Virtual OS/2 International Consumer Education
Due to a large crowd and alot of lag a number of people were unable to get in their
questions to Tim. We will see if we can convince him to come back next month.
If there are any speakers you would like to hear from at VOICE speakup events please
send your request to editor@os2voice.org
There is an html file with it to ask for a password to register. Do so in masses!!!
"You will receive an email with the password within some minutes after pressing
the send button. Your Data will be stored in a database. This will only be used
to show Epson that there is still enough interest in OS/2 Drivers. You will receive
your Password even if you don't fill in your data. Many thanks to Detlef Schaebel
(dschaebel@nordrhein.de)!"
And from Timur Tabi: Look at the readme.1st, and check out the email address they
ask you to use if the form doesn't work:
"If the html-form does not work for you, email the data to mailto:Warpstock_Europe_HQ
<warpstock@uni.de>"
Editor note: if you would like to write to Epson America and ask them to include
the new German Epson printer driver with printers sold in North America you can
write to:
Then to help make it easier for Lotus to (hopefully) determine what's up, here's
a few suggestions:
1. Clearly describe the problem you experienced.
2. Mention in your message if this was a "clean" OS/2 Warp 4 system
that had never had FixPak 3 Special Edition or Beta 1 installed.
3. Note any OS/2 utilities (4OS2, Process Commander, etc.) you're using,
if any, that may hook into the OS/2 command line or the Workplace Shell.
4. Copy and paste the contents of the SSIDEBUG.TXT file placed by the
install in the root of your OS/2 boot drive (and label it SSIDEBUG.TXT
FILE CONTENTS) at the bottom of your message
5. Be sure to send the hardware information as well.
6. Attach a copy of your CONFIG.SYS file to the e-mail message (if you
don't mind doing so).
7. Include your phone number (again, if you don't mind) in case someone
from the Install team wants to speak with you personally to gather more
information on the problem.
If you're interested in downloading the Beta 2 Release it is located at ftp://hobbes.nmsu.edu/pub/ssw4beta
You can also order a Beta 2 CD-ROM from Indelible Blue - http://www.indelible-blue.com
- or from the J3 Computer Technologies - http://www.os2store.com
The URL for secure ordering is:
https://secure.falcon-net.net/BMT/order1020.html
You can order by phone as well at 800-414-4268 or 910-791-7052 or via fax at 910-350-2937.
Note: Attendees do not need to order, a disc will be sent to you at no cost. Please
do not order a copy of the disc if you were at Warpstock.
The price for the disc is $20 and includes presentations, demo software from presenting
vendors, and some other goodies. Of course no billing will be done until we have
the discs in stock.
For more information on VOICE - http://www.os2voice.org/index.html
VOICE
meetings - http://www.os2voice.org/meetinginfo.html
IRC clients in OS/2 - http://oeonline.com/~mandie1/irc_clients.html
WEBBnet IRC network - http://www.suntrix.com/ibbs/server.html
A new, hopefully easier, location for the Corrective Service Facility disks (CSF)
has been setup at ftp://service.boulder.ibm.com/ps/products/os2/fixes/wkickr
Pick the country/language you need then download WKICKRxx.ZIP or the individual
diskette images.
Feature Installer 1.2.1
If you use Java or any of the other products available via IBM Software Choice you
should update to this latest version of Feature Installer! It has been updated to
better manage feature dependencies on service levels of system modules during installation
and removal of various features.
Also, better support for upgrading to the latest level of Java has been added.
We recommend you upgrade to this latest level!
Visit our home page at http://www.jps.net/bttech/ for latest information
and JAVA development efforts.
All 1997 orders will be refunded as follows:
1. All 1997 credit card orders has not been processed.
2. All 1997 mail-in check orders will not be cashed and will be voided.
Please e-mail us at bttech@jps.net for any questions/concerns.
Nancy Tran
Sales & Marketing
Over 70 people joined us on WEBBnet on the #voice channel and both speakers freely
discussed all questions posed.
The highlights include:
1. The final application will be available to all users FREE of charge. Though no
source code will be made available. This is entirely a volunteer effort.
2. The application will convert an existing win32 .exe to a native OS/2 .exe, so
there is no question of license infringement or reverse engineering. As long as
you have a valid license for the win32 app, you are just making a copy that will
run under OS/2.
3. This project relies heavily on IBM's OPEN32 code, but they will not be modifying
any OS/2 system code. It is done with existing code and new code they are writing.
Timur said that the existing code fits on a floppy.
4. Since you are running native version, not emulation, they don't expect much in
the way of performance problems. According to Peter Fitzsimmons "open32 is
damn good! Some open32 apps run faster on OS/2 than win95/nt."
5. They don't expect Windows98 to cause much if any problems if and when it comes
out. According to Timur "until there are Win98-only apps out there, it should
not be a problem."
6. They are gradually working up to larger apps, but have successfully converted
smaller win32 utilities like Notepad, Freecell, etc. They plan to concentrate on
non-game applications, but if there is time they will work on DirectX to help with
converting games.
7. There is no current timetable, but they expect an open beta when it is ready.
If anyone has a suggestion for a future Speakup, feel free to send it to editor@os2voice.org
or better yet attend our IRC meetings. For more information on VOICE and our meeting
schedule - http://www.os2voice.org
The following is from IBM's PSP support news site:
Additional OS/2 Warp 4 function included in FixPak 5 Page
--------------------------------------
We've added some new and exciting features to OS/2 Warp 4 in out latest FixPak.
We think you'll want to get these enhancements, and it is as easy as applying the
latest FixPak. All are fully documented within the README.1ST included with the
FixPak or an individual text file. Below are the added new features and enhanced
functions.
1. PERFORMANCE CHANGES IN SUPPORT OF JAVA 1.1.1
Installing OS/2 Warp 4.0 FixPak 5 will enhance your Java Graphics Performance. These
are the highlights of the enhancements:
o Improved memory allocation for graphics
o Eliminated unnecessary operating system (DosSetMem) calls
o Improved rendering of shapes
o Improved shape intersection logic
o Improved filling & drawing Round Corner Rectangles
o Improved filling & drawing full & partial ovals
2. GRAPHICS ADAPTER DEVICE DRIVERS (GRADD) ADDED
Enhancements allowing the use of 5 newly created high performance GRADD drivers
reducing hardware wait times. The new drivers are for :
o Matrox Millenium, Mystique
o ATI Rage, Mach64
o S3 Trio, 864
o S3 Virge
o Chips & Technology 6555x
Updates including these GRADD drivers, and other video drivers as well, can be found
via the internet at the Fix Pak Respository site. Select All Fix Packages, and then
use search for "GRADD" to locate the files.
3. WARP REGISTRY COMPLETELY RE-WRITTEN AND A NEW EDITOR IS INCLUDED
The Warp Registry was completely re-written to improve performance. In addition,
the Warp Registry Editor (REGEDIT2.EXE) was designed to be functionally equivalent
to the Registry Editor found in Win95 and NT4.0. In addition to supporting the Open32
Registry Keys, the Warp Registry Editor also supports the standard OS/2 Profile
keys and files (*.INI). This was done in a manner as to appear "seamless"
to the user providing a single user interface that combines both universes on the
Warp platform.
See the README.REG file on the first FixPak disk for complete details.
4. IBM Open32
This fixpak include updates to the IBM Open32 Application Programming
Interfaces (API's). These API's will be documented in the next release
of the Developer Connection.
5. NEW (IMPROVED) CHKDSK
(This function was originally released in FixPak 2)
This version of CHKDSK offers significant improvements for High
Performance File System (HPFS) drives. CHKDSK now fixes all errors
found on HPFS drives in a single pass, operating faster, and with less
memory than previous versions. It contains better error detection and
correction algorithms, and creates a log file so service personnel can
determine what errors it found and how it corrected them. Finally,
only the amount of physical memory in your system limits the size of
the largest drive CHKDSK can check at boot time (autocheck).
For more complete information, please see the README.1ST file of the
FixPak.
6. OTHER ENHANCED FUNCTIONS INCLUDED
The following have been improved in either function or useability. For
complete details of these functions, please consult the README.1ST
file on the FixPak.
o AUTOMATED TRAP SCREEN LOGGING
Whenever an application program traps, the trap information is
(now) automatically logged in the POPUPLOG.OS2 file.
o SUPPRESSPOPUPS
SUPPRESSPOPUPS=0 will restore behavior to pre-FixPak 29 behavior.
That is, to disable logging and to have trap screens displayed
unless specifically overridden by an application's use of the
DosError API.
o TRAPLOG
The TRAPLOG command allows dynamic control of trap information
logging.
o TRAPDUMP
The TRAPDUMP command allows the conditions under which a trap
will initiate a System Dump to be set dynamically. Prior to Warp
3.0 FixPak 29, the System Dump setting could only be manipulated
from CONFIG.SYS by use of the TRAPDUMP statement.
o SYSDUMP
The SYSDUMP command forces a System Dump to be initiated,
regardless of the TRAPDUMP settings.
7. ADDED README FILES
There are other README files containing information you may want to
review. The first two are found on the first FixPak disk. The last two
are found on the last FixPak disk.
File File Contents
README2 Problems fixed in each FixPak (APAR list)
README.REGExplanation of the Warp Registry Editor REGEDIT2.EXE
CID.RME Tips on installing FixPaks via CID
DEBUG.RME Tips on debugging OS/2 Warp (3.0 and 4.0)
Timur Tabi and Dan Casey (Abraxas) were invited to the next board meeting to discuss
the future of VOICE and possibly merging with other user groups or IOTTA if they
are interested. Judy will try to contact Esther Schindler about IOTTA. In addition
it was announced that Timur Tabi will be the guest speaker at the next VOICE online
meeting to be held Nov. 19th at 8PM EST(Nov 20th at 01:00 GMT). The topic will be
the new WIN32-OS/2 project - http://www.io.com/~timur/win32os2.html.
This is one of the most exciting real projects going on in the Warp World, so try
to attend if possible. For information on VOICE and our IRC meetings: http://www.os2voice.org/meetinginfo.html
Warp 3.0 US English - Fixpack 32
Warp 3.0 French - Fixpack 32
Warp 3.0 German - Fixpack 32
Warp 4.0 US English - Fixpack 4
Warp 4.0 French - Fixpack 1
Warp 4.0 German - Fixpack 3
In addition the CD includes previous fixpacks for Warp 3.0 and 4.0 as well as TCP/IP
and the Warp 3.0 IBM Works and IAK. The CD has an SRP of $15 + $2 shipping and can
be purchased from the following vendors:
BMT Micro: http://www.bmtmicro.com
Indelible Blue: http://www.indelible.blue.com/bmtmicro
OS/2 Supersite: http://www.os2ss.com