Hailing Frequency - V1N4

More on the Zip Disk
Thanks for your article [on the ZIP Drive] in WarpOnline, it was very helpful for me - another person using their Zip drive with OS/2. I had grabbed the OS/2 drivers from the link even before I had my drive. I found that I cannot copy files with extended attributes to my Zip Drive unless I abandon the EAs by copying the files using the DOS command prompt (versus the WPS or CMD.EXE). Have you had a similar problem? I will look at my DISKCACHE statement, but I am loathe to give it up since I have such a mixed system. - Peter MacDougal

'The solution is to just disable the "lazy write" switch on your DISKCACHE='' statement in CONFIG.SYS, not eliminate it. DISKCACHE controls the caching function for FAT file drives (like your Zip Drive, or a CD-ROM), but not HPFS drives. You can disable lazy writing by removing the LW parameter. This causes Warp to write all data to the drive immediately, and that seems to solve the corruption problem immediately. Now you can have your FAT DISKCACHE statement (for your CD-ROM as well), and still use Zip disks inside the Workplace Shell. - ed.'''

WordPro Feedback
So Lotus (Win)Word Pro for OS/2 is a brilliant porting of Word Pro 96? So DAPIE works? So, it is "really identical" to the Windows version? Wow! Big deal indeed! One just wonders why not to go the straightest way and just install Windows 95 if you would like to use Win-style apps. The point more sadly misunderstood is that OS/2 needs true WPS OOUI apps, while most of OS/2 are either OS/2 1.1 or Win 3.1 porting, totally lacking any adherence with the philosophy and the look-and-feel of the present OS/2 interface. Even a relative inferiority in the features set could be acceptable (90% of the features are very rarely used in any event) but a strong identity is a must that is very underestimated. Go see cc:Mail WPS or many shareware programs to understand why Wordpro and the rest of the planned SmartSuite are a total misunderstanding of OS/2 users' needs and OS/2's marketing needs. "Parity" with Win95 is useless; difference, if not superiority, is essential. - Stefano Sutti

I just read your review on WordPro, and it is informative and has a real nice look to it. However, Ami Pro has had a real good Equation Editor from 3.0. - Baden Kudrenecky

'''We stand corrected. - ed.'''

Microsoft vs. IBM
[From the June 1996 Captain's Log,] "The question is, will IBM be there when it happens?" As much as I like OS/2, I fear that, IBM being IBM, the answer to the above question is "yes": flat on their face, it will be IBM that Microsoft trips over. - B. A. M.