Topics

31

Hardware / OS/2 Video Performance

« on: October 21, 2021, 01:47:28 am »

People ask me what video card to buy to run OS/2. I usually tell them to run the graphics built into the motherboard. For some time, Intel CPU have graphics built in. This is an inherently better design than having a separate video card.

I ran the SysBench benchmark program on my Quebopeep (Lenovo M93p Tower computer) with Intel Core-i7 CPU connected to the monitor with a standard VGA cable. I installed the standard AMD Radeon HD8490 PCIe-16 video card with 1 GB video RAM. The graphics card has no VGA, but I used a DisplayPort to VGA adapter to connect the monitor. Here is how the two graphics setups compared.

Intel HDA Graphics
PM Graphics Marks: 268
DIVE Marks: 18062

AMD Radeon HD8490
PM Graphics Marks: 127
DIVE Marks: 2917

So you can see that the high performance video card is between 2 and 6 times slower than the built-in graphics on the motherboard.

32

Applications / Otter Browser

« on: October 12, 2021, 09:40:57 pm »

I set up Otter Browser under Ubuntu, and I was able to import my bookmarks from Firefox. So far, so good.

Where I ran into trouble, though, was that I cannot visit any secure sites. Now Otter under Ubuntu is not the same as under ArcaOS, but I think the architecture of secure web browsing should be similar. Is anyone familiar enough with running applications under Ubuntu to help me get secure web browsing to work?

Here is the error: Warning: Otter Browser. SSL support is not available or incomplete. Some websites may work incorrectly or do not work at all.

I am not familiar enough with Ubuntu to correct this.

33

Mail-News / Thunderbird logging

« on: September 30, 2021, 04:40:06 am »

I saw a recommendation to use the following for logging thunderbird. I want to help someone track down a mail bug.

thunderbird.exe 2>&1 | tee thunderbird.log

I've got a feeling this is the wrong kind of log to debug mail sending/receiving.

Thunderbird has some help on logging by setting two environment variables, but I don't know if that works. It does work, but I don't know what all the options mean.

Rem Thunderbird debugging
Set NSPR_LOG_MODULES=SMTP:4,POP3:4
Set NSPR_LOG_FILE=f:\var\temp\tbird_log.txt

I imagine this might be called transaction log or something like that.

34

Events / Warpstock 2021 - Call for presentations

« on: August 07, 2021, 03:29:09 pm »

I am writing to invite you to present at Warpstock 2021. Presentations can be live from your location or you can submit a video and take questions from the audience.

If you are willing to prepare a presentation for Warpstock 2021, please let me know as soon as possible by writing to presenters@warpstock.org. Your presentation will help us make Warpstock 2021 a success.

I will want a presentation title, a short description to put on the website. If this is the first time presenting at Warpstock, I will also want a one-paragraph bio.

Your live input can come to us via most of the popular streaming services (Skype, Zoom, Google Hangouts, etc.). Please let us know in advance so that we may be prepared to receive your broadcast.

Your pre-recorded sessions may be in any the following formats: .mp4, .ts, .mov, .flv, .mkv, .avi, .gif, .webm.

Slides are not required, but if you use them, please send us your session slides in PDF or OpenOffice Impress format.

Be prepared for a brief (15-20 minute) technical run-through 7-10 days before the event, at an agreed upon time and date. (You do not need to have your slides prepared for the run-through.)

35

Marketplace / Hard drive for IBM Thinkpad X41

« on: February 09, 2021, 05:41:07 pm »

https://www.ebay.com/itm/363287461394

This is for a used Hitachi 60 GB 1.8 inch drive in a hard drive caddy. It says it has eComStation 2.0 rc7 on it. It is for a Thinkpad X41. Not many laptops use this size drive.

http://www.blondeguy.com/computer/mobilopeep2.html

36

Web applications / How to clear the browser cache in Firefox

« on: February 06, 2021, 02:05:26 am »

I'm trying to use my GL.inet router. It always used to work. Now I log in, and all the admin screens are blank. GL.inet forum says I need to clear the Firefox browser cache. Firefox help shows how to do that on a much more recent browser than ours. How does it work on our Firefox 45?

37

Hardware / Hardware report for ThinkCentre M625q

« on: January 28, 2021, 04:31:26 pm »

This is a short report. Installation USB stick hangs on the boot logo.

Model number: 10TLCTO1WW

38

General Advertisements / Laptop with ArcaOS (sold)

« on: January 26, 2021, 03:29:08 pm »

This is a sad story about having to scrap one of my laptops for sale. It sold quickly.

As an ArcaOS user, I keep XCenter on the bottom of the screen. So the screen looked fine. But when I closed the XCenter, one row of pixels was white. Normally the XCenter has a row of white pixels at that location, so I never noticed it before.

Well, I can't sell it as a perfect laptop, so I decided to scrap it. But it has ArcaOS and all the applications, ready for customer delivery.

If you are handy, spare screens are available for about $75.



I now have a perfect version of the laptop for sale for $879 plus shipping, but including ArcaOS license.

http://www.blondeguy.com/computer/phenobopeep.html

This laptop with the screen defect is available for $180 including shipping within USA, but not including ArcaOS license. Shipping to other countries is handled by eBay. Put the computer in your cart to find details regarding shipping and customs. This is close to the scrap value of the laptop. I priced it just high enough to allow a potential ArcaOS user to buy it before the junk dealers get it.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/324463628321

So, for the right customer, this laptop is a bargain. The T450s is very close to the same weight as the much smaller X250, but with a 1920 x 1080 screen.

39

Applications / OpenOffice Spreadsheet charts

« on: January 17, 2021, 06:01:02 pm »

Starting with version 4.1.8, charts seem to vanish in the following scenario.

1. Edit the chart
2. Save the spreadsheet in .ODS format
3. Close Open Office
4. Open the spreadsheet; the chart is gone

A potential workaround is to save in .XLS format instead

I opened a bug report as described in the readme. Thanks to all who helped me get an account to report this.

https://bz.apache.org/ooo/show_bug.cgi?id=128427

40

Applications / Lotus WordPro document alignment

« on: December 09, 2020, 03:56:02 pm »

I have a lot of Lotus WordPro documents to run the business. The computers in the business run a mix of MCP 2, eCS and ArcaOS.

On some computers, the Lotus WordPro documents are out of alignment. Text that used to fit on a line wraps to a new line.

I think I've tracked this down to a difference in printer drivers. If the driver is LASERJET.HP Laserjet 4, then the document is formatted correctly. If the driver is anything else, for example PSPRINT.HP Color Laserjet Pro M252, or LASERJET.HP Color Laserjet, then some text will be wrapped.

I've attached the Lotus WordPro file to this message. I had to rename the file to .DOC because OS/2 World does not permit .LWP attachments and erases the message if you try.

41

Applications / ArcaOS kernel 202 and Firefox

« on: November 21, 2020, 09:19:46 pm »

Arca Noae has released a new kernel, probably to support the new web browser.

Is it possible that the new kernel fix makes it unnecessary to run FFTurbo, because memory is now released on exit?

42

Setup & Installation / How to install Firefox

« on: November 16, 2020, 02:19:09 am »

Is there a web page that explains how to install Firefox on ArcaOS? I know someone who would like to install it, but needs something fairly user-friendly.

43

Networking / WinOS2 and WinSock

« on: November 10, 2020, 02:09:15 am »

I installed some Win16 networking application, and I realized that it won't work without some kind of WinSock support.

 https://mochasoft.dk/win311x.htm

Apparently I've forgotten how to add WinSock support. Anyone remember this one?

44

General Discussion / Print Screen in ArcaOS

« on: August 05, 2020, 11:39:56 pm »

Can you disable printscreen in ArcaOS? You can in OS/2, but I don't see the same dialog in ArcaOS.

Code: [Select]

Use the Print Screen page of System - Properties to allow the system to print the full screen or an open window in an OS/2 session.

To print a full screen:

1.Select the Enable radio button.
2.Close the notebook.
3.Place the pointer on the Desktop away from any open windows.
4.Press Print Screen.

To print an open window:

1.Select the Enable radio button.
2.Close the notebook.
3.Place the pointer in any open window.
4.Press Print Screen.

For a detailed explanation of each field, select from the list below:

Enable
Disable


45

Setup & Installation / klibc user manager

« on: July 27, 2020, 04:46:51 pm »

I installed ArcaOS 5.0.5, but something is odd with klibc user manager. I don't see icons for it anywhere. If I re-install using ANPM, I get icons, but I can't edit users. They list just fine, but when I edit, nothing can be changed.

in \etc\master.passwd, root has an *, which I guess means no password.

SAMBA users and group, which relies on this, also does not work.

Searching for bug reports, I get a lot of hits on "I really ought to write some documentation".