Joe's OS/2 Tips - Number 6

INTRODUCTION
By the time most of you get this issue, OS/2's windows support will have been officially upgraded to support version 3.1 applications, along with all the usual multi-media stuff that Microsoft bundled with it's infamous product. This will most likely be the last ever Windows release for OS/2, as IBM intends to bridge the gap between Windows and OS/2 via a new PC-DOS style interface, wait for it.....It could be called WorkPlaceShell for DOS, and does the same functions as the OS/2 version, with obvious limitations.

Anyway, I hope you have all had a safe and happy Christmas break, and didn't party to hard at the start of '93.

Navigating Around OS/2, without a Mouse
This part is inspired by a friend, Ernst Winter, who suggested that people couldn't use their keyboards to navigate around OS/2.

This is going to be just a list of keystrokes, with a brief description. Also the Cursor keys are functional in most areas. Notes....
 * CTRL      -  Control Key
 * ALT       -  Alternate Key
 * ESC       -  ESCAPE Key
 * SHF       -  SHIFT key
 * [CTRL]V   -  Means to hold down control and press V
 * CTRL V    -  Means to press control then press V
 * F4        -  Function key 4

Well this covers most of the important keystrokes, to get you to and from most applications. In most cases, you don't need to know these keys, unless of course you mouse blows-up, or you like keyboards?

Fail-Safe Alertness?
I have often heard from new users that they have to press reset several times a day, due to some mysterious system crashes. These are almost always inflicted by operator error, and for the most part are recoverable, but how, when the system appears to be locked.

The Steps to recover most systems, from an apparent crash.

1] If your in the desktop, and the mouse moves, obviously OS/2 hasn't crashed. If the mouse doesn't move, prayer. Goto step 2.

2]a) Press [CTRL] ESC several times and wait up to 2 minutes.

b) if nothing happens, press [ALT] ESC several times and wait up to 2 minutes.

c) If nothing happens, Press [CTRL] [ALT] DEL, and wait until DRIVE ACTIVITY stops. And forget about the rest of these steps.

3] At this point of time, one of several things may have happened. Select Stop process. Press RETURN, and the system should appear to reload the WorkPlaceShell, never fear, the rest, of the currently running processes, will still be running.
 * INTERNAL HALTED TRAP ERROR (basically a Dead System, press RESET)
 * INTERNAL TRAP ERROR MESSAGE
 * Informational dialogue, informing you that such&such has stopped running.

Note. If this happens on a continual basis, check the remaining space available on your swap-file drive, it may be full.

4] OPTIONAL STEP

On my system, I wouldn't bother shutting down my system and restarting, as I am very confident in OS/2's ability to keep my system operational. But if you are running a beta, it's always advisable to shut-down and restart OS/2, as you don't know what may have be broken.

Memory Saving & Performance tips
Many of us OS/2 users, run OS/2 applications, with only a limited number of DOS/WINDOWS based apps. Therefore, people who run mostly OS/2 stuff, can save a fair chunk of available physical ram by removing various Virtual Device drivers.

VCOM.SYS           If you don't want DOS COMS, REM (not DEL) this command out from OS/2 config.sys.

VCDROM.SYS         Pointless, unless you have CD-ROMS.

Another interesting performance tip, is to reduce the IDLE_SENSITIVITY setting to about 5 on DOS apps, and you will find that most DOS apps will happily run, and OS/2 apps will run faster. Since OS/2's scheduler will give more time to OS/2 apps, which in turn release time slices if not active (which is how a REAL operating system's programs should perform.)

SOFTWARE JUNKIE UPDATE
AMI PRO for OS/2 is Due out in 1stQ93!!!!!!!!

CorelDraw's new OS/2 version is also in the process of being coded to include the MISSING functions that can be found in Windows land. Does this mean that Corel realizes where the future lies?

Microsoft has, once again, not meet a shipping date. Nothing unusual, must have too many bugs for their programmers to kludge in one hit.

IBM's new DOS is due for Beta release 1st quarter, so ring your favorite IBM techie and ask for a EEP license, if your interested in DOS's future.

Stacker for OS/2 seems to be vapourware, at least it hasn't occurred in beta testing anywhere official, a bit like another product.

IBM's Multi-CPU OS/2 platform seems to be getting ready for unveiling, with announcements about the micro-kernel support they are looking to utilize. IBM is also planning the same WorkPlaceShell models for their various operating system platforms, great news for the systems programmers.

Wattle Creek CD-ROM publishers are in the process of producing the new edition of their OS/2 Shareware library, should be interesting to see, hopefully they will keep their prices down.

Rumor has it, that the makers of Wing Commander are thinking of an OS/2 game, I sure hope that this is true.

Creative Labs and Pro Audio Spectrum have released OS/2 drivers for their various sound cards, to work with IBM's Multi-media products. Gravis UltraSound's makers are planning on OS/2 drivers also.

If your a software developer, you can't miss IBM's offer of a CD-ROM diskette with their current beta offerings and the programmer's library, all on CD-ROM.

HARDWARE JUNKIE UPDATES
The new Quantum IDE hard drives have the potential to load OS/2 in 25 seconds! Now that is FAST.

Tseng Labs new Co-process video card, the ET4000/W32 Bit, will be released in Jan/Feb and will be directly supported by OS/2 drivers.

OS/2's hardware reliance has taught many a cheap clone vendors new tricks, and many of the cheaper component manufactures are having to redesign their hardware, so that they can remain IBM compatible. Since IBM is now licensing both it's BIOS and BUS they have no excuse, to make bad clones. Also IBM has introduced the Value line of systems, which are of a high quality, but a clone price.

The END
Well, nearly.

If you wish to contact me, about various topics I have covered, or if you have suggestions, the easy method is via a message in one of the following mail networks, in their OS/2 area.

WORLDNET            61:560/0 INTLNET             58:1100/300 GLOBALNET           54:6140/110 And shortly Fidonet. Or via SNAIL MAIL Joe's OS/2 Tips 540 Johnson Road Forestdale, QLD, Australia, 4118. Or via the BBS +61-7-800-3521 Hours 0600-215 Australian Eastern Standard Time 1200-14.4k baud rates. Or Via VOICE +61-7-800-4447 Most times I am around the phone, but the answering system will take care of you, otherwise. But I can't afford to return an international call.