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There has been another AV update released. Go here for the download:
http://www.symantec.com/avcenter/ibm/index.html
Topic this week: Larsen Commander: A Review
Although I'm not a big fan of file manager, Larsen Commander managed to pique
my interest anyway. It is very cleverly written with a clean easy-to-use interface,
yet retains much of the original Norton Commander flavour.
See http://os2.about.com/library/weekly/aa080499.htm
for complete review.
NEWS:
SOFTOUCH OS/2 PRODUCTS BOUGHT OUT by original FileStar/2 developer. See Details
at http://os2.about.com/library/blnews.htm#news
LINKS:
EZ REFERENCE
Tips and tricks for some common problems, including a legal method for strengthening
security of the export version of Netscape. http://os2.about.com/library/blnews.htm#links
Come and visit http://os2.about.com to see these and all the other information
available.
Version 1.8a23 of CDRecord/2 is avaiable.
For those who don't know, CDRecord/2 is a program ported from *nix to write CDs.
New in this version:
CDRecord/2 is released as freeware under the GPL.
Visit the homepage of the OS/2 version for more information:
http://www.geocities.com/SiliconValley/Sector/5785/cdrecord/cdrecordmain.htm
For general information about cdrecord visit:
http://www.fokus.gmd.de/research/cc/glone/employees/joerg.schilling/private/cdrecord.html
Some days ago I announced the new CandyBarZ betarelease for OS/2. The file was
available on Egroups and to get it, you have to subscribe first. A lot of people
don't want to subscribe, I'm sorry about that but I forgot this.
The file is now also available at OS/2 Netlabs, I will try to keep the directory
up to date with the new releases available.
You can get the file at:
ftp://ftp.netlabs.org/pub/tools/wps/cbz_15june1999.zip
Sorry for all the troubles with Egroups.
Adrian Gschwend
@ OS/2 Netlabs
New AWget uploaded to hobbes:
ftp://hobbes.nmsu.edu/pub/new/awget1512.zip
I am excited to have the opportunity to continue development and to have responsibility
for sales and support of two outstanding OS/2 applications! As many of you may or
may not know by now, I entered into an agreement with SofTouch Systems, Inc that,
effective 1 August, 1999, transferred all rights to the OS/2 programs, FileStar/2
and UniMaint to myself. Also included in the agreement was File Secure and GT PowerPak.
I intend to actively market FileStar/2 and UniMaint doing business as Sierra HyperStar
Software (SHS). This is a company founded by myself when I first introduced FileStar/2
as shareware in 1994.
With this new ownership comes the responsibility for support of the thousands
of users of the programs. This initially will be the primary objective and most
support will be accomplished through this web site. Support of the products on the
OS2AVEN forum of CIS will be terminated. As soon as conditions permit, equal emphasis
will be placed on the upgrading of FileStar/2 and UniMaint. Both programs are fairly
solid and problem free at this time. You can expect an upgrade to FileStar/2 first
since that effort has been underway for some time by myself. It will be impossible
to ever get to know UniMaint like Larry Martin does but I am now obligated to try.
I will be negotiating with Larry to provide interim support for UniMaint. I will
be actively seeking one or more additional programmers to assist in further development
of the products. Interested programmers should contact me via email.
I intend to keep the programs FileStar/2 and UniMaint available for sale as commercial
products, available through this site as soon as the necessary arrangements are
made. Other ways to purchase the programs are under consideration.
I ask that all of you give SHS the opportunity to show that we can support and
improve the products. Our goal will be to continue to make users happy with both
programs and keep them viable in the shrinking OS/2 marketplace. Your continued
support is vital in many regards. I will keep you updated on our progress. Stay
tuned to this web site.
I want publicly thank Larry Martin, author of UniMaint for his part in making
this possible.
You are invited to browse the rest of this site. It is far from being ready for
business and several of the links have been intentionally broken where that area
is under construction. The forms do not work so don't bother filling out any.
Jim Read
p.s. Constructive comments and ideas about the design and content of this site
are welcome.
The web site url is:
http://www.filestar.com/pages/notices.html.
My email address is: jread@gte.net
Greetings from Yokohama, Japan.
I release new version (beta 0.09) of VNC viewer for OS/2 PM.
This is new beta version (beta 0.09) of PM VNC viewer. I appended some requested
features and fixed some problems.
Fixes:
VNC viewer saved window's size & position for next time, but if you moved
window (not changing window size), it failed to save window position. Fixed to save
position if window moved.
If using VNC viewer with VGA 16 colors, BGR233, TINY, GRAY failed to startup.
Due to failed to load 256 pallete on VGA 16 display.
Now TINY, GRAY uses default 16 colors with 16 entry color pallet. For BGR233,
VNC viewer checks avaiable colors. If enough colors avaiable (>=256), uses 256
entry pallet, and it works same as previous version. If there are not enough pallet,
then VNC viewer maps BGR233 into default 16 colors, it works same as TINY color.
New Features:
Changed maximize operation. On previous versions, maximize brings window to remote
desktop size. Now, if remote desktop size is greater than PM's dekstop size, remote
desktop hold entire PM screen. If remote desktop have same size of PM, entire remote
desktop appears on PM screen.
Titlebar or system menu still exist in this state. So if you want to use local
function, ATL-SPACE will bring systemu menu.
You can get VNC viewer for PM under my OS/2 tools page
http://www.sra.co.jp/people/akira/os2/index-e.html
or directly,
http://www.sra.co.jp/people/akira/os2/vnc-pm/index.html
VNC is a system to access remote desktops from a local machine. It consists of
a remote server and a local viewer (client). This release is the viewer for OS/2
PM. For more details see:
http://www.uk.research.att.com/vnc/
Matrox has released (8/3/99) version 1.04 of their video card BIOS updates for
the G200 and G400 series. Thisupdate puts all the G200 cards at version 2.6, and
the G400 at version 1.5.
http://www.matrox.com/mga/drivers/bios/home2.htm
Those of you who have witnessed first hand the excitement and the stunning progress
of the SCOUG Chat meetings are the vanguard of the next stage of OS/2 evolution.
If you care about your friends and colleagues who have missed some of these meetings,
please encourage them to join us. They will thank you for introducing them to this
fascinating new opportunity to learn about and guide the future of Warp.
SCOUG hosts three weekly meetings on the Webbnet IRC network, on the #SCOUG channel.
The software is really easy and fun to install and use to join these meetings and
many other active OS/2 chat forums, such as the Virtual OS/2 International Consumer
Education - VOICE. Learn about these and other groups and meetings at the SCOUG
chat web site at http://www.scoug.com/chat.
This week's meetings include:
Ubersoft.net, official home of the Help Desk comic strip, now has an online BBS
where fans (and enemies) of my comics strip can converge and gab. Share tech support
horror stories, tales of lousy hardware and software, comment/criticize my web site,
and tell me what you like (and hate) about Help Desk and it's characters, especially
Binky the Cheerful Winking Paperclip.
Horror stories that I really like will probably be incorporated into future storylines.
Chris Wright (wrightc@ubersoft.net)
Ubersoft.net: Home of Help Desk (http://ubersoft.net)
Contact: Benny Ormson (sales@gt-online.com)
GTIRC v. 3.0 Corrective Service
Several users of GammaTech's IRC client, GTIRC 3.0, have reported that the Work
Place Shell freezes when initiating GTIRC after installing Fixpack 11 for OS/2 Warp
4.0. This is due to a problem loading OS/2 multimedia modules. Corrective service
for this problem may be found in the Public Files area, http://www.gt-online.com/html/public_files.html,
under the name grc99216.zip. You may work around the problem temporarily by pressing
Alt-Esc or Ctrl-Esc a few times when the hang occurs.
For anyone interested RSJ has just updated RSJ CD Writer for OS/2 to 2.81 - http://www.rsj.de/stage/en/downos2.asp.
The update list of changes only shows that for 2.81 they are now replacing the base
OS/2 IDE driver IBM1S506.ADD with the freeware replacement DANIS506.ADD driver.
This is now an option on the install menu. Also the announcement in the RSJ support
news group states that there were fixes for Plextor CD-RW's.
Three Free Plans for OS/2 Software Developers
Warp Expo West offers three free ways for OS/2 Software Developers and other
OS/2-oriented vendors to demonstrate and sell their products.
First, we'll give you a free table in the exhibitor hall. Bring in your product
and show our happy throngs of OS/2 users how it works and what it does. Remember
that many guests at Warp Expo West will be looking for new OS/2 software and other
OS/2-related products -- and your presence will give them a chance to see what your
products can do. For your free exhibitor table, send a request to Rollin@scoug.com.
Second, we'll give you a seminar time period so you can give an in-depth presentation
of your OS/2 products. We'll happily add meeting rooms to accomodate everyone, and
we'll promote your presentation to make sure you have a good audience. To speak
at Warp Expo West, contact Rollin@scoug.com.
And third, we've got Vendor100 ready just for you. We'll put your product in
front of every Warp Expo West attendee, and our staff will assist every guest in
finding the exact products that meet their needs. It's a free way to get your product
known to Warp Expo West visitors -- and all you have to do to sign up is send an
email to Rollin@scoug.com.
If you've got an OS/2 product, Warp Expo West wants to showcase it.
So take your pick of everything you want. A free exhibitor table in our vendor
hall, a lecture period to demonstrate your product in detail, and Vendor100.
Warp Expo West will be held on September 18 near Disneyland in sunny Southern
California. All the info is at
http://www.scoug.com/warpexpowest
If you've got an OS/2 product, email Rollin@scoug.com
He'll get you signed up for the exact options you want - for free.
And if you're coming to Warp Expo West to see the sights, the software, the seminars
and the excitement, you can register - for free - at
http://www.scoug.com/warpexpowest/registration.html
Sponsored by The Southern California OS/2 User Group
Peter Coffee, Noted Industry Columnist, to Deliver Keynote Address at Warpstock
99
Warpstock 99 is pleased to announce that noted industry columnist Peter Coffee
will deliver the keynote address at this year's Warpstock annual conference and
exhibition. Mr. Coffee is best known for his highly respected opinion column which
appears regularly in Ziff-Davis' PC Week Magazine. This is the first time that a
media personality of Mr. Coffee's stature has so visibly participated in Warpstock.
In addition to presenting Warpstock's keynote address Mr. Coffee will moderate a
forum on the future of personal computing.
IBM Promises Expanded Participation at this Year's Warpstock
IBM is expected to increase its visibility at Warpstock significantly this year.
Already confirmed as a presenter, Big Blue is expected to focus on the recently
released Warp Server for e-Business at the conference. But is also discussing plans
with Warpstock organizers to hold training sessions and set-up an exhibition booth.
More information on IBM's presentation and exhibition plans will be available
shortly.
OS2.org started a new survey in august, asking you all if you will attend to
one of the upcoming OS/2 events.
The English version of the survey: http://en.os2.org/forum/survey/
The German version of the survey: http://de.os2.org/forum/umfrage/
Monday, August 2, 1999 Link Guard Solutions started public beta testing of SafeFire
Firewall 1.1
New and improved features in version 1.1
More information is available at SafeFire Firewall 1.1 beta page
http://www.lgs.kiev.ua/sfbeta.html
After speaking to Dave on IRC tonight, I showed him a prototype of my web page
for the MAME for OS/2 project. Here's the conversation we had:
Dave: you want me to host your page? free space/bandwidth :)
Me: will I be able to update it easily?
Dave: sure. you'll get your own account and subdomain
Me: that would be cool
Dave: like mameos2.davesvgc.com or something
Me: :> I like the sound of that
...
Dave: you will have all the bandwidth and space you want on my server :)
...
Dave: you can also have your own message board too.. We are moving to UBB too
:)
Me: wouldn't that be a bit excessive for me? ;)
Dave: umm, not if the os/2 port becomes popular enough
This will be transpiring some time this week or shortly thereafter. Stay tuned.
- Marty
This is the latest info posted on the Csatlewood website concerning their EIDE
and Parallel Port ORB Drives:
Reference: http://www.castlewood.com/help/status_updates/status_updates.html
OS/2
The latest drivers for the ORB EIDE and Parallel Port drives are being beta tested.
As soon as they are ready, they will be posted on the web site.
http://rover.wiesbaden.netsurf.de/~meile/los2cl.html
LOS2CL has been updated.
Thank you for your help to improve the LOS2CL
Russian OS/2 Team published this petition to IBM/EE Asia concerning OS/2 future.
We invite you to join our efforts. The aim of this action to show growing concern
about IBM's own OS.
http://www.os2.ru/votes/petition
The petition is published in Russian, English, French and Spanish languages.
(The form is available now only in russian & english. If you can help us with
translating the petition to other languages - write us, please).
OS/2 user group coordinators: You can participate this action and send gathered
votes to your local IBM office.
You can send any comments to petition@os2.ru
The fact that I even have to write to you disturbs me, since I take it for granted
that the overwhelming majority of IBM's customers are honest, making every effort
to purchase software legally.
That said, some of IBM's commercial software is being distributed illegally on
the Internet. Recent examples include HPFS386 (which can be legally used only if
you have a license for LAN Server Advanced, Warp Server Advanced or SMP Version
4, or the Warp Server for e-business HPFS386 Option Pak), OS/2 Warp Version 4, Stardock's
Object Desktop for OS/2 Warp, and other software titles.
This illegal distribution MUST BE STOPPED, and you can help.
Please report any instances of software piracy by visiting the Internet web site
http://www.spa.org/piracy. Your report will
be treated confidentially. You can report cases of Internet-based piracy ("online")
or other forms of piracy ("offline").
Piracy hurts both consumers and software developers. IBM and other software publishers
depend on regular revenues to fund exciting new technologies, including new Java(TM)
software. Denied revenues, software publishers cannot fund these needed innovations,
nor can they provide adequate support to law-abiding customers. In short, software
piracy is theft, plain and simple.
Thank you for your help, and thanks for your continued patronage.
Contact: Perfect Niche Software, Inc. (sales@perfectniche.com)
Do you need a cost-effective way to get the professional looking labels you need
for mailings, diskettes, name badges, business cards, inserts, dividers, and more?
SMACK! is the world's first general purpose labeling program for IBM's OS/2 Warp.
You get the functionality of a desktop publishing system and the power of OS/2.
Smack! requires a PC running OS/2 Warp 3 or higher, with a 386 or higher processor,
8MB of RAM and 2 MB of hard disk space.
Smack! version 1.01 uses a graphical drag-and-drop interface is REXX enabled
and multi-threaded. You will be provided with a comprehensive set of templates,
flexible printing options, and easy-to-use data manipulation capabilities. Smack!
supports laser, inkjet, or dot matrix printers, with flexible print options.
Complete list of features and FAQ's available at http://www.perfectniche.com/html/smindex.html
Still not convinced? See what Luc Van Bogaert has to say in his SMACK! review
at:
http://users.pandora.be/luc.vanbogaert/smack.htm
SMACK! v2.0 is scheduled for release in the third quarter of 1999. This will
be a FREE upgrade to all licensed users of SMACK! v1.0 and above.
SMACK!'s v2.0 native file format is XML. Conversion from the 1.0 REXX format
will be supported. Many new features have been added including a redesigned user
interface and full Unicode support. For an extensive list of new features, visit
http://www.perfectniche.com/html/smack__2_0_preview.html.
While you're there, be sure to sign up so you will be notified and kept up-to-date
as new features are added.
Download URL: ftp://ftp.bmtmicro.com/bmtmicro/wnote185.zip
Developer Web Site: http://www.geocities.com/rodeodrive/2048/warpnote.html
Secure Order URL: https://secure.falcon-net.net/BMT/order0343.html
Product Description:
Tired of those yellow sticky notes that won't stick on your monitor? Here come
the sticky notes that remain where you put them: On your OS/2 desktop. WarpNote
gives you easy access to little yellow windows where you can note down everything
you want. The program is simple and easy to use and consumes as little memory as
possible. Each and any feature can be configured and adjusted to the user's needs.
Extensive scripting capabilities give you unlimited possibilities (a birthday-reminder
is included as an example script). A Blowfish encryption interface ensures that
private data is stored in a secure way.
WarpNote is an ideal desktop companion, a fire-and-forget solution to keep all
sorts of information - e.g. your shopping list or even confidential information
like banking data, passwords or PIN numbers.
New in this Release:
Added ControlCenter window that enables even easier access to the most common
tasks. Added function to create a new note from an existing text file. Text selections
will now be saved and restored automatically. Changed settings dialog to a nice
notebook.
TouchStone, a German company, has published a PC Card (PCMCIA) driver for OS/2,
which supports over 60 different adapters, including CardBus drivers from Texas
Instruments, Toshiba and Ricoh. They offer these only for corporate customers, but
I have contacted them to find out if also individuals can order. You can download
a demo version at
If you try it out, please let me know how it works (for the Notebook/2 Site).
-----
The driver is not available as an info. It is sold to individuals without technical
support at a rate of 108 DM (appr. 65 USD).
I will post some more info soon on the Notebook/2 Site at:
http://www.os2ss.com/users/DrMartinus/notebook.htm
Early on August 1, 1999 Don Eitner released his first stand-alone REXX program.
Universal Lotto is a lotto number picking program on steroids! Coded for speed and
efficiency, this small program is flexible enough to handle any number of draws
from a pool of numbers that's any size (larger than the number of draws, of course).
Whether you play Lotto 6/51 or 850/1500, Universal Lotto can generate a random set
of numbers for you to play.
In addition, Universal Lotto includes its own entertainment-only game capabilities,
so you can select numbers to play against the program's random draws. Virtual betting
is not yet implemented but has top priority for the next release.
Universal Lotto is freeware, but donations are always welcomed if you appreciate
the author's time and effort. You can download Universal Lotto from The 13th Floor
website at:
http://www.tstonramp.com/~freiheit/Lotto.zip
(7.7KB)
P.S. PGPro Scripts v4.0 will be released shortly with a new (4th) "3D Raised"
script to make your Photo>Graphics objects stand out more from their surroundings/background.
When available, you will find PGPro Scripts v4.0 at:
http://www.tstonramp.com/~freiheit/PGPro_Scripts_40.zip
Fixpak 11 for OS/2 Warp 4.0, Brazilian Portuguese edition has been released and
is available at:
ftp://ftp.software.ibm.com/ps/products/os2/fixes/v4warp/brazilian/xrbm011
DSTswitch 1.32 has been released. DSTswitch is a utility to change your system's
time from daylight saving to standard time and vice versa.
You can download DSTswitch from these sites:
hobbes, search for dsts132.zip
ftp://os2serv.rz.fh-heilbronn.de/csw/dsts132.zip
ftp://ftp.bmtmicro.com
http://www.GeoCities.com/SiliconValley/Pines/2372/download/dsts132.zip
Serenity Systems is announcing a new OS/2 product, WiseTalker Database Server.
Directed at DP consultants, this product has been enabled for telephone access.
Many programmers pass on revenue opportunities involving Interactive Voice Response
(IVR) jobs because of the need to interact with the phone system. Our new products
use the WiseTalker software to handle that requirement, so all that remains is the
DB application programming. And if you have Rexx skills, or are ready to acquire
some, you will be blown away by the power of this product.
And we are delivering products which are aimed directly at small and medium sized
businesses. Our Entry product is priced just under $3,000 and it includes IBM DB2
with DB Expert from Sundial Systems to function as a front end to DB2, handling
all the interactive manipulation of the data.
The Entry product includes sample scripts running on the DB2 sample database
and supports four incoming phone lines. However, the products scale up and are capable
of supporting hundreds of incoming lines, and no need to stop there. Let's see someone
top that on an Intel system!
For less than $1,500, we preload all this on to an industrial PC. When the box
arrives, you can just plug in a phone line, call the system, and execute a sample
program. Then pull up a chair and update the application for customer demonstrations.
But wait, there's more! The product includes a powerful GUI based application
generator ... making it possible to meet application requirements by filling in
the blanks and letting the product "write your code" for you. It's almost
too easy!
Information about the new product is at:
https://www.stores-online.com/cgi-bin/ncommerce3/ExecMacro/SSI/wtdbs.d2w/report.
More information, contact Bob St.John, BStJohn@Serenity-System.com,
or go to www.serenity-systems.com and go to the CTI product catalog.
This product will be demonstrated at Warp Expo West with other new products,
details to follow.
Java 1.1.8GA is now available. Also available is an updated version of the Jikes
Java compiler. I have more information on my web site at http://www.doofus.org/Java/
IBM's new Java is available at http://www.ibm.com/developer/java/
On June 30, 1999 Sybase posted "End Of Life" notice for the Watcom
C/C++ 11. Notice starts with "We are writing to advise you that Sybase has
concluded its development of Watcom C/C++ and that the current release of the product,
version 11.0, will be the last."
Full text is available at:
http://techinfo.sybase.com/css/techinfo.nsf/DocId/ID=20510
World Clock 0.97 Released
World Clock is a configurable clock with Daylight Savings Time, Stopwatch, Alarm
and Program launcher for 1 and 9 cities from 360+ cities in the provided City list.
Features:
To download World Clock 0.97, visit :
http://members.tripod.com/~Goran_Ivankovic/
World Clock is Freeware.
Scitech has released the fourth beta of their display drivers for OS/2. New in
this release is support for the ATI Rage 128 video cards.
You can download the beta from their web site:
http://www.scitechsoft.com/ftp/sdd/beta/os2/sdd-os2-7.0.0-b4.zip
On our site (http://www.cocoasoft.com/demo/sdesktop2/start.html
you can find an online beta of Simple Desktop for Java v2.0. Username is 'visitor'
and password is 'tryme'. All you need is Java 1.1 capable browser like Netscape
Communicator or Sun HotJava.