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Earlier this week it was announced that a new PMMail mail list had been set up
to take the place of the original list which had stopped functioning. Over the past
two days, more than 70 people subscribed to the new list with more coming all the
time. Due to the increased traffic, Gary Hammer volunteered the use of his list
server and bandwidth to host the new list. Anyone now wishing to subscribe to the
new PMMail list should send their subscription request to listserver@musthave.com
and in the body of the message write "subscribe pmmail-l emailaddress".
(do not include the quotes, and substitute your real email address for emailaddress).
Steve Lamb will continue to administer the new list.
IBM has released the source for 3D visualization explorer. Let's make an OS/2
version ;-)
See for yourself at:
http://www.research.ibm.com/dx/
From the Southern California OS/2 User Group:
The June "Webfoot, The Duck" OS/2 column is now online at:
http://www.scoug.com/os24u/1999/scoug906.2.webfoot.html
This month, Webfoot covers:
Each monthly "Webfoot, The Duck" column includes:
Sponsored by the Southern California OS/2 User Group (http://www.scoug.com).
http://www.osopinion.com/Opinions/michaelhigdon/MichaelHigdon1.html
At www.osopinion.com you can publish your opinion about any OS. Here is an opinion
about OS/2.
Greetings, now the Hacker Card is finally available in US/Canada areas!!!
Hacker Card protects your system's boot partition from disastrous FixPak install
to a complete FORMAT C: /L and anything in between!!! And also provides the ability
to create up to 10 (yes, TEN!) primary boot partitions for installation of all kinds
of operating systems of your choice!
For an indepth review of the Hacker Card, check out
http://www.os2ezine.com/v3n14/hcard.htm
(note: 8GB+ support is almost out of the R&D labs now :) )
For information on how to purchase the Hacker Card, check out:
* INJOY 2.2. BRIEF
Denmark - June 1, 1999 -- F/X Communications announced today the release of InJoy
version 2.2.
InJoy is known as the ever-expanding Internet Dialer that with its mission critical
and powerful features brought reliable dial-up based Internet connectivity to OS/2.
The Firewall and Packet Filter plugins found at the SOHO and Pro levels effectively
turn InJoy into an extremely powerful and secure gateway product, capable of handling
an almost infinite number of network users.
InJoy 2.2 contains many new features and fixes and this version is believed to
be more reliable than ever before.
OS/2 shops will appreciate the first COMPLETE Dialer API, providing applications
with full control and monitoring capability of dial-up connectivity. Accompaning
sample code and documentation finally makes it possible to build a fully functional
Internet dialer in just half an hour.
* MAIN NEW FEATURES IN VERSION 2.2
* FEATURE RICH:
Complete API, Filter capability; Firewall capability; Y2K; Dynamic DNS; Dial
On Demand; Re-Dial, Re-Connect; Network Address Translation; High COM Speeds; Phone
Number List; Scripts, Auto-Learned; Connection Log; Terminal Mode; PAP (MS)CHAP;
TCP/IP v4.1 support; Extensive Trace Options; NULL Modem Support; Auto-start capabilities;
and more ...
* CONTACTS
InJoy Home Page...: http://www.fx.dk/injoy
InJoy Support.....: support@fx.dk
Purchase questions: sales@fx.dk / orders@bmtmicro.com
InJoy Mail List...: http://www.fx.dk/contadd.html
A friend of mine told me about this one a few weeks back, now that they are actually
availble for purchase I will share it with the rest of the OS/2 Community.
Happy Hardware Purchasing!
There is a new removable drive in town, and it is called the ORB.
It holds 2.2gb of information per cartridge.
The homepage for the drive is a mouthful:
http://www.castlewood.com/castlewood/web/orb_spec.htm
You will notice that OS/2 is fully supported. (You're going to need version 4.0
for this one.) And they're included in the package! No download!
The following post from Dave Rocks at the University of New Mexico appeared on
comp.os.os2.announce last Friday (May 28).
From: rocks@nmsu.edu
Newsgroups: comp.os.os2.announce
Subject: hobbes status
Date: 28 May 1999 22:23:46 GMT
Reply-To: rocks@nmsu.edu
I have been the sponser of the hobbes OS/2 ftp site since it moved to New Mexico
State 8 or 9 years ago. Since I have had a 80 hour work week all that time, I've
benefitted from the support of others who have done the actual 'archiver' work.
Since Josh Shagam graduated a few weeks ago, hobbes has been running on autopilot.
I probably won't find a replacement in the near future and will take some of my
weekends to try to process the files, but expect things to be even slower than before.
Please understand that hobbes has been run more or less as a free trade zone.
I don't provide OS/2 support and I avoid all flames. We apply the universities restrictions
against pornagraphy, observe individual rights to privacy and ownership, restrict
the site to things related to OS/2, but otherwise don't pay much attention to what
comes and goes. The only resources I have are those I can beg from the university.
We don't get paid for this nor do we have an external sponsor. The most we've received
is a couple of disk drives from IBM'ers who supported OS/2.
So please, be patient and un-critical. This is a free service so give it the
respect all 'free' things deserve. I don't need a lot of mail, complimentary or
critical. hobbes future will be decided this summer, but only as I get time to address
it. I can't promise to be quick about it.
Thanx for your consideration in advance.
The SETI@Home OS/2 client version 1.2 has been released. I have set up a small
web page with instructions on the Supersite at:
There you will find everything you need to get started. For now the client is
only available on the Supersite, but it should appear soon on the main SETI@home
site. Please do not upload the client to other sites.
For reasons of personal need, I wrote a small program that toggles the "dirty"
status of an HPFS drive. Since I have over the years seen many questions about how
to do that, for this reason or that, I decided to polish the program up a bit and
release it, with the source code.
There are really only two good reasons to use it:
1) You are developing a program which forces frequent hard resets on you, and
you're tired of losing development time to CHKDSK.
2) You have a drive which CHKDSK is unable to complete on, and you'd like to
make it readable to recover data before reformatting (to possibly discover that
the drive is near death - the reason I wrote the program in the first place).
You can accomplish the same thing with a sector editor, by changing bit 0 of
byte 8 on sector 17. Or, you can use GammaTech's GTDISK program. This program is
merely a small, free, and simple alternative.
Since the program does modify your drive below the file system level, it is possible
for damage to be done in the event that bad information is returned (such as an
incorrect sector size, which could be caused by a corrupted boot sector). Use the
program at your own risk.
It is currently located at:
ftp://hobbes.nmsu.edu/pub/incoming/hpfsdt.zip
Once archived, it will be at:
ftp://hobbes.nmsu.edu/pub/os2/util/disk/hpfsdt.zip
The SMTP server component of Inet.Mail has been updated to fix some problems
with the 4.2 tcp/ip stack in Warp Server for eBusiness (Aurora). The problem caused
MX record lookups to fail.
This version of smtpd (1.3.5) may be used with any tcp/ip 4.1 or greater system.
This version will NOT work with the any tcp/ip stack prior to 4.1.
ftp://ftp.hethmon.com/hethmon/pub/testcase/smtpd-1.3.5.pro.zip
ftp://ftp.hethmon.com/hethmon/pub/testcase/smtpd-1.3.5.zip
If you encounter any problems with MX record lookups, please let me know.
Nvidia has released drivers for the Rivia TNT, Rivia TNT2, and Vanta line of
video cards. They can be found at:
http://www.nvidia.com/Marketing/Products/Pages.nsf/pages/os2drivers
Unlike the earlier leaked drivers these actually work, and DIVE performance is
Awesome! Here are some Sysbench video benchmarks showing the TNT2 Leadtek 3D S320II
& the Matrox Millennium G200 @ 1024x768 16bit:
TNT2
339.490 = PM-Graphics-marks
316.569 = DIVE-marks
G200
181.029 = PM-Graphics-marks
59.488 = DIVE-marks
Tests done on Celeron 300a @ 450Mhz
CNET news has posted an article covering the refusal by Bell South to install
xDSL service on anything but Windows and Mac Desktops.
"BellSouth is facing a protest campaign from a group of online Linux users
who say the company won't let them sign up for its new high-speed Internet access
service"
The story covers Linux users' problems, but they could easily be problems that
face the OS/2 community.
http://www.news.com/News/Item/0,4,37313,00.html?owv
This week's edition of Focus on OS/2 is now online.
Topic: Valuable Software Tools for your New OS/2 System
This wraps up the "Primer on Installing and Setting up OS/2".
The feature can be accessed at:
http://os2.about.com/library/weekly/mcurrent.htm
Zap-O-Comm from Emtec (the best Terminal Program for OS/2) has been released
in the new version 3.12, downloadable at http://www.emtec.com/download.html.
Because the official PMMail mail list stopped functioning about a month ago Steve
Lamb, a longtime expert PMMail, user has just donated space on his list server to
fill the void. PMMail/2 and PMMail/98 users are invited to join the new list (pmmail@rpglink.com)
by sending a message to pmmail-request@rpglink.com
with the word "subscribe" in the body, or a message to listar@rpglink.com
with the words "subscribe pmmail" in the body. Steve says that he will
keep the new list open as long as there is interest or until the official PMMAIL-L
list is reactivated.
Subject: OS/2 Warp and Windows NT versions of Complite File Comparison Family
available for sale.
The Complite File Comparison Family consists of word-by-word comparison utilities
for programming language source, ASCII text and data files. Native versions of these
utilities are available for DOS, OS/2 Warp, and Windows NT.
The OS/2 Warp and Windows NT versions are now available for sale. They support
split screen displays of up to 200 columns by 76 rows, with correlated scrolling
and word highlighting. They also support queued printing to printers on the desktop.
Keyword and phrase processing can tailor the comparison for specific applications.
The OS/2 Warp versions consist of:
Demonstration versions of these utilities are available at:
http://world.std.com/~jdveale/index.html
The demonstration versions are functional, with some features disabled. Contact
information and more detailed descriptions are available on the web page.
Hello,
has a new column! Under "Tips" it is possible to collect them in columns
"Programs" / "Hardware" / "System". After, and we
are in need of YOUR help, this archive will be searchable (like HelpDesk).
Thus it will be possible to commit and share experiences about OS/2 with new
and unversed OS/2 users.
We really hope for your help and look forward to many nice tips.
ciao
--
Philipp Buehler <pb@OS2.org>
OS/2 - do not miss it.
Administration/Owner of http://www.OS2.org/ ; http://www.OS-2.de/
VyperHelp is a visual outliner and editor for creating online help for OS/2-based
systems. It generates IPF files, which can be compiled into OS/2-based HLP and INF
files. It also generates WinHelp project source, including HPJ, CNT, RTF and HH
files. A command-line conversion program is included, which allows conversion to
and from OS/2 help and WinHelp. 1.04 adds an installation program, progress indicators,
and bug fixes.
This pre-release also includes shareware registration controls. It will expire
30 days after it is first run, and the output inserts promotional text at the front
of each section. However, we will be giving away free 60-day keys until the product
is released. For more information and download links, see:
http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/mek/vyper.htm
From the BeOS news wire:
"Creative Labs has a Linux Developer's Site
(http://developer.soundblaster.com/linux/),
and on this site is a link to information and source for programming their DVD
drives and hardware. If you're a programmer with a DVD drive and wanna take a hack
at it you'll find info on the UDF file system and some other interesting information."
This may be of interest to anyone capable in the OS/2 community that would like
to develop drivers for Creative Labs devices.
Hugh McCreery
1. Tyra/2 the Config.sys analyzer, information tool and editor is now available
in version 1.50.
New in Tyra/2:
- Available in english and german
- Some minor changes to the User Interface.
- Updates and Additions to the help file.
- All known bugs were corrected
http://www.online.de/home/os2/
2. Along with the new Tyra/2 version I have updated and added new pages to my
Config.sys Documentation Project, there are now 250 descriptions online and it is
now available in english and german. The Config.sys Documentation Project is an
ongoing project to make it the first address if you want to learn something about
the config.sys file. If you know something about the config.sys, please tell it
to me. Your help is always welcome.
http://www.online.de/home/os2/
Oliver Poggensee
tyra2@gmx.net
HOUSE/2, the first shareware program available for the CM11A controller by X-10,
has been expanded to support the popular CP290 home automation controller and as
a result, HOUSE/290 is now available.
What is X-10 home automation?
With X-10 devices you can inexpensively automate your home, from turning on your
lights and appliances automatically, to controlling drapes and thermostats, to monitor
events from motion sensors and input modules. The X-10 controllers connect to your
computer's serial port and act as timing devices for the modules. X-10 modules simply
plug into your existing house wiring and transmission occurs through the wiring
itself - no rewiring is necessary. An easy, fun and inexpensive home improvement
project, plus it saves energy!
What are HOUSE/2 and HOUSE/290?
HOUSE/2 and HOUSE/290 are OS/2 applications designed to program and control the
X-10 computer interfaces. These programs are designed to interactively control the
X-10 modules from your desktop, or you can pre-program the controllers and run timed
events completely stand-alone.
HOUSE/290 has the following features:
Visit the Warped Code Cellar and get HOUSE/290 at:
Stellar Frontier has been updated to version 0.95 (5/28/99):
http://www.stardock.com/update/update_sf.html
RSJ CDWriter has been updated to version 2.79 (5/31/99):
http://www.rsj.de/stage/en/cd_os2.htm
PolyEx (http://www.polyex.com/) news:
Hopkins: FBI will have a MAJOR update very soon. As well as the usual bug fix,
expect some new functionality.
PolyEx will be at WarpStock in Atlanta, and might have something new to show.
PolyEx is looking for anyone interested in porting a game (MacOS/Windows) to
OS/2; email them if you are interested: adam@polyex.com
The promotion and support of OS/2 is important to us at Pillarsoft. Our primary
goal as a company naturally would be to receive a financial return on our investment
of time and resources but we also realize the importance of our involvement in the
community of people that make up the OS/2 user base.
To show our support in a way that we believe is helpful to the OS/2 community
at large, we will be offering what we hope will be an attractive incentive to all
users of OS/2 to take an active part in it's destiny.
The talk of a new client has been bandied about lately and personally, I believe
it will become a reality. I also believe that one thing we can do as a community
is to bolster the support system for new and existing users as well as support for
those who may be returning.
My personal involvement with VOICE has led me to believe that it can be a very
important cog in that wheel. VOICE, in cooperation with Dirk Terrell/Falcon Networking
is attempting the resurrection and extending the usefulness of what was once known
as the Warp Pharmacy. VOICE has also been active in setting software authors up
online for Q&A sessions with OS/2 users and many other projects helpful toward
the promotion and support of OS/2. It is a great organization that I believe will
become stronger with your participation.
Rather than stand at the pulpit and preach the merits of active membership, we
will attempt to do something of substance for anyone willing to become an active
part of VOICE. For the month of June, we will be giving a free registration of DeskTop
Backup to every new or renewing member of VOICE.
There are two prerequisites:
1) You must join or renew your VOICE membership between the dates of June 1,
1999 and June 30, 1999. VOICE membership is $25 at BMT Micro http://www.bmtmicro.com
2) Attend a scheduled VOICE virtual meeting on IRC and notify any VOICE officer
that you are there and have joined or have renewed your membership during the month
of June.
The secretary of VOICE will notify us when memberships and renewals are officially
received and any officer can verify attendance at a meeting. The registrations will
be sent out after both of these prerequisites are met.
My personal reason for the meeting attendance prerequisite is that I would like
to see "active" members become part of a larger solution as opposed to
gaining "passive" members that support with dues but can't contribute
the time. Membership dues are nice but they cannot compare to the value of your
input and help. It is my hope that many of you will see a need that you may be able
to fill or have ideas that can further the cause of VOICE and it's focus on the
OS/2 family of operating systems.
We hope you will take advantage of this offer.
*********************
About DeskTop Backup
*********************
DeskTop Backup is a simple tool that works with InfoZip's Zip (v2.2) and Unzipsfx
to build a self-extracting zipfile containing your essential desktop and other configuration
information. There is no magic or slight of hand concerning its use and one can
do the same work from the command line along with the InfoZip utilities. DeskTop
Backup merely makes it a bit more automated and will also help you decide what files
may be important to archive.
DTB will also help find and list important files on your drive so you are able
to do a more detailed backup than the standard OS/2 system desktop archive will
give you.
You may add to the "suggested" file listings or do a separate setup
of your own important files and directories as well. Such as? Well... maybe you
want to do an archive of business correspondence or maybe back up a development
directory every so often. You can do them on demand or automatically as well.
Saving several distinctive backup setups to be performed on demand or automatically
is easily handled by DTB. You can also scan the chosen drive for existence of suggested
files whenever you feel an update of the information is needed. (new files important
to your desktop may have appeared since the last setup)
As usual, we try to stay away from cryptic scripts etc so "AutoStart"
backups are simple point and click setups that update your situation automatically
with just a mouse click. You can also save multiple archive setups and recall them
at will as well as setting the scheduler to run automatically at startup to archive
by "days between archives" or "day of the week".
More information and downloads are available at:
I've just updated both WPTOOLS and ASSOEDIT to overcome a problem reported by
a user. Also, two new programs have been added to WPTOOLS.
- DEFASSOC a program to manipulate associations from the command line;
- GETOBJ a program to query object settings from the command line.
Both are available from:
http://www.os2ss.com/information/kelder
Just want to let you know that today (Sunday, 30 May) the contract for the OS/2
port of Opera, the Norwegian browser of note, was signed in Oslo with Swiss team
Netlabs (http://www.netlabs.org) under the leadership of Adrian Gschwend.
The first attempt failed. Many months of 'nothingness' followed. Now it will
be started anew with a new code base, which will hopefully result in some rather
quick results.
More info to follow in due course.
Helmar
Project Magic coordinator for Opera Software AS
Don't risk a hard drive crash with no way to be able to restore your system.
You need no special devices or expensive software. DreckBak for OS/2 Hard Drive
Backup/Restore Suite, only requires some space on a device that is seen by OS2 as
a Drive Letter (f:). GREAT for removable media drives and large hard disks. Compression
provided by Info-Zip, Two separate file integrity tests, full logging, multiple
exclusion filters, full automation, great tech support, are just the beginning.
See why Warp City suggested this program. ("a keeper.")
Available at the support site, BMT Micro, Hobbes, Your local drugstore.......
http://weismer.virtualave/DreckBak.html
I have just updated PGPro Scripts to v1.3. PGPro Scripts is a collection of free
open-source REXX scripts for TrueSpectra's Photo>Graphics Pro vector graphics
application for OS/2.
New in v1.3: - Support for object groups which do not contain additional
object groups
PGPro Scripts can be downloaded from The OS/2 Alternative website at:
http://www.tstonramp.com/~freiheit/PGPro_Scripts_13.zip
If any REXX programmers could point me in the right direction to support ALL
object groups, no matter how many nested object groups they contain, I would be
most appreciative.
I have started writing a document on 'multithreading PM applications'. You'll
find it on:
http://w1.246.telia.com/~u24600028/
It's mostly for beginner developers, and curious people who just want to know
how OS/2 works.
Get the new compiled version for OS/2 at:
http://users.interact.net.au/~pmiy/ftpindex.html
FTE is a free VIO Editor for Linux, OS/2 and W32
First time users have to fetch and install http://www.kiss.uni-lj.si/~k4fr0235/fte/dist/fteo46b5.zip
first.
Dadaware has finally updated Embellish to version 2.02b!
http://www.dadaware.com/download_area/download_area.html