DeScribe Copyright DeScribe, Inc., 1988, 1989S"  5 C )C{{ CjjE] ʢ**D  Q _0 "@  #.#.Letter6A/[ _ A>PrinterPrinterPSCRIPTNEC LC-890NEC LC-890NEC LC-890NEC LC-890LetterLetterdPM_DD_Printer,PSCRIPT.NEC LC-890"&Rc/ Info 1Info 2Info 3Info 4iL+uA.uA.fLetteretterTimesNew Romanx <Z*x8FTbp,JhddddTextLetterheadddrelveticaInsideAddressDatecloseSignatureClosingonSalutationCs CompanyNameetteretterTimesNew Romanx  <Z*x8FTbp,Jh,dddd   ,;J#   @ @  D G,;J#6 ,;J#6 K,;J#6 K  ,;J#6 0,;J#6 K ,;J#6 H,;J#6 H,;J#6 K,;J#6 H,;J#6 K6,,Text;;,@;:J#Text\=6,Z,Y6R,W),[VCC6@L-,\z6^,Xl l6l ,^/ n]0 E>0u,"6>Zp\ʛzz  Rodney L. Wright8205 Chivalry RoadAnnandale, VA 22003-1379August 3, 1994Dear OS/2 SIG Member,During August the OS/2 Special Interest Group (of the Capital PC User Group) will meet only on Wednesday, August 10, 1994 at 7:00 PM in the CPCUG conference room at 51 Monroe Street, Plaza East Two, Rockville, MD 20850. NOTE: There WILL BE NO VA meeting in August. This is the last time though that we will have a single meeting. Starting in September, we will meet in both locations each month.AGENDA FOR OS/2 SIG MEETINGS`Question and Answer Session + Announcements:We will return to our traditional introductory session format this month. Q&A starts at 7:00 PM along with announcements, product news, rumors, and SIG news. The vendor presentation will begin at 7:30 P.M.`The regional representative of the California-based Digitalk Corporation will be coming to us from New York to demonstrate the latest version of the PARTS visual programming environment. Established in 1983, Digitalk, Inc. was the first company to develop Smalltalk language development tools for IBM PCs and was the first company to introduce Smalltalk tools for OS/2. Currently, the company has more than 155,000 licensed users of its products.`In the OS/2 SIG, we first got an early look at the PARTS visual programming environment a couple of years ago. This is a much later and more developed version of the component-based, visual programming environment that is based upon Smalltalk V and Team V, a robust team development tool that provides version control, packaging and configuration management. `Digitalk's presentation and demonstration will concentrate on the implementation of component-based applications using PARTS for OS/2.LOOKING AHEAD`On September 14th (MD) and 15th (VA), Athena Design of Boston, MA will be visiting us to show us Mesa 2, a new full-featured, 32-bit, OS/2 spreadsheet. It will take advantage of OS/2 features including IBM's Systems Objects Model (SOM), the OpenDoc interprogram communications standards, multithreading and the Object-Oriented User Interface. Mesa was originally developed for the NEXT computer NEXTSTEP operating system.`September 11-14, the OS/2 Technical Update '94 conference is being held in Atlanta, GA. I will have brochures at the meeting if you wish to consider this. Interestingly enough, this conference is run by the publishing conglomerate Ziff-Davis which has traditionally been less than close to IBM. IBM describes this conference as "partnering" with Z-D. Let's hope this contributes to more evenhanded handling of OS/2 news. If you are going, you will have a chance to try to pass the four tests for the IBM Certified OS/2 Engineer and/or the six tests for the IBM Certified LAN Server Engineer status. I believe there will be no charge for these tests.`The week of October 5, the East Coast Developer conference will be held here in Washington. Your SIG will be participating in that conference and holding a special meeting there. This promises to be an interesting event which even features the OS/2 Up and Running 5K race.`October 12th (MD) and 13th (VA) OS/2 SIG member Ranier McCown of Rhintek, Inc. will be presenting a new OS/2 communications product. I believe he may have an announcement for us at the August meeting.`November 9th (MD) and 10th (VA) No definite schedule yet although we hope to get Jonathan Levine to show us the latest version of his Xtree like utilities for OS/2.`On November 14th, CPCUG is lucky to again have David Barnes give the general membership a presentation on the latest OS/2 products. This meeting is timed to show the latest versions of the products as well as to tell the world "There is an Alternative to a Chicago and it is here now!". If you have seen David talk before, I don't have to remind you that this is an event not to be missed. If you missed him last year, then this is the chance to correct this big void in your life. Really, this is the time to round up friends and neighbors and drive them to the meeting.`December 14th (MD) and 15th (VA) We are planning another holiday party. This year it will be combined with a communications fair. We hope to have examples of each major OS/2 communication package as well as the major off-line readers If you would like to help by demonstrating a particular software product, please let me know. We need to show PMComm, Livewire, HyperAccess V, TE/2, ZOC,and whatever else is available. We need Kurt Westerfeld to demonstrate his latest QWK Mail/2 offline reader and others to show their favorite communications products too.`We'd like to have someone demonstrate access to Internet from an OS/2 workstation.The View from the Chair`Communications Comes of Age`At long last, computer communications seems to have come of age. I work for the U.S. Energy Information Administration. This year for the first time, our users began to use Lotus's ccMail on a large scale basis (nothing works like having an eager Administrator using the service to stir up interest). In a 6 month time frame, this has become a central means of communications for our staff. For many purposes, electronic messages are being used in place of reams of copy machine paper in your inbox. [Instead, you have a stuffed electronic mailbox]. I have noticed that my voice call traffic has dropped off and is being replaced by e-mail messages. One interesting sidenote is that folks seem to be communicating much more thoroughly since it is so easy to cc a message to someone who might be interested. Further, one can easily create mailing lists that allow you to send mail to a whole list of folks simply by clicking on the mail list name.`In June, we added Internet e-mail connections. You can now get me on RWright@EIA.DOE.GOV. The message will arrive on my desk and a little blinking box will announce arrival of the e-mail. This is proving a boon in that, for example, I was able to send a message to David Barnes of IBM, cc the IBM user group coordinator in Austin, TX, cc to Rich Schinnell (CPCUG President), cc to our program chairperson, the publicity folks, etc.`At the present time, my agency is introducing the remaining Internet services such as automated mail-lists (you can find lots of conferences such as on OS/2), automated database searches, etc. [Your specialists may recognize that I don't yet know much about this area and will have to learn]. This is a whole new area of computing and information retrieval for me. As an information agency, many of our databases and publications will be on line to Internet.`On another level, my agency also installed a new data/fax modem in my computer. I no longer have to go down to the 3rd floor and get a (yucky) chemical-coated message that curls up and smells bad. I get it in electronic image form and can see it on my screen. If I really do need it on paper, I can simply print it on my computer printer using normal copy paper. This saves time and paper. So, if you want to send me a fax, you can do so on (202)254-5822. I normally have a simple fax program ready to answer that phone.`Finally, the Capital PC User Group just installed two new on-line services:``First, the venerable old Member Information Exchange Bulletin Board (MIX BBS) is replaced by both new MIX hardware and software. The new system is based on PCBoard software and is implemented on a Novell network based series of 386 nodes. When you call in to the MIX on (301)738-9060, you will get one of those nodes. The new service is much faster and more efficient than the old MIX. Joining a new conference no longer exacts a penalty delay. J;OS2GEN will immediately connect you to our OS2 General conference with nearly no delay. A new on-line full screen editor helps when you need to answer a message on line. But if you [and I hope you have tried this] choose to use an offline reader instead, getting a QWK packet ready and transmitted download is a MUCH faster experience. With the old MIX, it took me from 8-10 minutes to sign on; exit through a door to the offline mailer package; and wait while the messages are scanned, packed and transmitted. With the new MIX, preparing a QWK package takes about 1-2 minutes including the download for me. We all owe a tip of the hat to our new MIX SYSOP, Michael Kane, for the outstanding work he did in setting up this new system. He worked a huge number of hours on this project. Our President, Rich Schinnell also put in a huge amount of time as did Henry Noble, our past president. My apologies to the others who also helped with this vital project but are not listed here.``Second, the CPCUG is now providing Internet services to the membership. You can get either basic services (email) or sign up for a "slip" account which gives you much more full access to the Internet for database search, etc.As with all new developments, the new age of communications brings problems and opportunities:`Information Overload is one name given to the problem of getting too much data. Now, not only is your mailbox stuffed with junk mail, but now you've got an electronic mailbox which could be open to many more potential correspondents. We all have to find ways to deal with this problem.`Electronic Trees Hiding the Forest. There is so much information available out there that you could spend all of your time (literally) looking for the gem you need. There are wonderful opportunities awaiting those who know where to look or who find software that can help penetrate the forest looking for that particular tree you need. Early examples of those programs include offline mail readers that allow one to quickly browse message headers and to jump into those subjects of interest. But these are still in their infancy and have a long ways to go. In the Internet world, programs such as Mosaic are being adapted for the OS/2 world to provide a graphical user interface to programs that search for and retrieve databases, etc. There are huge opportunities for those who can figure out how to master this information tiger.`Electronic rudeness is a problem which occurs because electronic mail is flat and emotionless. Occasionally, on the MIX BBS and on other electronic mail systems, I've noted there are some folks who seem to think they can say anything without considering the target of their messages. My rule of thumb on this is to try hard not to say anything to someone in a message that I would not want to say in person. Since I've got two thumbs, I have another rule and that is to treat others with the personal respect that I would like others to show to me [even if it sometimes seems like the @!!!##$'s don't deserve it]. Extending this golden rule says, it is OK to confront and challenge ideas but never OK to attack another person.`Phone Line Crunch is not a new problem. Any of you with children old enough to have fingers know that the phone is not your own anymore.` But to make matters worse, using a fax modem or data modem to answer the phone can even irritate the most understanding of families. Most modern fax/data modems can automatically answer the phone, listen for a computer or fax call and provide the correct connection. But unless you have a dedicated phone line, this can be irritating to human callers. Recently, however, I've heard that there are devices that can:`-`answer the phone and then listen to see if a computer or fax is calling. If so, they make the proper connection, if not`-`they connect your phone set and/or answering machine,`-`and some even have built-in voice mail such as:`"Welcome to the Wright Communications Center:`If you want to speak to the mistress of the house, press 1;``If you want to speak to the master son, press 2;``If none of the above, you might want to hang up or press 9 to leave a message for ` ``Rod."Remember friends: "It's a great life if you don't weaken."Please call me on (703)641-8456 if you have questions or suggestions about the SIG. I hope to see you at the meeting! Bring some friends.Rodney L. WrightChairman, OS/2 Special Interest GroupCapital PC User Groupx&L x< xn*L  < x9L h< x!L < xG3L < _xGL0*< Xxp2L/<Ux5L 59axL:< #xEL@< xIP8JT9.xHh`TT9YxL^< Rx]Ld< &xHLxi< _x޹LsT9PxLy< ]xL~T9XxZLT9^xL< [xöLT9MxL < XxLT9]xDZLT9PxL< ExLT9xq-L(9ZxLP< _xPL< OxL@< [xPL< GxL0T9\xLX< ]x L< ^x8LH< ]xL< YxL8< bxLT9[xL(T9x L < QxLxT9]xxL < ]x'LhT9 x9L< VxL < XxL%< x:L*< SxL 5< TxL:< NxLD9ZxrL8J< [xզLO9ZxL(U9bxƯLZ< cxL`< x=Le< XxLo< UxL0u< \xƯLz< UxL < TxLT9]x~LT9&xLL< TxHLT9xH5ؤ<!xJ9WxlL(< YxͥL< ^xLT9_xL< XxL< ]xծL< ^xL< WxLp< YxfL< bxoL`< *xPL< GxLT9X xiLx< axرL< Yx<Lh < [xծL< WxLxT9\xL < _xLh< _xfL< ^xxLXT9WxEL%< ]xL*< cxPLp0< ^xL5< \xTL`;< ?x>}L@< MxLK< SxL(U< TxLZ< UxfL`< Zx Le< UxrLk< RxLp< ZxɪLu< XxӣLp{< VxiL< TxL`< WxĤL؋< SxLP< SxWLȖ< XxL@< ZxL< ZxL0< AxvL< WxcLжT9XxLH< 6xaLT9Px'L< xL`< \x3LT9\xoL< \xLx< x*L< \xLxT9VxߟL < Xx3Lh< \xL< ]xLX< cxL < [x*LH&T9`x/L+< _xPL81< x3L6< SxǡL@T9\xLPF< \xLK< axL@Q< [xLV< bxL0\< ^xlLa< VxL g< VxcLHqT9ZxLv< XxìL8|< XxL< ZxةL(< cxL< x#L< ^xrL@< x9L< 9xzL< 3xkL< /xiL< =xuL< 3xiLp< Wx{L< xZL`< <xqpL< _xL< -x!WL(< xLP< xjL< x&L< &xMLh < x.L<   ;@ ((_$;@ ** `$;@5 &&a$;@P *' b$LzW-.84 O      "X ;+S  ^a #7T<         X,eTfTl,gTiTjTkTlTmThTDeScribe Glossary$p Save dateHSave time$Create date̿Create timetPrint date$Print timeLHRevisionsPagesD8-4-94 7:11 P.M.ե1-7-93 4:40 P.M.8-4-94 7:11 P.M.;102P4 pre-committmentMichelson E:\DeScribe\DATA\OS2 SIG Member List\, @(LNؙXDocu1ؙXDocuMiؙXDocuAddrؙXDocuCityؙXDocuStateؙXDocuZIPؙXDocuMemberؙXDocuHomePhؙXDocuWorkPhؙXDocu