
DEBUG: Watcom (OS/2) 1051 2.178
Notes: 1. "RELATIVE SPEED" is the RUN TIME relative to MS (OS/2).
Thus, Watcom runs the MAXWELL program 2.5 times faster
than Microsoft Fortran 5.1.
2. The result for "DEBUG: MS (OS/2)" is not a typographical
error. It takes about twice as long to run the program
using MS Fortran in DEBUG MODE. (Four times longer than
using Watcom).
COMPILER SWITCHES
-----------------
Compiler switches can have a substantial effect on the speed and size of
the code that is produced. The first column below indicates the switches
that engineers typically use as a default for real world applications.
The second column indicates the modifications required to get better
diagnostics for debugging (program developement cycle). Switches in the
first column were used for all results shown above, except for the
"DEBUG" results (second column switches added).
COMPILER TYPICAL SWITCH SETTINGS DEBUG SWITCHES
-------- ----------------------- --------------
MS /FPi87 /AH /G2 /4Nb /Ge /Olt /c /4Yb
Watcom /3 /FPi87 /OX /D1 /NOTE /D2
Lahey /n0/n2/3/n7/nA/nA1/nB/nc/nD/nE/nF/nH /B /I /L
/nI/nK/nL/nO/P/R/nS/nT/nU/W/nX/Z1
Lahey32 Equivalent to that used on Lahey F77L
COMPILE TIME (SECONDS)
----------------------
COMPILER LINPACK SINGLE LINPACK DOUBLE MAXWELL
-------- -------------- -------------- -------
MS (OS/2) 42 42 460
Watcom (OS/2) 48 50 620
Lahey (DOS BOX) 8 8 Too Big
Lahey (DOS 5.0) 11 Not timed Too Big
Lahey32 (DOS 5.0) 12 Not timed Not timed
DEBUG: MS (OS/2) 50 Not timed 537
DEBUG: Watcom (OS/2) 22 Not timed 259
OS/2 LINK TIME (SECONDS)
------------------------
COMPILER (LINKER) LINPACK SINGLE LINPACK DOUBLE MAXWELL
----------------- -------------- -------------- -------
MS (LINK [L1]) 6 About the same 79
Watcom (WLINK) 10 About the same 18
Lahey (LINK [L2]) 4.5 About the same Too Big
Lahey (OPTLINK) 2 About the same Too Big
Notes: 1. LINK [L1] = Microsoft segmented linker version 5.15
2. LINK [L2] = Microsoft segmented linker version 5.10.005
3. WLINK = Watcom Linker version 8.0.
4. OPTLINK = Lahey Linker Release 1.03a (DOS MODE ONLY).
------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: Jimmy Dean <CSVCJLD@NNOMED.BITNET>
Date: Fri, June 26, 1992
Subject: Patches to 3DMAZE
Carl Forde <CFORDE@BCSC02> writes:
>Even though the program seemed to reach my machine as intended, 3DMAZE
>did not work as I expected -- I haven't been able to get it to display
>a maze at all. Not on my machine or on a friend's 2.0 machine; using
>either the 16 or 32 bit modes.
I found an out-of-bounds array reference in 3DMAZE (r_n[8]). Even
after correcting this the 16-bit version failed (in a slightly different
way) under OS/2 1.3. (I thank Carl for testing it.) Since I no longer
have access to OS/2 1.3, I am withdrawing the 16-bit version of 3DMAZE.
The 32-bit version does work (under OS/2 2.0). It is however a
memory and CPU hog. If you are running it for the first time, resize
its window to about 4 cm. by 4 cm. This will speed it up (but it will
still be slow if you don't have a math coprocessor). There is no need
to specify any options; eventually a maze will appear.
I am sending a replacement to 3DMAZE.ZIP in 3 parts to BLEKUL11,
from where it will be available upon availability notice from the
moderators of this list. I regret any inconvenience the previous
version may have caused.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Feed from the Listearn OS2-L OS/2 Non-Editored Discussion List :
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Wed, 24 Jun 92 15:42:59 CDT
Reply-To: "IBM OS/2 Unedited Discussion List" <OS2-L@FRORS12>
From: Charlie Turner <CHARLIE@UMVMA>
Subject: News: CSD, Adaptec, Sales, >16mb RAM
Here are some news items I've recently seen in the Fidinet OS2
conference.
OS/2 2.0 CSD:
Someone who claimed to get this information directly from IBM said
the summer CSD is targeted for Aug 31 release. Presumably Win3.1
support will be included but it's unknown whether or not the 32-bit
graphics engine will be ready.
Adaptec 1542 SCSI adapter device driver:
A new driver for this hardware is supposed to be released on Compuserv
today (Wed 6-24). Presumably it will find its way to the other
distribution sites and OS/2 BBSs shortly thereafter.
OS/2 2.0 recent sales statistic:
As of Jun 20 IBM claims 2,000,000 copies of OS/2 2.0 have shipped.
Whether this number includes OS/2 1.x upgrades wasn't specified.
OS/2 2.0's use of RAM above 16mb in PCs which have 24-bit DMA:
When OS/2 2.0 detects RAM above 16mb and detects that the PCs DMA
is only 24-bit, then this high RAM is used for virtual memory page
swapping as much as possible in preference to disk page swapping.
This sounds something like the way MVS and VM use 3090 mainframe
'expanded' memory.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Thu, 25 Jun 92 10:48:57 EDT
Reply-To: "IBM OS/2 Unedited Discussion List" <OS2-L@FRORS12>
From: "Edward S. Pierce" <ilay8169@EMORYU1.CC.EMORY.EDU>
Subject: Re: News: CSD, Adaptec, Sales, >16mb RAM
On Wed, 24 Jun 1992, Charlie Turner wrote:
> Here are some news items I've recently seen in the Fidinet OS2
> conference.
[Useful stuff deleted]
> OS/2 2.0 recent sales statistic:
>
> As of Jun 20 IBM claims 2,000,000 copies of OS/2 2.0 have shipped.
> Whether this number includes OS/2 1.x upgrades wasn't specified.
On Ziffnet in the PC Mag Editorial forum someone qouted a source which
said that IBM claims to have shipped 700,000 copies as of the 20th. Either
way chalk it up as a respectable start for OS/2 2.0.
Regards,
Edward Pierce ilay8169@unix.cc.emory.edu ilay8169@emoryu1.bitnet
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Thu, 25 Jun 92 07:28:36 EDT
Reply-To: "IBM OS/2 Unedited Discussion List" <OS2-L@FRORS12>
From: andrew parks <OPK@NIHCU>
Subject: Re: News: CSD, Adaptec, Sales, >16mb RAM
Turgut said...
>
> Charlie: This is good news: 2M copies is quite a lot, and wait until
> more and more people hear about it. I saw some more ads today, and IBM
> is advertising it everywhere, it seems. I saw it in Time's insert, and
> in a French magasine. Using above 16MB is also good news, seems like
> OS/2 is once again going beyond the limitations of the hardware.
>
Not only all these copies sold and ads in periodicals, but
wonder-of-wonders, PCWORLD has a FAVORABLE article about OS/2
2.0 in the July 1992 issue! Last year my wife got me a
subscription to PCWORLD on a whim, and every month I'd pick it
up and see article after article about WINDOWS WINDOWS and
WINDOWS. Occasionally someone would have an offhand remark
about OS/2, but I was beginning to wonder if the rag was
published on another planet, or by Microsoft.
The article compares OS/2 2.0 with DOS 5.0, focusing on running
existing DOS apps. Writer sounds impressed! Another article in
the Industry Outlook section gives OS/2 2.0 high marks but
points out that Windoze still leads in copies sold.
This press, coming out of this trade rag, indicates to me that
yes, OS/2 has arrived!
But will I renew my subscription to PCWORLD? Nah!
Andy Parks / opk@nihcu / opk@cu.nih.gov
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Thu, 25 Jun 92 13:28:28 CST
Reply-To: "IBM OS/2 Unedited Discussion List" <OS2-L@FRORS12>
From: "David D. Miller +49 6221 404415" <DDM@DHDIBM1>
Subject: Re: News: CSD, Adaptec, Sales, >16mb RAM
There are many different figures being thrown around. In the past couple
of days I've also heard 600,000, 1.2 million and 4.2 million.
Are the figures for boxes shipped? Orders placed? US only, or worldwide?
Do they include copies shipped electronically? Copies in use within IBM?
1.X sales as well?
I would disregard any figure that doesn't have a source named.
(On the other hand, the 700,000 figure is from Reuters, quotes 'IBM Corp' and
is specific about 'shipped' and 'version 2.0'. Draw your own conclusions.)
David D. Miller
European Networking Centre, Heidelberg, Germany
Disclaimer: The statements and/or opinions stated above are strictly my
own and do not reflect the views of my employer.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Thu, 25 Jun 92 15:08:03 EST
Reply-To: "IBM OS/2 Unedited Discussion List" <OS2-L@FRORS12>
From: Turgut Kalfaoglu <turgut@EARN-PS.CIRCE.FR>
Subject: Re: News: CSD, Adaptec, Sales, >16mb RAM
Andy: Your comments remind me of this month's Byte - it took me about
10-15 minutes to go thru the magazine, skipping thru all the 'how do I
exclude EMM regions in my WIN.INI file?' or 'Start your Windows session
using WIN/S' comments. sigh. I hope they will soon realise the growing
base of OS/2 users who,too,need help with their configuration.
Oh yes, the rest of the issue was pretty much dedicated to 'Our Favorite
Windows Applications'.
-turgut
Turgut Kalfaoglu, Server Programmer European Academic Research Network
BITNET address: turgut@frors12.bitnet or turgut@frmop11.bitnet
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Thu, 25 Jun 92 13:09:54 EST
From: rcook@bashful.helios.nd.edu (robert cook)
Subject: A fix for Wordperfect for Windows "Problems"
Many people have complained about Wordperfect for Windows not
runnning under WINOS2. The reason for this is that Wordperfect
attempted to write around a bug in Windows 3.0 which IBM corrected
in WINOS2. The double fix causes WPWIN to crash.
The standard solution is to run FIXWP that is located in your OS2
directory as OS/2's README file states. A far better solution is
to call Wordperfect, tell them that you use both OS/2 and Windows
and are tired of having to run FIXWP everytime you switch between
the two. They will send to you for free the 4/30/92 update to
WPWIN which corrects this and numerous other bugs and adds a few
really nice features such as drag-and-drop.
Be sure to have your license number ready before calling.
-----
Robert Kelley Cook << Cook.14@nd.edu >>
Univ. of Notre Dame The future for Intel computers arrived March 31!
Physics Dept. Long Live the new OS/2! Time to close the Windows!
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Thu, 25 Jun 92 17:57:59 PDT
Reply-To: "IBM OS/2 Unedited Discussion List" <OS2-L@FRORS12>
From: Carl Forde <CFORDE@BCSC02>
Subject: Re: Three Questions
On Thu, 25 Jun 92 14:19:57 EDT, Leatherwood_A%PSB%BLS@NIH3PLUS, asks:
>1. Is OS/2 more or less vulnerable to computer viruses than DOS?
> Can OS/2 check for corruption of the operating system itself?
> Can OS/2 be told to prevent applications from performing certain
> functions (e.g., opening additional processes, scrambling FAT's)?
There was some discussion of viruses on OS/2 a couple of weeks ago on
the VIRUS-L list. The following are a couple of comments that were made.
Sorry about the length, but I think it's important...
>Date: 26 May 92 11:41:38 -0400
>From: "David.M.Chess" <CHESS@YKTVMV.BITNET>
>Subject: re: PC\MS DOS based Viruses & OS\2 2.0 (PC) (OS/2)
>
>These aren't Official IBM Answers, but we have (naturally!) spent some
>time thinking about this and trying things out, and I can give some
>unofficial techieanswers...
>
>>From: <MCHLG%CUNYVM.BITNET@mitvma.mit.edu>
>
>>1. Is it possible for a DOS based Virus to survive & thrive on a system with
>> OS\2 2.0 using the (HPFS file system) instead of the (FAT system)?
>
>Yes. A simple "well-behaved" DOS virus, using the standard
>documented INT 21 calls, will be able to see and read and write
>files on the HPFS drive that have 8.3 names. So these files
>will be able to get infected in the usual way. The virus will
>only execute and infect in DOS sessions, of course, and not in
>OS/2 itself. Some viruses will refuse to infect OS/2-format EXE
>files; others destroy them (accidentally) by overlaying parts of
>the code; a few seem to be able to infect correctly, but the virus
>only runs when the EXE file is executed under DOS, not under OS/2.
>
>>2. Since IBM claims that OS\2 2.0 can run multiple dos sessions In virtual PC
>> windows, if I opened up 5 windows and one of them crashed as a result of
>> trying to load a DOS program that was infected by a 1571 Virus would OS\2
>> come completely crashing down?
>
>Delete "IBM claims that": it's true! *8) In general, an application
>(whether a virus or not) crashing a DOS session will not do anything
>bad to OS/2 2.0 itself. You may have to close that session, but the
>rest of the world should still be up. If you find a DOS app bringing
>down OS/2 itself, it's most likely a bug that IBM would like to know about.
>
>>3. What happens to OS\2 if while using the DOS compatibility box in full
>> screen a partition table virus like the Jerusalem-b or Michaelangelo
infect
>> system and alter the system?
>
>The Jerusalem is a file infector, not a partition table infector. The
>Michelangelo (and most other boot infectors) infect only at boot time,
>not after OS/2 or DOS or whatever is running. If you boot an OS/2
>machine from a Michelangelo-infected diskette (for instance), the virus
>will install itself on the hard disk (OS/2 hasn't even loaded yet, so
>there's nothing it can do about that), and if the date is right (wrong),
>it will damage your data (same comment: OS/2 isn't in control yet, so
>it can't prevent this). On the other hand, once OS/2 is up, the virus
>won't be able to spread from your machine to other diskettes, since
>the virus depends on INT 13 to spread, and OS/2 doesn't use INT13.
>If you use Boot Manager or Dual Boot to boot DOS later, the virus
>will then be able to spread to diskettes.
>
>>4. If I loaded DOS, Windows3.0, WIndows 3.1, & OS\2 programs in seperate
>> windows, and one of my Win3.0 programs get infected by a ping-pong virus
>
>The ping-pong is a boot infector, not a file infector, so I don't know
>exactly what this question means. In general, a file infector will
>be active in the virtual memory of only the DOS session(s) that have
>had an infected file run in them; on the other hand, it will infect
>DOS files that you can then run in other DOS sessions, infecting the
>memory of those sessions, and if it's a file-infector that knows how
>to infect COMMAND.COM, and it does so, any DOS sessions started using
>that COMMAND.COM will have the virus in memory. So I wouldn't personally
>consider a DOS session under OS/2 to be nearly isolated enough to test
>viruses in. (We use a locked room with a motion detector, alarm, and
>no data connections through the walls for this, ourselves! A bit
>pricey for the average individual, though, hehe...)
>
>>5. How do Fat killers, boot sector viruses, and partition table viruses deal
>> with the HPFS system? What if you have more than one type of operating
>> system on your hard disk? (ex. DOS, OS2, Unix***, Novell)
>
>That's somewhat too general a question; different viruses will interact
>in different ways with different operating systems. Master boot
>record infectors ("partition table viruses") generally don't care
>what operating system is around, because they infect below the os level.
>They do depend on INT13 to spread, so an os that doesn't use INT13 will
>not tend to spread them. Boot viruses that make assumptions about the
>structure of the os partition will tend to mess up when faced with
>one that doesn't satisfy their assumptions.
>
>I will certainly agree that OS/2 is a wonderful place to do several
>things at once. I personally wouldn't run live viruses on my
>production machine, though, under -any- operating system...
>
>DC
>Date: Sun, 31 May 92 09:36:00 -0400
>From: fc <FBCohen@DOCKMASTER.NCSC.MIL>
>Subject: OS2 Viruses (OS/2)
>
>OS2 viruses:
>
> ASP is soon going to release the ASP Protection Toolkit,
>which is a version of the Integrity Toolkit for OS2. OS2 hase some
>very nice advantages over DOS protection, in that the operating system
>actually protects itself from arbitrary modification by user
>processes!!! The access control package from IT will work far better
>under OS2, and the protection from modifying executables will no
>longer be bypassed by direct IO to the disk. In short, OS2 makes
>sound techniques far more effective and removes all of the painful
>restrictions of DOS (e.g. fitting the resident protection intto under
>3K, etc.) Unfortunately for the scanner people, OS2 will not run DOS
>type scanners on OS2 files with long filenames, but on the good side,
>very few poor people (i.e. virus writers tend not to be rich) can
>afford a system that will run OS2 (neither can I, but I'm borrowing
>one). It takes 8M of RAM, and about 120M of hard disk to even bring
>up a good OS/2 development system (some people tell me 16M makes it
>work a lot better, but for real performance, get 1M for every 512K of
>programs you run, and it will only page 33% of the time).
>
> So in our testing, the following viruses run under OS2:
>
>Partition table infectors work, but if they use memory, they get
>mangled by OS2 pretty fast.
>
>Boot block infectors and DIR viruses only work on FAT file systems.
>
>File infectors work
>
>Resident viruses that don't trace into INT13 usually work (a lot of them
>barely work under DOS at all).
>
>Viruses that require more than 8086 CPUs don't work.
>
>Stealth viruses aren't very stealthy, since OS2 is not bypassed, only
>DOS IO is forged.
>
> As to futures:
>
>OS2 makes it harder (nearly impossible) to write really strong viruses
>against integrity checking techniques EXCEPT as device drivers. The
>net effect is that access control in OS2 provides very strong defense
>(assuming it implements a POset). Low level viruses have to be OS2
>customized to survive the OS2 memory mangement process. Evolutionary
>file infectors will continue to be a problem except for those with
>integrity shells. higher level viruses, such as spreadsheet viruses
>will operate unchanged. A batch file virus written in 1985, still
>runs under OS2, as does a "C" virus written in 1983 and a Basic virus
>written in 1984. Conclusions - OS2 helps, but we're not out of the
>woods yet.
>
>FC
>Date: 02 Jun 92 08:39:18 -0400
>From: "David.M.Chess" <CHESS@YKTVMV.BITNET>
>Subject: re: OS2 Viruses (OS/2)
>
>A few comments and clarifications on Fred Cohen's OS/2 posting:
>
>> From: fc <FBCohen@DOCKMASTER.NCSC.MIL>
>
>> Unfortunately for the scanner people, OS2 will not run DOS
>>type scanners on OS2 files with long filenames...
>
>That's OK; OS/2 will also not allow DOS type viruses to see those
>files, so they won't get infected anyway! Assuming that by "DOS type"
>you mean "runs in DOS sessions, not in OS/2 itself". Also, if your
>scanner is in C (say), it's reasonably easy to port to OS/2; IBM's
>Virus Scanning Program works in OS/2 itself as well as in DOS and DOS
>sessions, and when run in OS/2 it can see files with long filenames.
>(Despite my comforting words above, it's possible to have an infected
>file with a long filename, if it had a short filename when infected
>and someone has renamed it in the meantime; so a scanner that can see
>long filenames is a nice thing to have.)
>
>>(i.e. virus writers tend not to be rich)
>
>I will once again have to say that we don't know this, or have
>anything but intuition and very sparse anecdotal evidence to support
>it. Virus writers have access to computers, which right away puts
>them in the top 1% or so of the world's population. I would guess a
>good number of them could afford a simple OS/2 system with enough
>memory and disk to write a virus. It certainly doesn't require 120M!
>
>>Partition table infectors work, but if they use memory, they get
>>mangled by OS2 pretty fast.
>
>Also, the existing ones never spread, since they rely on hooking INT13
>to get control, and OS/2 never calls INT13 for diskette I/O.
>
>>Boot block infectors and DIR viruses only work on FAT file systems.
>
>That's not entirely true; the FORM virus, for instance, can infect an
>HPFS-formatted partition. But the infected file system may no longer
>be reliable, and data loss is likely.
>
>>File infectors work
>
>As you point out later, you mean "some file-infectors work". In
>particular, "well-behaved" ones that use only documented DOS calls
>(and some of the more popular undocumented ones) work.
>
>>Low level viruses have to be OS2 customized to survive the OS2 memory
>>mangement process.
>
>And, for that matter, to be able to do -anything-. Low level viruses
>currently do INTs of various kinds (13, 21) to change files and disk
>areas; INTs don't work under OS/2 itself (although they do work in DOS
>sessions).
>
>>Evolutionary file infectors will continue to be a problem except for
>>those with integrity shells.
>
>At the moment, "evolutionary file infectors" are a problem only
>for anti-virus developers. From the end user's point of view,
>they're no more of a pain than any other virus, since all the
>good anti-virus products detect them just as well as non-"evolutionary"
>viruses. So I wouldn't have used the word "continue"! *8)
>Integrity shells and similar things are certainly a good idea,
>since we may reach a point where simpler methods no longer
>work; but we aren't there yet ("Death of Scanners Predicted;
>Film at 11").
>
>>higher level viruses, such as spreadsheet viruses will operate
>>unchanged.
>
>Good point; OS/2 tries to be quite source-compatible with DOS, so
>viruses at the source or interpreter level that worked under DOS will
>likely work under OS/2 with little or no change. Note, though, that
>no such viruses are currently a problem for real users.
>
>>Conclusions - OS2 helps, but we're not out of the woods yet.
>
>Definitely true, and a good summary. Thanks, Fred!
>
>DC
>
>
>Date: 02 Jun 92 12:06:38 +0000
>From: bontchev@fbihh.informatik.uni-hamburg.de (Vesselin Bontchev)
>Subject: Re: OS2 Viruses (OS/2)
>
>FBCohen@DOCKMASTER.NCSC.MIL (fc) writes:
>
>> which is a version of the Integrity Toolkit for OS2. OS2 hase some
>> very nice advantages over DOS protection, in that the operating system
>> actually protects itself from arbitrary modification by user
>> processes!!! The access control package from IT will work far better
>> under OS2, and the protection from modifying executables will no
>> longer be bypassed by direct IO to the disk. In short, OS2 makes
>> sound techniques far more effective and removes all of the painful
>> restrictions of DOS (e.g. fitting the resident protection intto under
>
>Unfortunately, OS/2 also provides some excellent possibilities to the
>virus writer... Just to list a few: stealth technologies using the
>installable file systems feature, more executable objects to infect, a
>richer batch language (REXX) which makes batch viruses perfectly
>possible, ability to spawn even a non-resident virus to infect files
>in the background, viruses which install themselves as device
>monitors, the ability to directly execute files on another OS/2
>machine connected via an Ethernet link (makes worms easy)... Have you
>taken into account all those possible attacks? I have to agree,
>however, than protection is much more easier added to OS/2 than to
>MS-DOS...
>
>> 3K, etc.) Unfortunately for the scanner people, OS2 will not run DOS
>> type scanners on OS2 files with long filenames, but on the good side,
>
>Ah, but this is not true. Some of them will run, if the files (even
>the ones on the HPFS partitions) comply to the 8.3 convention. And
>there are at least two scanners (IBM's VIRSCAN and Dr. Solomon's
>Anti-Virus ToolKit) which run perfectly under OS/2...
>
>> Partition table infectors work, but if they use memory, they get
>> mangled by OS2 pretty fast.
>
>The currently existing ones - yes. But it seems pretty easy to me to
>make an MBR infector OS/2-aware...
>
>> Boot block infectors and DIR viruses only work on FAT file systems.
>
>Correct, although most boot sector infectors might have problems and
>the DIR II virus itself might not work (I have not tested this).
>However, Dir II-type viruses will work perfectly in the FAT files
>systems.
>
>> File infectors work
>
>Only if they don't use too much tricks... In general, a virus which is
>able to spread under Novell (with loosy set protection rights) will be
>able to spread on the FAT partitions too...
>
>> Viruses that require more than 8086 CPUs don't work.
>
>Hmm, some of these require more than 8086 just because they use PUSHA
>or PUSH immediate... Don't all these instructions work under OS/2?
>
>> Stealth viruses aren't very stealthy, since OS2 is not bypassed, only
>> DOS IO is forged.
>
>Yeah, OS/2 is wonderful for examinig live stealth viruses. I mean -
>viruses that are using the current stealth technology... However, it
>should be possible to achieve wonders using the IFS technology - you
>can make the disk look almost in any way you want to...
>
>Regards,
>Vesselin
>- --
>Vesselin Vladimirov Bontchev Virus Test Center, University of
Hamburg
>Tel.:+49-40-54715-224, Fax: +49-40-54715-226 Fachbereich Informatik -
AGN
>** PGP public key available by finger. ** Vogt-Koelln-Strasse 30, rm. 107
C
>e-mail: bontchev@fbihh.informatik.uni-hamburg.de D-2000 Hamburg 54,
Germany
Have fun,
Carl Forde, 604-360-7130
VM Database and Development Support Centre
British Columbia Systems Corporation
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Fri, 26 Jun 92 09:26:33 EST
Reply-To: "IBM OS/2 Unedited Discussion List" <OS2-L@FRORS12>
From: Turgut Kalfaoglu <turgut@EARN-PS.CIRCE.FR>
Subject: Three Questions
1) OS/2 is LESS vulnerable to viruses:
* Lots of viruses say 'aha! an EXE file! I'll go attach myself to
it', but the OS/2 EXE header is different, so that EXE is never
run (you get an OS/2 error msg when you try)
* OS/2 will not permit direct writes to the hard drives, unless you
left the door open with IOPL=YES in CONFIG.SYS. This is,
incidently, the reason why many Norton-style utils will not run
under OS/2 - OS/2 does not let them write wherever they please.
A disclaimer here: Perhaps OS/2-specific viruses will be harder to
detect and kill, I haven't seen any. But it could detach itself and
run separately. It should still be visible to the operating system,
and anyone that does a PSTAT, I suspect.
2) The absolute lowest cost way of doing this is to run a Kermit server
on one PC (as a detached process under OS/2), connect the two
machines via serial ports, and write some batch files on the second
machine to invoke kermit and transfer the file(s) over. I did this
between a laptop and the real machine for about 6 months. It worked,
even when someone was playing games on the OS/2 machine :)
The BEST way I suspect, is to get two cheap ethernet cards, connect
the two machines via a TCP/IP connection and run NSF to share drives.
I have never tried this, but I suspect it would be very flexible. If
anyone could comment on this..
3) I suspect that we already have access to most of the CDS stuff,
anyway. New kernel, new COM, diskette driver, MFM/RLL driver..
Besides, CDSs are free, so you will get it in the mail, anyway. I
would leap at the $49 offer. I paid twice that for my copy.
Regards, -turgut
Turgut Kalfaoglu, Server Programmer European Academic Research Network
BITNET address: turgut@frors12.bitnet or turgut@frmop11.bitnet
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Fri, 26 Jun 92 12:29:03 EDT
Reply-To: "IBM OS/2 Unedited Discussion List" <OS2-L@FRORS12>
From: Turgut Kalfaoglu <TURGUT@FRORS12>
Subject: New feature for RED/TRICKLE: Subscribing to your favorite files
(If you use a TRICKLE server, this info might be of interest. Sorry for
cross-posting:)
I am happy to announce a feature that I hope many will find useful.
This new feature allows you to subscribe to a 'pattern' on the
server, and whenever new files that match that pattern arrive to the
server, a /PDGET command will be automatically entered for you, for
those files.
Basically, you tell the server the directory, the subdirectory and
a 'keyword' - the first few characters of a filename. If any file in the
'New Files Listing' mailed by the server contains your pattern,
a /PDGET command will be entered for you, by the server. Instead of
a few characters, you can also use an asterisk, to subscribe to all
new/changed files in that subdirectory.
LIMITATIONS:
..You are still bound by your daily quotas and server quotas. The server
simply 'simulates' that you are sending /PDGET commands to it. So, if you
have too many subscriptions, you MAY get 'you issued too many commands
today' error, or 'the server's outstanding bytes count is too high, cannot
order another file from FTP servers right now.' errors.(Time will tell if we
shall need a better adjustment.)
The simulated /PDGET command is assumed to have come in as an interactive
message to the server, so if you are not logged in at that time, you may
miss the server's reply message - don't think that it did not work. Try
a /TRLIST before ordering the file (again).
HOW TO USE:
Actually, there are three new commands:
/SUB <directory.subdir>keyword
/UNSUB <directory.subdir>keyword
/SUB QUERY
/SUB now has double purpose - you can still subscribe to 'new directory
listings' announcement file by using /SUB <directory> , but you can also
use it with a subdirectory option as well. Let me give an example,
I like getting the SCAN utility whenever a new one is available, so
I can send this (and I already did :)
/SUB <MSDOS.TROJAN-PRO>SCAN (UUE
to TRICKLE@FRMOP11, since that's the closest server to me.
Now I am subscribed to all files in the <MSDOS.TROJAN-PRO> directory
that start with the word SCAN. Note that it would be useless to
subscribe to "SCAN91" since the trailing numbers keep changing - in
the near future, no files would match that pattern.
The UUE option just tells the server to encode the file for me before
sending. It's an optional parameter. (See the help file for encoding
options)
Likewise, /UNSUB removes an entry from your subscription list.
Finally, /SUB QUERY allows you to review your subscriptions. It will
display a list of the keywords stored for you.
There is currently no artificial limit on the number of subscriptions, and
hopefully we will not have to build such limits. Let's not go
overboard with the usage, please? Remember: You can easily exceed
daily limits if you have too many subscriptions.
Since the new code that supports this option is only distributed
yesterday, there may be initial problems: Although I tried to check
it before sending, it was never tested large-scale.
Wish us (the server maintainers) good luck - I don't know if a such
attempt was ever made by any server, on this scale.
Again, please report any problems or questions so we can help. (to the
list RED-SYS@TREARN, preferably)
Note: This new option also allows for 'mirroring' of server archives,
If there are those who are working on a server which can receive
feed from a TRICKLE server, you may consider subscribing your server
to all subdirectories. However, this requires the approval of the
server administrator of the server you use. Please get in touch with
him/her before attempting a such feat.
Finally, a disclaimer: A file subscription can be terminated by the
server maintainer, if it turns out to be too resource-consuming.
Regards, -turgut
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Fri, 26 Jun 92 07:53:48 EDT
Reply-To: "IBM OS/2 Unedited Discussion List" <OS2-L@FRORS12>
From: Joseph Malloy <jmalloy@ITSMAIL1.HAMILTON.EDU>
Subject: Re: Three Questions
Re: Viruses for OS/2...
I understand (haven't gotten my copy yet) the PC-Week has a note to the
effect: "Who says no one is writing code for OS/2? Theree are now two
known OS/2 viruses..." (I paraphase).
Methinks OS/2 isn't going to prove nearly as resistant to virus attack
as one might hope...
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Sat, 27 Jun 92 10:09:37 EST
Reply-To: "IBM OS/2 Unedited Discussion List" <OS2-L@FRORS12>
From: John K Gotwals <GOTWALS@PURCCVM>
Subject: Getting WIN-OS/2 to run in SVGA 1024 x 768, 16-color
Rick Smith, Purdue Univ. network specialist, worked out the following
procedure for getting WIN-OS/2 to run in SVGA 1024 x 768, 16-color mode on
my machine.
Background:
I have a DECpc 433ST machine which DEC shipped with a Digital branded SVGA
board which DEC calls a "VGA 1024 NI Adapter". Along with the board, DEC
shipped driver software "supplied by a third-party vendor". This software
included drivers for WIN 3.0 and OS/2 1.X. When I run SVGA STATUS from a
DOS full-screen session, I get the message that the board is equipped with
a Western Digital PVGA1D chip.
Procedure:
Following the procedure sketched out in the "Read Me" supplied with OS/2,
Rick went through the following steps:
1. Boot DOS, and use the WIN 3.0 drivers to get WIN 3.1 running in 1024 x
768, 16-color mode. Look at the WIN 3.1 ini files to see which fonts
are used.
2. In the \os2\mdos\winos2 directory, make backup copies of WIN.INI and
SYSTEM.INI files.
3. Copy the following files from the DOS WIN 3.1 drectory to
\os2\mdos\winos2\system directory: vga1024.drv, 8514fix.fon, 8514sys.fon,
8514oem.fon, smallf.fon, symbolf.fon, seriff.fon, courf.fon, sseriff.fon
4. Add the following lines to the \os2\mdos\winos2\win.ini file [fonts]
section:
Small Fonts (8514/a res)=SMALLF.FON
Symbol 8,10,12,14,18,24 (8514/a res)=SYMBOLF.FON
MS Serif 8,10,12,14,18,24 (8514/a res)=SERIFF.FON
Courier 10,12,15 (8514/a res)=COURF.FON
MS Sans Serif 8,10,12,14,18,24 (8514/a res)=SSERIFF.FON
5. Edit the \os2\mdos\winos2\system.ini file and change the following lines
from
fonts.fon=vgasys.fon
fixedfon.fon=vgafix.fon
oemfonts.fon=vgaoem.fon
display.drv=vga.drv
to
fonts.fon=8514sys.fon
fixedfon.fon=8514fix.fon
oemfonts.fon=8514oem.fon
display.drv=vga1024.drv
6. Experimentation found that for my system, the system only works properly
with SVGA OFF, i.e., do NOT issue the command SVGA ON from a DOS full-
screen session.
Results:
Excellent display on a multisync moniter running in WIN-OS/2 full-screen
mode. There are no problems switching back and forth from the WPS (running
in VGA mode), and OS/2 and DOS full-screen still work.
-- John
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Feed from the Usenet (UUCP/Internet) comp.os.os2.* newsgroups :
------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: cb@tamarack13.timbuk (Chris Brewster)
Subject: Dell selling OS/2 bundled
Organization: pubs
Date: 25 Jun 92 13:49:20 CDT
An item in the paper today says that Dell will start selling systems
with OS/2 preinstalled. This is the first company other than IBM and
some much smaller cloners to do this. They made the decision based on
numerous customer inquiries.
Chris Brewster
cb@cray.com
------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: barrett@cloudgen1.gatech.edu (James Barrett)
Subject: PC Mag July 92
Date: 26 Jun 92 20:51:05 GMT
Organization: Georgia Tech College of Computing
You wanted advertising? Here it is... 32 page ad supplement in the
July 1992 issue of PC Mag. Plus some good PC Mag articles.
---------------------OS/2 v2.0 -- It's heeeeerrrreee!!!!!-----------------------
James C. Barrett (barrett@cc.gatech.edu)| "If it makes you feel any better,
Georgia Tech College of Computing | you can see *me* naked." - K-man
------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: bgm@cray.com (Bert Moshier)
Subject: Watching OS/2; Volume 1, Issue 3.
Organization: Cray Research, Inc.
Date: 28 Jun 92 19:50:25 CDT
The fourth issue is just finishing up at the printers. I expect it to ship
(bulk) around 7/10. As I said, I will post the previous column when the next
issue either goes to the printer or just comes back.
BTW, Again I encourage you to get a copy of the magazine so you can see the
cartoon which goes with every column. This month's cartoon has its basis in
the first paragraph. It shows a young Bill Gates pulling on Mother IBM with
many people (including John F. Akers, the press, end-users, etc.) looking on.
The caption reads: "But Mother, I can do it myself."
If anyone has been wondering, I have been on vacation and am still on vacation.
I expect to be back around 7/20 or the Friday before. If you want me to
respond quickly, or you just want to say hi in a timely mannner, please,
send the message to my CIS userid (71371,517 -> 71371.517@compuserve.com ->
if memory serves me correctly).
Bert.
>From OS/2 Monthly Magazine Volume 1, Issue 3.
(c) Copyright 1992, Bertram Glenn Moshier. All rights reserved.
Watching OS/2
By Bert Moshier
One of the following three sentences does not apply to OS/2 2.0 for
March 31. (a) Is it soup, yet? (b) Are we there, yet Mommy? (c) But
Mother, I can do it myself! The answer, of course, is (c). IBM had to
finish OS/2 2.0 and everyone was wondering on March 31, if IBM and OS/2
2.0 were really ready.
You are reading this column after the launch of OS/2 2.0 that occurred
at the Spring COMDEX. You have knowledge about the fate of OS/2 many of
us (back in February) were desiring to know. Did it go out by the end
of March? Did first day orders ship on April 10? Is it stable? Is IBM
advertising and marketing it to the person using the personal computer?
What new features (since the last beta drop) did IBM add, if any? Did
all the features that caused the last delay ship? How are the press and
the public receiving OS/2? Are OS/2 1.x end-users still waiting for
their upgrade to 2.0? How long will the upgrade process take to
complete? Will IBM have a new upgrade procedure or will it be the same
old tune?
Today is April 20, and for many people these questions remain. We have
some answers, but these answers create new questions. IBM is
advertising OS/2, but not widely. OS/2 Marketing is happening, but
slowly. Shrink wrap OS/2 exists, but in very low numbers. Many stores
say they will not carry OS/2 on their shelves. The Corner Store and the
IBM 800 number together sold in the first two weeks over 280,000 copies
($49, $99 and $139). This tells us that word of mouth and computer
networks (IBM BBS, Compuserve IBMOS2, Fidonet, Bitnet, Internet, and
Usenet to name a few) are doing a good job. Reliable sources say IBM is
selling 4,000 copies an hour as of April 28.
Originally, this column was going to be on a question. Is OS/2 2.0
really "The Integration Platform" IBM claims? After much consideration,
I felt we needed to take care of some administrative details. In the
previous columns, we got right to work reviewing our desire for IBM to
market and advertise OS/2 aggressively. Normally, a first column
discusses the columnist, column goals and other housekeeping details.
With Spring upon us and a moment of time, we should cover these areas.
Before we delve into these details, a word from our sponsor.
-------
Hi! My name is Susan. I am a sophomore at The Ohio University. I just
don't understand computers. Why are they so difficult? They just don't
work like other things in my life. For example, when I lived at home my
mother had me doing chores around the house. To get them all done, and
still have time to go out in the afternoon, I'd have to do several of
them at the same time. I'd start a load of clothes and dishes, start
mowing the lawn. After fifteen minutes, I'd come back inside, move
clothes to the dryer, refill the washer, and return to the mowing. Come
in later and unload the dishwasher, do the weeding, and so on.
Why can't my PC let me start up unattended work and interactively work
at the same time? I tried using a window application to download a file
while doing my homework, but the download failed because of lost
characters. The download did work when nothing else was running.
Another time when doing work, my roommate needed some diskettes
formatted. My work came to a halt. A friend told me about changing
configuration files. All I am asking is for the computer to serve me,
instead of me serving it. Is this too much to ask?
This commercial brought to you by End-Users For A More Productive
Environment. We believe the computer is mankind's servant. Isn't it
time the computer started working on our level, instead of us working on
its level?
Now back to our show.
------
Hello, my name is Bert Moshier. I am a computer specialist employed by
an U.S. supercomputer manufacturer working in the network development
group. My job has nothing to do OS/2.
I grew up in a small rural Southern Ohio town (now a city) reared by my
mother who is also the artist for this column. The first computer I
used was a Wang programmable calculator with a card reader and an IBM
Selectric typewriter. From it, I discovered my love for computers.
This occurred in 1974 while I was attending Rio Grande College, after
skipping my senior year of high school.
My Grandmother had a fit when she heard I liked computers. She did not
like computers, since her bank was changing over at the time. I was to
be an accountant, period. Later, she changed her mind saying I should
learn about computers. Why did she change her mind? To quote her,
"Bert, You can help the other accountants get rid of computers."
I graduated in 1979 from The Ohio University at Athens, Ohio with a BGS
degree. My major was Computer Science (104 quarter hours of computer or
related classes). My area of interest was operating systems, VM/370.
My project, "An Internal Study of VM/370 and Computer Study," gave me an
interesting, hard, and rewarding senior year. Since graduation, I
discovered there are many jobs dealing with computer internals
(including assembler and now C) and they pay well.
My first job as a VM systems programmer was with Texas Instruments at
the Lewisville Interactive Computer Center (LICC). The Rolling Stone
tongue was our unofficial logo. I left TI for a 35% pay raise and to
stay a VM systems programmer.
My second job was with Owens Corning Fiberglas as the lead VM systems
programmer. While there, I became involved with Share (an IBM mainframe
user group) as a project officer. I discovered, with the help of Phil
Howard, two methods to permit a class G user to read and write real
memory. IBM fixed one of these holes and declined to fix the other one.
My significant work was the development of an incremental backup system.
I learned an important fact at OCF. I want to help all people to use
their computers, not one company.
I joined Cray Research, Inc., in 1983 working on the Cray VM Station. I
became the VM Station project leader in 1990. Between 1990 and 1992, I
was also the RQS (Remote Queuing Subsystem) for OS/2 project leader.
Duties included looking at the justifications of a Cray OS/2
communications product. I joined the Network Support section when a
group reorganization occurred in January 1992 and am now working on DCE
(Distributed Computing Environment).
My interest in OS/2 began in 1989. My manager was complaining that I
was spending more time getting my PC/AT to work than doing work for him.
I reviewed why I needed the PC to do my job: 3270 communications, word
processing, grammar checking, TCP/IP (electronic mail, Cray access, NFS,
etc.), file editing (Kedit), REXX development and presentation graphics.
All this real work could run under OS/2. Finally, no conflicts existed!
In early 1990, I went to OS/2 and never looked back.
I first used OS/2 as I had been using DOS, one application at a time.
About six months later, it dawned on me that my mind set was changing.
I was multitasking my projects on the computer. I was actively looking
for work to do and to overlap work. I seriously felt restricted by CMS
and its ability to do only one command at a time. Today, OS/2 2.0 is
integrating DOS and Windows back into my computers. I use several DOS
programs (Risk, Correct Grammar, RightWriter, SimCity, ChessMaster 3000,
Manage Your Money, and The Word Processor by Bible Research, Inc.). I
even have a Windows program (ChessMaster 3000).
I am, though, being selective in choosing DOS and Windows programs. If
an OS/2 version exists, I'll strongly consider it. An example is
DeScribe instead of WordPerfect for Windows. Another example is
Freelance for OS/2 instead of Powerpoint. The OS/2 versions run faster
than their DOS or Windows counterparts and support descriptive file
names. For example, which file name is the better, given one manually
enters a name only once using DeScribe,
Watching-OS2.Volume-One.Third-Issue or Third.Iss?
The name for this column came from my desire to let Carole Patton write
less about OS/2 and more about Windows. Ms. Patton, last year, wrote a
column called Watching Windows for PC Week. I was writing to PC Week
suggesting a Watching OS/2 column, when Joel Siragher approached me
about writing for OS/2 Monthly. Reality said PC Week was not going to
off-load OS/2 from Ms. Patton by creating a Watching OS/2 column. I
agreed to write for this magazine to help advance OS/2. To my surprise,
PC Week shortly afterward stopped carrying Ms. Patton's Watching Windows
column.
Column direction
This column watches OS/2 and its many facets. Topics range from
marketing and advertising, to technical directions, to product reviews,
to whatever is of interests. No one is safe from getting coverage. It
maybe a pat on the back or a swift kick in the ....
Input comes from many sources, including the mentioned above networks.
I am finding many of you are on these networks. Your input allows me to
discover what is going on with OS/2, for this subject is greater than
one person can cover. I am simply a small town boy who, is reporting
what many see, feel and discover about a very productive and useful
computer tool. I use the word "we" to represent network users and me.
For example, we believe IBM must aggressively market and advertise OS/2
to the person using the PC.
The writing style is informal and is blunt, when necessary. I prefer to
use real life examples, stories, and analogies since they help people
visualize meanings and reduce ambiguities. Content comes first and
grammar second. Grammar is extremely important for it conveys the
content. It is the transport layer, the communications path. As Joel
learned from last issue (see no one is safe), grammar can break but not
make a piece. I strive for straight forward (simple sentences) and
active (voice) columns. The motto is don't make the reader search for
the meaning.
In conclusion, many positive and wonderful events are starting to occur
for OS/2. People are realizing what IBM service really means! IBM is
discovering it can bring business to the masses and the few. People can
work with their computer on a peer basis.
The President of Stac Electronic, while at the IBM Press briefing,
related an experience. He was working late (7 PM), and thought he was
the only one left at the office. Much to his surprise, he saw running
between offices the Stac Comptroller. He was typing a few keystrokes on
each machine, and then sitting down to one and typing for a fewminutes.
He explained that he was doing the month end accounting and writing a
report. One machine was doing accounts receivable. Another machine was
doing accounts payable, while other machines were doing additional
end-of-the-month activities. Finally, he was writing a report due
tomorrow on his own machine. Every machine in his department was in
use. As the Stac Electronic President went home, he realized the
advantage of OS/2 and multitasking. How much time did this valuable
employee lose that night? How good could the report be, when the author
got up and ran from machine to machine?
Is everything great for OS/2? No. One big problem is the expense of
development tools! People wonder if IBM really wants OS/2 to be more
than an outstanding DOS and Windows extender. How IBM treats software
developers, big and small, will tell the tale.
I leave you with this thought from Gordy Miller. WPS, Where
Productivity Starts!
-- 30 --
Bert Moshier is the president of the Minnesota OS/2 End-user Group. He
has been working with VM systems since 1977, and as a VM systems
developer since 1979. He became involved in OS/2 in 1989 when DOS,
MS-Windows, SUN's PC-NFS, Mansfield REXX and KEDIT would not play
happily together on his PC-AT. You may reach him through this
publication or on the IBM BBS (userid: Bertram Moshier) at
404-835-6600.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Organization: Wirtschaftsuniversitaet Wien, Vienna, Austria
Date: Tuesday, 23 Jun 1992 13:55:14 WUT
From: FLATSCHER Rony <RONY@awiwuw11.wu-wien.ac.at>
Subject: 16MHz 386sx: performance very good !
Getting fed up with statements like you must have a 486/50MHz or 386/100MHz
to run OS/2, I would like to clear this FUD.
I got my hands on a laptop with a 16MHz (!) 386SX (!!!) chip on it, 40 MB
hard disk and (that really matters) 10MB memory.
The system was responsive and you could work on it without any hazzles. The
key as stated in other posts is memory and not processor in order to run
OS/2 excellently. It may be the case that in low memory conditions a faster
processor may offset the fact that there is too few memory there (again,
6 MB is o.k. to work, 8 MB great).
One thing to remember: If you run three DOS-sessions and one or more DOS-
sessions with WINOS2 in it, memory requirements by definitions raise. If
not there, OS/2 has to swap. Still, it is a gimmick if the operating system
still allows one to work with so many memory-consuming programs without
having actually that memory physically present.
---rony
------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: bgm@cray.com (Bert Moshier)
Subject: Re: IBM Announces the Superstore Blitz
Date: 23 Jun 92 23:58:12 GMT
Organization: Cray Research, Inc.
In article <16809AEF8.MLONG@isucard.card.iastate.edu>
MLONG@isucard.card.iastate.edu writes:
> IBM KICKS OFF OS/2 2.0 SUPERSTORE BLITZ DAYS PROGRAM
>
> WHITE PLAINS, N.Y., June 17, 1992 -- IBM today announced that it will
> kick off a nationwide OS/2* 2.0 "Superstore Blitz Days" program
> designed to reach customers at close to 100 retail computer locations
> across the country.
>
> Beginning Saturday, June 20, and continuing through July, IBM employee
> volunteers will be onsite at store locations to demonstrate OS/2 2.0
> and answer any questions users may have about the operating system.
> The IBM teams will be joined by independent software developers as
> well as other vendors whose products and services complement OS/2.
>
> Many stores will offer patrons a chance to "test drive" the powerful
> new operating system. In addition, many retailers involved in the
> Superstore Blitz Days will offer special promotions and giveaways
> under the program.
>
> "We've seen an excellent response to OS/2 2.0 from the end-user commu-
> nity," said Nancy Roath, director of Personal Systems merchandising
> for IBM's National Distribution Division. "And this program affords
> us a key opportunity to work hand-in-hand with our OS/2 retailers to
> provide users with a comprehensive forum in which to see, hear and
> understand the advantage of this advanced 32-bit operating system."
>
> "Already the demand for OS/2 2.0 has been tremendous and this type of
> commitment from IBM personnel and its vendors can only increase the
> interest in OS/2 and its capabilities," said Steve Goodman, general
> merchandise manager of ELEK-TEK, Inc.
>
> Participating SuperStores include American TV Ballards, BizMart,
> Brandsmart, Computer Attic, Computer City, Computerland Express, CW
> Electronics, ELEK-TEK, Fry's Electronics, J&R, LDI, Micro Center,
> Whole Earth and Workplace.
>
> According to Roath, the SuperStore Blitz Days program has been enthu-
> siastically received across IBM. "The fact that so many IBM employees
> are willing to give up their weekends to participate in this effort is
> clearly a testament to OS/2 2.0," she said.
>
> OS/2 is an advanced 32-bit operating system that supports DOS,
> Windows, and OS/2 applications in a single package. This advanced
> platform offers true multitasking -- allowing concurrent execution of
> multiple software programs -- and enables users to choose from tens of
> thousands of applications, providing access to a tremendously broad
> range of software programs.
>
> # # #
>
> * Indicates trademark or registered trademark of the
> International Business Machines Corporation.
>
>Sorry if this still messes up your news reader :->
>Mike Long
>Iowa State Univ.
This just occurred in the Minneapolis Egghead and Computer City this last
Saturday (6/20). I did not go but I got reports from people who did go.
WALL TO WALL PEOPLE. LOTS OF COPIES SOLD! The Egghead manager plans on talking
to the other managers in the Twin Cities about carrying OS/2 2.0!
Bert.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
END OF OS/2 DISCUSSION FORUM 920605
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