PSM: OS/2 Warp

By Edward Duhe'. IBM Corporation. Roanoke, Texas

'On October 11, 1994, IBM introduced OS/2 Warp Version 3, the next evolution of its premier 32-bit operating system. As its name implies, OS/2 Warp is fast and full of state-of-the-art features. This article describes the new features of OS/2 Warp, including performance enhancements, installation enhancements, usability improvements, printing enhancements, new applications, and more. Read on, and see what it's like to operate at warp speed!'

OS/2 Warp Version 3, the eighth release of IBM's award-winning 32-bit OS/2 operating system, continues the tradition of running DOS better than DOS, Windows better than Windows, and OS/2 better than previous versions of OS/2. OS/2 Warp builds on the mature, stable environment that comes from years of refining the OS/2 operating system.

You can run OS/2 Warp on an entry-level computer system, typically 386 or above, with 4 MB of RAM. Although OS/2 Warp is targeted for the home and small business user, all users can benefit from its great performance, new function, and outstanding BonusPak applications.

This article outlines what is new in OS/2 Warp, focusing on the enhancements and changes in OS/2 itself. Also, it briefly describes the applications included in the OS/2 BonusPak that comes with OS/2 Warp. The BonusPak is an exciting addition to OS/2; it gives you full-function business and productivity applications and outstanding connectivity applications that will connect you to the information superhighway.

Two OS/2 Warp Products
OS/2 Warp Version 3 is available today, and OS/2 Warp Version 3 with WIN-OS/2 will be available in the first quarter of 1995. The only difference between these two products is how you get support for running Windows applications.

With OS/2 Warp Version 3, you must have Windows installed on your computer to run Windows applications on the OS/2 Desktop. OS/2 Warp dynamically links into your Windows code, when needed, to run your Windows applications.

OS/2 Warp Version 3 with WIN-OS/2 does not require Windows to run Windows applications. This version comes with WIN-OS/2, which provides the support for Windows applications.

Both of these products can be installed in three different environments that provide different capabilities.


 * No operating system previously installed: If you install OS/2 Warp Version 3 on a computer that does not already have an operating system installed, you will be able to run both DOS and OS/2 applications on the OS/2 Desktop. If you install OS/2 Warp Version 3 with WIN-OS/2, you will be able to run DOS, OS/2, and Windows applications on the OS/2 Desktop.


 * DOS previously installed: Either OS/2 Warp Version 3 or OS/2 Warp Version 3 with WIN-OS/2 can be installed on a computer that already has DOS 3.3 or higher installed. OS/2 Warp will automatically install the Dual Boot feature in this environment. This feature enables you to boot your computer to run either native DOS or OS/2.
 * If you install OS/2 Warp Version 3 in this environment, you can run both DOS and OS/2 applications on the OS/2 Desktop. If you install OS/2 Warp Version 3 with WIN-OS/2 in this environment, you can run DOS, OS/2, and Windows applications on the OS/2 Desktop.


 * DOS and Windows previously installed: This is the environment for which OS/2 Warp Version 3 was really designed. By installing OS/2 Warp Version 3 on top of DOS and Windows, you will be able to run DOS, Windows, and OS/2 applications on the OS/2 Desktop. You will also be able to take advantage of the Dual Boot feature to run in a native DOS plus Windows environment.


 * OS/2 Warp Version 3 installs over Windows 3.1, Windows 3.11, Windows for Workgroups 3.1, and Windows for Workgroups 3.11.


 * OS/2 Warp Version 3 with WIN-OS/2 will also install in this environment, giving you the same capabilities described for OS/2 Warp Version 3.

Also scheduled to be available during the first quarter of 1995 is OS/2 Warp Version 3 LAN Client. This member of the OS/2 family is targeted at the LAN-connected user. OS/2 Warp Version 3 LAN Client will include OS/2 Warp Version 3 with WIN-OS/2, the OS/2 Warp BonusPak, plus LAN Server Requester, NetWare Requester, LAN Distance Remote, System Performance Monitor/2 (SPM/2), and many other features designed for the connected user.

Enhanced Performance
OS/2 Warp has been re-engineered to appeal to a much larger audience, including users of entry systems--those that are typically found in the home or small-business environment. These systems usually have few resources, including limited memory. The re-engineering of OS/2 focused on accommodating these entry systems.

Reduced Memory Requirements
One main design focus was performance and system requirements. When OS/2 2.x was announced, the minimum system requirement was stated as 4 MB of RAM. Although it was possible to run OS/2 2.x in 4 MB, the performance was, for the most part, unsatisfactory. By adding just 2 MB of RAM to your 4 MB OS/2 2.x system, you could gain significant performance advantages.

You will find that OS/2 Warp's performance on an entry-level 4 MB system is comparable to OS/2 2.11's performance on the same system with 6 MB.

Even on computers with 8 MB, 16 MB, 32 MB or more of RAM, you will still see a faster-running system under OS/2 Warp. On a high-memory system, OS/2 Warp's windows pop up faster, the populating of objects in a folder is faster, and the system runs more efficiently overall.

With its increased performance and decreased system requirements, OS/2 Warp is an excellent operating system choice for most personal computers shipping today.

Tuned-Up 32-Bit Window Management
The OS/2 Warp developers have extensively re-programmed and tuned the OS/2 kernel so that the system operates more responsively. Even though the kernel requires fewer system resources to run, it does not lack any features found in earlier kernels.

Performance gains were achieved by rewriting the OS/2 window-management system (PM-WIN) as 32-bit code and combining several of the PM-WIN dynamic link libraries (DLLs).

The 16-bit version of PM-WIN was a performance bottleneck, because on either side of the 16-bit PM-WIN component were the 32-bit shell (PMSHELL) and the 32-bit graphics engine (PMGRE). This scenario caused a large amount of "thunking" (converting 32-bit addresses to 16-bit, and vice versa) between the 32-bit components and the 16-bit PM-WIN.

Merging PMWIN.DLL with PMGRE.DLL and PMSHAPI.DLL into a single DLL called PMMERGE.DLL improved PM-WIN's performance as well. The logic is that the fewer DLLs required for the PM-WIN function, the less overhead required.

Improved Paging Subsystem
The paging subsystem was tuned to improve performance. It now uses memory more efficiently so that the most frequently used pages are in memory when needed. This reduces the amount of paging or swapping to disk, thereby reducing the overhead and time necessary to perform paging.

Enhanced Workplace Shell
The Workplace Shell includes performance enhancements, particularly during loading. The time it takes to populate folders, open objects, and load applications is faster than in earlier versions of OS/2.

There is now a fast-load option for Windows applications. In OS/2 2.x, when loading a Windows application, DOS was loaded first, then a Windows kernel, and finally the application. Once your first Windows application was running, and if you were using a shared Windows kernel, the next Windows application would load more quickly. This happened because DOS and the shared Windows kernel were already loaded by the first application.

With the new fast-load option enabled in the WIN-OS/2 Settings notebook, OS/2 Warp starts an OS/2 Windows session at startup. This OS/2 Windows session does not show up in the window list but is used by Windows applications that are started from the Desktop, allowing them to load more quickly. Windows programs that are set to run in a separate OS/2 Windows session do not benefit from the fast-load option.

Enhanced Installation
OS/2 Warp installation is greatly enhanced over OS/2 2.x. Most of the enhancements make installation much easier for the novice user. In the past, you had to identify your personal computer hardware to the OS/2 installation program for it to install the proper configuration. The OS/2 Warp installation program on the other hand, determines what kinds of hardware your computer has and decides which configuration it should install to support that hardware.

An Easy Installation option allows you to install OS/2 Warp with minimal interaction, while an Advanced Installation option gives you complete flexibility in installing and configuring your system. There are also some changes that affect the installation regardless of which option you select.

Easy Installation
The Easy Installation option is new in OS/2 Warp. Easy Installation lets you install OS/2 Warp with the push of one button--you don't have to answer questions or make decisions along the way.

When you select the Easy Installation option, the installation program detects what types of devices you have installed in your computer and selects the appropriate device drivers to support your hardware. For example, the installation program detects if you have a CD-ROM, and (if so) what type. It also detects your video type, whether you have a sound card, and much more.

The installation program then displays a configuration screen (see Figure 1), allowing you to verify the selections it has made. If you are satisfied with the installation program's selection, you click on the OK button to begin the installation.

'''Figure1. System Configuration Screen'''

In Easy Installation, the installation program always installs OS/2 Warp onto drive C:. If you want to install it onto a drive other than C:, you must use the Advanced Installation option.

The installation program installs components of OS/2 Warp based on your computer's hardware. For example, if the installation program detects Advanced Power Management (APM) capability in your computer, it installs the Advanced Power management support for OS/2.

Other than inserting the proper diskettes when prompted, all you have to do is shut down, then reboot OS/2 Warp.

Advanced Installation
The Advanced Installation option is very similar to OS/2 2.x's installation, with some notable exceptions.

Once you select the drive on which to install OS/2 Warp, you see the same System Configuration Screen displayed by Easy Installation (Figure 1). Just as in Easy Install, you can make changes to the system's selections, which OS/2 Warp made by detecting the hardware.

When installing OS/2 2.x, you were presented with a selection screen where you could "Learn the mouse," "Install preselected features," "Install all features," or "Select features." These options are not provided in OS/2 Warp. Instead, you are presented with the OS/2 Setup and Installation screen (Figure 2) where you can select the components you would like to install.



'''Figure 2. OS/2 Warp Setup and Installation'''

When installing OS/2 2.x, you were asked to make decisions about the installation at several different points within the installation process. For example, it wasn't until after all the diskettes were copied that the installation program asked you about migrating applications. In OS/2 Warp's installation, all of the questions are asked at the same time. As soon as you finish with the Setup and Installation screen, you are asked about application migration. Only after you answer all questions and make all decisions does the installation continue. Beyond that, you need only change diskettes as requested by the installation program until the installation is complete. Reboot, and your system is ready to run!

Automatic Changes to DOS CONFIG.SYS
Previous versions of OS/2 required manual changes to the DOS CONFIG.SYS file when installing the dual-boot feature. OS/2 Warp automatically installs the dual-boot feature when installed on a computer that is already running DOS and automatically modifies the DOS CONFIG.SYS files without requiring a reboot.

New BOOT Parameters
The BOOT command, used to boot between OS/2 and DOS in a dual-boot environment, has some new parameters. You can now issue a BOOT command with a /N parameter, for NOBOOT. This allows the boot records to be changed as before, but it suppresses the reboot and allows you to do an orderly shutdown. BOOT /Q displays which operating system (OS/2 or DOS) is designated to boot next.

New Diskette Format
The installation time has been reduced with OS/2 Warp. Also, the number of diskettes has been reduced by utilizing a new state-of-the-art compression algorithm called eXtended Density Format (XDF) technology. XDF extends the capacity of a 2.0 MB diskette from 1.44 MB to 1.86 MB, which reduces the total number of diskettes required. All of the diskettes are in 1.86 MB XDF format except the installation diskette and Diskette 1, which are still in 1.44 MB format.

Be aware that if you try to display the directory listing of an XDF diskette on an OS/2 2.x system, you will get a "File not found" error. This doesn't mean your diskettes are bad. To access the XDF diskettes, you must first load XDFLOPPY.FLT and a new version of either IBM1FLPY.ADD or IBM2FLPY.ADD in your CONFIG.SYS file.

XDF diskettes have a software write protection. This means that the XDF diskettes are read-only. You cannot write to or erase from any of the XDF diskettes. Use the XDFCOPY command to make copies of the diskettes.

Multimedia Installation
In OS/2 2.x, you had to install multimedia support separately from the OS/2 installation program. In OS/2 Warp, multimedia installation is integrated into the installation program; multimedia installs automatically when the appropriate system hardware is detected or when selected from the OS/2 Setup and Installation screen.

By default, the installation program does not install Multimedia Presentation Manager/2 (MMPM/2) or High-Performance File System (HPFS) if your system has less than 6 MB of RAM; however, you can use the Selective Install to add this support.

Multiple Printer Installation
OS/2 Warp's installation process allows you to install multiple printers. Previously, you could install only one printer during initial installation, requiring a much more complex process to install additional printers later. In OS/2 Warp, you can select multiple printers and assign them to the appropriate ports during the initial installation, so that all of your printers are available after installation.

Device-Driver Resource Manager
OS/2 Warp now benefits from a device-driver Resource Manager. The Resource Manager is itself a device driver that manages other device drivers and determines how they load. During installation, the Resource Manager scans input/output (I/O) ports, interrupt requests (IRQs), memory, direct memory access (DMA) arbitrations, and timers in an attempt to resolve conflicts between two device drivers.

A device driver must ask the Resource Manager for access to a port before it can load at that location. The Resource Manager determines if there is already a device driver loaded there. If not, the requesting driver is allowed to load. If a driver is already at that location, the Resource Manager scans to find another location for the device driver to load. This avoids system hangs from device-driver conflict in an industry standard architecture (ISA) bus system.

For more information about the Resource Manager and how to interact with it, type RMVIEW ? on an OS/2 Warp command line.

Larger Migration Database
The Migrate Application function of the installation process has been enhanced by the addition of more than 300 popular DOS applications and games. OS/2 Warp automatically configures the DOS and Windows settings for these applications to optimize their performance in the OS/2 environment.

Selective Uninstall
Another enhancement is the capability to uninstall components of OS/2 Warp. Through the "Selective uninstall" object in the OS/2 System Setup folder, you can remove features you don't want or use, thus freeing up disk space on your system.

Installation Media
OS/2 Warp supports installation from diskette and CD-ROM as well as remote installation via redirected installation and through the unattended configuration/installation/distribution (CID) process. Multimedia and the additional BonusPak applications are not CID-enabled.

Enhanced Usability
Usability enhancements in OS/2 Warp include an improved Tutorial, a new LaunchPad, and a dynamic Libpath.

Tutorial
The Tutorial in OS/2 Warp has been completely redone. It guides you through an overview and tells you how to manipulate objects, set up applications, customize your Desktop, and more.

The Tutorial has features such as the "Practice" button and the "Do it" button (see Figure 3). With these buttons, you can practice what the Tutorial is teaching you, as well as actually perform that function from within the Tutorial.



'''Figure 3. OS/2 Tutorial'''

For example, if you are in the color customization section of the Tutorial, and you select the practice button, the Tutorial takes you back to your Desktop and displays a window with step-by-step instructions for getting to the color palette, changing colors, and getting back to the Desktop. To return to the Tutorial, just select the return button displayed with the step-by-step instructions. If you select the "Do it" button, the Tutorial brings up the color palette and allows you to drag and drop colors on your objects. To return to the Tutorial, just select the return button, and you will be right back where you were.

Another nice Tutorial feature is that it provides information from several different user perspectives: a new user to OS/2, a user who is already familiar with Windows, and (for the expert user) some advanced tips from OS/2 experts. A message window displays text explaining the content of the currently selected topic and how you might want to use that information.

By default, the Tutorial displays information for the new OS/2 user. If you select the Windows button, you see a comparison of Windows and OS/2 and an explanation of the different terms used in each environment. And, as mentioned above, the Expert button provides you with helpful ideas about the topic from expert OS/2 users. For example, under the Desktop topic in the Tutorial, the following messages are displayed for each of the three different types of users:


 * OS/2--The Desktop is a view of your work. The items on the OS/2 Desktop represent items you normally have in your room (for example, file cabinet, printer, folders, documents, shredder). These items are called objects.
 * Windows--The OS/2 Desktop is similar to the Windows Program Manager, although the Desktop includes additional functions. OS/2 objects are like icons in the Windows Program Manager.
 * Expert--All objects on the Desktop, including those you add, are stored in the Desktop directory on the drive where OS/2 is installed (typically drive C: or D:). Open the Drives folder to access the drive and the Desktop directory.

The Tutorial also has an index and graphical help that you can use for reference.

LaunchPad
The LaunchPad, shown at the bottom of Figure 4, is a special tool bar on the OS/2 Desktop. Any object placed on the LaunchPad can be accessed with a single mouse click. By putting your frequently accessed programs on the LaunchPad, you can have quick, easy access to them.



'''Figure 4. The OS/2 Warp LaunchPad'''

Following are several interesting aspects of the LaunchPad:


 * You can easily add an object to the LaunchPad by simply dragging and dropping the object onto it. To delete an object from the LaunchPad, drag the object you want to delete, and drop it onto the shredder object. Regular-size icons can be used on the LaunchPad, or mini icons can be used to reduce its size.
 * The LaunchPad can be made to float on top of the Desktop so that it is always visible, and it can be oriented either horizontally or vertically. If your LaunchPad is behind other windows and folders, you can bring it to the top quickly by double-clicking on the white space inside a folder.
 * The LaunchPad has drawers that can contain more objects. These drawers can be detached and placed anywhere on the Desktop that is convenient for you.
 * LaunchPad objects are shadows of other objects that can be customized through their Settings notebooks.
 * Many system functions such as lockup, shutdown, find, and invoking the window list are on the default LaunchPad.

Dynamic Libpath
The Libpath statement in the CONFIG.SYS file has been a part of OS/2 through all of its versions. The Libpath statement globally defines directories to be searched for dynamic link libraries (DLLs) when OS/2 programs are loading. Because this parameter, in previous OS/2 versions, was set globally for the entire system, it could only be specified in the CONFIG.SYS file. This meant that any changes to the Libpath statement required a reboot in order to take effect.

OS/2 Warp's dynamic Libpath enables you to specify a different Libpath setting for each program session. There are two settings variables: BeginLibPath and EndLibPath. BeginLibPath allows you to specify directories to be searched before the system global Libpath directories. EndLibPath lets you specify directories to be searched after the BeginLibPath and system global Libpath directories. Both BeginLibPath and EndLibPath can be set with the SET command or through application programming interfaces (APIs).

A dynamic Libpath can be very helpful in a network environment. Suppose you have an application that requires a Libpath statement to point to a directory on the file server to find the necessary DLLs to run the application. Before OS/2 Warp, you would have to modify the Libpath statement in the CONFIG.SYS file for each workstation that needed to run this application. Now, with OS/2 Warp's dynamic Libpath, you can create a CMD file with a SET BeginLibPath statement that points to the directory containing the DLLs and then loads the application. No changes have to be made to the workstations.

Enhanced Boot Options
When you boot OS/2 Warp, you will notice a white area with "OS/2" printed on the side of it in the upper left corner of your screen. When this white area appears, you can invoke some special functions during the boot process.

Alt+F1
You may be familiar with the Alt+F1 key sequence from previous versions of OS/2; it was used to recover your OS2.INI, OS2SYS.INI, and CONFIG.SYS files. This key sequence copied versions of these system files stored in the OS2\INSTALL subdirectory over the current files before booting the system. This was a good way of recovering these files if they were corrupted. The problem was that unless something was done in the meantime to update the files in the OS2\INSTALL directory, these files were the system's default files. This meant that your desktop was returned to the default desktop that you had immediately after installation. All your customizing was lost.

In OS/2 Warp, the Alt+F1 key sequence does things a bit differently. When you press Alt+F1 under OS/2 Warp, the system displays a menu titled Configuration and Recovery Options (see Figure 5). On this menu you have several choices. The first is to press Esc and continue the boot process without changing anything. The second is to press C to get an OS/2 command line so that you can make changes to your system manually. The third option is to press V, which resets the system to VGA mode. This allows you to boot in situations where you may not have specified the correct video drivers.



'''Figure 5. OS/2 Warp Boot Configuration and Recovery Options'''

Archived Desktops
The Desktop's Settings notebook now has an Archive tab. When Archive is selected, the system will keep up to three generations of archives of your system files (OS2SYS.INI, OS2.INI, CONFIG.SYS, and STARTUP.CMD) and your customized Desktop settings.

After you have enabled the archive feature, the Alt+F1 boot menu displays the archives with their dates and times and gives you the ability to restore one of your archive sets. Each one of the archive sets is numbered, with 1 being your most recent archive and 3 your oldest. When you select one of these numbers, the system replaces your current system and Desktop files with the previously archived ones. The fourth option, (X), is to restore the original system files and Desktop from when the system was first installed. These new features provide a better chance of recovery if your system files or Desktop get corrupted.

Alt+F2
Alt+F2 provides valuable information when troubleshooting problems on your system. When you press Alt+F2 while the white area is on the screen, the system displays real-time information as the system boots.

As device drivers are loaded, the DEVICE statements are displayed at the bottom of the screen. This enables you to see the last driver executed if the system hangs while processing the CONFIG.SYS file. The last driver displayed is probably the one causing your boot problem. Now you can take steps to remove or correct that driver.

Enhanced Formatting
OS/2 Warp now supports fast File Allocation Table (FAT) formatting. Fast format, which is activated with the /Q option on a FORMAT statement, deletes the File Allocation Table and boot sectors without actually scanning the disk for bad sectors. As a result, the fast format completes in a fraction of the time of a regular format. Fast format is the default when formatting hard-disk drives, because today's hard disks seldom have any bad sectors. Diskette formatting defaults to the regular format. Fast format should only be used on diskettes that have already been formatted with the regular format that scans its sectors.

Enhanced Workplace Shell
The Workplace Shell's Desktop now has a new look (see Figure 4). The default colors are bright rather than gray as in earlier versions of OS/2. The icons have been redesigned in three-dimensional color, giving the desktop a spiffier look. Some of the icons are animated. For example, when you open a folder, the icon changes from a closed folder to an open folder, as shown in Figure 6. An open folder is still cross-hatched to show that it is open, but the animation provides another visual clue to the state of an object.



'''Figure 6. Animated Icons in OS/2 Warp'''

Settings Pop-Up Menu
To access an object's Settings notebook in previous versions of OS/2 you had to press mouse button 2 while the pointer was on the object, then select the arrow next to the Open option on the pop-up window. This caused another window to cascade; from there you could select the Settings notebook.

In OS/2 Warp, the Settings option has been moved to the primary pop-up window, right under the Open option, making it quicker and easier to access. An even easier way to bring up an object's Settings notebook is to hold down the Alt key and double-click mouse button 1 on the object.

Automatic Migration
OS/2 has a database containing settings for hundreds of applications. OS/2 2.x required you to select the Migrate Applications program to scan your drives and to match applications with the proper settings, thus adding them to your Desktop. In OS/2 Warp, this process is automatic when you add applications through a program template. If you drag a program template to the Desktop, then enter the name of the program to execute, OS/2 Warp automatically tries to match it to the database. If a match is found, all the settings defined for that application are loaded for your program object.

Sort
The OS/2 Workplace Shell lets you sort the contents of your Desktop or folder. In previous versions of OS/2, you were able to sort the objects by name, type, real name, size, last write date, and last access date. OS/2 Warp now lets you also sort the objects by creation date and time.

Find and Include
Workplace Shell's find capability has been greatly enhanced. It is now much simpler and much faster. You can specify extensive criteria for including or excluding objects. OS/2 Warp adds Object title, Object style, Object class, Read-only flag, Hidden flag, System flag, Directory flag, Archived flag, Subject, Comment, Key phrase, History, and Extended attribute size to the existing OS/2 2.x criteria for include and find. You can also save the objects found as shadows, or just view them in the find container. Find is now in its own thread, so it doesn't restrict you from doing something else while it is running.

Pickup and Drop
The new pickup and drop feature in OS/2 Warp allows you to drag and drop an object without having to hold down the mouse button in the process. When you single-click mouse button 2 while the pointer is on the object, the object's pop-up menu is displayed. From this pop-up menu you can select Pickup. Once you have "picked up" the object, point to where you would like the object placed, and press mouse button 2. This displays a Drop selection on a pop-up menu.

You can use the pickup function without having to go to the pop-up menus by using the following key combinations:


 * Alt+mouse button 2 to pick up
 * Shift+mouse button 2 to drop/move
 * Ctrl+mouse button 2 to drop/copy
 * Ctrl+Shift+mouse button 2 to drop/create shadow

Color Palette
Two color palettes are available in OS/2 Warp. The default color palette is 16 solid colors, and a 256-color palette is available for systems with SVGA display resolution.

Enhanced Folder/Desktop Setting
In OS/2 Warp, you can control the settings for icon text and the background for folders and the Desktop through the View tab in the Settings notebook (see Figure 7). You can change the font used for the icon text by dragging and dropping a font from the font palette or using the Change Font button in the notebook. You can specify icon text color, set the text to be visible or not, and set the icon text background to transparent or non-transparent. Using a non-transparent setting shows the icon text on top of a "slab," thus making the icon text visible and readable when displayed on top of a busy background bitmap.



'''Figure 7. View Tab in Desktop and Folder Settings Notebook'''

The background bitmap can now be specified as part of a scheme that can be used to change the look of the Desktop or a folder. There is a preview area on both the View and Background page of the Settings notebook. The View preview area can accept a drop from the color palette and the font palette. The Background preview area can accept a drop from the color palette or from a bitmap object in a folder. The Lockup settings preview area in the Desktop Settings notebook will also accept a drop from the color palette or from a bitmap object.

Schemes
Included with OS/2 Warp are 28 redesigned schemes in the Scheme palette. These schemes have separate settings for the Desktop folder and any other folder. This allows you to create a scheme that you can drag and drop to the Desktop while holding the Alt key, changing your entire system's appearance. For example, you can specify a background bitmap and icon text background color for your Desktop, but not for its folders.

System Pointers
OS/2 Warp gives you the capability to change the system pointers. These pointers can be changed individually or in sets. OS/2 Warp comes with four sets of pointers you can choose from, or you can create your own. Pointers are specified in the Settings notebook for the mouse.

Undo Arrange
A common situation in previous versions of OS/2 was the accidental arrangement of the Desktop. Many users had customized the arrangement of icons on the desktop in a way other than the system's default arrangement. Accidentally choosing the Arrange option in the Desktop's pop-up menu caused your icons to be placed (arranged) into rows at the top of your screen. After that, you had to re-customize your Desktop to your liking.In OS/2 Warp, whenever the Arrange option is selected, you are given an Unarrange option in the pop-up menu to restore your customized Desktop arrangement.

Enhanced Folder Open/Close
The "Folder automatic close" setting allows you to specify that a folder automatically close when an object contained within that folder is opened. Using this feature can help you keep your Desktop from getting cluttered with numerous open folders.

This option can be set as the system default on page 2 of 3 in the System Settings notebook; it can also be set on page 2 of 2 in the Settings notebook for an individual folder.

Settings options are: (1) Never automatically close the folder; (2) Close the folder when opening a subfolder only, or (3) Automatically close the folder when any object in the folder is opened.

"Open parent," a new pop-up menu option, has been added to the folder objects. This option provides a convenient way to re-open the (parent) folder that contains the (child) folder that you are currently viewing.

Enhanced Printing
Printing performance is enhanced by a new 32-bit printing subsystem. The graphics engine, print spooler, and most print drivers are now 32-bit.

The PRINT0x.SYS parallel port device driver now defaults to using a polling system instead of interrupts on an ISA system. Polling can eliminate some problems with hardware IRQ incompatibilities, enabling the use of printer-sharing devices and some I/O boards, as well as freeing up interrupts 5 and 7 for use by other devices.

Polling increases throughput performance by eliminating the CPU overhead of an interrupt context switch for each byte printed. Polling can be disabled by placing the /IRQ switch on the PRINT0x.SYS driver in the CONFIG.SYS file. If DMA is enabled for the port, then the interrupt method will be used by default.

OS/2 Warp has a new OMNI.DRV print driver. This driver encapsulates all Paintjet, Deskjet, and Epson print drivers. The OMNI driver takes full advantage of the new Soft Draw function for rasterizing bitmaps, increasing the performance and quality of output for these printers.

Enhanced Mobile Computing
OS/2 Warp has new and enhanced features to address the mobile computing environment and its unique characteristics.

Plug and Play for PCMCIA Plug and Play lets you add and remove Personal Computer Memory Card International Association (PCMCIA) devices without powering down or rebooting your system (see Figure 8). For example, you may have a Token-Ring adapter installed in your PCMCIA slot, but now you want to dial up a bulletin board system (BBS). You can remove the Token-Ring adapter and install your PCMCIA modem; the system automatically removes the Token-Ring adapter from the configuration and recognizes and configures the newly inserted modem.



'''Figure 8. Plug and Play for PCMCIA'''

You can also specify a program to run when a particular device is inserted. Continuing with our example, you can configure your system to automatically start HyperACCESS communications software when you install your modem.

Comet Cursor
Another new feature addresses a problem experienced by users of laptop computers with liquid crystal display (LCD) screens--losing the mouse pointer. To address this problem, OS/2 Warp not only lets you change your mouse pointer to something bigger or more visible, but also provides a comet cursor. The comet cursor gives your mouse pointer a customizable tail, as shown in Figure 9. As you move your mouse pointer across your Desktop, a tail follows the pointer, making it very visible.



'''Figure 9. Comet Cursor'''

Increased Hardware Support
OS/2 Warp now ships with drivers for more than 80 different video cards, including many popular video accelerator cards. You can change the resolution of these video-accelerated drivers by using the Screen tab of the System Settings notebook. For existing non-accelerated drivers, you must use Selective Install to change resolutions. OS/2 Warp has enhanced support for CD-ROM drives, including proprietary, small computer systems interface (SCSI) and ATA Packet Interface (ATAPI) drives.

New DOS/Windows Settings
OS/2 Warp has several new DOS/Windows settings.

Touch_Exclusive_Access is a dynamic setting that enables a DOS window session to detect your position anywhere on the screen. Turn this setting on when a touch application is not responding properly.

The new WIN_ATM setting loads ATM 2.5 font support when a Windows session is started. If you don't need this support, it is best to turn it off and conserve the memory.

Session_Priority has been added for DOS sessions. This priority can be helpful when trying to run timing-critical programs such as communications programs. The default Session_Priority value is 1, with a maximum value of 32. All DOS sessions run in a regular class priority, and a setting of 32 is the highest priority within the regular class.

OS/2 Warp can save and load the DOS and Windows settings to or from an encoded file. (The file is actually an ASCII file that is encoded with variables that represent the DOS/Windows settings and the value to which each of the settings should be set.) Saving the settings makes it easier to troubleshoot a user's problem, because the user can save his/her settings and send you that file. You can then load the file onto your system, knowing that you have the same settings as the user. If your settings are set correctly for a particular DOS or Windows application, you can use the load feature to easily propagate those settings to another computer.

Enhanced Windows Support
Windows support has been extended to include Windows 3.11, Windows for Workgroups, and Win32s 1.1 support. Peer-to-peer services in Windows for Workgroups and VxD services are not supported.

Performance of Windows sessions in OS/2 Warp has been enhanced by optimizing the kernel and memory allocation. OS/2 Warp now supports popular audio cards in the Windows sessions. This allows you to run your Windows sound-enabled applications under OS/2.

Online Documentation
OS/2 Warp comes with several information (INF) files that tell you how to get the most from your system. These files include Application Considerations, Command Reference, Multimedia, Performance Considerations, Printing in OS/2, REXX Information, and Windows Programs in OS/2. These files are located in the Information folder, which also contains the Master Help Index and the Glossary.

OS/2 Warp BonusPak
Previous versions of OS/2 contained small applications (called applets) in the Productivity folder. These "no frills" charting, database, and spreadsheet applications let you do the basics. Most of the applications previously found in the Productivity folder have been replaced in OS/2 Warp by a much more robust set of applications known as the BonusPak.

The BonusPak is a collection of productivity and connectivity applications that can provide you with everything you need to use your system immediately. This value-packed suite of applications includes standard business applications, state-of-the-art multimedia capabilities, and connection capability to the information superhighway. Let's look at what is included in the OS/2 Warp BonusPak.

IBM Works
Designed to meet the needs of a wide variety of users, IBM Works includes a set of productivity tools and application programs that can benefit corporate and home users alike. IBM Works includes:


 * A full-function word processor with many advanced features like merge printing, table support, and graphics support, as well as most functions found in full, commercial word processors.
 * A full-function spreadsheet with features that can address many types of applications. The Chart application takes the numbers in the spreadsheet and produces a variety of charts that can be printed alone or integrated into other IBM Works documents.
 * IBM Works' powerful database can organize both text and graphical information. The database can also import and export information in several different formats.
 * IBM Works' Report Writer produces customized reports from the IBM Works database as well as from dBASE-compatible databases.
 * For managing your time, the IBM Works Personal Information Manager (PIM) includes features like an appointment book, monthly planner, calendar, to-do list, phone and address book, contact list, notepad, and an event monitor with alarm.
 * To address your communication needs, IBM Works includes two types of communications applications:
 * FaxWorks for OS/2 allows you to create faxes by printing from OS/2, DOS, and Windows applications. This 32-bit fax software sends and receives faxes of unlimited length and prints faxes on any OS/2 printer. Other features include viewing faxes via drag-and-drop and printing in a variety of resolutions and orientations.
 * HyperACCESS Lite is an easy-to-use, object-oriented, 32-bit communications program that you can use to operate your modem and connect to other PCs, BBSs, and more.

As you can see, IBM Works offers a wide array of function-rich applications that you can use to get organized and productive right away.

Person to Person for OS/2
IBM Person to Person for OS/2 (P2P) provides a way for users at up to six different workstations, located in different places, to collaborate. Essentially, this application enables desktop conferencing. All participating workstations are linked via a data link (modem, LAN, ISDN, or Internet), and data is placed in a shared clipboard that can be modified in real time. Participants can also converse via phone if they have a separate phone line, or correspond via the keyboard in a "chat" mode and send data between the systems. With P2P, you can work together without being together.

CompuServe Information Manager
Included in the OS/2 Warp BonusPak is CompuServe Information Manager (CIM), an object-oriented user interface for CompuServe. This quick, easy-to-use front end allows you to access, sort, and utilize the online information and services efficiently, getting the most out of your CompuServe connection.

SysInfo
OS/2 Warp BonusPak includes a Presentation Manager application that gathers and displays your system's hardware and software configurations. SysInfo was primarily designed for use on IBM systems, but many features will work on other manufacturers' systems. The information gathered can be saved in a file or viewed online.

Multimedia Viewer
IBM's Multimedia Viewer (see Figure 10) is an object-oriented tool that organizes and manages your multimedia audio, video, and image files. Multimedia Viewer displays thumbnails--miniature pictures of files--making it very easy to identify the contents of a file. Multimedia Viewer can associate programs to process the files. By double-clicking on the thumbnail frame, you can use these associated programs to play audio, view an image, or play a video segment directly from the thumbnail.



'''Figure 10. Multimedia Viewer'''

Video IN
With OS/2 Warp, you can capture digital video and compress the data into files on your hard-disk drive. Video IN supports both IBM's Ultimotion and Indeo AVI (audio visual interactive) formats for storing video files. These files can then be played back on your OS/2 Warp system.

Internet Connection for OS/2
The Internet Connection for OS/2 is a complete software package that gives you access to the Internet's vast resources (see Figure 11). Its easy-to-use, "one-button" registration with Advantis will get you connected and online quickly. Also supported are other Internet providers that support a Single-Line Interface Protocol (SLIP) connection.



'''Figure 11. The Internet Connection for OS/2'''

The IBM Internet Connection consists of several applications to put you on the information superhighway:


 * Ultimail Lite provides an easy-to-use electronic mail application. Ultimail Lite supports the Multipurpose Internet Mail Extension (MIME) protocol, which enables multimedia mail such as video and audio clips.
 * The Internet Connection Gopher Client provides a Presentation Manager-based graphical interface to Internet gopher servers. Gopher enables you to locate, display, and download files to or from the Internet.
 * If there is a system on the Internet that you would like to access via a terminal emulator, TelnetPM will allow you to log on as a VT100, VT220, or ANSI terminal.
 * PMANT is a Presentation Manager application that supports 3270 terminal emulation for accessing an Internet host.
 * If you would like to upload or download files from the Internet, FTPPM provides a Presentation Manager application that supports the File Transfer Protocol (FTP).
 * There are many forums or newsgroups on the Internet where you may want to exchange ideas. With NewsReader/2, you can access newsgroups and post items.
 * One of the most exciting applications included with the IBM Internet Connection is the WebExplorer (see Figure 12). WebExplorer is a World Wide Web browser that gives you an easy-to-use, point-and-click, multimedia navigational tool for accessing the vast resources of the Internet.
 * The World Wide Web is officially described as a "wide-area hypermedia information retrieval initiative aiming to give universal access to a large universe of documents." It means that, by using a Web browser like WebExplorer, you have a consistent means to access a variety of files using a variety of protocols.



'''Figure 12. WebExplorer (Multimedia Front End for Internet)'''

A New Level of Excitement
OS/2 Warp Version 3 brings OS/2 to a new level--a very full-function, exciting, mature, and stable 32-bit operating system that is available for you to take advantage of today. With its full operating system and its complete set of applications, OS/2 Warp Version 3 is an incredible value.

For more information about OS/2 Warp, contact your IBM representative, connect to the IBM Personal Software Home Page on the Internet at http://www.austin.ibm.com/pspinfo/, or call (800) 992-4777.