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MAY MEETING REPORT
Monster Q&A Session
Our attendance was only 25 at the May meeting, down a bit from the previous several months. A number of our regulars were out of town or had other commitments.
As planned, the meeting started off right away with a Q&A session, conducted by David Moskowitz. It turned out to be a monster session, lasting for about 2 hours. Member interest and participation was very high, with lots of animated back and forth discussion about a wide variety of topics. The principal areas of discussion included the technical basis for difficulties in running Windows 95 applications under OS/2; the recommended size and locations for swap files to optimize performance; and INI file maintenance, backup and restoration.
Following the Q&A session, David gave a brief report of the activities at the recent IBM Technical interchange in Orlando, Florida, at which he conducted several technical sessions.
After David's report, we took a break to socialize, enjoy the complimentary refreshments and conduct our customary 50/50 lottery.
Another copy of the new Lotus SmartSuite for OS/2 Warp 4, donated by Lotus, was also raffled off. Dr. Hakan Gadler was the lucky double winner of both the SSW4 and the 50/50. No fix here, just luck!
After the intermission, Larry went through the monthly list of OS/2 announcements, news items of general interest, new software, forthcoming events, etc. which were briefly reviewed and discussed. Additional orders for OS/2 bumper stickers were also solicited, and several members who had not already ordered placed their orders.
Finally, around 9:45, Larry began to present a brief overview of Lotus SmartSuite for OS/2 Warp 4. This was followed by Alonza Baker who went through a 30-minute demo of the new WordPro. At about 10:30, we called it a night and began to pack up.
As usual, many of the members lingered for another 30 minutes or so to socialize, compare notes with each other about various OS/2 matters, etc.
We finally cleaned up the premises, packed up all the equipment, and departed around 11:00pm.
Many thanks to the folks at Episcopal Academy for the continued use of their meeting facilities.
OS/2 NEWS
On May 19th, Ziff-Davis's Sm@rtReseller published an article, seen also on the ZDNet web site, entitled "IBM Suffocates Warp," and leading off with the statement that "Big Blue has hammered another nail into the operating system's coffin by deciding not to deliver a 64-bit version for Intel Corp's forthcoming Merced chip."
This article has inflicted irreparable harm upon the worldwide OS/2 user community because the co-author is the well-known OS/2 proponent Esther Schindler, who is now an employee of Ziff-Davis's Sm@rtReseller. Why she allowed her name to be associated with the authorship of this piece of grossly misleading FUD is unknown, nor has she publicly apologized for it. Esther, if you happen to read this: Shame on you!
By the way, I hope everyone has seen the most recent news from Intel on June 2nd that Merced development has run into unforeseen problems, and will be delayed at least 6 months beyond the original schedule. Chances are, there may be even more than just this 6 months.
After reading this article, several of our Philadelphia members became quite upset, and called me to air their concerns. I hope Mr. Seibt's rebuttal letter below will serve to dispel the anxieties of all our OS/2 users, here and elsewhere.
Very shortly after publication, Richard Seibt, IBM's General Manager of OS/2 made public a letter of protest to the editor. Mr. Seibt's letter follows:
Friday, May 22, 1998
To the Editor:
The assertion that IBM has "officially signed OS/2 Warp's death certificate" (Sm@rtReseller, 5/18/98) is simply not true. IBM has clearly and repeatedly stated that if it makes sense from a business perspective for us to support Intel's upcoming Merced chip, then we will do so.
While the article states that IBM has no plans for future updates for the OS/2 Warp client we do, in fact, continue to deliver upgrades to both the client and server products via CD and our Internet delivery site called Software Choice at http://www.software.ibm.com/os2warp. This method delivers more value for our target customers because it allows them to download fixes and upgrades when they need them, instead of waiting for a new product release or update. They can also select which features they need for their particular businesses and thereby reduce testing of product features that will not be used. Our recent delivery of a preview of Java 1.1.6 for OS/2 Warp at http://ncc.hursley.ibm.com/javainfo/porting/portos2.html is an example.
And contrary to the article, the next release of OS/2 Warp Server will have many enhancements that address the areas that are important to our medium to large enterprise customers. These enhancements include out-of-box support for Year 2000 and euro currency, and a new high-performance Journaling File System from IBM's Unix operating system, AIX, that will offer faster performance, improved scalability and enhanced Web serving capabilities.
We look forward to sharing with the reporters and readers of Sm@rtReseller additional information on the features that will be included in our upcoming releases of OS/2 Warp Server and WorkSpace On-Demand, as well as added functionality for the OS/2 Warp client.
Richard Seibt General Manager OS/2 Business Unit
InnoVal released Build 98.6.1 on the evening of June 3rd for download by members of the Charter Users Group, now numbering in excess of 600, according to Dan Porter, InnoVal's president.
This release includes some additional improvements and fixes several of the problems reported by users. Message traffic on the Jstreet email listserver between InnoVal and the Charter User beta testers continues on at very heavy levels seven days per week.
Kari Jackson, InnoVal's software engineer who is the interface to the Charter Users, also announced that she will be taking a well-deserved vacation of several days. She's been working non-stop 7 days per week, and doing a very fine job. We all appreciate her uncommon efforts.
It's also worth mentioning that the well-known columnist Nick Petreley made some very favorable comments about InnoVal's J Street Mailer and Lotus's eSuite in his June 1st column on the InfoWorld Electric web site. He referred to these two new Java applications as "the hidden treasures of Java."
On May 29th, IBM released FixPak-36 for OS/2 Warp 3. There is a total of 20 disk-image files: xr_w036.1dk to xr_w036.kdk.
FixPak-36 is available for automatic install via RSU from the IBM Software Updates site, or the full set of files may be downloaded from ftp://service.boulder.ibm.com.
Anyone wishing to copy the entire FixPak-36 onto a ZIP disk, or portable SyQuest drive (parallel connector), please contact Larry Lavins to make arrangements.
On May 26th, it was announced that IBM and Symantec Corporation have combined forces to jointly develop and deliver a family of anti-virus products under the Norton AntiVirus brand name. There are links to additional information on the IBM AntiVirus page.
As part of this agreement, IBM AntiVirus will be withdrawn from marketing shortly. Virus signature updates and technical support for IBM AntiVirus will continue through the end of 1998.
The following note comes from Dan Bjerke at Symantec:
"I work in the Norton AntiVirus (NAV) product group for Symantec in Santa Monica, CA. As part of this deal with IBM, we will indeed be making a version of NAV for OS/2. Our web site has an FAQ answering some of the common questions that have been asked. You can view this FAQ at: http://www.symantec.com/techsupp/faq/ibmav.html I've been a user of OS/2 for quite a long time, and I'm very excited about this project."
For more information on this announcement please visit the IBM Antivirus web site at http://www.av.ibm.com.
Also, for further confirmation of Tim Sipples' comments about the IBM/Symantec agreement and how it relates to OS/2, see the following IBM press release: http://www.av.ibm.com/BreakingNews/Newsroom/98-05-19/QandA.html
On May 26th, IBM announced the availability of PC DOS 2000 (actually PC DOS 7.1) which has some additional Y2K features not otherwise included in the previous v.7.0, plus support for the new Euro currency symbol. It appears that all the other advertised features are already included in v.7.0.
PC DOS 2000 will *NOT* be a free upgrade for registered owners of PC DOS 7.0. However, a fixpak which includes all the new features, except for Euro currency support may be freely downloaded.
Log on to http://www.software.ibm.com//os/dos, and scroll to the very last item on the page: "PC DOS 7 Fix Pak for Year 2000." Click on this item to see a description of the FixPak. Then click on "Offering Detail" in a small box on the right side of this page. This will bring up a list of the FixPak files for all the different languages. Download dos7usy2.exe.
It seems that a long-simmering series of disagreements between the Warpstock Steering Committee and the Warpstock Chicago Organizing Committee came to head on June 1st, with the resignation of the principal Chicago Committee officers; Timothy Sipples, Bill McLaughlin and Ilona Cowen, and the disbanding of the committee.
Warpstock Steering Committee President Larry Finkelstein reacted quickly to rumors that Warpstock '98 might be canceled. Larry and other steering committee members have been very positive that Warpstock '98 will be held, as scheduled, in Chicago, and are moving quickly to repair the damage. Messages have been flying fast and furious on the Warpstock email list server. Stanley Sidlov, of New York, has been appointed to be the new Warpstock '98 Event Coordinator.
Sipples, McLaughlin, Cowen and another Chicago volunteer, Gary Kopycinski, also were interviewed by Ronny Ko, the editor of the 32 Bits Online eZine, and their side of the story may now be found at http://www.32bitsonline.com.
Log in on the Warpstock '98 web site at http://www.warpstock.org to stay abreast of all the happenings. And better yet, add your name to the email listserver, and you'll receive copies of all the message traffic about the event, and you'll also be able to participate and add your own two-cents worth.
Hopefully, the Warpstock '98 project will be able to attract new competent volunteers to replace those who have stepped down, and they will be able to make Warpstock '98 a successful event in Chicago.
Personally, I think there should also be a complete public airing of all the issues by both sides in this dispute, and changes, wherever warranted, should be demanded by the grassroots OS/2 community of users in whose name and for whose benefit the Warpstock concept exists. There should be no room here for megalomaniac personalities, control freaks, self-perpetuating cliques, hidden (commercial) agendas, and the like.
In last month's article, it was reported that Tom Nadeau, web master of OS/2 Headquarters, was starting to ship OS/2 bumper stickers. Subsequently, Tom offered special prices of $1.00 each to OS/2 user groups for orders of 100 or more pieces.
I'm very pleased to report that the responses to POSEIDON announcements were sufficient to put us over the 100 minimum. Orders for a total of 123 bumper stickers were received. The bumper stickers will be given out at the June meeting, or mailed to those folks who can't make it to the meeting. Payment should be made to me directly when the bumper stickers are received.
jPadHD is a very simple personal database to save small text files, notes, and the like. It's written in the Java language to make it multi-platform. Some of its built-in functions include creation of new folders and notes, searching notes, importing and exporting text files, splitting large text files to fit into the database, and simple printing.
jPadHD can help you to organize notes and text data, and make it easier to find your information when you need it.
jPadHD was written by well-known shareware author Gary L. Robinson. Registration is only $15. After some initial trials, I was so impressed that I immediately registered via BMT Micro.
Opera Software announced that they have established a group of Internet newsgroup forums for Project Magic, as a meeting place for users looking forward to the opera browser on other operating systems.
The newsgroup for official announcements is at news://opera.nta.no/opera.magic.announce
The OS/2 newsgroup can be reached at news://opera.nta.no/opera/magic.os2
If you are interested in an information exchange with other like-minded users, you are more than welcome to participate in the discussions taking place on these newsgroups.
The Java lobby is a group of people who share a common interest in Java software development and the advancement of Java standards and software. The main purpose of the Java Lobby is to represent the needs and concerns of the Java developer and user community to the companies and organizations who have influence in the evolution of Java. We encourage all people who care about Java to stand together with us.
Read the full basic statement of "who we are" and "what we stand for." Join us! It's free, it's easy, and your support makes all the difference! Do it now: http://www.javalobby.org/
Get a free copy of Hacksaw for OS/2?
InnoVal will give you one for free if you join the Java Lobby at http://www.javalobby.org/. It won't cost you anything to join but a moment or two of your time, and by joining you are showing your support for Java. InnoVal says: "We are making this appeal because, as a traditional OS/2 ISV, we believe that true 100% pure Java is important to the future of OS/2."
Hacksaw is a great little tool for use on the internet. You can retrieve web pages, send email, check to see if you have email, retrieve that email and delete email on a Pop3 or SMTP server. The FTP commands are very well done. You can send and receive files via FTP, change or list directories and more. And InnoVal will give it to you for FREE if you'll just join the Java Lobby.
HINTS & TIPS
Find a File Anyplace
You don't need to purchase or use fancy proprietary software or shareware. For most searches for a complete or partial filename anywhere on a given drive, you need only execute the following simple string from an OS/2 command line:
dir d:xxxxxxxx /s
Wildcards * and ? also apply. All directories and subdirectories on the specified drive will then be checked for all instances of xxxxxxxx, or xxx*, or whatever, for example.
USEFUL WEB SITES
Each month, we list a few web pages which may be of benefit and/or interest to OS/2 users. This month's selections include ...
NEW SOFTWARE RELEASES
IBM AntiVirus Database AV30BK.ZIP
IBM AntiVirus database update v.3.0BK. http://www.av.ibm.com/IBMAntiVirus/Updates/
FixPak-36 for OS/2 Warp 3 20 disk-image files: xr_w036.1dk to xr_w036.kdk.
JAVA 1.1.4 Updates: Build 5-30-98
RUNTIME.EXE 5918919 6-04-98
SAMPLES.EXE 2127375 6-04-98
TOOLKIT.EXE 3091191 6-04-98
Here's a selection of new files, released since last month's DataBus article, which may be useful for many of our members. These files can be downloaded from hobbes, BMT, OS/2 Supersite, and other of the usual OS/2 Internet and BBS file distribution sources.
BBS SUPPORT
Larry Lavins' BBS, The Claim Board, is still online, going strong, even though the files haven't been updated for an embarrassing long time. The job of updating a wide variety of files for DOS, Windows, OS/2, etc. has proved to be too taxing. Serious consideration is being given to specializing in OS/2 related files, with only a smattering of other general DOS and Windows applications. Stay tuned ...
Most callers log in for the large selection of FidoNet echomail areas, including OS/2 International Conference, OS/2 Hardware, OS/2 DOS-Windows, OS/2 Internet and Team OS/2. Some popular genealogy areas are also available: National Genealogical Conference, Jewish Genealogy Conference and Genealogy Software.
There are hundreds of new messages received every day from all over the world on these OS/2 echomail areas.
Phone number is (215) 878-9611, 24-hours daily. All standard ITU bitrates are supported, up to 14400 (v.32bis). Everything is free.
PACS members who wish to have additional access privileges must send a message to the Sysop to request same. Be sure to include your PACS ID number, which will be verified.
Another very fine BBS, which supports OS/2 exclusively, is the OS/2 Source, operated by SIG Member Ben Bowers, located in Royersford, PA, (610) 948-4089, and also via a Philadelphia metro area phone number, in King of Prussia, (610) 337-9119.
The OS/2 Source BBS has the largest collection of current OS/2 files in this region. Message areas are devoted almost exclusively to the exchange of useful OS/2 information amongst the many callers and the Sysop. Ben has recently added a Java message area which has become quite active.
Another good OS/2 BBS is the RPS BBS in Philadelphia at (215) 624-8960, operated by SIG member Murray Weismer. RPS also has a good selection of very new and current OS/2 files.
SIG MEMBERSHIP
A continuing plea here for PACS members who wish to affiliate with the OS/2 SIG to check the OS/2 SIG box on their new member form or annual membership renewal form, as the case may be. The names of many active SIG participants are still not included as OS/2 SIG members on the PACS database. PACS members may call the PACS office at any time and ask for the OS/2 SIG affiliation to be added to their record in the PACS database. This is important. Interested PACS members are requested to do this ASAP. Please do it!
Please note that PACS membership cards are not mailed back to members who join and/or renew via mail. Cards are normally issued at the main PACS meeting. If you wish to receive your membership card via mail, please include a self-addressed stamped envelope (SASE) with your membership or renewal application.
All OS/2 SIG members are also requested to fill in a newly revised OS/2 User Survey Form and submit same to Larry. Blank forms are made available at each monthly meeting, and will be given to all attendees as they enter. The OS/2 SIG welcomes all PACS members, their guests and other non-members who use or have an interest in OS/2, regardless of their level of expertise.
FUTURE MEETING PLANS
Wednesday, June 24th, the 4th Wednesday of the month, at 7:00pm, is the date and time of the next monthly SIG meeting at our current home, The Episcopal Academy, in Merion.
Mark your calendars and plan to attend. And bring an interested friend or associate along to see what a real operating system can do. A system will be on hand for live demos of OS/2 Warp 4, a variety of OS/2 apps, Java, Internet, etc.
Members without cars can take SEPTA's R-5 (Paoli Local) to Overbrook. Call Larry to make arrangements to be picked up at the RR Station. Since Episcopal Academy is so close to public transportation, why don't you Philadelphia Center City folks who don't have cars call ahead of time to be picked up at the Overbrook train station. Hey, you guys in Center City, the trains are running. There's no excuse now for not coming to meetings.
Everybody should keep up to date by logging in to our OS/2 SIG web site at frequent intervals: www.pasug.org/
Planned June Agenda:
June will mark the start of our expanded charter to include Java technology and applications as they relate to and are intimately associated with OS/2. We have a great technical presentation planned for the June meeting. Please mark the date, and let's try to have a large turnout for our guest speaker.
General SIG business session: Announcements, news of interest, new OS/2 products, future plans, etc.
Special Feature Presentation
The featured speaker will be Dr. David Shields, a researcher at IBM's Watson Research Lab in Hawthorne, NY. He is a co-author of the JIKES Java compiler.
Dr. Shields will talk about the latest advances in Java compiler technology, some issues of language specification, and also plans to demonstrate some recent Java-related work from IBM research.
Intermission, raffles, etc. As usual, complimentary light refreshments will be served. We will also have our customary 50/50 raffle followed by a software raffle, including another copy of the new GA release of SmartSuite for Warp 4, donated by Lotus. So come to the June meeting and test your luck.
Q&A Session, as time permits. If you have questions, this is the place to bring them up. Someone is sure to have the answers.
Larry's system will be on hand for live demos. Member requests for specific demos are solicited, and will be done if the software is available and as time may permit. Episcopal Academy has installed a permanent analog phone line in our meeting room for our use for Internet access. Please call Larry prior to the meeting date to permit preparation.
All our more experienced users are urged to attend the May meeting to share their knowledge and expertise with others.
See you all on June 24th. Mark your calendars. Bring your friends and associates to show them that OS/2 is really alive and well.
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