CAOS/2 Users Group On-line Information Pack


 * Version: 0.4
 * Produced: 03-October-1994.

Welcome to CAOS/2
We are a small but merry band of OS/2 pioneers and newbies living in and around Edmonton, Alberta. The group was formed in August of 1993 to provide a forum for OS/2 users and investigators who often found themselves alone in a sea of marketing ballyhoo and technical misinformation. As of our first anniversary we have over 70 paid members.

The aims of CAOS/2 are many, and vary from member to member, but all involve one or more of the following principles.

Information
Local support (or even recognition) of OS/2 while growing, still leaves many users with questions about their own setup. CAOS/2 members and resources can provide a local source of news and information about products, services, and the experiences of real users.

Technical Support
Our members come from a wide variety of backgrounds, operating OS/2 in the home and at work, for fun and profit. We have a collective experience with OS/2 products and procedures that outpaces what is usually available through normal consumer channels.

Participation
Many OS/2 users face a quite struggle when justifying their choice to DOS and Windows users, especially those that have gained the bulk of their information from mainstream computing resources, like magazines and the popular press. CAOS/2 provides an environment in which like-minded individuals and the open-minded can gain credible facts in an atmosphere of informed consensus, rather than market hype. Those that feel the need to do so are also provided with a forum to relate their experiences to an educated and appreciative audience.

CAOS/2 is a registered Society under the Alberta Societies Act.

How do we talk to the world
From the beginning CAOS/2 has relied on multiple media outlets for spreading its message. Since it's so easy once you've mastered a few computer-based media, we thought we'd do as many as we could. From the beginning CAOS/2 has relied on multiple media outlets for spreading its message. Since it's so easy once you've mastered a few computer-based media, we thought we'd do as many as we could.

Electronic
Mach/2 BBS     +1.403 489.4250   FREE 484.3982 This is the CAOS/2 information hub, an OS/2-hosted BBS operating two nodes around the clock. The board offers an OS/2-heavy list of e-mail conferences and files fed by a Planet Connect satellite receiver.

There are several conferences devoted to group activities (CAOS_*) and OS/2 in general, and many more devoted to OS/2 discussion carried by several networks: Fido, UseNet, BitNet, WorldNet, and IBMNet. Furthermore, several Mach/2 users also use CompuServe and UseNet and will at various times cross-post information onto Mach/2 from these sources.

Note that not all of these echoes are on the "backbone." OS2 OS2BBS TeamOS2 OS_Debate OS2ProdSup OS2Lan OS2Prog OS2DOS OS2HW OS2DOSBBS OS2Video OS2Communic OS2Database OS2Wordpro OS2Workplac OS2Beginner OS2Rexx OS2Games OS2CDRom FernwOS2 comp.binaries.os2 comp.os.os2 comp.os.os2.advocacy comp.os.os2.announce comp.os.os2.apps comp.os.os2.beta comp.os.os2.bugs comp.os.os2.games comp.os.os2.misc comp.os.os2.multimedia comp.os.os2.networking comp.os.os2.networking.misc comp.os.os2.networking.tcp-ip comp.os.os2.programmer comp.os.os2.programmer.misc comp.os.os2.programmer.oop comp.os.os2.programmer.porting comp.os.os2.programmer.tools comp.os.os2.setup comp.os.os2.ver1x
 * Fido
 * UseNet

Actually, an OS/2 mailing list, which may also be found as a UseNet group. OS2 IBM.OS2DBM IBM.OS2LAN IBM.OS2COM IBM.OS2PRO IBM.OS2.OS2REXX IBM.OS2SIG IBM.OS2.INS IBM.OS2BETA The majority of our group's interaction and information exchange occurs through this BBS, and members should make every effort to take advantage of this valuable service.
 * BitNet
 * WorldNet
 * IBMNet

The board's always-affable sysop is also committed to providing all the files he possibly can, including the Walnut Creek and Hobbes CD-ROM collections.


 * Sysop Comments
 * I'm running two BBS/mailer (Maximus/Binkley) nodes on a 386DX 33Mhz with 8M RAM, two SCSI 1.2 gig drives (one Maxtor and one Seagate) in a separate enclosure, a SoundBlaster 16, and a Philips CD-ROM. OS/2 2.11 and 2.99 are both bootable to run the BBS system. I use a 5 gig Tape backup (SCSI) Exabyte 8200 with BackupWiz for files that go offline, and GNU TAR ported to OS/2 for weekly "full" backups.


 * I have a separate machine (386-16, 2M RAM) that runs all the time for the satellite feed (Planet Connect). I transfer files as they are received through a parallel port to the main machine, at the rate of 2M/min.± using "File Shuttle Express."


 * I have in the neighborhood of 1 gig of files online all the time. I carry a few hundred message areas, top heavy on OS/2, including InterNet, Fido, WorldNet, ImexNet, "CAOSnet", ProgNet, EggNet, etc. I provide a direct FidoNet/filebone feed to approximately 16-20 people, of which three are hubs who probably feed another 20+ people. I am a hub for IMEXNET and the local NC for IBMNET and CAOSNET.

E-mail
CAOS/2 conferences are echoed locally by the following Edmonton (403 area code) BBSs, which also carry as much available shareware as they can find (and have room for): ■ Freddy's Place           456.4241   Jim McGallan ■ The Circular Ruins/2     453.5711   John Long ■ Calanost RBBS-PC         468.1741   Robert Goshko ■ Nor'wester               472.7882   Edward Williams ■ First Solution BBS       458.7871   Harry Wagensveld ■ The Ozone (Athabasca)    675.3392   Kevin Crocker ■ Starship Heart of Gold   489.1735   Steve Whitelaw ■ NAPCUG                   489.4685   Peter Mosonyi ■ Northern Alberta Maple   474.0147   Don Hazlewood ■ Tanktalus' Tower         457.0249   Darin McBride ■ Full Circle Wildcat      425.2535   Dennis Cambly ■ The Real George          459.8219   Gary George


 * Note: If you run an OS/2-friendly BBS within the Central Alberta region (roughly Red Deer and north) we'd be happy to include your name here. Contact Jerome Yuzyk for this or any other information.

Fax
Meeting notices are posted by fax at least one week before each meeting, or when details of the monthly meeting are settled. To be included on the notice list, send a fax cover-page with your addressing details to Jerome Yuzyk; also state whether you require a cover page for your notice. To be removed from the list, simply return the cover page or a copy of a monthly notice, indicating your name, to Jerome.

Print
A quarterly newsletter is available, edited by our secretary. Interested contributors are always welcomed.

Also look for our notice in the "User Groups" listing in the Alberta edition of The Computer Paper.

Details
Here are a few details about how the group operates.

(Actually, the only reason there is text on this page is because the IPF compiler squawks if there isn't, and won't let you use the Back button.)

Meetings
First Thursday of every month, 6:30 pm

Agriculture/Forestry Building, Rm. 113

University of Alberta campus, North of Stadium Carpark, East of the General Services Building



Meetings are informal, and generally consist of some group administration, OS/2 news and notes, featured presentations, and a Question/Answer session. Thanks to the kindly assistance of the UofA Department of Animal Sciences, we have a decent computer to use for meeting demos, complete with LCD-panel projector.

Membership
From the beginning we have decided to keep our membership fee low. Since we rely on electronic means where we can and solicit donations for things we need, we have been successful in doing so. Membership fees cover meeting supplies, registrations, shipping costs, and the occasional piece of hardware for our BBS or meeting machine.

Single: $25 per year, payable at 2nd meeting Corporate: $100/5 people per year

Since we are a registered society, a receipt will be provided.

Benefits
Here's what you get for your membership fee:
 * one-time $5 off OS/2 merchandise
 * early access to "hot" files on Mach/2
 * beta- and evaluation-testing programs
 * access to collected information materials and demonstration kits
 * various discounts from local vendors on presentation of proof of membership
 * a reliable, unbiased source of OS/2 information and technical assistance
 * a chance to talk with other OS/2 users of varying experience, and get the kind of assistance and support you can't find anywhere else

Who's Who
Executive: Jerome Yuzyk        Chairman, New   448.1434 (v) jerome@supernet.ab.ca                      User Director   468.9453 (f)

Kevin Crocker       Vice Chair      675.3585     (Athabasca)

Steve Ward          Secretary       450.3300     70404.1462@compuserve.com

Harry Wagensveld    Treasurer       459.6298     henry@cs.ualberta.ca Members at Large:

Richard Dodsworth   Mach/2 BBS Sysop

Arylnn Poczynek     founding member, now doing TeamOS/2 work with IBM in Toronto

Tom King original secretary, now in Winnipeg working on a group

Tips with a Better Life with OS/2

 * Remember that OS/2 is an operating system, quite possibly the first you have encountered in your personal computing experience, unless you have used Unix. Expect that some of the things you "got away with" in DOS and Windows won't always work (the same way) in OS/2.
 * Make sure you are using a "quality" 386/486 machine. OS/2 demands a CPU that meets Intel specifications. Most DOS programs (Windows included) are much more forgiving of cheap hardware, and not every CPU is created equally. Beware of "bargain" hardware.
 * Read the README.TXT file on the Installation Disk before starting an installation. This file lists known hardware and software incompatibilities. The majority of installation problems arise because information in this file is not known or not heeded.
 * Turn off all BIOS-based RAM caching and shadowing options before installing. OS/2 needs to know the exact nature of your computer during installation, and these options mask the true nature of your system. These options may be turned back on after OS/2 is installed. Failing to follow this simple rule accounts for 90% of all installation problems, and even though OS/2 may appear to install successfully, you may have problems later on.
 * Once OS/2 has completed its base installation, you will be presented with the opportunity to take a tutorial while the rest of the system is configured. We strongly suggest you take the time to complete the tutorial. Since OS/2 is already multi-tasking at this stage, you can work through the tutorial while configuration continues in the background, and avoid many common "how do I?" problems.
 * Get the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) list, a file containing a wealth of answers and tips on the successful installation and operation of OS/2 gathered from various questions posed by new (and veteran) users over the years. This file is available from any BBS that supports OS/2.
 * OS/2 for Windows users will need their original disks during installation, since a few original files will be copied to your hard-disk from these disks.
 * Join CAOS/2 and ask us the rest!

Other Information Sources
Edmonton Computer Books stocks as many OS/2 titles as they can find, and is happy to fill special orders. Edmonton Computer Books 10265 - 107 Street Edmonton, Alberta +1.403.429.1077

The Northern Alberta Institute of Technology (NAIT) offers an introductory-level OS/2 course through their Microcomputer Institute. MCC36: OS/2 Operating System Introduction $275 for 14 hours. Available days, evenings, or weekends

CAOS Guy
Here's "CAOS Guy," a graphic we use as our mascot, of sorts.



Colophon?
This INF was prepared by Jerome Yuzyk over the course of three hours one evening in September. A little extra effort the next day (and the day after that, and the day after that...), and the thing is lookin' pretty sharp!

Text for the INF was exported from an existing paper brochure designed with PageMaker 4.

My handy vi editor (elVIs) was only too happy to let me define a function-key binding that let me compile and view the INF as I built it from a "stock" IPF I had previously created while reading through the IPF compiler INF.

"CAOS Guy" came from a clipboard-transfer-to-BMP of a piece of a FaxWorks page from our paper brochure. The image is composed of a PCX scan of a hand-drawn picture generously donated by a friend of a group member. The PCX was passed through CorelPhoto to remove some extraneous lettering, then imported into PageMaker. The lettering was built in and imported from CorelDRAW. The whole brochure had been previously printed to FaxWorks, which explains its less-than-perfect resolution. All this hoo-ha really points out the need for a good OS/2-native graphics application.

Copyright
This is version 0.4 of this INF, produced on 03-October-1994.

This INF is (c) Copyright CAOS/2: Central Alberta OS/2 User Group 1994 and may be distributed freely provided it is distributed without modification nor changes in attribution.