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An update, dated Dec. 16th, for Java 1.1.8 for OS/2 is available at:

ftp://ncc.hursley.ibm.com/pub/java/fixes/os2/11/118

Styler/2 version 1.1.0 is available for download. Styler/2 is a user interface enhancer for OS/2 warp 3 and 4. The archive smw110.zip (996 Kb) is available from:

the incoming directory of Hobbes (http://hobbes.nmsu.edu/pub/incoming/smw110.zip)
or later the new directory of Hobbes (http://hobbes.nmsu.edu/pub/new/smw110.zip)
or from my web site at ghostbbs (ftp://ftp.ghostbbs.cx/pub/os2/os2team/alcant/smw110.zip)
or at tin.it (http://space.tin.it/scienza/acantato/files/smw110.zip)

This version (1.1.0.* - smw110.zip) corrects the following problems and add the following new features:

• Marking and copying text by the mouse in VIO windows now works correctly even if only mouse button 1 is selected without causing any conflict with those programs which detect and use mouse button 1 click events.
  
• In some circumstances, with the Automatic focus feature enabled, windows were receiving undue get-focus messages even if they already had the focus. This bug has been fixed now.
  
• The code for painting the shades used as titlebar background has been completely re-written. Now shades are painted much more faster and a partial dithering is used for improving the look of horizontal shades. Besides that, new shades syles have been added to the ordinary horizontal and vertical shades styles.
  
• Now the bitmaps used as titlebar background may be optionally stretched to fit the titlebar size.
  
• Some new sets of bitmaps for the titlebar buttons have been added. These include:
  
  • an almost complete set of bitmaps by Don K. Eitner,
    
  • roll and unroll bitmaps by Ulrich Moller,
    
  • some x-windows bitmaps suggested by a member of Team OS/2 Italy (sorry I do not remember who actually sent me the original images),
    
  • some "spherical" bitmaps elaborated from a sketch by Teo Pace.
    
• The installation/uninstallation program has been completely rewritten.
  
• The installer checks for the MPTS.EXE program and adds it to the exceptions if not yet present there.
  
• The registration program and the preferences program have been reviewed in order to make use of only one dll for the common code and another dll for the language related resources. This will make it easier to translate the program to other languages than English in future.
  
• The help buttons now opens the proper page of the program documentation.
  

On behalf of Project Odin team I'm forwading you the following announcement. HTML version of the announcement is available at:

http://www.netlabs.org/odin/Announce991217.phtml

---
Odin team call for developers

17. Dec 1999

Since the first official release Project Odin has been further improved and the success people have with the software encouraged us to promote and recommend use of the Odin32 API as a tool for porting Windows applications to OS/2. Also, while the core team is focused on main issues, a need for some side-projects arised, that is for projects that are in one way or another related to Odin, but are (at least currently) out of the scope or the man-power of Project Odin team. Finally, but not the least important, we noted that while some Odin32 API subsets are nearing the completition, others lag substantially as no one is actively working on them.

Therefore we issue this call for OS/2 developers with some spare time in their pockets, to join us, help us or let us help them. What we suggest to you is to do one of the following:

Port a Windows application to OS/2

Although it is not as common as with Linux, there are many open source applications available for Windows. In some cases they are classical open source projects, sometimes they are giveaways from a product that is no longer marketed (an older game or an application) and sometimes it's a left-over from a bankrupt company or a project.

Whatever is the case, Odin32 makes porting to OS/2 as easy as it can be: we provide the API, platform, resource compiler, guidelines and active support! We may even implement or improve Odin32 API functions you need if you're unable to do it yourself! If you are, you're more than welcomed, as this is the recommended way to work with Odin32, that is: helping others, too, instead of inventing workarounds or implementing the missing functions in your own applications.

And if you wonder why porting if Odin provides binary compatibility, bare in mind that with porting you may improve the code, fix bugs, adjust the application to OS/2 environment, add OS/2 specific features, etc. The initial version of porting guide is available at:

http://www.netlabs.org/odin/DevelopersPorting.phtml

Implement one of Odin-related projects

There are couple of features and projects that are out of the scope of Odin, but that are related to it in one way or another. There is a need for that sofware, and most of it can be acomplished by extending and improving Odin. These projects are either tied to Odin's purpose or are dependant on it. Others are needed in oder to replicate some Win32 features, and we believe it's better to implement them separately, in a way that will enable them to benefit and be both used by regular OS/2 applications and reused from Odin32.

Some of those projects are: providing Win16 support, enabling WPS integration of Windows Desktop folder, creating Odin32 aware taksbar and 'Start' button, implementation of Windows and Control Panel applets and NT services control panel, enabling Win32 Netscape plugins to work in OS/2's Netscape, providing default file dialogs replacement based on Odin, 'skin' support for Odin32 dialogs and windows, creation of Glide API and standardized audio mixer API for OS/2...

By working on these projects you will not only help Odin but OS/2 users in general. For more informations please visit:

http://www.netlabs.org/odin/DevelopersProjects.phtml

Join Project Odin team

Some parts of Odin32 are progressing very well, but there are some 'neglected' parts of the API that lag substantially behind the others as no one is actively working on them. These include some parts of DirectX, printing, multimedia, NetBIOS and serial port communication APIs. Some others would benefit from help, too, if you believe that you coud not contribute to the above listed ones.

The curent status of implemented API subsets can be viewed at:

http://www.netlabs.org/odin/DevelopersOdin32API.phtml

To join Project Odin, the first step would be to join the 'general' mailing list and establish contact with the team. You can do that from:

http://www.netlabs.org/odin/ProjectJoining.phtml

if you can help with the implementation of some of the core API subsets.

With this announcement we invite you to join one of the most important projects for the future of OS/2 as a desktop solution. The project is making great progress and is probably the OS/2 project with the highest number of active participants at the moment, but the goal we are aiming to achieve is huge and lot of work still remains to be done. There are many good Win32 applications out there and OS/2 users would benefit if they could use them. To learn more about Project Odin in general visit:

http://www.netlabs.org/odin/

I have recently found a bug in REXX2EXE: if your rexx code tried to run system commands WITHOUT using "address cmd" then they would not work. I, of course, always use "address cmd" as it makes the code more readable. :-)

The current version on my web page is fixed, get it from:

http://www.labyrinth.net.au/~dbareis/freeos2.htm

I recently surfed to OS/2 VOICE and found an interesting project called FreeOS. The goal of it is to fully replace OS/2 by an open source OS/2 clone since it seems that IBM will drop OS/2 (support) in the furture.

The project is divided into several groups e.g. kernel, WPS, WPS enhancement, command line utilities. Everyone is welcome to join this interesting project even he has no programming experience.

The link to the project is:

http://www.quasarbbs.com/daniel/freeosidx.html

The Discussion Forum: deja.comm.os2users has been created, along with an associated os2users community.

Despite all of the OS/2 bashers out there, OS/2 is still a very viable and usable operating system. OS/2 consistantly rates very high on the Operating System and Network Operating System (for OS/2 Server) polls here on Deja.com. I thought it might be nice to have a discussion community here (everything else has one, except OS/2 -- until now!). I recommend that all who participate in the Deja polls in favor of OS/2 please join (we'll ignore anyone who bashes OS/2). (Of course, you have to register with Deja to join, but well, that might be worthwhile.)

Here is some important information about this Forum:

Forum Name: deja.comm.os2users
Forum Web address: http://www.deja.com/~os2users/group/deja.comm.os2users

Likewise, the new OS/2 Users community can be found at:

http://www.deja.com/~os2users/

I know we don't necessarily need another place to discuss OS/2, but the Deja polls are important -- we needed a home for OS/2 on Deja to compete with all of the Linux and Winxx fora, to prove to the outsiders using the polls that we know what we're talking about when we rate OS/2 in the top two. Please join it -- this community will be only what you make it. Thanks very much.

A new release of the TMT Pascal compiler for DOS has been released, now in a multi target edition with support and libraries for compiling native 32 bit OS/2 applications.

More information about this release is at:

http://www.tmt.com/products.htm

and more information about TMT Pascal in general is to be found at the TMT home page:

http://www.tmt.com/

A demo of the multitarget version can be downloaded from:

ftp://ftp.tmt.com/tmtpdemo.exe

Ft. Lauderdale, Florida - December 15, 1999. AFST Inc. is pleased to announce that it will add high performance newsgroup service to ISP800. This service will be in place when ISP800 for OS/2 is inaugurated on January 3, 2000.

"I am pleased with the number of pre-registrations we are receiving from the OS/2 community," said Randy Perez, president of AFST, "and I am overwhelmed by the constructive, helpful and informative suggestions we=92re getting from OS/2 users. You told us, in no uncertain terms, that newsgroups are vital to you because they are a lifeline to technical support and product information about OS/2 and OS/2 software. Keep telling us what we need to know to better serve you."

AFST specializes in premium ISP services and Internet solutions. Its flagship ISP service, ISP800, is providing special pricing to OS/2 users throughout the United States. ISP800 offers 100% coverage in the United States and unlimited Internet access through its unique toll free 800 number technology. Coverage is available anywhere in the U.S. where a dial tone is available. ISP800 also plans to add local access service throughout much of Canada in the near future. "We have to do it," said Perez. "I=92m amazed at how many OS/2 users there are in Canada. We can=92t provide 800 number access in Canada, yet, due to tariff regulations. But we will add local access numbers for as many of you as possible."

For more information about ISP800 for OS/2 Users please see:

http://isp800.com/os2

There is an CcDoc port for OS/2 available. For more information and download please visit:

http://www.geocities.com/SiliconValley/Vista/7567/software/english/index.html

or

http://glass.os2.spb.ru/software/english/index.html

The CcDoc tool, developed by Joe Linoff, is a javadoc like tool that automatically generates web documentation from C++ programs by parsing the source file headers.

Symantec has released (12/13/99) update av30fb for IBM Antivirus. See:

http://www.symantec.com/avcenter/download.html

or directly:

ftp://ftp.symantec.com/public/english_us_canada/antivirus_definitions/ibmav/av30fb.zip

In about two weeks a new version of SecureDesktop will be delivered. I had great problems with the WPS which was the reason for long pause from my side.

The new version will include single-sign-on feature for Warp-Networks (Peer to Peer, WarpServer). The whole package can be downloaded from my home page.

http://home.t-online.de/home/Juergen.Dankoweit

SecureDesktop is a security system for OS/2 computers with Warp4 or Warp3 installed. The current version allows serial multiuser Desktops on one machine. Each Desktop is protected by UserID and password. Each user has also his own home-directory.

The future plans are:

• file-access-controls (under development)
  
• distributed WPS (the last tests are running)
  
• trusted applications (under development)
  
• several modules for administrating database (msql), StarOffice, Communicator 4.61, NS 2.02, etc. from SecureDesktop (under development)
  
• full WPS integration (under development)
  

I just checked out the ICQ/2 site and found v1.503j is available.

If you use ICQ and haven't tried ICQ/2, you should give it a go. It doesn't keep popping up messages at you, but rather keeps them in an IRC-Like window. It's pretty nice.

Check it out at:

http://members.home.com/momotek/icq2/index.html

JANUARY 00 "OS/2 CONNECT" NEWSLETTER RELEASED

PALM HARBOR, FLORIDA (December 13, 1999) - M. Bryce & Associates (MBA) today announced the release of the January issue of OS/2 CONNECT, a freeware newsletter distributed through the various computer networks and bulletin boards. OS/2 CONNECT is THE authoritative source for contact information in the universe of IBM's OS/2 32-bit operating system.

The newsletter is implemented as a web page at: http://www.os2ss.com/connect/ . Its HTML files are also available for downloading and viewing locally. The file is named CON0100.ZIP and can also be obtained at:

Hobbes - ftp://hobbes.nmsu.edu/ (ftp://hobbes.nmsu.edu/pub/os2/info/newsltr/connect/con0100.zip) or (ftp://hobbes.nmsu.edu/pub/incoming/con0100.zip),

Walnut Creek - ftp://ftp-os2.cdrom.com/ (ftp://ftp-os2.cdrom.com/pub/os2/newsltr/con0100.zip) or (ftp://ftp-os2.cdrom.com/pub/os2/incoming/con0100.zip),

America Online and various Bulletin Boards.

Audio/Data-CD-Creator V0.35 is ready for download. Get your free copy here:

http://www.geocities.com/SiliconValley/Sector/5785/index.html#audiocdcreator

Audio/Data-CD-Creator is a set of folder classes to burn CD-R/RWs via drag and drop. It uses CDRecord/2 to actually write the CD. The program is released under the GPL and full source is avaiable.

New with this version:

• Progress bar for writing existing images
  
• Bug fix: The number of source shadows is unlimited now
  
• Some more bug fixes and enhancements
  

The OS/2 version of cdrdao 1.1.3 is avaiable for download:

http://www.geocities.com/SiliconValley/Sector/5785/cdrdao/cdrdaomain.htm

cdrdao is a free CD-R/RW writing program for DAO mode. This is an alpha release so use it with care!

Notice: There's NO support for this utility due to lack of time. If you try it, you're on your own.