CompuNotes Notes from The Cutting Edge of Personal Computing April 26, 1997 Issue 76 +=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+= To subscribe, send an email to listserv@peach.ease.lsoft.com SUBSCRIBE COMPUNOTES-L FirstName LastName To unsubscribe, send an email to listserv@peach.ease.lsoft.com SIGNOFF COMPUNOTES-L +=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+= CONTENTS My Notes: 1=> New Section - Clickables!, Patrick Grote, mailto:pgrote@inlink.com 2=> This Week's Winner! Web Site Reviews: 3=> Web Site: Netscape http://www.netscape.com Reviewed By: Tim Mullenniex, mailto:nrider@eskimo.com Reviews: 4=> Product: Delorme AAA Map'n'Go 2.0 Reviewed By: Danny Williams, mailto:danny@packet.net 5=> Product: Norton Utilities Version 2.0 on CD-ROM Reviewed By: Don Hughes, mailto:dhughes@wwdc.com 6=> Product: Tie Fighter Collector's Edition CDROM Reviewed By: Doug Reed, mailto:dr2web@sprynet.com 7=> Clickables! --- BEGIN ISSUE 1=> New Section . . . Clickables! Doug and I are always coming across interesting web sites and internet resources you should know about! Problem is our space in each issue of CompuNotes is limited. We can't always find the space or time to do a full web site review. Starting this issue you'll be able to click on some of the cooler internet resources we come across in the new section called Clickables! If you use a web enabled reader like Pegasus or Microsoft Internet Mail you can just click on the http page name and go straight to the resource. Let us know if you like this section! 2=> Winner! This week's winner is dspitz@enterfact.com! 3=> Web Site: Netscape http://www.netscape.com Type of Site: Commercial/Software vendor Reviewed By: Tim Mullenniex, mailto:nrider@eskimo.com Browser Used: Netscape 3.1 & Microsoft Explorer Browser Recommended by Site: Netscape 3.0 Enhancements/Plug-Ins Required: Java, JavaScript Internet Connection Used: 28.8 Load Time of Main Page during Peak Hours: 35 Seconds Load Time of Main Page during Off-Peak Hours: 25 Seconds Netscape's site looks and feels like the father of commercial sites. The main reason why is that they update it almost daily and they sell all the software needed to have a personal or corporate site with all the bells and whistles. The Netscape logo takes a little time to load because it is a good looking logo with NASA images implanted to simulate navigating the electronic space we know as internet. The main page is appealing to the novice and expert. There are hundreds of pages to look at and you could spend hours reading everything they have to offer. And offer they do. They are in business to sell you software, for anything from an internet browser to a full blown corporate secure transaction server with FTP and mail services. Under Microsoft Explorer the site did not look as good as using Netscape. The backgrounds did not load with Explorer and some of the scroll bars. The main page features seven buttons of alternative selections, with the news filling up the rest of the page. The page is updated almost daily. It was dated Feb 8-10, 1997 when I visited it. They claim 5 million users and declare that Business Week calls them "Master of the Web." They have sure come a long way since the beginning of WWW browsers. One distinctive thing I noticed was all the new internet jargon. There were a number of words that I'd never heard before. For instance, one word is 'Devedge,' meaning 'Developers Edge.' No problems occurred while I was on-site, (i.e., of pages not loading, or Java Scripts not working). I will continue to visit all of the current main points of interest this site has to offer, e.g., Netscape columns where Marc Anderson discusses latest Tech Vision database connectivity; latest Netscape Software, JavaScript, Netscape 3.01, Netscape Enterprise Server 3.0 and lots of plugins... There is a place to test plugins on the site to see if you have them installed OK. You can also enter into contests. Currently they are offering a week-long Caribbean cruise. The site has the ability to search or research the net using Netscape Destinations. They offer online tech support for any of their products. They have special online pricing of their latest software and free beta versions. You can download and test drive most of the products that are available. They offer a lot of free software, besides. Netscape Communicator Preview Release is available now for free. Netscape Navigator 3.0 is available in Japanese, German and French. The best way to observe their growth is through their table of contents, which contains links to a wide variety of topics that demonstrate Netscape's total devotion to the net. The different sections of the site are well done and there is always a way to send them feedback to the right department. Every time that I log onto a Netscape site, there are things that are new and interesting. You can search for pages that have information on a specific question in the FAQ's section. Newsletters are available to receive via email account. Although they are a big company, they still have that personal touch and it shows on the individual pages. There is one plug in that I haven't seen yet. That is a spell checker for their e-mailer in Netscape Navigator 3.01. I am going to have to ask support about that one. :) I do suggest visiting this site regularly. You can even order that Netscape coffee mug or T-shirt right online. Reviewer's Overall Spin: Gold Site Content: Gold Site Presentation: Gold 4=> Product: Delorme AAA Map'n'Go 2.0 Reviewed By: Danny Williams, mailto:danny@packet.net Reviewed on: Pentium 60, 16 MB RAM, Windows 95, 4x CD-ROM Requires: 386sx-33, 8Mb RAM, 9Mb disk, Windows 3.1 or later (including Windows95 and Windows NT 3.51 or later), 256 color VGA, CD-ROM Street price: $40 The first thing I tried with Map'n'Go was, of course, find my house. The closest I could get was 2/10 of a mile to the inch, and my whole town was still just a little dot with no street detail. At first blush it sounds like this mapping software might not be up to snuff, but don't give up yet - although at first I too was disappointed with that search, I soon found out that Map'n'Go is a different product than the mapping software you may have used to find distinct addresses and street corners. Map'n'Go is more of a travel planner, filled with much more information than just the directions and maps to get you there. Map'n'Go fills you in with the important details that make a visit to a strange city much more pleasant, like where to find a Thai restaurant that costs $10-$15, or where to find the nearest art museum to fill that idle afternoon. Although restaurant and attraction information appears to be fixed, live updates of weather, local events, and road construction are available on-line over your Internet connection. To make sure you NEVER have to stop for directions again, Map'n'Go will even interface with a GPS receiver and show you your current position, speed, and the distance to your next turn on a live updating moving map. I you use this in your car, though, please have a copilot do the mousing and typing while you drive! The screen is divided into three parts - a toolbar across the top strip, a left block with route information, and the largest block on the right showing the map. There are also three small, floating windows that can be displayed as overlays: an overview map showing a basic picture of a much larger area, a small drawing tools palette for adding your own annotations to the maps, and a legend deciphering all the colorful road lines and city markings all over the map. Planning a trip is simple. There are two boxes in the toolbar, one for origin and one for destination. Just type your hometown in the origin and where you want to go today in the other. Routing is done by your choice of four methods: Fastest, shortest, preferred, or scenic. Fastest factors in the speed of each road, and will obviously send you down the interstate for that 100 mile leg even though there might be a 2 lane county road that is a few miles shorter. Shortest is obviously by distance only. Preferred takes into account parameters that you have entered. Perhaps you are towing a large trailer and want to avoid high speed roads. Enter this and a preferred route will steer you clear of Interstates. Scenic routing makes sure you see something besides green exit signs and warp speed tractor-trailers. These relatively direct routes are not your only choices, though. Intermediate stops can be added in a list and the route will take your right to each in turn, with a running total of leg and trip distances and times. Once the route is marked with hash marks on the map, you can start adding a little quality to your trip by checking out the sights. One method I particularly liked was a single menu item produces an "on the way" list. This list shows every attraction in the database within ten miles of your route. That distance is changeable, and each item found can be quickly reviewed in a side show of pictures and descriptions (including costs) of the attractions you'll be passing. Types of attractions (Restaurants, hotels, attractions, etc.) can be included or excluded by type or cost or any of several other parameters, so the list ends up being tailored to just the sort of things you'd like to see. Individual locations can be added to your route, and information about them can be "attached" to your itinerary to be printed with your trip information. Maps can be customized with some rudimentary drawing tools. Free form text can be added anywhere on the map, as can text attached to a new 'place' on the map, and text in a bubble with a pointer to draw attention to specific locations. Finding a specific location is pretty easy, provided you know some particulars about where you want to go. Searches can be done by phone number (area code and exchange, not the specific number), zip code, place name, or address. There are no fuzzy searches, like "water parks with flume rides in Florida," but with the filtering capabilities and other search methods, it's not hard at all to find what you want. Performance is just acceptable with my system, and I suspect much of the slowdown is tied to my 4X CD-ROM. I the CD stays very busy and I expect an 8, 10, or 12x CD-ROM would make a big difference with this disk. While this is a graphical program, the bulk of the processing seems to be used in searching, not drawing. Although there is a lot of data here, I found some notable omissions. The database only shows eight Outback Steakhouses in the US. I suspect there are a few more. The on-line updates are painless, but I found the highway construction near my house that was completed last year is still shown in the construction advisories, but another stretch of road that has been torn up for almost a year now is not listed. Although street level maps are included for several major metropolitan areas, street level searching is a function best left to other products. Map'n'Go does a great job, however, of helping plan a trip, particularly a holiday trip, and providing lots of options for food, lodging, and fun on your trip. If you don't plan to drag the laptop along with you in the car, then just print out a "travel package." This includes a summary showing the overview map of the whole route with time and distance measurements, a detailed route with section maps and leg distances and road names, and a "tour guide" with all the phone numbers, addresses, costs, and other information about stops included in your tip or that you attached to the itinerary. It will even print a "Trip-Tic" style strip map. The success of that style of map has been proven thousands of times over by satisfied AAA member travelers. Anyone with a long trip in their future would have a great time poring over the maps and checking out intermediate stops while planning their trip. The GPS option sounds neat, and besides the Gee-Whiz factor, might relive a few anxious moments of the "did I take the right exit" type. Don't expect this program to direct you right to someone's front door, but it will get you across the country and make sure you have a place to stay, a meal to eat, and something fun to do at every turn. Delorme 181 US Route 1 South P.O. Box 298 Freeport, ME 044032 To order from Delorme's Home Page: Support email: support@delorme.com Support phone: (207) 865-7098 Support fax: (207) 865-9291 web: 5=> Product: Norton Utilities Version 2.0 on CD-ROM Reviewed By: Don Hughes, mailto:dhughes@wwdc.com Norton Utilities version 2.0 is a new enhanced and improved set of Windows 95 utilities for the novice to the advanced user. It's sleeker, faster and more user friendly then their previous version for Windows 95. New features included: Norton File Compare, Norton registry Editor, Norton Registry Tracker, Norton System Genie, and LiveUpdate. Symantec has also improved and updated other utilities included on the CD-ROM such as Speed disk. The two computers used for testing and installing Norton Utilities where: a 486DX 100MHZ VL bus, with 16 meg of ram, ATI WinTurbo graphics card, Zoltrix 14.4 modem. The second computer: Pentium 100 MHz PCI bus, 16 Meg of ram and an ATI WinTurbo graphics card (2 meg of ram on each card) and a USR 14.4 Sportster PnP Modem. One problem encountered on both machines during the install was the modem failed to dial Symantec and do the online registration. I then bypassed the online registration and printed out the form, continued the install and later faxed the form to Symantec. However, both modems worked on the Internet and for other software online registrations, and I thought this must be a bug in Norton Utilities installation program. A few days later I decided to uninstalled Norton Utilities and then reinstall it on the 486 computer. This time the install dialed Symantec and sent the registration off without any problems. I started to reinstall Norton on the 486 at 4:54 p.m. and the program finished at 5:21. p.m. This included the time necessary for the program to format and make three rescue disks. The installation of Norton Utilities could not be more easy. All one has to do is follow the on screen prompts. The more advanced user can choose custom from the install menu and select the utilities they want to install. The user also has the option to select the drive or directory name they wish to install the utilities into. Easy to use? The Norton Companion (CD-ROM version only)contains an intuitive help file and video introductions to the various Norton Utilities. Symantec in the Companion under the heading "The only thing you need to do:" If the only program you ever use is Norton System Doctor, you will enjoy many benefits offered by this version of Norton Utilities. By default, Norton System Doctor is set up to watch out for the most common conditions that can lead to problems with your computer. You therefore do not need any special technical background to reap the benefits of this advanced program. By Default, Norton System Doctor starts with Windows automatically. It provides a set of sensors that run quietly in the background checking conditions, in some cases taking corrective action automatically without interrupting your work and in some cases alerting you is a problem arises that requires your attention. You should keep Norton System Doctor running at all times. If you follow Symantec's advice and keep the Norton System Doctor running, the new LiveUpdate feature will with the click of a button execute and download the latest updates from their FTP site. The LiveUpdate feature contains two sections for updating, one for the main utilities and another for the anti-virus section. These new programs or "Sensors" are designed to monitor all functions of computer activity, make repairs or prompt the user automatically. New computer users will find this feature handy, and a great way to automate tasks. However, advanced and power users will most likely turn the System Doctor off. There are four new programs added to Version 2: *Norton File Compare--examine the differences between to files, size content, etc. *Norton Registry Editor--you can edit the contents of the registry (vast improvement over Regedit). *Norton Registry Tracker--monitors' changes to your computer file's structure, including the INI and registry files. *Norton System Genie -- automate and customize Windows 95 to help the user change the way Windows works and feels. Oh yes, the Genie does have a lamp icon, and allows for more than three wishes! Once the program was installed and as the computer rebooted, I was greeted with a message from Norton System Doctor informing me that my anti-virus was out of date. Next system Doctor prompted me to use LiveUpdate to download the latest version. Norton System Doctor can auto-execute your type of connection to Symantec or you can select Modem or Internet from the list. The program dialed Symantec's FTP site and continued to download the updates. Then it disconnected from the Internet, and installed the update files with ease. Norton Registry Tracker takes a snapshot of your systems files and builds an audit trail during software install, or removal. Using tracker makes tracing down a problem much easier, should an error occur. Norton Registry Editor is definitely not the utility for a novice user. Symantec cautions "Only use Norton Registry Editor to edit the registry if you have reliable instructions to follow -- don't experiment". Always back up the registry before making any modifications, choose Backup Entire Registry from the file menu." Both Novice and more experienced users should heed this warning and at least make a backup of the registry file before attempting to edit it. Norton File Compare lets you examine the difference between files of the same name and type. You can check the differences between the Windows INI files, and print out the files with the changes marked in red -- if you have a colour printer. This makes editing the System and Win INI files a snap. Finally all Windows 95 users have a file compare and editor packed into one utility. Symantec has added four super utilities to their already brimming Norton Utilities package, making the program making it an exceptional bargain for the consumer. Nonetheless, Symantec took the development in version 2.0 to another level, by overhauling the additional furnished utilities. This improved version is impressive and I was surprised by the acceleration of Symantec's redesigned Speed Disk. The older version of Speed disk would take more than ten minutes to optimize (including the swap file) on a 540 MB drive C:. The new Speed Disk completed the same task in four minutes, using full optimization that included the swap file area. Included with Norton Utilities Version 2.0 are: Norton System Doctor, Norton Protection, Rescue Disk, Image, Norton Disk Doctor, UN-erase Wizard, Norton Registry Tracker, Norton File Compare. Disk Editor, Norton System Genie, Speed Disk, Space Wizard, System Information, Norton Diagnostics, and Norton Companion on the CD-ROM. Symantec's Norton Utilities Version 2.0 is currently the only package to containing programs to repair Windows 95 new FAT32 system. Value priced at under $100.00 in both Canada and the United States, makes Norton an excellent utility for all Windows 95 users. If you are just a novice starting out with Windows 95 or an expert, Norton Utilities is one package you cannot afford to pass up. No utility will ever be the greatest in the whole universe, however, Symantec's Norton Utilities version 2.0 for Windows 95 is about as near flawless as any programmer's know how to achieve. Symantec Corporation 175 West Broadway Eugene, OR 97401 (800) 441-7234 Ratings: Install/ease of Use: Gold User Friendliness: Gold Quality: Gold Customer Support: Gold End User: Novice to expert. 6=> Product: Tie Fighter Collector's Edition CDROM Reviewed By: Doug Reed, mailto:dr2web@sprynet.com Requires: 486/66, 8MB RAM, DOS, 2xCDROM MSRP: $29.95 in most stores Tie Fighter:The Collectors Edition CDROM could easily be billed as the return of the ultimate space fighter game. Tie Fighter was originally released in early 1995, following up on the enormously successful X- Wing. Tie Fighter boasted an improved game engine and campaign play, combined with a compelling story from the point of view of the Galactic Empire. Later that year LucasArts followed it up with the release of the X-Wing Collectors Edition, an enhanced version of X- Wing using the new engine, new and improved cutscenes and music, and the entire set of missions all on one CDROM. Now LucasArts has released the Collector's Edition of Tie Fighter, boasting even better graphics, cutscenes and sound than the original - all this I'm sure to whet our appetite for the soon to be released multiplayer X-Wing vs. Tie Fighter. Whether or not you bought Tie Fighter when it first came out, this is one Collector's Edition worth owning. Installation is fairly simple and straightforward; Tie Fighter runs under DOS but does support autoplay under Windows 95 for both installation and playing Tie Fighter (the game can be run in a DOS box). Only one glitch occurred for me during installation, and it is this small problem - Tie Fighter has trouble finding the correct files for running the game if you install to a drive other than the C drive. LucasArts is aware of the problem but doesn't seem interested in releasing a patch - all that is necessary is to move the file TIE.CD from the C drive to whatever drive you are playing from. A bit of a pain, but hardly that bad - and it was the only bug I could find in the entire game. A patch does exist for the Tie Fighter Collector's Edition but it is only from players using the Microsoft Sidewinder Pro joystick (as I do). The patch merely corrects a tendency for the ship to drift to one side even without the player touching the controls. Under Windows 95 installation is quick and easy and you can be up and blasting Skywalker-wannabe's in a matter of minutes. If you have a slower (3X or less) CDROM, you will want to turn off all unnecessary screen savers, backgrounds, utilities, etc..., while playing in order to maximize the speed that the cutscenes play at - I found that shutting down the MS Office Toolbar and setting the CDROM cache to the lowest possible setting greatly enhanced the framerate for the cutscenes. And what cutscenes they are! Even if you own the original - be prepared- the cutscenes are considerably enhanced over the original release. Tie Fighter can also be played in 320x480 or 640x480 mode, the latter requiring a VESA compatible graphics card (Univbe is provided on the CD if you need it). If at all possible, play in 640x480 mode - it requires substantially more muscle but the improved look of the ships during combat is spectacular (even over the original release of Tie Fighter, which wasn't bad in its own right). Having seen screenshots of the upcoming X-Wing vs. Tie Fighter, however, I can tell you that the improved graphics in Tie Fighter won't hold a candle to what that game will offer. Nevertheless, they are gorgeous to look at; explosions have been considerably enhanced and look very realistic. The premise of the game remains the same; you start as a lowly Tie Fighter pilot in the Galactic Empire and work your way through the ranks by completing several campaigns. While most of the campaigns are against the Rebel Alliance, you will also battle pirates and even portions of the Empire itself. Should you make it far enough you will even get the chance to save the Emperor himself. At the start the game is very forgiving about completing a campaign before moving on to the next - if you get stuck you can always get out of the campaign and try another, then go back to the first one and pick up where you left off. Eventually the campaigns do become more linear, however, by then you should have enough talent as a Tie pilot by that point to avoid getting stuck. The Collector's Edition includes all of the original campaigns as well as the missions from the Defender of the Empire campaign disk and an additional all-new campaign. In addition, the subplot involving a secretive Tie Pilot's is still a very large part of the game, adding additional objectives to key missions. The game is almost always a challenge, although occasionally the designers have thrown in a milk run to relieve some of the tension of the game. Where the game really gets its appeal and challenge, however, is from the ability to fly the Tie Fighter. Everybody remembers them from the movies - incredibly fast but weak fighters drastically inferior to what the Rebel Alliance has to offer. Luckily only a few missions are flown in the Tie Fighter before the player moves up to the more advanced models that offer at least hope of increasing your life span. The Collector's Edition includes all 5 models from the original game as well as an all-new fighter that is part of the all-new campaign included on the CDROM. I haven't played the game far enough to find out what it is, but I do know that it offers a new engine called the SLAM drive (a special key is reserved for it, one that did not appear on the command list of the original game). Whatever it is, it should be interesting! Despite the imminent release of X-Wing vs. Tie Fighter the Collector's Edition remains a great buy. Most places are now selling it for $29.95, which is downright dirt cheap considering all that the game has to offer. I hadn't played Tie Fighter in a while when I picked this up, but as soon as the game started I was sucked back in - LucasArts knows how to create incredibly immersive games, and this is no exception. Make no mistake about it - I love to play Tie Fighter and I get a real kick out of blasting rebel scum into space dust! LucasArts P.O. Box 10307 San Rafael, CA 94912 1-800-98-LUCAS (58227) mailto:75300.454@compuserve.com CompuServe: GO GAMEPUB AOL: Keyword "Lucas" Installation: Gold Medal User-Friendliness: Gold Medal Quality: Gold Medal User: All 7) Clickables! Sites Doug and I have come across this week you may be interested in: Keeping Kids of out Bad Net Neighborhoods Paul Allen - The Other Father of Microsoft Bill Gates Wealth - How much is he worth? http://www.webho.com/WealthClock Web Novice - Excellent advice if you are new to web! http://www.webnovice.com/ Free Software - Yep, all the software here is free! http://www.dreamscape.com/frankvad/free.software.html Kids Web Site - The Best Site for Kids Monitor Settlement - Did you Buy a Monitor from 1991 to 1995? +=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+= Managing Editor: Patrick Grote -- mailto:pgrote@inlink.com Assistant Editor: Writer Liaison: Doug Reed-- mailto:dr2web@sprynet.com Archives: ftp://ftp.uu.net/published/compunotes/ Website: email: mailto:notes@inlink.com fax: (314) 909-1662 voice: (314) 909-1662 +=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+= CompuNotes is: Available weekly via email and on-line. We cover the PC computing world with comprehensive reviews, news, hot web sites, great columns and interviews. We also give away one software package a week to a lucky winner for just reading our fine publication! Never dull, sometimes tardy, we are here to bring you the computing world the way it is! Please tell every online friend you know about us! CompuNotes B440 1315 Woodgate Drive St. Louis, MO 63122 notes@inlink.com +=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+= END OF ISSUE Patrick Grote, pgrote@inlink.com, http://www.inlink.com/~pgrote Publisher of CompuNotes, subscribe free, http://www.geocities.com/~compunotes Life is a self-fulfilling prophecy -- Are you a doer or a watcher? .