September 1999

The July and August meetings started off with the customary announcements of news of interest to OS/2 users, new products, updates, etc. New software and update releases will also be listed in POSEIDON messages.

In July, Larry Lavins gave a brief description of the Microsoft Expedia web site, http://expedia.msn.com, a free service which provides an excellent means for shopping for all your travel arrangements.

Murray Weismer also briefed the group on the latest developments in the ongoing dispute over the CuSeeMe for OS/2 program. Unfortunately, it looks like the author is adamant about not continuing development or extending the expiration date of the last beta version.

Q&A Sessions

David Moskowitz was with us again in July and August to conduct the Q&A session after a 2-month absence. In deference to our CDS guest presenters, the July Q&A session was cut short a bit to allow them more time.

July Q&A Summary

Q:	Aurora was installed on a system which already had Warp 4 and Java 1.1 (the desktop Java). Another Java 1.1 was then installed (under Aurora). Can Aurora be pointed to the original desktop Java by changing config.sys statements?
A:	No, INI files are also involved. Reinstall Aurora.

Q:	Does OSA/2 Warp have a problem with Pentium-3 CPUs?
A:	Maybe, but not very likely.

Q:	Can OS/2 be booted from a CD-ROM?
A:	Yes, but both the BIOS and the CD must support booting. As a practical matter, its not easy.

Q:	Why don't newer Iomega ZIP drives (parallel port) work with OS/2?
A:	Iomega substituted a different chip for an original chip.

Q:	Which FixPak is required for Y2K compliance for Warp Server?
A:	At least FixPak-36.

Q:	Looking for info about the German equivalent of Adaptec's CD-W Easy Writer?
A:	No one is familiar with it.

Q:	High-speed cable systems?
A:	General discussion of cable vs ADSL.

Q:	How to set up a firewall?
A:	General discussion.

Q:	Can TShell be used with Warp 4?
A:	No.

Q:	How to find documentation about INI files?
A:	Many diverse places.

Q:	Settings in Post Road Mailer for word wrap?
A:	Need v.2 updates. There is one such setting in JStreet Mailer.

August Q&A Summary

Q:	Can an 18gb SCSI drive, which exceeds the 8.4gb limit be used?
A:	The 8.4gb limit applies only to IDE. SCSI limit unknown.

Q:	Questions about backups
A:	General discussion. Do them regularly and frequently.

Q:	What might cause InJoy network address translation (NAT) table overflow?
A:	Possible InJoy bug. Also check your InJoy documentation.

Q:	Re: Kelder's driver which allows OS/2 to read Win95/98 FAT32 long file names--does it work well?
A:	No problems to report; not needed for network access to a FAT32 partition on a second machine.

Q:	Epson Color Stylus 740 printer: Omni vs Epson drivers
A:	The Epson 740 driver produces better results than the Omni generic drivers. But, there are no Epson drivers for OS/2.

- end of Q&A -

Intermission followed, with refreshments, 50/50 raffle and software raffles. In July, the software prizes included BackAgain/2 Pro donated by our CDS guests and a copy of Lotus SmartSuite donated by SIG member Joe McEwing. At the August meeting, prizes included copies of HOUSE/2 and UPS Monitor donated by author Armin Schwartz in recognition of Murray Weismer's HOUSE/2 presentation.

July Feature Presentation

Presentation by Brent Bowlby and Brad Benson of Computer Data Strategies, Inc. Brad Benson is CDS's principal designer/developer of BackAgain/2, so he was especially knowledgable and technically well equipped to answer all the many questions which arose about BackAgain/2.

Brent and Brad gave us a very thorough presentation/demo of BackAgain/2 and other related CDS products. We're most grateful to Brent and Brad for piloting the CDS company aircraft all the way from St. Paul, Minnesota, to Philadelphia to be our guests at the July meeting.

A copy of BackAgain/2 Pro was donated by CDS as a raffle prize, and a special user group discount was also offered to meeting attendees who wished to purchase BackAgain/2. Please visit the CDS web site at http://www.cds-inc.com for more information on CDS, BackAgain/2 and other CDS products.

August Presentations

gave us a couple of most interesting presentations. We do have an abundance of talent and expertise among our membership. I'm sure that there are many others who have hidden talents, and the group would greatly appreciate hearing from some of these folks.

Ben demonstrated SETI@home which is available for several operating system platforms, including OS/2. The SETI (Search for ExtraTerrestrial Intelligence) project is headquartered at the University of California at Berkeley, and has been funded for a 2-year period starting in May of this year. SETI makes use of the computing power of many thousands of volunteer PC users to run the search program on their PC's for very small time slices of raw data derived from the Arecibo radio telescope. The raw data segments are downloaded by users via internet, processed, and results sent back to Berkeley. Then another raw data segment is downloaded, and the process is repeated. Originally, Berkeley estimated that as many as 200,000 PC users would participate. But there are now in excess of 1 million participants.

Ben used the SETI@home client OS/2 program on Larry Lavins' computer, using Larry's name to initiate a participation request, then downloaded a data segment, and commenced processing. The OS/2 port is strictly an OS/2 command line version and is thus smaller and faster than the graphics style programs for several other platforms. However, there are also several OS/2 graphics front-end programs for SETI/2 for interested users.

For more information about SETI and to download the SETI@home program, go to the SETI web site at setiathome.ssl.berkeley.edu.

Murray followed immediately after Ben with a presentation of HOUSE/2, a home automation program for OS/2 using X-10 controller devices. Murray has installed a number of these devices in his home for a variety of lighting, security and convenience appliances. He plans to expand the system in the near future to include control of home theater, watering of plants and climate control.

Murray demonstrated the HOUSE/2 program, and made a limited demo of lighting control in one of our meeting room electrical outlets. He also passed around a number of X-10 control devices for everyone to examine. He also went into considerable detail of how the system works and all the possibilities for home and small business applications.

HOUSE/2 is similar to X10's ActiveHome and IBM's HomeDirector program. With the CM11x/CM12x and X10 modules 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 CM11x/CM12x connects to your computer's serial port and acts as a timing device controlling modules. X10 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.

Armin Schwartz, the author of HOUSE/2 for OS/2, is a prolific and well-known OS/2 author and fan. Armin has a great web site "The Warped Code Cellar" at http://home.att.net/~ASchw/ where you will find descriptions of all of Armin's OS/2 software creations.

We're very grateful to Armin for donating registered copies of HOUSE/2 and UPS Monitor for OS/2 for raffle prizes at the August meeting.

The X-10 folks also have a web site at http://www.x10.com where you will find a treasure chest of information about all their X-10 control devices which may also be ordered directly on-line. There are bargains galore, even some freebies, and an introductory home control giveaway offer for first time guests: a Free FireCracker 4-Piece Kit ($73.00 value). Just pay $5.90 for S&H. This was highly reommended by Murray during his presentation. Users can also order two software enhancements for FireCracker: Macro Recorder and Fuse. Go to http://www.x10.com/macro_fuse34.htm?weismer@erols.com and enter Promotion Code FC001-weismer@erols.com in the comments field for Murray to get credit for the referral.

The final public GA version of Java 1.1.8 was released, as expected, at the end of July. No differences were observed in my own system between this release and the earlier preview version. I suspect that there were several bugs which did surface elsewhere, and were fixed in the final GA version.

The Java 1.1.8 GA release can be downloaded from IBM's Software Choice Catalog page at http://service.boulder.ibm.com/asd-bin/doc/en_us/catalog.htm under the Free Features area.

The Developer Kit may also be used to build 100% Pure Java(TM) applications and applets that run on OS/2, WSOD and other Java enabled platforms.

IBM OS/2 Warp Developer Kit, Java(TM) Technology Edition, Version 1.1.8 (Developer Kit) is an update of the IBM OS/2 Warp Developer Kit, Java Edition, 1.1.7. The Developer Kit and the Runtime Environment pass Sun's Java compatibility test, include JDK 1.1.8 maintenance from Sun and IBM for added stability, and are Year 2000 Ready. New to this release:

• Security enhancements based on the Java 2 Security model.

• The IBM just-in-time (JIT) 3.5 compiler technology with Mixed Mode Interpreter (MMI) function that enhances the load time of applications.

• Java Extensions for OS/2:

  • Swing Toolkit and Runtime, Supported by IBM:
    - Create Java applications with a consistent look and feel.

  • RMI-IIOP Toolkit and Runtime, Supported by IBM -
    Develop Java programs according to the RMI-IIOP standard

• Java COMM API for OS/2
  Write Java programs that access serial or parallel ports.

Please note that Sun Microsystems, Inc. has announced that only Java 1.1.6 and later versions are Year 2000 ready.

A second Netscape Communicator/2 4.61 Preview, refresh dated August 11th, was posted for download, together with a an associated PlugInPak 3.0.

OS2EN46.EXE 9861568 bytes
PLUG30EN.EXE 1654411 bytes

For more information about Netscape Communicator 4.61 for OS/2 Warp, and to register and download the new Preview, visit: http://www.ibm.com/software/os/warp/netscape/

The new August 11th refresh comes in two versions: a 128-bit encryption security version for US and Canada only; and a 56-bit encryption version for users elsewhere in the world. A number of minor bugs have also been fixed.

I downloaded the new refreshed 128-bit security version and the associated PlugInPak 3.0, and installed them both into a separate partition from the Communicator 4.04 location, as was done with the earlier Preview. Installation was fast and easy. Tests for full 128-bit security were also made with Vanguard and Wells-Fargo websites, with positive results.

IBM advises an uninstall of the earlier 4.6.1 Preview prior to installing the newer refresh version.

On July 30th, subscribers to the J Street Mailer list server were notified by Art Smoot of AESCON that the list server was being closed down at the request of Innoval. Since no one had heard from Dan Porter for several months, several of the JStreet users (including myself) felt that InnoVal was abandoning OS/2 and the JStreet Java product, and we had already started to discuss how the remaining JStreet users might continue to communicate and even take over further development of the product.

Around this time, Paul van Keep, a very talented Java programmer in the Netherlands, posted a replacement innoval.jar file which made some slight improvements in the official InnoVal product, even though it wasn't based on the last InnoVal release of Dec. 21, 1998.

This kind of sparked a revival of interest, and shortly thereafter Paul obtained a copy of the entire JStreet list server address list, and began to operate an "unofficial" JStreet list server using his own company's server resources (http://www.sumatra.nl:81/guest/RemoteAvailableLists). Since then, Paul, with additional programming support from others, has been continuously updating the innoval.jar file to provide improvements in performance and features suggested by many of the users.

Most recently, a message was also posted by InnoVal's president, Dan Porter, in which Dan formally states that marketing and support has been withdrawn by InnoVal from J Street Mailer, Post Road Mailer for OS/2 and Web Willy Watch for OS/2. These products have now become free downloads and may be freely distributed. It is understood that permission has also been given for further development such as is being done by Paul Van Keep.

Most of us are saddened by InnoVal's departure from the OS/2 and Java marketplace. But their decision was financially necessary, and it was done gracefully and with "class." We wish Dan and Innoval the best. A copy of Dan's message follows immediately below.

Here's some information regarding an updated Symantec AntiVirus CD-ROM. The CD-ROM was available at no cost to registered subscribers/users of the discontinued IBM AntiVirus program. Most recently, there may be a $5.00 S&H charge.

As previously reported, Symantec will continue to support the IBM AV program until the end of 1999. Latest virus signature database is AV30EI.ZIP, dated September 3rd. The updated Symantec AV CD-ROM is entitled "Norton Antivirus Solution" Release 3.05 of July 1999. It supersedes the previous CD-ROM Release 3.03 of January 1999.

The v.5.0 OS/2 AV program included in the January release was not given good marks in published reviews by various OS/2 reviewers. The new R3.05 CD-ROM includes v.5.02 AV for OS/2, together with AV programs for many other platforms. I haven't seen any reviews of this new OS/2 v.5.02 yet. Hopefully, it will be a significant improvement over the earlier OS/2 v.5.0.

To order a copy of the new CD-ROM, call Symantec at 800-441-7234. You will be given several choices: press the [8] key to connect to Corporate Sales. At least 2 reps there, Jeremy & Patrick, are knowledgable about the OS/2 AV arrangements made with IBM to provide free updates of the Norton AV.

I spoke to Jeremy, and had no problem. The CD-ROM arrived via UPS about 2 or 3 days later. Murray Weismer spoke to Patrick a couple of weeks before I called, and had a bit of initial difficulty, but Patrick should now be knowledgable.

Esther Schindler of Sm@rtReseller recently reported, in part, that even though IBM maintains that it continues active support for OS/2, the general market perception is that IBM is really trying to bury it and minimize OS/2 sales.

Esther goes on to report that IBM is doing much better than its expectations, but just hasn't bothered to tell anybody. IBM sources stated that IBM OS/2 Warp client product sales have soared to 134% of plan for the last five quarters, accounting for more than $70 million in revenue. The greatest increase occurred at the end of 1998.

This growth is being credited to revenue from large enterprise license agreements, additional client upgrade protection plans, and--at least in IBM's eyes--positive customer calls on strong e-business directions.

Additionally, the various OS/2 server versions have generated more than $30 million in revenue over the last five quarters, with a large increase at the end of 1998. IBM sources also indicated significant sales increases from large customers, due partly to interest in WSOD.

According to IDC analyst Dan Kusnetzky, "As IBM presents host-managed, server-centric computing solutions, it points out that this approach will lower the costs of administration and support. They don't mention that OS/2 just might be running on the desktop or on the workgroup server. Customers who agree with IBM purchase the solution and seem happy. More and more of the time, IDC expects IBM to sell OS/2 as part of a complete solution without mentioning OS/2."

I'm very pleased to announce that a new email list server service is now being initiated by our group for POSEIDON announcement messages. The list server is being set up to send future POSEIDON announcement messages in order to reduce the time and effort which has been required to send these messages to everyone individually directly from my system. I'm aware of some format bugs and other minor problems which popped up in initial test runs and apologize for any such messages you might receive during startup testing. The problems are being addressed.

The new email list server service is being provided by Larry Finkelstein, President of Creative Systems Programming, Inc., the producer of the widely used Golden CommPass Compuserve navigation program, the OS/2 Central website, and Compuserve forum. Larry frequently attends our monthly Philadelphia OS/2 SIG meetings. The list server is written in OS/2 native code, running under OS/2 Warp Server.

Many thanks to Larry Finkelstein and CSPCorp for their generosity and support to the Philadelphia OS/2 SIG.

As soon as the new list server becomes operational, all POSEIDON announcement messages will be addressed to POSEIDON@os2central.com, and sent out to all of the current and future subscribers. It will be beneficial to establish a POSEIDON filter for the To: address which will route these messages to a POSEIDON folder in your emailer incoming area.

Plans are also now being made for an additional list server to provide full 2-way email communications amongst all subscribers for OS/2 and Java related Q&A, discussions, problems, etc.

Wednesday, September 22nd at 7:00pm is the date and time of the September meeting at our meeting site: The Episcopal Academy, 376 N. Latches Lane, Merion, PA. Mark your calendars and plan to attend. And bring an interested friend or associate along to hear all the good news about OS/2 and Java. A system will be on hand for live demos of OS/2 Warp 4, a variety of OS/2 applications, Java, Internet, etc. if time permits.

For the benefit of anyone who may not yet have the most recent releases of FixPak-11, Java 1.1.8, or other recent large files, copies can be made to your ZIP disk (or portable SyQuest drive) on a first come/first serve basis, as time may permit. Please call me prior to the meeting date to make sure that I will have the requested files on my hard drive, ready for copying.

Members without cars can take SEPTA's R-5 (Paoli Local) to Overbrook, or the R-6 to Bala. Call me 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 train station.

Everybody should keep up to date by logging in to our OS/2 SIG web site at frequent intervals: www.pasug.org/

Please be on time. The meeting will start *promptly* at 7:00pm, as per the following agenda and schedule.

Planned September Agenda:

1. General announcements, news of interest, new OS/2 products, future plans, SIG business, etc. (7:00 - 7:20pm)

2. Q&A Session (7:20 - 8:15pm):
   If you have questions, this is the place to bring them up. Someone is sure to have the answers. Or if you have something of interest to contribute, please don't hesitate to share it with the others.

3. Intermission and Raffles (8:15 - 8:30pm)
   In addition to our regular 50/50 raffle, there may also be other items for raffle, if available.

4. Member Presentations (8:30 - 10:00pm)
   Continuation of member presentations not conducted in August due to running out of time after Ben and Murray.

   John Davey .................Using URL Objects to Organize Websites
   David Moskowitz .........WPS Tips and Tricks
   Other .........................To be announced

The August member presentations were absolutely super. Ben and Murray did a terrific job. Don't miss the September continuation. Now that summer vacations have ended, please make a special effort to attend and bring a friend or associate to see what OS/2 can do.