Personal Systems Magazine - July/August 1995 - What's New for OS/2?

Remote Control Product for OS/2
The latest release of International Software Solutions' PolyPM/2 remote control product has been renamed Remote Services Management and comes in three flavors: The Lite Edition supports an OS/2 workstation (called a manager) controlling access to another OS/2 or Windows 3.1 workstation (called a client) connected through null-modem, modem, NetBIOS, internet packet exchange/sequenced packet exchange (IPX/SPX), and transmission control protocol/internet protocol (TCP/IP). This product is ideal for the casual, home user who requires quick, easy access to another workstation such as an office PC.
 * Remote Services Management Lite Edition
 * Remote Services Management Advanced Edition
 * Remote Services Management Professional Edition

The Advanced Edition supports an OS/2 manager workstation controlling access to DOS, Windows, or OS/2 client workstations. The connections are the same as the Lite Edition plus advanced program-to-program communications/advanced peer-to-peer communications (APPC/APPN) and X.25. This product is ideal for the corporate user with complex local area network (LAN) and wide area network (WAN) architecture.

The Professional Edition supports an OS/2 manager workstation controlling access to 16-bit or 32-bit OS/2 client workstations as well as support for DOS and Windows clients. The connections are the same as the Advanced Edition, plus the RSM script language is included for users requiring sophisticated, automated tasks such as software distribution.

Analysis and Design Tool for OS/2
MultiQuest Corporation's S-CASE 2.0 for OS/2, an object-oriented analysis and design tool, uses the Booch <> notation to graphically illustrate and model software systems. S-CASE satisfies the demand for visualizing complex software architecture necessary in today's demanding applications. You can generate high quality C++ code directly from the models. S-CASE allows iteration through the design, code, and test cycles while keeping the models and code synchronized. This iterative approach lets you enhance your application design through successive refinement without worrying about outdating your model.

S-CASE 2.0 features:
 * Brooch's latest notation (1994)
 * Iterative C++ code generation
 * Class specification reporting
 * Real-time rule checking
 * Hierarchical project management
 * Heterogeneous multiuser support

Centralized, Automated Systems Control of Distributed Environments
With its announcement of CONTROL-O/PC 2.0, 4th Dimension Software Ltd. has enhanced its offerings of comprehensive solutions for distributed systems management within the data center and across the enterprise.

CONTROL-O/PC has been uniquely designed with a powerful set of facilities to successfully automate systems operations in a multiplatform environment: Running on an OS/2 workstation, CONTROL-O/PC enables you to quickly and easily automate complex tasks across a wide variety of platforms. Acting as a focal point for the enterprise, CONTROL-O/PC interacts with all components of systems management software to gather operations data, then uses this data to drive the data center's decision-making process. You can extend automation throughout the enterprise by implementing client/server technology.
 * Expert systems-based rules automation engine
 * Powerful graphical interface for automation design and systems management
 * Comprehensive notification facilities
 * Heterogeneous platform consolidation and management
 * Multiple thread design

CONTROL-O/PC includes completely automated inbound and outbound voice messaging to alert personnel of critical events at work or at home. This rapid notification enables you to respond quickly to problems, thereby minimizing down time. All functions can be handled remotely using fill-in-the-blank forms to define what to look for and what actions to take. CONTROL-O/PC's Definition Notebooks store instructions and rules to validate operator actions and ensure correct responses.

Four Compilers for OS/2
Microway is now shipping four compilers for OS/2: NDP Fortran-77, NDP Fortran-90, NDP C/C++, and NDP Pascal. Each language includes IBM's Toolkit, with the IBM OS/2 WorkFrame optional. The NDP Pentium OS/2 compiler includes advanced numeric optimizations such as loop unrolling, numeric register caching, and numeric register coloring. Additional support for Pentium scheduling, the use of FXCH instructions to streamline x87 stack accesses, and a new peepholer which results in smaller code is also evident.

Included in the compilers is MGX, Microway's device-independent, vector-based graphics and plotting package. It contains low and high level routines. The low level routines draw objects made up of lines, filled panels, ellipses, font-based characters, and lines of text. They can also create images which combine graphics and text. The high level routines produce two- and three-dimensional plots and charts.

The first 32-bit Fortran on the 386 market, NDP Fortran has excellent code generation quality. In addition to offering the standard global optimizations performed by a number of C compilers, it adds optimizations which improve numeric-intensive applications.

NDP C/C++ is a full AT&T; 2.1 compliant C++ compiler, also translating the ANSI and K&R; dialects of C as validated by Plum Hall. In addition to making it possible to build mixed applications which call Fortran or Pascal from C or C++, this product provides numeric optimizations not usually found in C compilers, such as loop unrolling and register caching.

Easy OS/2 Desktop Protection - for Home or Office
Pinnacle Technology has released a new level of protection and administration for OS/2 computers. Kid Proof/2 allows you to create an ideal desktop, take a picture of it, "hide" certain applications (or simply restrict capabilities such as copy and delete), and associate the desktops with certain users. When you sign on to an OS/2 machine with Pinnacle Technology's products, you get your desktop; other people, of course, get theirs - it's up to you, the administrator.

Parents can set up their machines to access their personal finance and other private applications, while their children can access - on the same computer - only their multimedia games, word processors, and the like without any capability to delete, shred, or even access the C: prompt. Kid Proof/2 protects your vital applications at home or at work.

Editor's Note: See the "Easily Load and Lock Desktops" article in this issue for more information about Pinnacle Technology's desktop protection products.

File Distribution System for LAN Server
Client Server Networking's CONDUIT is a no-nonsense LAN file distribution system that facilitates administration, distribution, and inventory management for OS/2 and DOS administrators and clients.

CONDUIT automates tedious and time consuming desktop management of OS/2 and DOS platforms while defining and controlling data and program distribution. Without a mainframe or mini-computer, CONDUIT can install, upgrade, control versions, and supervise licenses on any number of networked client personal computers. Using a unique network-independent design, CONDUIT operates with IBM, Novell, Banyan, Lantastic, and Microsoft products. Its built-in security uses identification and password safeguards, creates directories, remotely executes programs, develops client profiles, and maintains inventory.

Client profile data allows you to reconstruct corrupted CONFIG.SYS, AUTOEXEC.BAT, or STARTUP.CMD files. Daily virus scanning is easy, eliminating anxiety about losing mission critical data. Distribution tracking allows consolidated or separate logs. The log tracks user access, distribution status, and error conditions such as missing files, ID, password, or space.

Checking and Watching LAN Server
Also from Client Server Networking, CHECKIT and WATCHIT optimize IBM LAN Server capacity and performance.

CHECKIT "takes charge" of 1,000+ servers in up to five domains using LAN Server (LS). You'll be the first to know when a failure occurs. Continually updated graphics display availability. You will be notified of any server failure during the polling process via a broadcast LS alert message and/or a phone call to your pager.

Now you can simply click on an icon to get the information formerly obtained by entering the conventional NET STATISTICS, NET WHO, NET SHARE, NET SESSION, and NET VIEW commands on the command line. At the click of a button, you can check up on a user's activity across multiple servers or verify an alias' availability.

To help you quickly and easily improve performance and anticipate capacity problems, WATCHIT automatically collects LAN Server capacity and performance statistics. Collection may be automated at the server or manually controlled from your desktop.

Thresholds will generate warning messages during data collection or notification via generic alerts, NET.ERR logging, or simple messages. WATCHIT graphs mean response, sessions, shares, bytes transferred, print jobs, big buffer, and request buffer allocations. Graphs direct you to the detailed information needed to improve performance and expand capacity.

New Communications Software and OS/2 Warp Products
IBM has introduced three new terminal emulation products providing high performance, ease of use, and the most comprehensive data and application access available for users of OS/2 and OS/2 Warp.

The new IBM emulators allow a PC to seamlessly interact with host computer applications, which typically provide mission critical functions because of that environment's security and data integrity. When you run an emulator on OS/2, a true multitasking operating system, you can, for example, use the emulator to process host database transactions while a workstation application simultaneously prints a lengthy document.

Now joining IBM's family of emulators are: Personal Communications AS/400 for OS/2, Personal Communications/3270 for OS/2, and Personal Communications AS/400 and 3270 for OS/2. The first two products connect a PC with AS/400 and System/390 computers respectively, while the third product offers connectivity to both host systems in a single package. Since these products also offer access to local area network applications, your users can benefit from greater desktop productivity.

These new, next generation software emulators for PCs were expressly designed to take advantage of the fast 32-bit architecture, multitasking, and multithreading capabilities of OS/2 Warp or OS/2 2.1 and 2.11.

The new 32-bit Personal Communications family for OS/2 supports the most robust features available in today's market, including dynamic data exchange (DDE) for linking data in different applications as well as data compression for moving large quantities of information across a network.

In addition to comprehensive host platform access and a robust feature set, the new emulators support credit card-sized Personal Computer Memory Card International Association (PCMCIA) adapters, a rich set of local area network and wide area network environments including NetBIOS, TCP/IP, IPX/SPX, and mobile computing through asynchronous dial-up connections.

For greater ease of use, IBM's Personal Communications family takes advantage of workstation graphical user interfaces to provide a consistent look and feel across the entire family. Furthermore, interface features familiar to the host user, such as AS/400 shared data folders, have been integrated for increased usability. Consistency across the family minimizes migration training when moving from older 16-bit operating systems to the next generation 32-bit OS/2 versions.

Developers can also realize greater productivity by taking advantage of the user interface and features in the Personal Communications family in combination with other IBM products. For example, developers can construct a user-friendly shell around the host application or integrate the application into a client/server architecture using IBM's APPC.

Tuning and Utility Kit for OS/2
Clear & Simple, Inc. has announced the third version of their book/disk combination called Performance Plus, a tuning and utility kit for OS/2 2.X and Warp. Sections for everyone from the novice to the advanced user show how to get the best performance from an OS/2 system.

The companion diskette contains several OS/2 utility programs for performance tuning:
 * OPTIMIZER - Displays performance-related CONFIG.SYS entries and recommends optimum values for your system.
 * DOS BLACKBOX - Optimizes DOS/Windows application settings.
 * SIMPLECT - Displays performance statistics graphically.
 * STATS - Shows performance increases or decreases resulting from tuning adjustments, plus identifies bottlenecks.

Utility programs are also provided for viewing OS/2 bitmaps, saving the Workplace Shell desktop, creating an emergency boot diskette or partition, monitoring swap file growth, making automatic file backups, mapping disk drives, managing directories, and more. A copy of CPU Monitor Plus by BonAmi Software is included for monitoring CPU, memory, communication port, and disk usage. A bonus diskette contains a collection of OS/2 bitmaps.

Loading External Images Under OS/2
A company specializing in converting documents to image-based systems, microMEDIA Imaging Systems, Inc., has introduced Visual Input, an object-oriented software program that operates under OS/2.

Images scanned from microfilm, microfiche, aperture cards, slides, engineering documents, and other offline scanners can now be input into IBM's VisualInfo. To accomplish this, Visual Input can use information from DOS, Windows, UNIX, and other systems. Document indexing can also be done offline. Specialized systems that automatically capture data can be operated independently from the OS/2 system. Additionally, low-cost key entry from non-U.S. providers is supported.

Visual Input is easy to use. Functioning in the background, it can be scheduled to operate when system usage is low. Multiple OS/2 clients can simultaneously load images and indices. Extensive internal controls monitor the process in detail. If you have unique or high volume document input requirements to IBM's VisualInfo, you can avoid complex and expensive integration by using microMEDIA's Visual Input program.

Easier and More Productive OS/2 Desktop
The latest version of SmartSuite, SmartSuite 2.0 for OS/2 from Lotus Development Corporation, comprises the new productivity tools pioneered in Value Pack for SmartSuite for OS/2 and the latest versions of Lotus' four native 32-bit OS/2 applications: Ami Pro 3.0b, 1-2-3 2.1, Freelance Graphics 2.1, and a cc:Mail Desktop 1.03 for OS/2 Workplace Shell single-user license and software.

Featuring the innovative and well-received Lotus SmartCenter for OS/2, Value Pack boosts your day-to-day efficiency by tightening the integration between SmartSuite applications and the Workplace Shell, as well as among the SmartSuite applications themselves. SmartCenter for OS/2 provides a central location for launching and switching among SmartSuite applications, other applications, and desktop tools. It also exploits the OS/2 Workplace Shell to deliver additional benefits such as drag-and-drop functionality for customization and easy access to OS/2 tools such as Find and Lockup.

OS/2 Imaging Toolkit
AccuSoft has announced the first independent development tool for reading Kodak Photo CD image formats. The entire line of AccuSoft's Image Format Library now includes not only Photo CD but also PhotoShop, ASCII to raster, MacPrint, Windows ICO, Sun Raster, X-Windows, Brooktrout, IOCA, and 28 other formats. Application developers can now easily incorporate high performance raster imaging capabilities for 36 formats into their own products with this software library.

The library, which comes in OS/2, DOS, NT, Macintosh, Visual Basic, and UNIX versions, now has even greater performance and capability, while still supporting the very popular raster image formats: JPEG, TIFF, PCX, DIB, TGA, GIF, WMF, PICT, DCX, WPG, EPS, BMP. Also added is a new color reduction technology, automatic thumbnails, new compression algorithms, and much more.

OS/2 Warp Unleashed
The latest in the OS/2 Unleashed series of books published by SAMS Publishing, OS/2 Warp Unleashed is written by 14 worldwide OS/2 experts, including featured authors David Moskowitz and David Kerr. According to Productivity Solutions' president and author David Moskowitz, "We created a book which we believe is unique among the Warp books in that it contains the most thorough and comprehensive information about Warp. OS/2 Warp is by far the best OS/2 product yet. There are still lots of 'undocumented features and issues' which we uncovered in our testing and from thousands of users with whom we communicate online. We attempted to cover as many of these as we could at the time we went into production."

The 1,205 page book has 20 chapters, a foreword by Lee Reiswig, president, IBM Personal Software Products, and an Appendix containing worldwide bulletin board contacts in 19 countries and user resources for online information, publications, and technical support. A companion CD-ROM contains over 100 MB of commercial demonstration software, test-drives, utilities, shareware, sample REXX programs, and resource information.

OS/2 Warp Unleashed: ISBN 0-672-30545-3.

Navigating the Internet with OS/2 Warp
The latest book from author Herb Tyson and SAMS Publishing, Navigating the Internet with OS/2 Warp, is a step-by-step guide to using OS/2 Warp's new BonusPak Internet Access Kit (IAK). It covers connecting to the Internet using the IBM Internet Connection (Advantis) and other Internet providers as well as the BonusPak tools provided for using the service: Ultimedia Mail/2, NewsReader/2, Gopher, WebExplorer, FTP-PM, and Telnet. The book also documents other BonusPak Internet tools such as ping, nslookup, hostname, and finger.

The book is an excellent companion for IBM's OS/2 Warp BonusPak, providing detailed installation, configuration, usage, and troubleshooting advice for all OS/2 Warp users.

Navigating the Internet with OS/2 Warp: ISBN 0-672-30719-7 or IBM order number SR28-5665.

Using OS/2 Warp
The fourth book in Que's Using OS/2 series, Using OS/2 Warp is a comprehensive guide on the productive use of OS/2. Author Barry Nance is a columnist for BYTE Magazine, a programmer, and the author of the popular books Introduction to Networking and Client/Server LAN Programming. He has used OS/2 extensively since 1987.

Using OS/2 Warp includes OS/2 basics as well as advanced Warp topics. A tutorial and a features-and-functions reference are also provided. The book begins with the configuration and installation of OS/2 and then discusses troubleshooting, the Workplace Shell, the command line interface, the Drives object, built-in applications (including the BonusPak), using and tuning the DOS and Windows (Win-OS/2) components, and printing. Suggestions for installing and using additional applications are included, as are REXX programming lessons for those who want to take charge of their OS/2 environment.

Using OS/2 Warp: ISBN 0-7897-0088-3.

Inside OS/2 Warp
Inside OS/2 Warp, Version 3, the latest in New Riders Publishing's Inside OS/2 series, is both a tutorial and a reference for intermediate to advanced OS/2 users. One of several authors, Mark Minasi is a consultant and educator in PC technology and advanced operating systems. He is a contributing editor to OS/2 Magazine, Compute, AI Expert, and BYTE.

The book helps you optimize your system, providing details not found in the OS/2 manuals but necessary for fine tuning. Topics range from common procedures such as planning for and installing OS/2 to more advanced subjects such as using systems enhancement utilities and Internet access. The book is arranged in five sections: Getting Started, Working with OS/2, Exploiting OS/2's Power, Optimizing OS/2, and Troubleshooting OS/2. A companion disk contains the latest OS/2 shareware and utilities.

Inside OS/2 Warp: ISBN 1-56205-378-7 or IBM order number SR28-5655.

Programming the OS/2 Warp GPI
This new book from John Wiley & Sons addresses the graphics programming interface (GPI) for OS/2 Warp, providing step-by-step instructions and accompanying coding samples. Written by Stephen Knight and Jeffrey Ryan, Programming the OS/2 Warp GPI  covers the full range of OS/2 GPI functions: It contains over 60 screen shots, drawings, and tables and comes with a disk including a graphics editor application, text browser file, query printer information, and other utilities.
 * Drawing primitives
 * Working in coordinate spaces
 * Character fonts, metrics, sizing, and positioning
 * Metafiles
 * Transformations

Programming the OS/2 Warp GPI: ISBN 0-471-10718-2 or IBM order number SR28-5681.

OS/2 Warp for Dummies
OS/2 Warp for Dummies by Andy Rathbone is IDG Book's latest addition to their best-selling Dummies series. This 336-page book is written primarily for new OS/2 users, but also includes some tips and techniques for experienced users.

The book covers: OS/2 Warp for Dummies: ISBN 1-56884-205-8 or IBM order number SR28-5675.
 * Setting up the Workplace Shell desktop
 * Running DOS and Windows programs under OS/2
 * Using OS/2 Warp's free applications: LaunchPad, BonusPak, and the IBM Internet Connection
 * Retrieving lost programs and files
 * Creating integrated documents

OS/2 Warp Videos
Getting Started with OS/2 Warp, produced by ViaGrafix, a supplier of computer training products about OS/2 and related products, is one of a series of four training videos for new users of OS/2 Warp. All installation and setup tasks are demonstrated with on-screen tutorials, and a learning disk is provided for hands-on experience.

Some of the topics covered on the video include: Other videos in the series are Learning OS/2 Warp, Advanced; Using Internet with OS/2 Warp; and Using OS/2 Warp for Multimedia.
 * Opening a folder, using pop-up menus, viewing applications
 * Using the LaunchPad, changing the Lockup Image
 * Changing sound options, object titles, program names
 * Creating, changing, and deleting objects
 * Copying and moving files and folders and using the Drives folder
 * Installing DOS, Windows, and BonusPak applications
 * Using Dual Boot and Shutdown
 * Maintaining floppy and hard disks